Discipleship: "Bearing Fruit is not an option"
John 15:8 “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
Jesus uses this analogy of a vine and branches to discuss the nature of discipleship to those that are listening. In this verse Jesus makes it very clear that a disciple is someone that produces fruit. A disciple is not someone that has an abundance of knowledge; a disciple is not someone that says all the right things; a disciple is not someone that goes to bible study, prays, goes to church, etc……these things do empower one to be a disciple…..however, to be a disciple is to produce fruit and this brings glory to the Father.
I live in a culture where to be a disciple means to be someone that goes to church, give money, does a bible study, and prays…..this would actually be considered a super disciple if all these are being done. But yet this verse exposes the sin and idolatry of this thinking. A disciple is someone that produces fruit and if we are not producing fruit we are not a disciple….it’s that simple. Now, these things (church, study, prayer, etc) are necessary tools that empower us to produce fruit but these tools in and above themselves do not make us disciples. In fact, if our going to church, bible study, prayer life, or giving are not empowering us to produce fruit then these practices are worthless and a waste of time. With Jesus there isn’t a gray area at this point; to be a disciple is to produce fruit and all the branches that claim to be a disciple that are not producing fruit are cut off.
Jesus I come this morning hearing this scripture and weeping for claim to be disciples in my culture. I also come hearing your call to preach this message from the rooftop that people may know where they stand. I pray Jesus that you would continue to empower me to bear fruit for the glory of the Father. Protect me from the temptation to think that all of these disciplines are discipleship but may I always remember that it is through these disciplines that you empower me to go in the world and bear fruit. Use me as an instrument today to build up your church; bear fruit through me today and empower me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading that I might be this vessel of fruit bearing today. Amen.
Bearing Fruit is the mark of discipleship……
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