Bearing Spiritual Fruit - Part 2

This podcast is made available by this increasing media as to the generosity of our support is your donation today means great podcast ideas remain available to help people look to God daily presentation at our nation today send out all day if you live it is inferred that look appetizing, but live through the good taste in your mouth you experienced an important biblical truth today on Turning Point of Jeremiah explains work abusing spiritual replays more than just the things you say and do. That includes your interior life as well. Listen as David introduces the conclusion of his message bearing spiritual fruit. Thank you for joining us today as we continue our series entitled the life God blesses today were going to finish up what we started yesterday from John chapter 15 bearing spiritual fruit is a wonderful passage of Scripture.

This John 15 passage.

It just outlines what it means to be fruitful.

The Bible says if we don't bear any fruit were not of him so there's no such thing as being a fruitless question. If you are Christian you will bear some fruit, some people bear more fruit and some people bear much fruit, but there's no such thing as a non-fruit Christian, you have to have some evidence in your life that Christ is living within you. Right now, let's finish up what we started yesterday were talking about bearing spiritual fruit and were studying. John 15 I see God doing in my life is this some kind of testing in my life and as I began to try to figure out what it's all about.

He puts his finger on some stuff that I'm doing that I don't need to be doing is not bad stuff. It's just not productive stuff and he says I want you to stop doing that and use your energy and it seems to me that the Christian life is just one continual rehearsal after rehearsal of that particular play because as you become more productive, more opportunities come more things are available if you're not careful if you're a person who doesn't like to say no like I don't like to say no say yes yes yes yes, and here's what you learn. Every time you say yes to something you say no to something else, and what God wants to do for the pruning process is he wants you to be fruitful. If you're already bearing fruit will send some tests along the way to make you even more productive and when that happens, what you do is you backup take a little personal retreat and you say Lord God help me to evaluate what's going on in my life. And Lord, you have permission to just take the divine shears and cut off those things that are not productive so that my energy can be flowing into the areas of my life I have gone through the process many times in my life and so many of you the reason for writing is important is because it's the motivation behind God's pruning the reason he sends discipline for life.

Quite often, so that we can be more productive. Sometimes he uses the difficulties in our lives to open the doors so that we have a greater sense of productivity and ministry so that's the next reason why fruit bearing is important is the motivation behind God's discipline not notice. Fourthly, fruit bearing is the method of touching other people not watch carefully and think with making the logic of this in the Bible were told to bear fruit. Why so that we can pick up food and eat it ourselves. What you will find out in studying the Scripture is the fruit bearing is totally centered. It's not about you it's about others how to minister to other people.

Just a few moments to talk about some ideas but listen, if you're a fruit bearing Christian, the fruit in your life is going to touch other people before in your life is going to make a difference in the lives of other people just take some of the fruit of the Spirit of well, you know, unless you're some kind of a weird person you don't cause all that love to be turned inward on yourself. What is the fruit of love. It's touching other people with low so when you are fruit bearing person touch other people. I read about a woman who was giving a testimonial talk about a first aid class where she had received her training and she said there was this terrible accident in front of my house. The man was lying there with bone splinters rolling around in pools of blood, his arteries were severed. He was in a state of shock.

But I remembered my first aid instructions that if I put my head between my knees. I wouldn't think I put my head between my knees and I didn't think that I am so grateful I took this class so a lot of people think about the Christian life. God gives you this ability and this so you can consume it on yourself.

But here's what happens if you're a productive Christian will not be self-centered. You will be Christ centered and other centered Jesus first, others second and third jail why that's how you get joy in your Christian life. So fruit bearing is important because it's the means to have the method you have of touching other people and then let me give you another reason I want you to really understand how important this is.

Before we go through for five ways that you are fruitful and productive. According to the word of God. It is the manifestation of Christ to the world. How does the world see Christ ever seen Christ. Personally, I haven't. I don't think anyone has say well. At the foot of my bed when I was in the hospital. Well thank God for that. If that's what you think.

I'm not going to get in your head about that but I'm just saying that Jesus Christ does not make personal manifestations in this particular time.

How does he manifest himself manifest himself through questions. I remember reading a book one time talk about the church is Christ body number two. His body number one is what he walked around and when he was on this earth. We went back to heaven he said now the church is my body. This is body number two and it's the body number two that we manifest the presence of Christ in the world. I was on a talk show in Dallas is a little nervous about it because I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but I've gotten the place where I just pray this prayer and Don and I pray this prayer over Lord God help us to bring the presence of Christ into the situation is, what were called to do and when you bear fruit. That's what you do take the presence of Christ and what is fruit is everything that's Christlike if you're fruit bearing Christian or becoming more and more like Christ. So whatever you do in whatever situation you walk into whatever environment you find yourself in our view is Christ by those people. Whatever Christ they know they will know through you and is your fruitfulness that you bring Christ into the situations of people's lives. Woodrow Wilson, former president United States had a favorite limerick that went like this was not a very attractive person.

