Mars Hill Fellowship

MESSAGE |

Bear Much Fruit

SERIES |

He Has Made Everything Beautiful in Its Time

SCRIPTURE |

Genesis 41:50-52; John 15:1-4

SPEAKER |

Pastor Joseph Ardayfio

KEY THEME |

As we remain connected to God, He produces fruit through us in spite of our surrounding environment. 

1)    To bear fruit is to yield the expected results of the lifestyle as a disciple of Christ.

a.  The fruit of the kingdom of God reproduces in others and produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

2)   True fruitfulness is measured by the source of nourishment, not solely by the surrounding environment.

a.  While our surrounding environment can affect the effort required to produce fruit, it does not solely dictate whether or not we will produce it.

b.  We cannot allow the unfairness in the natural order to determine whether or not the promises of God will come to pass.

c.  The source of our nourishment becomes the ultimate factor in fruitfulness.

3)    Fruitfulness comes with uprooting and pruning.

a.  One of the difficulties with walking in fruitfulness is that the process includes uprooting and pruning, which are sometimes painful.

b.  God, the Father, is our gardener.  He uproots and displaces some of the soil in order to plant us firmly and prunes branches that are bearing fruit.

3)    You must remain deeply rooted in order to bear much fruit.

a.  There are distinct seasons that God has ordained – planting, growing, maturing, and harvesting.

b.  One of the challenges to the body of Christ is perseverance (in each season, continuing the process of bearing fruit).

c. Staying connected to God (the source of nourishment) is the only way that we will continue to bear fruit in the various seasons of our lives.

thoughts for further study

1)     How have you personally dealt with seasons of pruning?  What can you do in the future to rejoice even while being pruned?

2)     Are there areas of your life that seem not to be bearing fruit?  Is there any unforgiveness that you continue to harbor?