“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.”
John 15:5-8
One of the joyful memories I have of Christmas past is the harvest of fruit we kids would get on Christmas morning. Our stockings would be filled with apples and oranges and tangerines. In addition to the fruit there would be some pecans, walnuts and maybe even some hard candy. Those stockings gave us as much a thrill as the presents under the tree.
Jesus calls His true disciples to stay very close, attached to Him, so that we may gather a bountiful harvest of fruit. It won’t be apples and oranges we get excited about. It will be saints. It will be more true disciples to carry on the work of Kingdom building. It will be lost souls who put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
As we stay connected to Jesus and produce much fruit, it brings great glory to the Father. And for us, there is a reward greater than any fruits, nuts or hard candy. There is, “the fruit of the Spirit”. There is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22)
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