Fruit (5 of 7)
Series: Authentic Christianity
Jerry Watts
John 15:1-8
- Consider this conversation between a farmer and his tree.
- FARMER: Good morning tree! How are you doing today?
- TREE: Just fine, farmer! My, isn't it a lovely morning?
- FARMER: Yes, it is. Except for one thing--where is your fruit? I see all your nice, green foliage and your sturdy trunk and root system, BUT WHERE IS YOUR FRUIT?
- TREE: Master, you will notice I am more firmly anchored than any tree in the orchard. I have the most beautiful leaves to be seen anywhere! I have no broken, sagging branches or scuff marks from workmen's shoes on my limbs.
- FARMER: That's well and good, but I planted you for the purpose of bearing fruit, not to look pretty and preserve yourself! Suppose all of my trees had your attitude! Why have you not produced fruit?
- TREE: I tried bearing fruit once a few years ago. Some of the beautiful fruit I worked so hard to produce fell to the ground and became rotten. The odor was terrible. My limbs would bend and break and in the effort my whole system was strained--it was all one tree could stand! Then the workmen came and climbed my tender limbs and snapped my branches with their rapid strokes. To top it all, I produced the most fruit of any tree in the orchard and I didn't get any glory! No, I am content to stay right here and leave fruit-bearing to some other tree. After experiences like these, what do you expect?
- FARMER: I expect you will make beautiful logs for my fireplace!
- Playing the part of the tree would be us, all believers, while playing the part of the Farmer would be the Lord. Jesus always reserved His harshest judgment for the unfruitful. You and I are expected to produce fruit and good fruit at that!
- So take to heart a statement which will serve us well during this time:
- Every person or life produces fruit of some kind. What kind do you produce and how are you producing your 'life's' fruit? Ca ...
Series: Authentic Christianity
Jerry Watts
John 15:1-8
- Consider this conversation between a farmer and his tree.
- FARMER: Good morning tree! How are you doing today?
- TREE: Just fine, farmer! My, isn't it a lovely morning?
- FARMER: Yes, it is. Except for one thing--where is your fruit? I see all your nice, green foliage and your sturdy trunk and root system, BUT WHERE IS YOUR FRUIT?
- TREE: Master, you will notice I am more firmly anchored than any tree in the orchard. I have the most beautiful leaves to be seen anywhere! I have no broken, sagging branches or scuff marks from workmen's shoes on my limbs.
- FARMER: That's well and good, but I planted you for the purpose of bearing fruit, not to look pretty and preserve yourself! Suppose all of my trees had your attitude! Why have you not produced fruit?
- TREE: I tried bearing fruit once a few years ago. Some of the beautiful fruit I worked so hard to produce fell to the ground and became rotten. The odor was terrible. My limbs would bend and break and in the effort my whole system was strained--it was all one tree could stand! Then the workmen came and climbed my tender limbs and snapped my branches with their rapid strokes. To top it all, I produced the most fruit of any tree in the orchard and I didn't get any glory! No, I am content to stay right here and leave fruit-bearing to some other tree. After experiences like these, what do you expect?
- FARMER: I expect you will make beautiful logs for my fireplace!
- Playing the part of the tree would be us, all believers, while playing the part of the Farmer would be the Lord. Jesus always reserved His harshest judgment for the unfruitful. You and I are expected to produce fruit and good fruit at that!
- So take to heart a statement which will serve us well during this time:
- Every person or life produces fruit of some kind. What kind do you produce and how are you producing your 'life's' fruit? Ca ...
There are 11126 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