According to history used to recite this little poem like this. I know how ugly I are I know my face ain't no star, but I don't mind it because I'm behind it. It's the fellow in front gets the jar you know and that's kinda latest for a lot of Christians is it's the fellow in front gets the jar and I'm afraid that the many Christians who have never gone into the word of God to find out what it says and to live what God says we are to live in terms of fruitfulness. I think sometimes the watching world is quite ajar.

They hear us talk about being Christians, but sometimes they don't see much of Christ in us, and I say that because it's true mean it's true of all of us at one time or another but we all have to say that often times and situations we don't exemplify the spirit of Christ.

Well one last reason why this is important. You might think.

Boys given the whole message on why it's important to talk about what it is. The last reason it's important is because it is the means of glorifying the father. Notice what it says in John chapter 15 in verse eight, and this is so powerful in my mind. By this my father is glorified no watch this, that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples.

Westminster catechism which many of you studied in churches, says that the first priority of man is to glorify God. But how many sermons have you ever heard about how to glorify God.

I read a couple books and put a few sermons but is not talked about very much, and a lot of people just say well glorify God, but they don't tell you how. But here's a verse that tells you one thing you can do to glorify God. It says by this my father is glorified, how that you bear much fruit. What is that mean that you become a productive Christian when you are productive Christian will bring glory to the father being a productive Christian is being Christlike to see how that would bring glory to the father when he will become like Christ, who is God the father's son and bring glory to the father. Just think about appearance. Just think about yourself was last time somebody came up to you and said something good about wanting your kids some of your scratching your head trying to remember how far back it was but most of you have had that experience go someplace and your children are on display and someone comes up and says to you is a fine young man. She's a fine young woman.

What happens to you, what happens to one that takes place something swells up inside of you doesn't glorified in that process came in because there are product the product of your parenting. Now watch when we bear fruit, which is the Christ likeness in our lives, we bring glory to the father because people see in us that which he has imputed to us through his righteousness, and they see in us the evidence of our relationship to the other.

All must belong to God. Wonderful say pastor Jeremiah what in the world does it mean to be fruitful, and I want to give you a little outline that I've written in the front of my Bible and I hope you never forget it because while it doesn't cover all of the things that are involved in fruitfulness. It covers a lot of it's real easy to remember. If you just follow through with me here it is. First of all its character.

What you are for his character. What you are in Galatians chapter 5 we are told that we are to bear the fruit of the spirit right with me on this one is the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, gentleness, long-suffering goodness and faithfulness, kindness, self-control. This is what happens when you were the spirit of God.

This is how you are. Your loving you fill with joy. So fruitfulness is first of all, your character so you will say how do I know if I'm a fruitful Christian well do you have any of God's love and God's joy in God's kindness and God's gentleness God self-control given to you by the Holy Spirit you have any evidence that your life well if you do, that's one way to be fruitful.

Fruitfulness is character what you are then secondly this is conduct what you do do some things that demonstrate our fruitfulness over the book of Romans.

Paul writing to the Romans said when you were servants of sin, who were free from righteousness. What had you been in those things whereof you are now Shane for the end of those things is death, but now having been made free from sin and become servants to God. No watch this. You have your fruit unto holiness. What that means is that the things we do. It's not just who we are, but it's the conduct of its what we do. That's an evidence of our fruitfulness. You know how we live our conduct or behavior or lifestyle Christians conduct behavior lifestyle should be any different than those who don't know Christ will perhaps just a little bit here and there, don't you think if there's evidence in your life that Jesus Christ is made his mark on you in the things that you know that's another way to be fruitful its character.

What you are. It's conduct what you do.

And thirdly I think I made this up, but it's right here in the Bible its contributions.

What you give, and you know that the Bible tells us that when we give to God that is fruit. Did you know that that's an evidence of our character in our conduct giving that we know to God. It says over and Romans chapter 15 Paul performed this thing and seal it to them and he sealed to them.

This fruit is talking about giving when I put my check in an envelope and I give to the church or to the things God has directed me to give it to. That is an evidence of my genuine Christ because Christ is again resonate for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, Christ is the epitome of giving. When I give according to the Scripture. I am evidencing my fruitfulness essay will have been a Christian all my life and I never have given a dime to the church will worry about that.

I don't worry about it because is not up to me to worry about what you want to worry about it because if you can be in love with Christ and in love with this church and never want to do anything to invest in it something wrong.

Why the Bible says where your heart is your treasure is in the Bible says that when you contribute demonstrate fruitfulness in their other scriptures I can use to illustrate that but for the sake of time will go on to the next with it is not only character what you are and conduct what you do and contributions what you give. It is communication.

What you say now watch what it says in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 15 therefore by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name, and you know that what you say is fruitful. General what's in your heart comes out in bucketful's from your mouth. If you have Christ in your heart and your trusting the Holy Spirit to give you direction in your life. If Christ is in your heart is going to come out of your mouth absolutely is going to change your speech and here is the process talking about giving praise to God through a passage on worship as you enter into worship. That's an evidence of your fruitfulness, your productivity is a Christian and you know the people who are Christians don't like the worship of your notice that when Christ comes. He begins to change your life and make all things new, just well up with inside and you have to worship.

