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The Tragedy of Fruitlessness 

daytonstreetpreach

The First command given by God was to be fruitful and Multiply. Jesus says in Matthew 7:19-20 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And in order to be saved you must bear fruit worthy of repentance. So, bearing good fruit is of the utmost importance. Not bearing good fruit is a tragedy that will cost you your soul. Today, I want to talk about the things needed in order to bear good fruit and some biblical examples of good fruit. Concluding, this teaching is meant to ensure you know what good fruit is and so that you may produce it in your life.


What is fruit? Define Fruit - 1. Production; that which is produced. 

2. Effect or consequence. (Example: They shall eat the fruit of their doings. Isaiah 3:10.)

So, what does it mean to be fruitful? Define Fruitful 1. Very productive; producing fruit in abundance; as fruitful soil; a fruitful tree; a fruitful season. 2. Prolific; bearing children; not barren. (Example: Be fruitful and multiply - Genesis 1:22.)  3. Plenteous; abounding in anything.

First, in order to understand the teaching of bearing fruit let’s look into the natural.  


So let’s start from the beginning. 

The seed that grows in the christian is the Word of God. We were born of incorruptible seed 1 Peter 1:23  23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (So we are a product of the Word of God. (The seed of the Word of God then Grows into the Kingdom of God. This is the incorruptable seed that grows into the Kingdom of God.)


The Kingdom of God is like a tree Luke 13:18-19  18Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.


Now when the seed grows up into a healthy tree it bears fruit.  Genesis 1:11-12 11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (The Kind of fruit depends on the kind of tree. As we bear fruit the seed will continue to be spread. (The seed of the tree is in its fruit. So, spiritually speaking as we bear fruit the true seed of God’s Word will go forth. If they hear the Word they two will have the Kingdom birthed in their heart. It will grow up to bear fruit itself and so on. How people receive it does not determine our fruitfulness. Our fruit is bore unto God. As we obey Him through the Spirit we bear fruit.)


Some seed will find good soil Matthew 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.


Parable about the process of the Seed Luke 8:11-15 11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.


The Enemy is planting bad seed / Parable of the Weeds Matthew 13:24-3224Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (America and the great falling away is a result of a field of bad seed sown.) 


The Parable of the Weeds Explained Matthew 13:36-43 36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.


A Nation of Evil Doers Cannot Bear Fruit Jeremiah 5:20-31 20Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, 21Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: 22Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? 23But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 24Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. 26For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. 27As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 28They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. 29Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?


Things Needed to Bear Fruit! John 15:1-11 1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (Our works must be wrought in Christ. We must be in the Spirit.)


5 Things in order to bear fruit according to John 15

  1. Abide in Christ 

  2. Christ abide in you

  3. The Word of God abide in You

  4. Ask for all things according to the Will of God

  5. Abide in Jesus Love by Keeping His commandments. 

4 different Kinds of Fruit 

  1. Evangelism (Sowing Seed)

  2. Giving Alms (Giving to the poor)

  3. Praising God and speaking His Word.

  4. Helping and serving the Body of Christ

(These 4 can be summed up in building up the body and evangelizing the Lost. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Have the heart of Jesus and look for a need to fulfill according to God’s will.) 


Be careful to maintain good works Titus 3:8-14 8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. 9But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 12When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter. 13Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. 14And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. (So we need to be careful not only to do the right things, but to avoid the wrong things.)


A good tree cannot bear corrupt fruit Matthew 12:33-37 33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (If you are born again through the Bible and mind has been renewed by that Word of God your fruit will be good. You would have to go against the Spirit in order to bear corrupt fruit. Corrupt fruit is willful sin.)


Bad Fruit starts in the Heart  James 1:13-18 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. ( So take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Proverbs 27:6a: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.)


Exhortation to bear good fruit Hebrews 13:15-21 15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. 18Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


Giving to the needs of the Saints is fruitful Philippians 4:15-20 15Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 18But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (By supporting Paul in His work they were storing up treasure in Heaven.)


Parable of the unfruitful fig tree Luke 13:6-9 6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.


What Kind of tree are gentile christians? What kind of fruit do humans bear? Romans 11:17 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;  (Olives. Raw Olives are incredibly bitter. Olive cultivars may be used primarily for oil, eating, or both. Olives cultivated for consumption are generally referred to as "table olives". About 80% of all harvested olives are turned into oil, while about 20% are used as table olives.)

God is going to reap all the good fruit out of the earth. Revelation 14:15  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

Fun Facts: In Nature why do some trees not produce fruit? They haven’t been pollinated. Define Pollination - Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma. The goal of every living organism, including plants, is to create offspring for the next generation. One of the ways that plants can produce offspring is by making seeds. Seeds contain the genetic information to produce a new plant. How does pollen get from one flower to another? Flowers must rely on vectors to move pollen. These vectors can include wind, water, birds, insects, butterflies, bats, and other animals that visit flowers. We call animals or insects that transfer pollen from plant to plant “pollinators”.


Seeds can only be produced when pollen is transferred between flowers of the same species. A species is defined as a population of individuals capable of interbreeding freely with one another but because of geographic, reproductive, or other barriers, they do not interbreed with members of other species.

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