Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to the previous sermons: Without Him We Can Do Nothing - John 15:4-5
Abiding in Christ - John 15:4-5
Christ's Words Abiding in Us - John 15:7
That Ye should Go And Bring Forth Fruit - John 15:16
In John 15:16 our Lord Jesus Christ presented the truth, saying, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
In a previous message from this verse (see above), we have taken note that our Lord is here speaking to His own, to those who have received Him through faith as their personal Savior from sin. Furthermore, we considered that our Lord here reveals two truths concerning our present Christian lives. First, He reveals the truth concerning our place in this world – that we are chosen and ordained people, chosen and ordained by our Lord Himself. Second, He reveals the truth concerning our purpose in this world – that we are chosen and ordained to go and bring forth spiritual fruit. In this message we now focus our attention upon the two-fold purpose statement of the verse – “That ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Thereby we find the truth concerning the power whereby we might bring forth fruit and the truth concerning the process whereby our fruit might remain.
This sermon is a companion to the previous sermons: Without Him We Can Do Nothing - John 15:4-5
Abiding in Christ - John 15:4-5
Christ's Words Abiding in Us - John 15:7
That Ye should Go And Bring Forth Fruit - John 15:16
In John 15:16 our Lord Jesus Christ presented the truth, saying, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
In a previous message from this verse (see above), we have taken note that our Lord is here speaking to His own, to those who have received Him through faith as their personal Savior from sin. Furthermore, we considered that our Lord here reveals two truths concerning our present Christian lives. First, He reveals the truth concerning our place in this world – that we are chosen and ordained people, chosen and ordained by our Lord Himself. Second, He reveals the truth concerning our purpose in this world – that we are chosen and ordained to go and bring forth spiritual fruit. In this message we now focus our attention upon the two-fold purpose statement of the verse – “That ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” Thereby we find the truth concerning the power whereby we might bring forth fruit and the truth concerning the process whereby our fruit might remain.
The Power for Spiritual Fruit-Bearing
How shall we bring forth spiritual fruit? It is the very purpose of our Lord for our Christian lives. It is the very purpose for which He chose us and ordained us. How then shall we fulfill this purpose? The answer is found in the earlier context of the chapter, in John 15:4-5. Therein we learn that the power whereby we might bring forth spiritual fruit is by abiding in Christ and allowing Christ to be abiding in us. There our Lord Jesus Christ gives the instruction, the warning, and the promise, saying, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
First, our Lord gives the instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Brethren, this is the only way to abundant spiritual living and fruitfulness. In our daily walk upon this earth, we must ever be abiding in our Lord Jesus Christ, and must ever allow our Lord Jesus Christ to be abiding in us. We must ever be humbling ourselves before Him so as to depend upon Him and surrender unto Him in all things. Oh, how we need again and again to be reminded of our Lord’s instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need again and again to meditate upon our Lord’s instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need again and again to hear this truth proclaimed, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need day after day to build our lives upon this truth, “Abide in me, and I in you.”
Second, our Lord gives the warning that we cannot bear any spiritual fruit at all out of ourselves. Yea, He gives the warning that we can only bear spiritual fruit through abiding in Him. In the closing portion of John 15:4, He declares, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Furthermore, in the closing portion of John 15:5, He adds, “For without me [that is – without abiding in Him] ye can do nothing.” On the other hand, between these two warnings, in the opening portion of John 15:5, our Lord gives the promise, “I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same brindeth forth much fruit.” He is the Vine. He is the Source of power for us to bring forth much spiritual fruit. We never have to try to bear this fruit out of ourselves. As the branches of the Vine, we can abide in Him so that He might work in His power through us. Even so, in Galatians 2:20 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Yea, this truth is so glorious and so encouraging; for His power is almighty and all-sufficient. Even so again, in Philippians 4:13 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
The Process for Remaining Fruit-Bearing
Indeed, the power whereby we might bring forth spiritual fruit is by abiding in Christ and allowing Christ to be abiding in us. Yet our Lord desires something more than just that we might bring forth spiritual fruit. According to John 15:16 our Lord’s purpose in choosing us and ordaining us is that we should go and bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain. How then shall this additional purpose be fulfilled? The answer is also found in the earlier context of the chapter, in John 15:1-3. Therein we learn that the process whereby our spiritual fruit might remain is through yielding to the pruning work of Christ’s Word. There our Lord Jesus Christ informs us, saying, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”
In the agricultural realm there are two different perspectives concerning the matter of fruit remaining. On the one hand, there is the perspective concerning fruit remaining all through the growing season until it is fully ripe. When fruit first appears on the vine, it does not appear already ripe and ready to be harvested. Actually that fruit must remain on the vine through an entire process of ripening until it will be truly ready for harvesting. If that fruit does not remain on that vine throughout that entire process, it will wither away and be spoiled. Thus our Lord is indicating that a Christian life of truly ripened spiritual fruit will require a spiritual process in the heart and life of a believer.
