Download Bearing fruit – (2) - Braggs Church of Christ

Song Numbers
Bearing Fruit
(Lesson 2)
Jn. 15:1-8
Jn. 15:1-8
• 1. Jesus is the “true vine”
• 2. God the Father is the
“husbandman” – the owner
• 3. Christians are “branches”
• 4. Christians must abide in Christ
in order to bear fruit
• 5. The Vine supplies the branch
with the ability to bear fruit – but
the branch (Christian) must do his
part in bearing fruit
•I. Christians must
bear fruit
•II. To bear fruit,
Christians must
abide in Christ
• To be a disciple – A Christian – we
must bear fruit
• To bear fruit we abide be in Christ
• To abide in Christ we must keep
His commandments
• WHAT KIND OF FRUIT WILL
CHRISTIANS BEAR?
•III. Bearing fruit is
manifested in
many ways
1. Sharing with those in
need
2. Developing Christ-like
Character
• Gal. 5:16
• [16] This I say then, Walk in the
Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the
lust of the flesh.
The Fruit of the
Spirit – Gal 5:22-23
• [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.
2 Pet. 1:5-8
Christian Graces
• [5] And beside this, giving all
diligence, add to your faith virtue;
and to virtue knowledge;
[6] And to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness;
• [7] And to godliness brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity.
[8] For if these things be in you,
and abound, they make you that
ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith
• This is our own personal faith
which comes as a result of a study
of the Scriptures
Virtue
• This means, “moral goodness,
moral excellence.”
• It is the courage to act according
to what is right.
Knowledge
• This is the knowledge that brings
growth, perfection, and maturity
to the Christian.
Temperance
• This is self-control and literally
means to hold oneself in.
• This is the ability to keep one’s
appetites, desires, tongue, temper,
and thoughts under control
Patience
• This word literally means “abiding
or remaining under” and denotes
endurance or steadfastness.
• It characterizes the man who is
unswerving in his deliberate
purpose to serve God even in the
midst of heartache and trial.
Godliness
• Deep devotion to God – shown by
our willingness to obey His
commandments
• It is this which causes us to give
God the place in our lives --- and
worships and serves God in the
right way
Brotherly kindness
• From the Greek (philadelphia)
which is love for brethren.
• It is the concern that Christians
should have for each other.
Love
• It is seeking someone else’s wellbeing above everything else, and
sacrifices self for them.
3. Maintaining good
works
• Titus 3:14
• [14] And let ours also learn to
maintain good works for necessary
uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Mt. 5:16
• [16] Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven.
4. Giving praise and
thanksgiving to God
• Heb. 13:15
• [15] By him therefore let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our
lips giving thanks to his name.
5. Righteousness
• Phil. 1:11
• [11] Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of
God.
Heb. 12:11
• [11] Now no chastening for the
present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which
are exercised thereby.
6. Holiness
• Rom. 6:22
• [22] But now being made free
from sin, and become servants to
God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting
life.
7. Evangelism – winning
souls for Christ
• Rom. 1:13
• [13] Now I would not have you
ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I
purposed to come unto you, (but was
let hitherto,) that I might have some
fruit among you also, even as among
other Gentiles
• We have the responsibility to
preach to the lost
• We cannot force them to receive
the word
• God is the one who gives the
increase
1 Cor. 3:6-7
• [6] I have planted, Apollos
watered; but God gave the
increase.
[7] So then neither is he that
planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the
increase.
• “The N.T. definitely teaches that as
Christians we should do all that we
can to convert as many as possible
(Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16).
However, there may be some who
are so old, infirm, and lacking in
knowledge when they are….
• Converted that they are not in
position to go and teach some one
the gospel. But they can live the
Christian life and possess the nine
elements of the fruit of the Spirit.”
(Garland Elkins)
• “Fruit - bearing branches of the
Lord (his disciples) are ‘cleansed’
by discipline, training, and growth
to produce more fruit. Fruit for
the Christian, is specified in Gal.
5:22-23, and involves all the good
works expected of those who are
wholly dedicated to the Lord.” (Guy
N. Woods)
• “Fruit bearing is intently inclusive
of all Christian activities. It is not
restricted JUST to winning souls as
some, who lack full
comprehension, have contended.
Crossroads has been notorious in
this concept.” (Robert R. Taylor,
Jr.)
The branches that
were cast forth
• 1. They became unfruitful
• 2. They were cut from the Vine
• 3. They were gathered up
• 4. And cast into the fire
• This is a figurative description of
those who stop being faithful to
the Lord
Rev. 2:10
• …be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life.