How to be fruitful.

John 15:1 - 17 Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you. Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire. Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honoured. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him. I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are my friends, if you obey me. Servants don't know what their master is doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me. You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other.

So staying connected to Jesus is how you produce fruit that will last.

Now you need to put into actual action this connection with Jesus and grow into a fruitful branch."

Being fruitful means "reproducing"!

• What are you doing to reproduce?

• Are you actually "passing on" the good news of Jesus Christ the only saviour.

• Who are you talking to about "the only way is Jesus"?

• who are you mentoring?

• Who are you actively building up in their faith in Jesus?

• Who will welcome you into heaven?

• Who have you told of the "glorious deeds of the Lord, his mighty power and mighty miracles He has done"?

It is easy to think that standing in front of a large crowd is the most effective way to be fruitful but this method rarely makes a lasting impression.

The most effective way to be fruitful is to talk to an individual in an ongoing relationship, building up trust and giving opportunity for questions and answers.

John the Baptist said in John ch 3 v 30 'Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.'

This is an important attitude that we should keep in mind.

A part of being a good disciple of Jesus is setting a good example for others. To reflect the character of Jesus well.

In Romans ch 12 v 9 to 21 we read;

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honour others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God's needy people and welcome strangers into your home. Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don't mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone. Dear friends, don't try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says, "I am the one to take revenge and pay them back." The Scriptures also say, "If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. surprise them with generosity and goodness" Don't let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.

Living your life as a disciple of Jesus, following His example having the same attitudes towards others as Jesus did, all this by the anointing and infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit will bear the fruits of the Spirit.