On the other hand, there is the perspective concerning fruit remaining on the vine from year to year. Although a vine might have produced a great harvest one year, such will not be satisfying to the husbandman of the vine the next year. In the harvest season of the present year, the husbandman will not be satisfied to say, “Well, this vine produced a great harvest last year.” Not at all! In the harvest season of the present year, the husbandman will not be satisfied unless he is able to say, “Well, this vine produced a great harvest this year.” Every single year, from year to year, the husbandman of the vine desires to see another great harvest from that vine. Even so, God our heavenly Father, the Husbandman of the spiritual Vine, desires to see us bearing spiritual fruit, not just on an occasional season, but in every season.
Yet how shall this process of ripening and continuing fruitfulness be accomplished in our spiritual walk? It shall be accomplished through a process of purging in our lives. In the closing portion of John 15:2, our Lord Jesus Christ reveals this truth, saying, “And every branch that beareth fruit, he [God the Father, the Husbandman] purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Now, that word “purgeth” refers to the removal of things out of our hearts and lives. In the context of a grape vine, it refers to the severe process of pruning. In the context of our spiritual lives, it refers to the cutting away of sinful and distracting things out of hearts and lives in order that we might concentrate more fervently upon the purpose of bearing spiritual fruit (See Hebrews 12:1, 5-11).
Brethren, spiritual fruit bearing and fleshly sin bearing are the spiritual opposites one of the other. When we are walking in sin, we cannot be bringing forth spiritual fruit; and when we are bringing forth spiritual fruit, we will not be walking in sin. These two things never mix together in our lives. Yea, spiritually they cannot mix together in our lives. In addition, unnecessary distractions are a great hindrance to our spiritual fruit bearing. Although not inherently sinful by nature in themselves, such distractions prevent the spiritual fruit of our lives from ripening as quickly; and they prevent us from bearing as much spiritual fruit as possible. Therefore, the Lord our God and heavenly Father will seek to cut away these sins and distractions out of our hearts and lives.
Indeed, He will continually perform that work of purging (pruning); and the “pruning knife” that He will use in this purging process is the truth of His Holy Word. In John 15:3 our Lord Jesus Christ continues, saying, “Now ye are clean [purged; pruned] by the word which I have spoken unto you.” Again, and again, and again, and again, the truth of God’s Word will cut into our lives, dividing asunder our soul and spirit and discerning the thoughts and intents of our hearts, all for the purpose of pruning away those things that are sinful or distracting therein. So then, what is our responsibility in this pruning process? If we would bear much spiritual fruit and would have that spiritual fruit to remain unto ripening from season to season, we must willingly yield to pruning work of God’s Holy Word. Although this pruning work may be painful at times, we must not resist it. Rather, we must receive it with meekness of heart. Even so, James 1:21-22 gives the command, saying, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
How shall we bring forth spiritual fruit? It is the very purpose of our Lord for our Christian lives. It is the very purpose for which He chose us and ordained us. How then shall we fulfill this purpose? The answer is found in the earlier context of the chapter, in John 15:4-5. Therein we learn that the power whereby we might bring forth spiritual fruit is by abiding in Christ and allowing Christ to be abiding in us. There our Lord Jesus Christ gives the instruction, the warning, and the promise, saying, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
First, our Lord gives the instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Brethren, this is the only way to abundant spiritual living and fruitfulness. In our daily walk upon this earth, we must ever be abiding in our Lord Jesus Christ, and must ever allow our Lord Jesus Christ to be abiding in us. We must ever be humbling ourselves before Him so as to depend upon Him and surrender unto Him in all things. Oh, how we need again and again to be reminded of our Lord’s instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need again and again to meditate upon our Lord’s instruction, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need again and again to hear this truth proclaimed, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Oh, how we need day after day to build our lives upon this truth, “Abide in me, and I in you.”
