Excerpts from Messages From Pastor Todd, First Altamonte Church, Orlando, FL:
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Show God your good Fruit...
In John 15 Jesus dips into the world of horticulture to teach a valuable lesson about the Christian life. Jesus is
letting His followers know that their responsibility is to bear fruit. I once bought a house that had fruit trees in
the back yard. They were nice looking trees (until hurricane Charlie came to town!), but I had no idea what type
of trees they were until they produced fruit! Listen to Jesus' words in verses 1-3;
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because
of the word I have spoken to you."
God wants us to bear fruit, first of all, for identification. We are known by our fruit. When people take a look at
the tree of your life, is there any indication, any fruit, that would validate your claim you are a follower of Jesus?
Here is another point, if a fruit tree doesn't bear fruit, we correctly conclude there is something wrong with the
tree. There is a disconnect somewhere to its life-giving power source. The same is true in the spiritual realm. If
my life is not producing spiritual fruit then I am not properly connected to the life-giving Vine of Jesus and His
Word. How do I know if my life has "Christian fruit" hanging from my life? Take a look. For starters, is there love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flowing from your life?
(These are the Fruit of the Spirit recorded in Galatians 5: 22-23). If there is- awesome!
letting His followers know that their responsibility is to bear fruit. I once bought a house that had fruit trees in
the back yard. They were nice looking trees (until hurricane Charlie came to town!), but I had no idea what type
of trees they were until they produced fruit! Listen to Jesus' words in verses 1-3;
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while
every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because
of the word I have spoken to you."
God wants us to bear fruit, first of all, for identification. We are known by our fruit. When people take a look at
the tree of your life, is there any indication, any fruit, that would validate your claim you are a follower of Jesus?
Here is another point, if a fruit tree doesn't bear fruit, we correctly conclude there is something wrong with the
tree. There is a disconnect somewhere to its life-giving power source. The same is true in the spiritual realm. If
my life is not producing spiritual fruit then I am not properly connected to the life-giving Vine of Jesus and His
Word. How do I know if my life has "Christian fruit" hanging from my life? Take a look. For starters, is there love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flowing from your life?
(These are the Fruit of the Spirit recorded in Galatians 5: 22-23). If there is- awesome!