This past Wednesday I shared a little bit in a discussion about something the Lord has had me in for a couple of weeks. I have been frequently drawn to John 15:1-16, especially verse 16 which says: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (Emphasis added)
Most of us are quick to quote the first part of that verse but tend to forget the second part. Yes, we want to be chosen and bear fruit. But it doesn't stop there. It goes on to say, “that your fruit should remain.” How does that fruit remain?
It's a two-step process. The first part is making sure the fruit that we are producing is relative to eternity in the Kingdom of God. You see, there's a lot of good work(s) that can be done but our focus is to be winning souls for the Kingdom of God. Seeing lives transformed from hopelessness to hope. Then the fruit you planted in an individual is planted by that person in another person. The seed keeps growing and remains. New life breeds new life.
What are some of the other works? Most would say it's the supernatural gifts - healing, prophecy, etc. which are listed in 1 Corinthians 12. Supernatural Gifts have their place in the community of faith but it's not to be the primary focus, winning souls is. We don't decide when they happen, that is up to the Holy Spirit. I'm not saying the gifts are not necessary. Just not the focus.
When spiritual gifts become the focus there is the danger of people getting caught up in sensationalism, celebrity preachers, manufacturing gifts from the flesh. Anyway, this subject of gifts can be a whole discussion in itself. Let's get back to talking about fruit.
As mentioned, the spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12. However, spiritual fruit is listed in Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”
It would be safe to say that spiritual gifts are incomplete if the individual operating in those gifts is not living in the fruit of the spirit. Keeping a focus on the fruit of the spirit helps us stand guard against things such as the image we present, sensationalism, wanting to look powerful, thinking it will draw the crowds. At the risk of stepping on toes of those who want to be gift focused, when the gifts are in operation the goal should be to bring people to salvation, not to say look at all we have happening here. What will truly draw crowds is transformed lives.
There are many examples in the Bible of a person encountering Jesus leading to a transformed life that drew a crowd. One example is the woman at the well. She lived in shame most of her life. Listen to what she says after encountering Jesus. The full story is in John chapter 4, but here are a few key scriptures.
29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”
Then the result of her sharing the encounter with Jesus comes next. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (Emphasis added)
Before this blog gets any longer, let me close with a quote that I read recently.
“Instead of measuring ourselves by the gifts we have – perhaps we should consider the depth of our love.” (Wanda Alger)
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