2 November 2003                                                  1                                       Keys to Producing Fruit #2

                                                                                                                                                             Fruit – Much Fruit

                                Keys To Producing Fruit #2

 Fruit – Much Fruit

1. Introduction:

· Every believer is called to be fruitful, productive for Christ.

· John 15:16  “I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit.

  “Chosen”    = 1586 =  to select out from a great group.

  “Ordained”  = 5087 =  to appoint, commission, purpose, set in place.

  “Go”            = 5147 =  to lead under, to go without noise => initiate action.

· Fruit = (a)  Fruit of the Spirit – godly character & spiritual maturity. 

Galatians 5:22  Love, joy, peace .....

                (b)  Advance the Kingdom of God – make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19  Go – make disciples.

· No place be neutral – we either gather with Christ of scatter.  (Matthew 12:30)

2. Three levels of Producing:

John 15:1-7  “I am the true vine – my Father is the husbandman.

· Jesus uses agriculture to illustrate how fruit bearing occurs.

· Picture:      {Vine                           =  Jesus.

{Branch                      =  Believer – joined to Christ.

{Husbandman             =  Father.

· Note that there are 4 different types of branches mentioned:

       (i)   Branch in me that bears not fruit. (v2)

  (ii)  Branch in me that bears fruit. (v2)

  (iii) Branch that abides bears much fruit. (v5)

  (iv) Branch not abide – withered = no vitality, energy, life. (v6)

· God addresses each of the different types of believers differently.

3. The Non Fruit bearing Branch (v2):

· v2   “Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away.”

· This reverse to the believer - “branch in me.”

· The believer is not flourishing or bearing fruit.

· All it's focus is on staying alive – surviving!

· 'Takes away' = 142 = airo = to lift up, to take up, to remove.

· God is patient, longing for us to produce (James 5:7)

· God uses people to connect with the non producing believer:

(i)  Encourage that person.

·   Non producing branch is normally lying on the ground.

·   People need  others to come alongside and encourage, strengthen.

·   Barnabas encouraged Paul and connected him (Acts 9:27)

              (ii)  Connect that person to strong believers.

·   Connect to other on fire believers (cell group)

·   Help connect them back to the Lord and prayer life going.

·   Speak words of encouragement. (Proverbs 1)

· Proverbs 12:25  “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers   

                                                    him up.”

2 November 2003                                                            2                                                          Keys to producing fruit #2

                                                                                                                                                              Fruit – Much fruit

4. The Fruit Bearing Branch (v2):

· (v2) “Every branch that bears fruit he prunes it that may bring forth more fruit.

· When fruit bearing branches are pruned they grow vigorously and flourish.

· “Purge” = 2508 = to cleanse, to prune, to cut back.

· God uses His word to prune, cleanse your life.

· “Word I have spoken” => fresh revelation from the Holy Spirit, rhema!

How does God prune us?

   i) Witness of the Spirit                       - grieved, something wrong.

  ii) Word of God                                  - Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin; change.

 iii) Friends speaking truth                   - especially spouse, parent.

 iv) People in authority correct            - workplace, leader.

  v) Circumstances difficult                  - conflict, pain, frustration.

 vi) Consequences of sin                     - pain, weakness, sickness.

· The goal is always the same – to make us more fruitful by:

               a)  Correction  - train, turn back, adjust what is wrong

        b)  Separation  - from harmful influences eg. Genesis 22:7/14

How should we respond?

Hebrews 11:5-11   “Chastening ...afterward yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto

                                     them excused by it”.

·   Notice the key instructions on how to handle chastening.

·   Chastening = 3811 = paideuõ = to train up a child, discipline.

·   (v5) “Don't despise it“                         - have little regard, resist.

·   (v5) ”Don't faint under it”                    - quit or give up.

·   (v6) “Endure it”                                   - Stay firmly in place of faith, confident in God.

·   How you respond to God determines whether you become more productive.

(a)  Resist::     * Deny there's a problem.     * Pretend to change.   

                                   * Blame shift.                        * Attack the messenger.          (1 Samuel 15)

                                   * Justify self.                         * Withdraw, offended.                 (King Saul)

           (b)  Receive:     * Listen for the inward voice of the Holy Spirit.

                                    * Take personal responsibility.                                            (1Cronicles 21-22)

                                    * Command to change.                                                                 (David)

· Proverbs 1:23  “If you have responded at my rebuke, I would have poured out my Heart                                  (Spirit) to you and made my thoughts (words) known to you”.