FRUIT THAT REMAINS

Tonight, a subject that bears on this issue of church growth; BEARING FRUIT. Fruitfulness isn’t a choice. It’s a commandment of the Lord.

From the time Adam and Eve were told to be fruitful and multiply in the NATURAL. From the day when the disciples were told to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, to be spiritually fruitful,

God expects fruit. Tonight, we’re going to discuss fruitfulness, and the implications it has for our church.

John 15:16

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

We didn’t pick Him. He picked us. “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” We know this is the truth. God picked us. When we ask Jesus into our hearts, we feel like we’ve picked Him. But the truth He picked us. He loved us first.

1 John 4:10
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We love Him because He first loved us. We are picked by Him for a purpose. You were picked for a purpose. God chose you in Him. He created you for a specific purpose. You’re picked.

Eph 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We’re chosen for that very reason. That’s the depth and the premise behind our relationship with Him. We didn’t initiate this relationship with God. He did, and because of that, He’s in the driver’s seat of our hearts and lives. But why did He pick us?

He picked us for an ORDAINED PURPOSE.

“…and appointed you to go and bear fruit…”

You’ve been ordained to PRODUCE FRUIT. That’s your purpose. That’s my purpose. Fruitfulness ought to be our goal. It ought to be our purpose. What do I mean fruitfulness?

By fruitfulness – I mean being PRODUCTIVE in the kingdom of God. PRODUCING SOMETHING OF VALUE FOR GOD’S PURPOSES. The unfruitful Christian is not fulfilling his or her ordained purposes. We’re ordained for FRUIT. Fruit, winning people to Christ. Fruit, building the local church. With our time, our talent, our tithe. It’s our CALLING, to be fruitful. Unfruitfulness is not in God’s plan, He never designed that for us.

Bethel Church of God has been DESTINED by God to be a fruitful church. That’s what God has ordained that we be. I am destined to be fruitful. That is what God has ordained me to be. We’re ordained to FRUITFULNESS. It’s wrapped up into us, it’s part of the purpose for our creation.

But is that it? Unfortunately, no. Bearing fruit is NOT ENOUGH, we haven’t just been called to fruitfulness. We’ve been called to BEAR FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. “…fruit that will last…” Bearing fruit is not enough, we have to become bearers of LASTING FRUIT. Fruit that will be around for a while. Fruit that isn’t here today, and gone tomorrow. There are plenty of churches that are growing. But growing is not enough. We need to grow, and STAY GROWN.

Flash fire is here today, and gone tomorrow. But we need to be producers of fruit that will last. Fruit that will be here tomorrow. Fruit that, if Jesus tarries, will be here in the next generation. We want a fruit that is enduring. Fruit that can feed people tomorrow. Fruit that will change a generation. Fruit that will change a world. Producing for God is so important.

We know that there is a necessity to bear fruit. If we don’t bear fruit, according to John 15, we’ll be cut off. God help us if we don’t bear fruit. John 15, the first two verses read like this…

John 15:1-2
15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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.

God HELP US to be fruitful. But we can’t be bearers of FRAGILE FRUIT. The fruit is no good if it doesn’t last. The fruit is no good if it’s not enduring. You and I have to decide that we’re going to be bearers of LASTING FRUIT. How do we do that? We do that by being faithful. Staying in the church through thick and thin. Being faithful, regardless of what comes. It’s about being in through good times or bad. It’s about finding the place where God has called you to be, and BLOOMING where you are planted.

We bear lasting fruit through investing. Investment means putting your resources of TODAY, into something you might not see a return on until TOMORROW. Christianity is like that. Children’s Ministry doesn’t yield its truest reward until the children are grown. Bus Ministry won’t reap its truest rewards until the kids grow up. Investing – using today’s resources for tomorrow’s blessings.

We bear lasting fruit through prayer. Praying to the Lord of the harvest… Praying that God will give us lasting fruit.

You might not realize this, but there is a secret wrapped up in this verse. Being a bearer of lasting fruit is one of the secrets of getting your prayers answered.

“…Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name…”

Whenever you become a bearer of lasting fruit. Fruit that isn’t fleeting. Fruit that stays around after the work stops. Fruit that is productive and useful. The scripture tells us that, “Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name…” Then, your prayers will be answered. Productiveness, then is a key to getting a hold of the throne of heaven. God answers the producers.

When Bethel Church of God is a productive church, producing LASTING FRUIT, then God will work to answer her prayers. When you and I become productive, producing LASTING FRUIT, then God will work to answer our prayers. But why is that? The answer is in this very chapter.

John 15:2-4
2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

He cuts off those that don’t bear fruit. Those that DO BEAR fruit, He tends to, and nurtures, He refines and prunes, so that it’s more fruitful. He wants the FRUITFUL BRANCHES to be MORE FRUITFUL. So He tends to them; He answers their prayers; He focuses on their needs; I believe that He pays more attention to those who produce for the Kingdom of God. He pays more attention to their needs. The goal is, He wants fruit, but it needs to be lasting fruit. We need to be fruitful, but it must be fruit that remains. Fruit that will be around (if Jesus tarries) beyond us. Fruit for today but also, fruit for tomorrow.