PARTICIPATING IN THE TREE OF LIFE SERIES: WE ARE FRUIT BEARERS
This is the 5th post in the Tree of Life series. Here are links to the first, second, third, and fourth posts.
The last post established our identity and position relative
to Jesus, utilizing the Vine and Branches imagery Jesus communicated in the
Gospel of John, chapter 15 (verses 1-8).
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
This passage establishes that we, as branches, are supported
by the vine (Jesus), and that water (Holy Spirit) flows through us, by virtue
of our connection to Jesus. This was
covered in greater detail in the last post.
The current post addresses the biology of fruit and our role as fruit
bearers. Jesus declared that we, the
branches, would bear much fruit, if we remain in Him.
Plant branches grow and spread out. As branches grow, and during the right time
of year (when conditions are suitable), flowers will form on branches. The
flowers become pollinated, seed develop inside them, and the flowers mature
into fruit. Fruit originate in flowers,
and their purpose is to reproduce more plants through seeds. A fruit is nothing more than a container for
seeds. If it has seeds in it – it’s
technically a fruit (even green beans and tomatoes). Fruit are designed as a means of seed
dispersal. Some plants produce dry fruit
designed to detach and float away on a breeze, like with dandelions. Yes, those white umbrella-like parts you see
floating away from dandelions are a type of fruit.
Many types of fruit are designed to be attractive for eating, and in natural environments are consumed by animals, who end up depositing seeds later on when they defecate, and usually in a different location than where the parent plant is. In these ways, fruit function to spread seeds around an area. This is how plants spread out in an area, over many generations. The take home point is that fruit are part of plant reproduction – to produce new plants in an increasingly growing area. Also, fruit serve as a food source for many, many other living things. Here is a short animated video depicting an apple tree life cycle from seed, to flowering and fruit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Aside from the types of dry fruits, most other fruits are
composed primarily of water (think of all the fruits you typically eat). Even in the Vine and the Branches teaching of
Jesus, written in the Book of John, we understand the fruit to be grapes, which
are composed primarily of water. We, the
branches, are bearing the fruit of the spirit, as we know the water that flows
from the vine (Jesus) into the branches is the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5: 22-23 describe this fruit. Here are verses 22 through 25 (New Revised
Standard Version):
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/fruits-spirit-season-galatians-1388848/
Just like a plant in nature, fruit of the sort that is
typical to the type of plant will be produced.
An apple tree produces apples; a grape vine produces grapes. Jesus is the vine; we are the branches, and
the fruit that is typical to this “Jesus plant” is fruit of the Holy
Spirit. This is your true nature. This is the fruit produced and displayed on
you, for others to take and consume.
Just like a plant in nature, these spiritual fruit contain seeds which
produce the same type of plant when they sprout. This is attractive fruit – fruit that catches
notice by others – this is the sort of fruit people want and need.
This is better than good news; this is GREAT news! We might observe and feel we are lacking some
of these fruit in our lives, but in reality – spiritual reality – if you
understand your true nature – your position relative to Jesus, and that you’re
connect to him, by virtue of your belief in him, and that the Holy Spirit flows
through you, by virtue of “staying in the tree” as a branch, this is the
spiritual fruit that naturally is produced and displayed in you, by the Holy
Spirit in you. You CANNOT bear this
fruit on your own; you must remain connected to the vine, as Jesus indicates in
the John 15 passage. If you are
patient, praise God for the spiritual fruit of patience He produced in
you. If you have self-control, thank Him
for producing it in you.
This knowledge is critically important for a believer in
Jesus. Once you know this, it’s simply a
matter of abiding as a branch connected to Jesus. Believe it, and receive it – see yourself as
you really are – a spiritual fruit bearer, as a branch in the Tree of Life. We have a purpose as Christians – to proclaim
the good news message of Jesus Christ.
Bearing spiritual fruit is part of God’s plan to draw people to Himself,
as Jesus declared in John 12:32. The
display of spiritual fruit in believers is intended to draw hungry people to
God.
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Jesus explains this further in John 16:7, when he is talking
to His disciples, prior to His arrest and crucifixion:
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ disciples did not receive the Holy
Spirit until after His resurrection, as recorded in John 20:22
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”
God’s plan for humanity involves His people participating in
the Tree of Life, and to draw all people to Himself through the spiritual fruit
He produces in those who believe in Him.
Consider what is proclaimed in Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
And there’s still more – branches are covered with
leaves. Remember our foundational
passage on the Tree of Life in Revelation 22?
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
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