PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT FOR THE KING

INTRODUCTION

Sherry and I spent the last 13 days on Uganda’s eastern border with Kenya, in the town of Tororo. I had the privilege of teaching Old Testament Survey to the executive leaders of the Uganda Assembly of God. These are men and women of God who are laboring well under some very difficult circumstances. They are bearing good fruit! We’ve enjoyed getting to know these co-laborers in the gospel, and learned so much from their input and insights on the Scriptures.

As I considered these two weeks of teaching and learning, I remembered that God expects all His children to bear good fruit. But, because we live in a broken world sometimes the flesh gets in our way. When this happens, the seed we spread is corrupted and produces bad fruit. One of the major themes of the Old Testament is that God’s people would live under God’s rule in God’s place. When they did that, they reaped the peace and rest of God. When they did not live out that pattern (which was most often) they forfeited God’s peace and rest. Each season produced it’s own fruit. Some good, most bad.

The Apostle Paul tells the Ephesian church that since they have become followers of Christ, they should stop telling lies and tell the truth; stop using unwholesome talk but use words that build up; stop stealing and start giving; get rid of bitterness, and rage, anger, fighting, and malice. Instead, says Paul, be compassionate and forgiving (Eph 4).

In other words, Paul is telling the Ephesians and, by extension, you and I that as Christians, we should bring forth good fruit from a heart that is made whole (good) by the saving power of Christ.

Let’s explore Luke 6:43-45 together and think through the idea of spiritual fruit:

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

GOOD TREE – BAD FRUIT

This is a straightforward passage of Scripture. This is one of those teachings of Jesus that is plain in its meaning. This passage breaks down like this:

• Good trees produce good fruit

• Bad trees produce bad fruit

• We can tell a tree by its fruit (lemons, oranges, flowers, leaves, etc., tell us the type of tree)

Then Jesus moves from talking about trees and applies the same principles to humans:

• Evil men produce evil fruit

• Good men produce good fruit

We can tell whether or not Jesus has touched a person by looking at the type of fruit they produce.

In most Bible translations, Luke 6:43-45 is a separate paragraph from Luke 6:27-42 where Jesus teaches us about judging correctly with righteousness. I think this passage about good and bad fruit (humans) is connected to and explains Jesus’s teaching about correct judgment.

In other words, judging correctly means looking at what a person’s life produces – the harvest. Are they creating a harvest of peace, joy, reconciliation, and unity? Or does their life produce confusion, manipulation, chaos, and division?

Last week I wrote that Christians are called to judge a person’s actions and let God judge their motives. So, if we are to look at the harvest people produce, how do we know if the fruit is bad or good? What are we looking for?

The Scriptures do not leave us clueless about discerning the fruit of a harvest. Let’s go to Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia.

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH – THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

If you attend church, you’ve probably heard teaching from Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit. But Galatians five teaches more than love, joy, peace, and so on. If you read further, you will see that Paul also writes about the fruit of the flesh or “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19).

Galatians five primarily concerns how Christians live in the freedom of trusting Christ as their savior. Paul spends a large portion of Galtaisn refuting a teaching that has invaded the church at Galatia. False teachers were instructing believers that they must be circumcised before becoming Christians. Paul informs the Galatian believers that salvation is Christ alone and that we are made free through the gift of salvation (Gal 5:1-12).

But in Galatians 5:13, Paul reminds the church that their freedom comes with responsibility. Christ’s followers are free but cannot use their freedom to indulge in fleshly pursuits (sinful nature). Paul encourages believers to walk in the Spirit and not “gratify the pleasures of the flesh.” WHY? Because the sinful pleasures of the flesh are contrary to life in the Spirit. Paul tells the Galatians, “you cannot do whatever you want and still please God.”

With this in mind, Paul then describes the fruit of those living contrary to the Spirit.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21).

Paul’s list is not exhaustive. In other words, it doesn’t list every sin, giving us a free pass to commit sins, not on the list. Paul is painting with a broad brush, but we would do well to pay attention to what Paul is saying and showing us.

When reading a passage like Galatians 5:19-21, we are tempted (and sometimes tricked by the enemy) to believe that if we have engaged in one of these behaviors, then we are finished with God. That is just not true. This is not about a momentary sin or failure. No, this is about claiming to live a Christ life but continually indulging in acts of the flesh. The reward for that type of disobedience is not inheriting the kingdom of God.

Paul is trying to help us get a picture of what a bad harvest looks like – so that we might see it in ourselves, repent, and ask God to help us begin producing a good harvest. So, what does a good harvest look like…let’s read on…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Gal 5:22-23).

These “fruits” paint the picture of someone living a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit instead of the flesh. Let me emphasize that Paul is talking about Christians in Galatians. Sinners who have not placed their faith in Christ cannot help but be led by their desires and lusts.

Those who have repented of sin and placed their faith in Christ have the power of the Holy Spirit to resist sin and not cave to the evil desires of our hearts. You do! All of this comes down to you and me choosing where we will receive our nutrition.

Wait, what? Did I say “nutrition?” Yes, I did. Let me explain.

I AM THE VINE – REMAIN IN ME

When I use the word nutrition, I mean that you become what you eat. The stuff you take into your life has an impact on your soul. We have no control over some things, and these circumstances come to us without warning or invitation. Other things can certainly be avoided by connecting ourselves with a better source. Jesus called Himself “the vine.” Then He urges us to “abide” or stay connected with Him. When we “remain” in Christ, we produce an abundance of good fruit (see John 15:1-12).

Choosing to feed on the good things of God is a heart issue. Luke said, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Lk 6:45b). What fills your heart? Are you connecting to a source corrupting the seed that should produce good fruit in your life? Maybe it’s a toxic person or a situation you put yourself into. If you have connected to a source other than Jesus, then it is time to do some pruning.

I know too well the arguments rolling around in your brain. “Danny, I hear you, but it’s not my fault. It’s the people around me who cause me to fall. So, if I get rid of them, all will be well, right?” Wrong!

You can isolate yourself from people and places for a season. However, if you refuse to let God change your heart about sin, you will find your way back to the “pigsty” with different people.

You and I must begin seeing sin as something that cripples. Sin hurts, and sin brings death. Therefore, we must find a way to put sin to death if we will ever have a life! The only way to end sin is surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. His atoning sacrifice conquered death and put sin in its place. Outside of Christ, we are hopeless. He is the one Who always causes us to triumph.

But that is the good news! Because of Christ, we have hope in this life and the one to come. We also have hope for a life that produces good fruit. Fruit that brings life to those around us. Fruit that helps others flourish. Fruit that causes others to take notice of a different kind of kingdom being manifested here on earth.

If you find this blog helpful, and you’d like to say thanks, click here to buy Danny Davis a coffee