I Have Died, Have You?

I think about Jesus’ parable of the soil quite often. You know (or maybe not), the one where the sower goes out and scatters seed, and some lands on the path, and is quickly snatched up by the birds; some lands in rocky, shallow soil, and grows quickly, but is burned away in a scorching heat; some grows up in the midst of weeds, but because of the thorns, does not bear fruit; and, lastly, some grows up in good soil, and produces a plentiful harvest of fruit. The soil I think about most is the seed that landed among the thorns and brambles. Jesus said that these are people who believe, but the cares of this world prevent them from bearing any fruit. This haunts me! It haunts me because Jesus also said

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2)

Clarifying his statement further, Jesus says that those branches that don’t bear fruit will be cut off and burned! (John 15:6). I don’t want to be choked out by the world! That is a terrifying prospect! As the author of Hebrews says, “it is a fearful thing to fall in to the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Loved ones, how do we bear fruit? How does one TRULY bear fruit according to repentance?

Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 15, that in order to be fruitful, a seed must fall to the earth and die. The mortal cannot gain immortality, nor can the perishable put on the imperishable. For me to bear fruit, I must die. That is why Jesus says

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)

What does it matter if I gain awards and accolades but not Jesus in eternity? What does it matter if my family and friends, and all who know me love me, but not a one of us gains eternal life? What does it matter if I gain wealth and power, and I live like a king, and yet I spend eternity apart from Christ? I must die, as Christ died for me, so that in Him I can live and bear fruit. I have died, is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. This world holds nothing for me. I have died, and I have life that is abundant, with the assurance of true life once this one is over. I have died, have you?

John 15

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.