Fruitfulness

Are you bearing good fruit or are you bearing bad fruit in your life? If someone were to label you by your fruit, what kind of tree would you be? 

As followers of Jesus we are called to bear fruit for God and his kingdom. Each of us face the challenge of fruitfulness when the enemy works against us and God’s plan for us and sows sin and corruption in our lives and in this world. 

In Matthew chapter seven, Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20, ESV). 

In Matthew chapter twelve, Jesus said, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:33-36, ESV). 

God calls us to bear fruit in keeping with his kingdom. God and others will know what kind of tree we are by the fruit we bear. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit. And a good tree will not bear bad fruit. 

May our lives have fruitfulness as we obey God and his word and produce good fruit in God’s kingdom. 

A Collect for the The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, or the Seventh Sunday after Trinity (Proper 11): “O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019). 

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