The Fruit of the Spirit Requires a Relationship

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I was reading John 15 this morning and came across these familiar statements from Jesus:

“Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. T

he one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me … My father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples” (John 15:4-5, 8).

What’s he saying here?

He’s saying that God is glorified in us when our lives are marked by growth, vitality and ALIVENESS. He’s saying when people look at a person who claims to be a follower of Jesus (i.e., “a Christian”), they should see a different kind of “fruit” than the world provides.

Think about it: Paul reminds us “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a) … are these qualities “the world” is known for?

Not exactly.

Quality Relationships Require Quality Time

But here’s the thing, Jesus made it very clear that if we WANT our lives to represent the fruit of the Spirit that comes from a relationship with him, then we need to have a RELATIONSHIP with him! And the quality of any relationship is directly proportional to the time we invest in it.

That’s why I love gathering each week, because every time we come together “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” it’s not just a way to check a box on our religious “duty roster” or learn some new principle to add to our knowledge base.

It’s a way to grow closer to Jesus together and strengthen both our relationship with him and with each other. And the stronger those relationships become, the more lasting fruit we produce to the glory of God.

See you this weekend?

~ Pastor Phillip