Are you producing the fruit of the Kingdom?

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4

Our fruitfulness depends on the realm we choose to dwell in.

When I started to play the bassoon I began to take part in an annual orchestra course for young people. Everyone auditioned and based upon one's abilities, one was put into one of the orchestras - A-,B-, or C- orchestra. The C-orchestra was for beginners, the B-orchestra for intermediate players and the A-orchestra was for the best players. When I was placed in the C-orchestra I was happy to be part of a bunch of enthusiastic players my age but I quickly realised that there was a long way to go to get to the A-orchestra. I stood in awe of how the bassoonists from the A-orchestra could play. For me it was a different realm. The remarkable thing however was that when I had the privilege of spending time playing with the bassoonists from the A-orchestra and being around them, I made significant progress in a very short space of time. Somehow being in the A-orchestra realm produced something in me beyond my normal abilities!

The C-orchestra is like the natural realm whilst the A-orchestra is like the Kingdom of God - Jesus' realm. If I had stayed in the C-orchestra all my life and had never been aware of the A-orchestra, I would never have made it to the A-orchestra. I would have assumed that my standard of playing was enough since everyone around me had the same standard of playing as I did. However, the moment I came in touch with a different standard of playing, my expectations changed. I now had the evidence of what I hoped to one day achieve. Although my father was a professional bassoonist at the time, his example did not inspire me as much as the example of the young people who were just a few years older than I was - it became more tangible and in my mind, achievable. Dad was out there, one day I can play like that. These A-orchestra guys were nearer.

Sometimes, when we look at the life of Jesus and the miracles, signs and wonders he did, we can also think He is out there, one day I will be able to do that...perhaps. However, when we look at the lives of the men and women of God in the Bible or in our contemporary world, the Kingdom of God seems nearer! Jesus' realm becomes tangible and achievable. We have a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) as well as the "author and perfecter of our faith" to encourage us to dwell in the realm of the Kingdom so as to produce the fruit of God's Kingdom.

When Jesus becomes our reality, we can expect to see miracles, signs and wonders. We produce the fruit of the realm we dwell in!

I want to encourage you to hang out with the guys from the A-orchestra - those who dwell in the realm of the Kingdom and produce its fruit. Read testimonies and begin to expect the same fruit in your own life as you meditate on the possibilities of God. Don't stay in the C-orchestra. The Kingdom of God is near. It is tangible. It is achievable. Hallelujah!

Are you offering false sacrifices?

"To obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22

God gave King Saul specific instructions to be followed. However, Saul disobeyed God and tried to justify his disobedience by presenting a sacrifice to God. God describes Saul's disobedience as rebellion that is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry (see 1 Samuel 15).

Disobedience

The greatest obstacle to doing God's will, or the will of another, is one's own will. It is not difficult to do the will of another when it conforms to one's own will but when it requires denying one's own will for the sake of the will of another, we are faced with a massive internal conflict. We will avoid submitting our will to the will of another in various ways. Either we simply disobey and don't do the will of the other, or we say we will obey the will of the other but don't actually do it, or we do the will of the other in our own way as a cover-up for actually disobeying.

True sacrifice or false sacrifice?

True sacrifice means I lay down my own will (die to self) and do the will of another for their sake. True sacrifice is determined by the will of another. False sacrifice is different. It appears to be a genuine sacrifice but is actually self-determined and for one's own sake.

When my boys were little, I encountered "false sacrifices" many times. Rather than tidy their room, they would draw me a picture instead. In other words, rather than obeying a clear instruction, they presented me with something that could please me but was self-determined - a false sacrifice! Clearly the cute picture was precious but I would have preferred them to tidy their room as instructed! To obey is better than sacrifice.

The deception of false sacrifices

The more we justify disobedience with false sacrifices, the more insensitive we become to the will of God. For example, someone will justify not forgiving someone else by spending hours serving the poor. God requires us to forgive one another and to feed the poor. However, when we determine the sacrifice to cover up our disobedience, we deceive ourselves.

Grace and obedience

A fundamental question a Christian should ask himself or herself is: Does God require anything of me? You may think this an odd question to ask but I believe many Christians have the idea that grace replaces any requirement from God. Grace, however, has never replaced God's requirements of man. Just as Jesus came to do the Father's will, so every believer is called to the obedience that comes from faith (Rom 1:5). Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). Clearly God indeed requires something of us that we are called to obey if we truly love Him. Thankfully God gives us His grace to empower us to live according to His will.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and wordly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.." Titus 2:11-12

Finding out God's will

Unless we seek the will of God, we cannot know whether we are doing His will or not. Paul's prayer for the Church was that the believers would know God's will in order to live obedient lives that pleased Him (Rom 12:1-2; Eph 5:17; Php 1:9-11; Col 1:9-10). 

