THE PATHWAY TO A FRUITFUL LIFE…

JOHN 15:5-6: “I am the vine;   you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. [6] If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” CSB

OBSERVATION: What is the key to living a fruitful life? If you watch cable news you will be bombarded with commercials about supplements that promise you a fruitful and full life. If it were only that easy!

The famous country singer, Randy Travis, sang a song entitled “Good Intentions.” It highlighted the fact that fruitfulness is not automatic and is many times missed in one’s life.

And I hear tell the road to hell is paved with good intentionsBut mama, my intentions were the bestThere’s lots of things in my life I just as soon not mentionLooks like I’ve turned out like all the restBut mama, my intentions were the best

While our story need not end like the chorus of this song, the song makes a good point. Fruitfulness in life is not just a matter of good intentions. It does not simply happen because we take a supplement or wish it so. Jesus was very clear in His teaching to His disciples. Fruitfulness is the will of the Father.

Yet, there is a pathway to fruitfulness!

The first step on this pathway reminds us that fruitfulness is not about what we do but about Who we trust! Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. A branch alone, separated from the vine, has no life and no prospect of bearing fruit. Yet, when the branch abides in the vine, it is the life of the vine that naturally, and without the effort of the branch, produces fruit.

Trusting in Christ alone is the first step toward a life of fruitfulness!

“The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

This takes the issue of work’s righteousness off the table. Yet, it does not remove the call to obedience. We cannot trust in Christ alone and be indifferent to His commands. As we abide in Christ, His words are to abide in us! It is the Spirit, working through the Word, that brings transformation in our hearts and lives. Obedience is the natural response to this transformation.

John 15:9-10: “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” CSB

We are never called to obey God out of fear. Fear does not produce fruitfulness. We are called to respond to God’s commands out of love. As we abide in Christ and He abides in us, it is His love that transforms our hearts. We love because He first loved us. We obey Him out of this love. As we abide in Christ it becomes our natural response and our joy to obey His commands. And, as we obey His commands, we find that we grow in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives!

Galatians 5:22-25: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love,  joy,  peace, patience,  kindness,  goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness,  and self-control.  The law is not against such things.  [24] Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  [25] If we live  by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” CSB

As I abide in Christ, and as He abides with me, I die to my old way of living. When I am abiding in Christ and His Word, it is harder to slip back into the old patterns of my past life. The passions and desires of my old life are put to death by the union I have with Jesus Christ my Lord. When this happens my heart becomes a fruitful ground from the wonderful fruit of the Holy Spirit. I find myself becoming more like Him each day.

As I am daily being transformed by the Spirit of God into the image of Jesus Christ a wonderful thing happens. I begin to experience a vibrant prayer life. It is not because of anything I am doing. It is because I am abiding in the vine. His desires become my desires. My prayers become Kingdom focused not self-focused. I begin to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done. And, when I pray like this – the Father answers!

John 15:7-8: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. [8] My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.” CSB

I also find my relationships are transformed. I begin to love others the way that Jesus Christ is loving me!

John 15:12: “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you.“ CSB

To trust in Christ alone, to abide in Him, to abide in His Word, to have fellowship with the Father through the Holy Spirit, is to live a fruitful and overflowing life. It is a life marked by joy that is not determined by the circumstances of life. It is a joy that is rooted and grounded in Christ. It is an anchor for the soul and the guarantee of safe harbor.

It is the fruitfulness of abiding!

John 15:11: “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.“ CSB

So, if I could rewrite the chorus from Randy Travis’ song, “Good Intentions,” it would go something like this.

And I hear tell the road to heaven is found in Christ abidingAnd mama, Christ’s intentions are the bestThere’s lots of things in my life and past to which I’m dyingAnd Christ is transforming me to be my bestYes mama, Christ abiding is why I’m blest

In Jesus’ Name!