There's got to be an outlet for an praise and worship and that speech according to the Bible is fruitfulness. So it's character.

What you are conduct what you do, its contributions, what you give its communication.

What you say and finally, this is the one everybody always talks about first its converts Bible says that when you when someone Jesus Christ, that person becomes your fruit evidence of your fruit. It says in Proverbs 1130 the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that when the souls is wise. Now I grew up in a church in a culture where the only counter fruitfulness. Anybody ever talked about was heavy when anybody in Jesus.

Most people I knew couldn't answer that question very positively because they number one they never tried number two, they never succeeded how many of you know, if you don't try, you don't succeed, and I never learn how and a lot of times people won't witness because they're afraid and so I went to church as often I hear pastors get up and make you feel so guilty if you had one anybody to Jesus and him say that was the only way you can demonstrate that your question was just not true.

I've given you for otherwise this is the fifth way it's character. What you are. It's conduct what you do, its contributions, what you give its conversations what you say and its converts will you win I'll just suggest something. If you have no one to three and four.

I promise you. Somewhere along the way. Five will happen. Amen. True if we concentrate on five at the exclusion of one thing for quite often nothing happens if you try to win people to Jesus Christ in your character you conduct your contributions and your conversation is wrong. You are going to be very productive. But if you understand that this is a well-rounded concept and basically the best way to define it is this to be fruitful to be productive is to be like Christ, to be Christlike in your life and all five of these things and many more are part of it. But if you are walking with the Lord and exchanged your character and your walking with the Lord and exchanged your conduct and your sensitive to the Lord and exchanged your spirit of generosity and your walking with the Lord and her lips are now bearing the fruit of righteousness and praise in conversation.

Somewhere along the way. Somebody's going to come up and say why are you like and the door will be wide open for you, just in a humble way to tell them about Jesus Christ to invite them to come to church or whatever, say pastor Jeremiah. I can only think of one person in my whole life that I know of that came to Christ because of anything I did. Let me remind you something very powerful that whatever when someone in there, your fruit and that fruit are the seeds of more fruit in every piece of fruit. There are seeds of more fruit if you took all of the seeds out of the fruit and planted them. He would have a multiplication of the fruit you are consuming. So every time he went someone to Christ and have no idea what God's going to do if he really wanted one person to Christ in your whole life. Maybe only influenced one person for Christ in your whole life. You have no idea what God might be up to in that person's life, and I could give him illustration after illustration of people who went to the mission field I think of a man by the name of Smith who went to Africa, George Smith, after a very short mission to this country and was forced to leave only led one person to Christ all the time he was on the mission field was very very poor old woman George Smith died a short time after that. While on his knees praying for Africa and yet people say is they went back and studied that from that one convert him one an entire explosion of missions in Africa took place, not about keeping score, you know, sometimes even run Christians you think they take scalps notice that company did you win, how many did you when really it's really not about that. It's about me faithful to Almighty God, praying for the opportunities but this is a very important message to go alongside of that because our lives are not productive.

If we are not living like we should doing what we should do saying what we should say giving as we should give and asking God to bless our lives when the opportunities, we will be prepared to take them, but when they do come, he may lead us to one person and who knows what could happen if you ever thought about who the person was that led Billy Graham to Christ the person was that led Neil Moody to Christ or something of the great evangelist person everyone, but through that one person, thing one world.

So God is not calling us to take records and to explore what God is calling us to be productive. Is that true close to that as close to that because that's the way we demonstrate who we are. That's the way we gauge our growth. That's the way we understand what God is doing in our life through the discipline that comes our way. That's the way we can bring glory to his name when we see in our lives. The imprint of Jesus Christ that's being fruitful, however great or small, it may be, is there any evidence of that in your life.

Someone said one time. If you should be indicted as a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you, and if there is no evidence in your life that Jesus Christ is a part of what's going on. Maybe this would be a good day for you to really get serious about finding out whether or not you truly are Christian because I am absolutely convinced you can't be a Christian and not have some evidence of it somewhere.

Doesn't mean you have to be a whole either thou St. perfect.

Nobody's perfect expression. The pastor what he means that Jesus is making a difference in your life is making a difference in your life.

Well I hope you are encouraged and strengthened the motivated now that you understand what it means to bear fruit. As a Christian tomorrow were going to look into the book of Colossians and were going to discuss committing your life to growth right here I'm Turning Point. I hope you will join us as we pump our Bibles together to the third chapter of Colossians. Was he right here tomorrow… Today would judge from Shadow Mountain Community Church and Dr. David Jeremiah senior Boston. Would you like to tell us have tending 40 minutes this to you. Please write to us at any point PO Box 38, San Diego, CA 92163 or visit our website at Jeremiah thought/writing you a copy of Jack country, with God's blessings just for you 100 inspirational readings and reflections is yours for a gift of any amount you still have Krista David study devotional for 2021 strength day. There is no copies of the growing going to get a dose of biblical truth real coffee.

When you visit Jeremiah.org/writing.

I'm very hopeful he can join us tomorrow as we continue the series the life God blessed here on Turning Point. Jeremiah, thanks for taking time from these increased in all