Who is Lord in your life?

Jesus is Lord of all. However, He is only the believer's Lord when s/he lives in submission to Him. The writer to the Hebrews writes,

"In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him." Heb 2:8

Only those who surrender their will to God's will are subject to Him. We deceive ourselves when we call Jesus, "My Lord" when our own will is still seated on the throne!

Who are the sons of God?

The Bible is clear. Those who are led by the Spirit of God, have their minds on what the Spirit desires and do His will are the sons of God (Rom 81-17). How can we call ourselves disciples of Jesus and not do what He commands?

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31

Find out God's will and obey it

I believe every believer should be seeking to know God's will in every area of their lives. Although the Bible doesn't always reveal God's specific will on various issues, it is as we grow in our knowledge of God that we will know what His will is according to His nature.

Sacrifice or obedience?

It is important that we identify God's will for our lives and that we do not ignore the conviction or the prompting of God's Spirit. If we know what God requires of us, we must obey. False sacrifices may cause us to feel better about ourselves but do not justify our disobedience. The more we ignore the Holy Spirit, the harder our hearts become even whilst seemingly doing what pleases God. Spend time with God and find out what His will is concerning prayer, reading the Bible, your relationships, your resources, your church, your gifts, your leaders, your occupation, your children, your parents, your colleagues, the poor, the lost, etc.. 

"We make it our goal to please him." 2 Cor 5:9

Do you love the Church?

"Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." 1 Corinthians 10:16,17

The purpose of Christ's death on the cross was to pay the price necessary to reconcile mankind to God and mankind to one another. The cross represents the redemptive power of Christ's sacrifice that purchased man for God (vertical fellowship - koinonia) and man for one another (horizontal fellowship - koinonia). In other words, it cost Jesus His life to make us one with God and one with one another!

Through faith in Christ the believer is joined to God:

"But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit." 1 Corinthians 6:17

And to one another:

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is in Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given one Spirit to drink." 1 Corinthians 12:12,13

The mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets, is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:4-6).

The believer is not a saved individual but one who has been saved into the community of believers - the Church. Peter writes,

"Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God." 1 Peter 2:10

The believer has a new identity in Christ. The old identity that was independent, self-centred and separated from God and His people has been replaced with a new identity that is dependent on God, considerate (mindful of others) and joined to God and His people. 

Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist or the Lord's supper, is the act of remembering Christ's death and the significance of His sacrifice. Having seen that Christ died to reconcile man to God and to one another we can understand Paul's instructions to the Corinthian church about how they should take communion together. He writes,

"When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God?" 1 Corinthians 11:20-22

When believers do not consider one another and love one another, they despise and dishonour the Church. Paul writes,

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number have fallen asleep." 1 Corinthians 11:27-30

"Recognising the body of the Lord" means honouring the Body of Christ, the Church. Paul is saying that before believers eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord, they must first consider one another. Taking communion together honours what Christ has purchased with His blood - union with God and union with one another. 

We cannot have fellowship with Christ and ignore our relationships with one another - that is to despise the Church. As those purchased with the blood of Jesus, we must "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit." (Ephesians 4:3,4)

We cannot produce the unity purchased by the blood of Jesus but we are responsible to keep it! 

I am convinced that when the people of God have revelation of their new identity in Christ, as the Church of God, and of what it cost Jesus to purchase men for God, that they will make a commitment to live in unity with one another. It is my prayer that the world would see the glory of the Church as we live in communion with God and one another. I praise God that on that great day when the times will have reached their fulfillment that we will hear "every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!'" And why will we hear every creature singing? Because Christ was slain, and with His blood He purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. He has made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (see Revelation 5:9-14).

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20,21

I live because I am loved

I live because I am loved.
The Father has lavished His love upon me.
I am unconditionally loved and accepted in Christ.
Nothing can separate me from the Father's love.
I rely on the Father's love for me.

Darkness cannot hide His love.
I cannot escape His love.
I don't have to earn His love.
I don't have to perform for Him.
My efforts cannot change His love toward me.

He loved me before.
He loves me now.
He will always love me.
He is love.
I am free to be who He loves.
I live because I am loved.

I can love without fear.
I can love without cost.
I can love without pain.
I can love fully because I am fully loved.
I live because I am loved.

Thank you Father for lavishing your love upon me and filling me to overflow with love divine.
Is there anything greater than being accepted?
Is there anything more precious than knowing I matter.
Is there anything greater than being intended.
I live because I am loved.