Second, our Lord gives the warning that we cannot bear any spiritual fruit at all out of ourselves. Yea, He gives the warning that we can only bear spiritual fruit through abiding in Him. In the closing portion of John 15:4, He declares, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Furthermore, in the closing portion of John 15:5, He adds, “For without me [that is – without abiding in Him] ye can do nothing.” On the other hand, between these two warnings, in the opening portion of John 15:5, our Lord gives the promise, “I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same brindeth forth much fruit.” He is the Vine. He is the Source of power for us to bring forth much spiritual fruit. We never have to try to bear this fruit out of ourselves. As the branches of the Vine, we can abide in Him so that He might work in His power through us. Even so, in Galatians 2:20 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Yea, this truth is so glorious and so encouraging; for His power is almighty and all-sufficient. Even so again, in Philippians 4:13 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
The Process for Remaining Fruit-Bearing
Indeed, the power whereby we might bring forth spiritual fruit is by abiding in Christ and allowing Christ to be abiding in us. Yet our Lord desires something more than just that we might bring forth spiritual fruit. According to John 15:16 our Lord’s purpose in choosing us and ordaining us is that we should go and bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain. How then shall this additional purpose be fulfilled? The answer is also found in the earlier context of the chapter, in John 15:1-3. Therein we learn that the process whereby our spiritual fruit might remain is through yielding to the pruning work of Christ’s Word. There our Lord Jesus Christ informs us, saying, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”
In the agricultural realm there are two different perspectives concerning the matter of fruit remaining. On the one hand, there is the perspective concerning fruit remaining all through the growing season until it is fully ripe. When fruit first appears on the vine, it does not appear already ripe and ready to be harvested. Actually that fruit must remain on the vine through an entire process of ripening until it will be truly ready for harvesting. If that fruit does not remain on that vine throughout that entire process, it will wither away and be spoiled. Thus our Lord is indicating that a Christian life of truly ripened spiritual fruit will require a spiritual process in the heart and life of a believer.
On the other hand, there is the perspective concerning fruit remaining on the vine from year to year. Although a vine might have produced a great harvest one year, such will not be satisfying to the husbandman of the vine the next year. In the harvest season of the present year, the husbandman will not be satisfied to say, “Well, this vine produced a great harvest last year.” Not at all! In the harvest season of the present year, the husbandman will not be satisfied unless he is able to say, “Well, this vine produced a great harvest this year.” Every single year, from year to year, the husbandman of the vine desires to see another great harvest from that vine. Even so, God our heavenly Father, the Husbandman of the spiritual Vine, desires to see us bearing spiritual fruit, not just on an occasional season, but in every season.
Yet how shall this process of ripening and continuing fruitfulness be accomplished in our spiritual walk? It shall be accomplished through a process of purging in our lives. In the closing portion of John 15:2, our Lord Jesus Christ reveals this truth, saying, “And every branch that beareth fruit, he [God the Father, the Husbandman] purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Now, that word “purgeth” refers to the removal of things out of our hearts and lives. In the context of a grape vine, it refers to the severe process of pruning. In the context of our spiritual lives, it refers to the cutting away of sinful and distracting things out of hearts and lives in order that we might concentrate more fervently upon the purpose of bearing spiritual fruit (See Hebrews 12:1, 5-11).
Brethren, spiritual fruit bearing and fleshly sin bearing are the spiritual opposites one of the other. When we are walking in sin, we cannot be bringing forth spiritual fruit; and when we are bringing forth spiritual fruit, we will not be walking in sin. These two things never mix together in our lives. Yea, spiritually they cannot mix together in our lives. In addition, unnecessary distractions are a great hindrance to our spiritual fruit bearing. Although not inherently sinful by nature in themselves, such distractions prevent the spiritual fruit of our lives from ripening as quickly; and they prevent us from bearing as much spiritual fruit as possible. Therefore, the Lord our God and heavenly Father will seek to cut away these sins and distractions out of our hearts and lives.
Indeed, He will continually perform that work of purging (pruning); and the “pruning knife” that He will use in this purging process is the truth of His Holy Word. In John 15:3 our Lord Jesus Christ continues, saying, “Now ye are clean [purged; pruned] by the word which I have spoken unto you.” Again, and again, and again, and again, the truth of God’s Word will cut into our lives, dividing asunder our soul and spirit and discerning the thoughts and intents of our hearts, all for the purpose of pruning away those things that are sinful or distracting therein. So then, what is our responsibility in this pruning process? If we would bear much spiritual fruit and would have that spiritual fruit to remain unto ripening from season to season, we must willingly yield to pruning work of God’s Holy Word. Although this pruning work may be painful at times, we must not resist it. Rather, we must receive it with meekness of heart. Even so, James 1:21-22 gives the command, saying, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
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