Jesus and the Fruit (Luke 13:6-9)
Gary McManus, 08/20/2017Part of the Life With Jesus is Better series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
August 20, 2017 Luke 13:6-9 (p. 1033 / p.1045)
This is a follow up sermon.
See last week’s sermon on the “dense” disciples.
[Matthew 11:25-6, Luke 10:21, John 17:6, Luke 12:32]
JESUS SPEAKS OF BEARING FRUIT
over a half a dozen times.
[John 15:5, John 15:8, John 15:16]
IF, Jesus said; IF you remain in me, you will bear MUCH fruit. . .
A little fruit or a lot of fruit; what are we talking about?
Whatever it is, it requires a nourished plant.
See Bruce Wilkinson, Secrets of the Vine
Wilkinson states that the words fruit and good works
are almost interchangeable. (Colossians 1:10)
“. . .Growing in the knowledge of God.”
(See Matthew 11:27, Ephesians 1:17,
Galatians 5:22, John 15:8, Colossians 1:6)
So, shouldn’t the Lord make it happen automatically?
That isn’t what Jesus said.
We are not plants, but it is hard for us
to imagine that this CUTTING feels good.
To bear fruit, you will have to be
under the care of the vine dresser.
Jesus is clear about pruning!
Jesus warns, “Every branch in Me that
does not bear fruit He, the vinedresser, takes away.”
Other places in the New Testament that talk about
US BEARING FRUIT!
( James 5:7, Galatians 6:9)
Does Jesus want fast fruit?
Today’s reading. . .
Even though the tree owner pronounced judgment
against the bare tree, the vinedresser asked to give
it extra care in order to bear fruit.
There is patience required for fruit to harvest.
Are you working for the harvest?
How did the tree APPEAR? Jesus didn’t say.
2 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 4:16,
2 Corinthians 4:18
The fruit of the church is not the church.
The fruit grows in the church.
The body can dwindle but at the very same time
the Spirit can be growing. Paul does not speak of
results or anything measurable.
Jesus said, “In me YOU WILL BEAR GOOD FRUIT.”
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