Who do you think you are?

The Father's testimony

"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favour, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved." John 5:31-34

"As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'" Matthew 3:16,17

Jesus lived from the Father's testimony about him. Even Jesus did not depend on his own testimony about himself, nor the testimony of godly men concerning him. The only testimony that he considered valid was the testimony of the Father concerning him. Jesus, therefore, lived by faith in the testimony of the Father. After his baptism, Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted. The devil challenged the testimony Jesus had from the Father saying, "If you are the Son of God..." (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus, however, trusted in the Father's testimony about him.

A new identity

The apostle Paul lived by faith in his new identity in Christ. He regarded his old identity that was based on his education, his heritage, his intellect, his zeal, and his self-righteousness as "rubbish" compared to knowing Christ and finding his identity in Him (Philippians 3:4-11). Paul lived from the reality of his new identity in Christ saying, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Key motivation

Just as Paul lived from the spiritual reality of his new identity in Christ, so he appealed to the Church to live their lives according to the testimony from heaven and the spiritual truth of their new identity in Christ. Paul understood that the believers' key motivation to live godly lives was to believe and live according to their new identity in Christ.

In his letter to the saints in Colosse, Paul writes,

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with hm in glory." Colossians 3:1-4

Paul appeals to the truth of what Christ has done, is doing and will do. He reminds the Church that they have been raised with Christ (past), that they live with Him in God (present) and that they will be found in Him when He returns (future). Consequently, Paul exhorts the Church to put off her old identity and behaviour and to live in her new identity as "God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved" (Colossians 3:12).

Over and over again in his letters to the Church, Paul reminds the believers about their new identity in Christ in order to move them to live godly lives. He reminds the believers that they are not their own anymore and that they are the temple of the Holy Spirit as the key motivation to avoid sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 8:12-16; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). He explains how believers belong to one another as the Body of Christ as the key motivation to serve one another (Romans 12:4,5). Paul reminds the believers that they are no longer darkness but light in the Lord and so should live as children of light because that is their new identity in Christ (Ephesians 5:8-14).

Life of faith

We see, therefore, that the life of faith is about living in the truth of what God says about us - the Father's testimony about us - because of what Christ has done, is doing and will do. Those who live in the truth of their new identity in Christ will put off the old and put on the new. They will live as God's people who belong to Him and to one another because they know that they are sons of God and that they are the Body of Christ. 

Living according to identity

What attitude or behaviour needs to change in your life if you truly believe the following testimony about your new identity in Christ?

• You are a new creation in Christ, created in Him to do good works. 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:10
• Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 6:19,20
• You are a member of the Body of Christ. 1 Cor 12:27
• You are holy. Col 3:12
• You are light. Eph 5:8-12
• You are a citizen of heaven. Phil 3:20

These are just a few of the wonderful truths that apply to the believer. Faith in the truth of who we are in Christ should motivate us to live according to our new lives in Christ.  

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

Where are the spiritual fathers?

"I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church." 1 Corinthians 4:14-17

Made in God's image

Man was originally made in the image of God, thus revealing the nature and character of God. Through the Fall, the revelation of the image of God in man became distorted. Christ therefore came as the revelation of the Father to restore man to his original purpose of revealing the nature and character of God. Those who are in Christ have the power to reveal the very nature of God (see Ephesians 4:24; 5:1; 2 Peter 1:3,4; 1 John 2:6).

God's image distorted

Satan's purpose is to distort the image of God. Over the ages, the enemy has sought to destroy the image of God: as Creator with the theory of evolution; as loving and just King with corrupted and perverted authoritarian leaders and as Father of all by destroying families as men abandon their responsibility as fathers.

Spiritual fathers

In Christ, Paul became a father through the gospel. In reconciling people to the Father through the gospel of righteousness in Christ, Paul not only helped new converts to be properly birthed into the Kingdom but he also took  responsibility as a spiritual father for the maturation of these "dear children" in Christ. Those who give birth to spiritual children must also continue the responsibility of being a spiritual parent in raising their children properly.

Fatherhood

In Ephesians 3:14, Paul prays, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth derives its name." 

Fatherhood derives its name (its nature and character) from God the Father. Abba Father is Father of all and He is our example of true fatherhood. God is restoring His image as Father in man as believers understand their purpose and responsibility of being God's instruments in birthing and raising spiritual children.

True fatherhood

Paul was a spiritual father who revealed the nature and character of true fatherhood.

