Key Text: Matthew 7:12-20

In his letter to the Philippians Paul prays, that they will be ‘…filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God’ Philippians 1:11  His reference to ‘bearing fruit’ is not incidental, His references to ‘bearing fruit’ in Philippians and elsewhere mines a deep seam of fruitfulness established by Jesus, that runs through the entire Bible from beginning to end. We find fruit on the first and last pages of Scripture in the garden of Eden and the new Jerusalem and almost everywhere in between. When we look deeper, it should be clear that God’s desire for fruitfulness is as extensive as the gospel message of our restoration to the Father through Christ.

Created for Fruitfulness

Fruitfulness like everything, starts with God Himself, who creates land with the capacity to produce plants and trees that bear fruit, It’s God who blesses animals to be fruitful and multiply and who calls on human beings created in His image to ‘be fruitful and increase in number’ Genesis 1:26-28. Fruitfulness is a mandate for those who are in Christ, not an option.

The original mandate (Instruction/command) has to do with building families, growing crops and breeding animals, – in other words cultivating creation. We are mandated to represent God’s rule over every activity, through relationship with others to reflect God’s own creative hand.

As Genesis continues, so the promise of fruitfulness is restated and re-emphasised to Noah after the flood and to Abraham and his family, where numerical growth of the people is bound up with God’s covenant with them, fruitfulness for the purpose of blessing all nations. Then, after the covenant at Sinai, the promises are linked to the people’s obedience to God in the promised land, as God’s ‘vine’ planted there Psalm 80:8-11

Through all this, as we see in Psalm 1 and elsewhere, bearing fruit becomes model image of Godly living.

The righteous, those in covenant relationship with God, who constantly meditate on his law, are like …a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in due season and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3. The tree is well located, well planted, and well-watered. Because of that, it thrives, bears fruit in season and does not wither.

The repeated complaint of the prophets however, is that Israel as a vine or vineyard seems unable to bear fruit. ‘The song of the vineyard’ in Isaiah 5:1-7 records God’s deep sadness that His chosen people who had been planted to bear fruit, ultimately for the blessing of the nations had produced only sour/wild grapes. The consequence in the O.T. story is that they suffer judgment and dispersal in exile.

But the theme of fruitfulness is picked up again in the promises of restoration back to the land, usually associated with the giving of God’s Spirit as in Isaiah 32:15-17…the Spirit is poured upon us from on high and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

Fruitfulness in Christ

Given the rich O.T. background, it’s perhaps no surprise that Jesus uses images related to fruit and fruitfulness, sowing and harvesting, fig trees and vineyards. His statement ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser/gardener’ John 15:1. Jesus’ through this declaration now takes up the role God had assigned for Israel. Abiding with Jesus in the vine is to be a part of the restored end-time people of God, who are called to bear fruit to God’s glory John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples

Paul also picks up the language of fruit at various points in his letters, Gentile as well as Jew, people who bear the fruit of the Spirit as a sign of the new creation.

A Fruitful Soul manifesting the fruit of Holy Spirit Galatians 5:22-23 …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Many ways a Christian can be fruitful but it begins in the heart with the fruit of the spirit. The inner fruit affecting our outward actions.

A Fruitful Mind Philippians 4:8-9, Romans 8:5-8, …whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Ephesians 4:22 -24 - put of old self – and be renewed in the spirit of our minds

Fruitfulness in Deeds Colossians 1:10 , …walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 1 Peter 3:10 (Tongue)

Fruitfulness in Gift 1 Peter 4:10 , As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: Romans 12:4-6 …having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

 Fruitfulness in Fellowship Hebrews 10:24-25, …let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Psalm 133

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

We have been called to a life of fruitfulness: Soul, Mind Deeds & Words, Stewarding of gifts of grace In fellowship & community with each other