What kind of fruit do you bear in your life? - 28 November 2024

Our Lord Jesus prayed for the unity of his church in John 17:21. With unity in the church, the world will know that the Father has sent him. Jesus gave us such a beautiful example of self-sacrificial love in his Word. But the Word also warns from the very beginning that this beautiful message of the gospel would be falsified by evil forces. Jesus warns against false prophets here, as the apostles would warn against false teachers later in their writings (see 2 Peter 2:1 and 1 John 4:1 as examples).

How will we recognise the truth, when there are so many imitations of the gospel message of Christ’s love? We are called the flock of the Lord in chapters like Psalm 23 and John 10, where he is the good Shepherd who leads his sheep. He also uses people as shepherds of his flock (Ephesians 4:12). Jesus warns against the wolves in sheep’s clothing. They pretend to be one of the flock, but they are called ferocious wolves by Jesus, their intentions with the flock are evil. Jesus warns that shepherds must be measured by the fruit that they bear in their lives. Jesus teaches us that a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Later, in John 15:5, Jesus would teach more about the fruit that God expects in our lives. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This would be the first question when evaluating a shepherd’s ministry: Does this person’s life bear witness to the goodness and love of Christ? Jesus went further in John 15:12 to say: “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.” This is the fruit in every believer’s life that glorifies God. This is the fruit that Jesus expects to see in our lives – the fruit of love. Love is always good fruit in our lives! And when we search the Word a bit further, we come to the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. This is the fruit in someone’s life where the Spirit of God reigns: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. Where these fruit are visible in a shepherd’s life, you are part of a healthy faith community. Use these fruit to also evaluate your own walk of faith on a regular basis. Do you live a life of love towards God and your fellow man?

Where there is no love, faith has not yet transformed your life. Like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13, without love we have failed the test of religion. In today’s verse, Jesus warns that trees without good fruit will be removed and thrown into the fire. Religion without love gains us nothing.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you have come to unlock the fruit of the Spirit in my life. Help me, by the power of the Spirit, to bear good fruit that will glorify your name. When I am entrusted to be a shepherd, fill me with your Spirit and transform my life with your love. Help me to glorify you with all I do. Amen