• Paul loved those who were converted through the gospel he preached. They were his dear children.
• Paul spoke the truth in love to warn them and help them. He was not afraid to correct his children.
• Paul identified himself as the church's spiritual father - he understood his responsibility toward his children.
• Paul lived by example. He urged the church to imitate him as he imitated the Lord (1 Cor 11:1).
• Paul raised fathers like him. He sent Timothy as his representative to remind the church of Paul's way of life and teaching that they were to imitate and obey.

Spiritual orphans

I believe every believer is called to share the gospel with the lost in order to reconcile them to the Father. However, our responsibility does not end once we have led someone to the Lord. Through the gospel we become spiritual parents whose responsibility is to help new born believers to maturity. We may not be able raise them personally but it is every believer's responsibility as a spiritual parent to ensure that the new born child of God has a spiritual parent.  It is irresponsible to abandon the new born child of God and leave him/her to fend for him/herself! They become spiritual orphans, abandoned by their spiritual parents.

Be a spiritual parent

As believers, our goal must be to reveal the Father and to reconcile people to the Father as we take up our responsibility as spiritual parents to those we lead to the Lord through the gospel. True fatherhood must be restored in the Church if we are to reveal the Father and raise believers to maturity. 

What is the fruit of your gospel?

Good news

The greek word euaggelion is translated in english translations of the Bible as the gospel or the good news. The word is used to describe the good news: of the kingdom (Mt 24:24), about Jesus Christ (Mk 1:1), of God's grace (Acts 20:24), of God (Ro 15:16), of the glory of Christ (2 Cor 4:4), of your salvation (Eph 1:13), of peace (Acts 10:36), about the Lord (Acts 11:20), etc.

The Kingdom of God

"Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!'" Mk 1:14,15

Jesus' primary message was of the good news of the kingdom of God. For 40 days, before He ascended to heaven, Jesus taught on the kingdom (see Acts 1:3). Most of Jesus' parables were about the reality of the kingdom of God. His purpose in sharing the good news of the kingdom was that people would believe in the reality of God's kingdom and enter into it (see Jn 3:1-8).

Christ crucified

The apostle Paul's primary message was the good news of Christ's death and resurrection. He writes, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). The purpose of Paul's message was to bring people into right standing with God through continuing dependence on Christ's righteousness (1 Cor 1:30).

Eternal life

The apostle John's primary message was of the good news of eternal life in Christ. He writes, "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 Jn 5:11,12).

The purpose of the gospel

Clearly, the message or the gospel has different forms but its purpose is always the same. This is very important. Unless we understand the purpose of the gospel, we will seek to lead people to believ

e a message rather than help them enter the Kingdom of God! 

Preaching the gospel is not the goal. 

Leading people to complete and ongoing dependence upon Christ and devotion to Him is. 

Aquaintance or disciple?

We are called to make disciples (Mt 28:18). A disciple is not an aquaintance of Christ. A disciple is married to Christ. Do sinners understand that we are leading them to be married to Christ when they say "I do" to Christ?

Whatever happened to unconditional commitment?

The sad truth is that the principle of unconditional commitment is leaving the gospel and consequently the church. Many preach a gospel that says, "Come to Jesus and receive everything you need. All you have to do is pray the sinner's prayer and you're in." There is a huge difference between receiving Jesus and surrendering one's life to Jesus. The first does not require any commitment, the second costs you your life. Unless people are led to commit their lives to Christ and to enter a covenant relationship with Him, they will also treat His Body, the Church, like an aquaintance rather than the Bride of Christ.

The fruit of the gospel

When I look at the book of Acts, I see a people who were cut to the heart by the Holy Spirit, who repented of their sinful, independent lives, who were baptised because they truly believed, who depended on Christ to be right with God and who devoted their lives to Christ and His bride (see Acts 2:42-47). That is and should always be the fruit of the gospel.Anything less and we're preaching an incomplete or at worst a different gospel!

The bride of Christ

Saying "I do" to Jesus is entering into a relationship with Him that ever depends on Him and is ever devoted to Him and His people. We leave our single status and enter into a covenant relationship with Him and His people. We live our lives as those who belong to Christ and belong to His Body. Paul says, we are not our own any longer. We belong to God and one another. Christian, does your life reflect that you belong to Jesus and His bride?

Jesus will return for His Bride - not an aquaintance. He will present those who depend on Him and who are devoted to Him to Himself, "as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Eph 5:27). Hallelujah!

Conclusion

Let us be sure to preach the true gospel in the Spirit's power to lead people to make a proper and considered decision for Christ. Let us not be hasty in getting people to pray a quick prayer (for our sake). Let us help others make a genuine, unconditional commitment to Christ that will lead them to live a life dependent on and devoted to Christ and to His people.