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John 15 - Abundant Fruit [Session 3]
25/05/2018 10:50:40 AM | Cathie Staunton
Did you know it takes a vine up to three years to produce grapes? The yield will always depend on how well the vine has been cared for and pruned.
Jesus isn’t exactly clear what the fruit signifies when He speaks to the disciples. It is thought that it is the fruit of God’s mission, of more people following Jesus’ example. Others connect this passage directly with the fruits of the Spirit, the characteristics of a life lived to glorify God that we read about in Galatians 5. Overarching this is the idea that the fruit is a manifestation of living the divine life itself, knowing God and knowing His love.
John 15:8-11
8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
These Verses Celebrate That:
- Our fruitfulness is an example of Christ that brings God glory
- We are loved!
- Jesus desires us to be joy filled
- Obedience in Christ is all about love and joy
In 1969 Yvonne and Ian and their three young children boarded a plane from India to return to Melbourne. After six years serving with Global Interaction in the state of Assam in North East India it was time to return for home assignment. When they left their small village of Tukrajhar there was approximately 30 faith communities dotted across the area. They were looking forward to returning after their home assignment to continue to support the Boro people of Assam.
Unfortunately, changes in the Indian Government’s religious visa laws meant that they never did return to Tukrajhar and were the last Baptist intercultural workers to serve in that area. However, the Holy Spirit continued to move and the local believers responded. Today there are over 300 churches that make up the Boro Baptist Church Association. These are the fruits of the Global Interaction branches that we joyfully celebrate today.
Ponder. Discuss. Act.
- Investigate the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Which fruits do other people see in you? Ask someone you trust. Which fruits could God be working in you to develop?
- Take time to celebrate the fruit that has come from you remaining in Jesus. Write a list,
- draw a picture, pray a prayer of praise and share with a friend over a big bowl of juicy grapes or lunch at a vineyard.
- Get in touch with an intercultural worker and ask them to share a story of the fruits God has
- produced through their work. This is what our workers love to talk about! (Contact your State Office to connect with intercultural workers.)
- Get excited about the fruitfulness of our ministry in Thailand among the Ethnic Thai. You can read about Ethnic Thai believers being equipped to lead faith communities of their own people in this article: www.globalinteraction.org.au/Celebrating
- Wait in anticipation for the fruit that God will produce in you in the future. Think about how you can be obedient to Him in order to be fruitful and be filled with love and joy. What does being filled with joy and love feel and look like for you?
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