The Little Faithful Church (John 15:1-15)
Gary McManus, 08/12/2018Part of the God's Word is Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
August 12, 2018 John 15:1-6
Two Christian words: faithful and fruitful.
Even in the churches of the Apostles,
The first churches, a problem common to Christians:
how faith and salvation and deeds or works
work together.
[See James 2:14- 18]
Do notice that James asks questions.
The actual words for fruitful appear
only TWICE in the entire New Testament.
. .
John 15:2, Colossians 1:6
[See Bruce Wilkinson’s book, Secrets of the Vine]
Four categories:
One possibility is “no fruit”
The second possibility is fruit. . .
or some fruit in the basket (John 15:2)
The third basket could be MORE FRUIT (John 15:2)
And the Fourth basket is MUCH fruit (John 15:8)
Jesus spoke of “bad fruit” several times.
(See Matthew 7:17-18, Matthew 12:33, Luke 6:43)
Today we speak of good fruit only.
How much fruit do you see in your life? . . .
Even if you don’t see any fruit in your
life right now. . .you can still see fruit and
you can produce even more fruit. . .
Jesus says so!
We can be fruitful for God (Romans 11:36)
[See Romans 7:4 and Colossians 1:10]
You can’t be IN JESUS and lose your salvation
But you can be IN JESUS and not have any fruit.
. .at least for a time.. . .
If there is no fruit, there is work to be done
(Luke 13:7-8)
Terms in John 15: “take away” and “clean”.
Remember Hebrews 12:6, 10.
What Jesus said of the disciples
is also true of churches.
There is no mention of the Apostle EVER
going to Colossae.
Yet, the church got a letter.
There was a church that met in the
house of a woman. (Nympha, Colossians 4:15).
We all can be fruitful.
We are not told that we can all
SEE the fruit. The Lord can see
all of the fruit.
[Colossians 1:6]
Colossians 1:10
. . .please the Lord in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God,
The fruit may be spiritual fruit
but it is born out of the good work.
You know how to bear fruit:
through growing in the knowledge of God.
It requires worship, Bible reading and prayer.
Not sure about bigger is not always better?
Consider. . .
Maine blueberries, low bush variety
State Fair winning pumpkins
You may choose.
Colossians 1:6, Colossians 1:10
Amen.
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