Bearing Fruit, Is It For Real Or Just a Part-time Hobby?
Matt 21

INTRO: Does anyone like fruit or homegrown vegetables? They are great aren't they? Oh so many memories go back -- I know way back -- for me. There is nothing like an old fashioned meal that contains corn-on-the-cob, green beans, vine-ripened tomatoes, fried potatoes, and cucumbers, all directly from your garden. Well, you could throw in some blackberry jelly or fried apples.

You see, bearing fruit is great in our everyday life and an essential need in our church.

No, I am not suggesting laying out a garden spot and going into the gardening business. I am going to talk about the need in our lives and within the church for real productive fruit. I will deal with three things: How Christ feels about bearing fruit, Essentials in bearing fruit, and The Master's part in bearing fruit.

First I want to deal with…
How Christ feels about bearing fruit

Matt. 21:18-22 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. ¹⁹And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. ²⁰And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! ²¹Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. ²²And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Matt. 25: ¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²⁴Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ²⁵And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. ²⁶His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: ²⁷Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. ²⁸Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ²⁹For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[Use hand outs at this time - poll listeners to see who has what and parallel our many different fruits we bear - I am using the slips of paper, because it is hard to write on beans, corn, wheat or strawberries]

Matt. 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1 Cor. 6:19b-20 …ye are not your own? ²⁰For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Next, I want to deal with some
Essentials in bearing fruit throughout one's life (as taught by the Lord)

There are two essentials, start and finish:

As look at the third point…
The Master's part in our bearing fruit

I want us to understand…
We need the Master's teaching in planting

We need the Master's truth in pruning

We need the Master's touch to have plenty