The Disciple-Makers Challenge: Bear Much Fruit
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Have you ever counted the number of seeds in an apple? Give it a try. I just cut one open and found seven. What would happen if I took just one of those seeds and planted it? Would it produce an apple? No. It would produce an apple tree... with hundreds of apples. And if I were to then cut each of those apples open, we would presumably find about seven seeds in each one. Each of those apples have the potential to reproduce seven trees with hundreds more apples with seven seeds. Given time, I could cover the planet with apples!
Read John 15:8.
Read Matthew 3:8, Matthew 7:16-20, Philippians 1:11, Colossians 1:10.
Read Galatians 5:22-23.
Read Colossians 1:6.
The Bible speaks about bearing spiritual fruit in three ways. We bear fruit spiritually as we obey God, producing acts of righteousness. In doing so, our behavior matches our new identity as a Christ follower. We also bear fruit spiritually as our character reflects the character of Christ. This is called the fruit of the Spirit. Finally, we bear fruit spiritually as we share the Gospel with those who are spiritually lost and see them put their faith in Christ alone for salvation. This is the abundant spiritual harvest that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 9:35-38.
Bearing much fruit involves all three. We bear fruit as we share the Gospel with those who are spiritually lost. After they have put their faith in Christ, we model what it means to follow Christ, and as they follow our lead, they bear the fruit of righteousness in keeping with repentance. As these new believers learn from us concerning how-to live-in dependence upon and walk in step with the Holy Spirit, their lives will begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
Disciples make disciples. That’s what they do! In Luke 6:40, Jesus tells us, “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Jesus uses the words ‘student’ and ‘disciple’ interchangeably. Here He makes it clear. The fully trained student will BE LIKE the one discipling them. Their life will reflect the character and priorities (the fruit) of the one training them. Since their teacher discipled them, if they are to be like their teacher, they must then reproduce spiritually by discipling others.
One apple. Seven seeds. Seven trees full of apples with seven more seeds. Through multiplying apple trees, we can cover the planet with apples. The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20, gives us Jesus’ mandate to cover the planet with disciples. Jesus has a clear strategy.
Read Acts 1:8.
Ask the Lord: what one step is He inviting me to take today to walk as Jesus and make disciples?
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