Much Fruit
Jesus spoke so often in agricultural terms when describing life in the Kingdom of Heaven. When He talked about faith He compared it to a mustard seed. When he saw the multitudes, He spoke of the great harvest field. And when He spoke of purpose and calling, He talked about the vine and its branches. These familiar metaphors all have one thing in common. When there is no growth and no fruit, God is not pleased. Everyone begins their life in the Kingdom in a “no fruit” place. We are promptly grafted into the vine, (Jesus), so that we would bear fruit. We were chosen by God for this very purpose. (John 15.16)
Bearing fruit shows that there is life in the branch. The fruit hangs on the branches, not the vine. Fruit is the reproduction of life and it only produces after its own kind. A vine will produce grapes, not apples. We are grafted into Jesus to reproduce in others the life of God that was born in us. Fruit is people. Fruit is the harvest. In John, chapter 15, Jesus teaches in length that to bear fruit is the purpose of our election and the proof of discipleship. One does not bear fruit by accident. It takes effort. Having no fruit is unacceptable and that branch that bears no fruit is cut off the vine.
When a branch is fruitful, the vinedresser prunes the branches so that they will bear more fruit. (John 15.2) Discipleship is God’s means of pruning. It is like going to a barber shop. You may have a full head of hair. It is long and healthy, but the ends are split. You may want even longer hair, but the barber knows that to grow long hair you must cut off the split ends. Split ends is like having a life that is not focused in one direction. It speaks of busyness and distractions that dissipate our energy and virtue. Here comes our pastor/discipler to snip away and get us back on track with our priorities. More fruit means more effort and singleness of heart.
To bear more fruit, one must abide on the vine. (v.4) Abiding is a 24/7 life of dependence on God. In the 19th century, Georg Müller, a German missionary, raised thousands of orphans, built schools and supported missions around the world without asking man for a single offering. He made an agreement with God to only let Him know of their needs in prayer and in His lifetime over 100 million pounds came in to support this ministry. For the first five years of his ministry, he only trusted God for his family’s needs. It is like having a garden that produces enough tomatoes for a few salads. This is fruitfulness, but God is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and find their place in the Kingdom of God. (II Peter 3.9)
God looks at this world and says that the harvest field is great. When moving from a place of no fruit, to a place of some fruit and then to more fruit, God is pleased, but not satisfied. It is not enough that you and your household are saved, but that the whole world would be reached. So He says in verse 5 to bear “much” fruit. The Lord desires that we go from gardening to farming. He wants us to empty hell and populate heaven. Just as more fruit means more effort, much fruit requires much effort.
Proverbs 14.28a says: “In a multitude of people is the glory of a king.” If you want to give God glory, then focus on the harvest. Jesus said: “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15.8) Let’s glorify God in a tangible way. Let’s fill His kingdom with people. Let’s bear much fruit.
Scriptures to meditate on:
John 15.1-16; 17.20; Luke 10.2-9; II Peter 3.9; Prov. 14.28; 11.30