Fruits — Lloyd Brubacker

Good morning, could we all stand and pray? Father we thank you again this nice day and time together in fellowship. Help us to edify one another. Serve you more closely. Strengthen all the brothers and sisters that are here and around the world.

We will not grow weak. Help us Jesus name. Amen. Appreciate the opening lots of food for thought have some opinions to that. It's good to be reminded certain things that are so clear. During this this spring I was thinking about fruits.

Natural Fruit as a Picture of Spiritual Fruit

So I thought I'd just share mostly it's just reading scriptures concerning fruit. I might share a little bit as I go along but Plant plants in the spring and we're hoping for a good return. Usually I'm guessing most of us has some sort of plants out right now and some already are producing some are almost done producing.

And it's really a blessing when you look at a plant and you see that Loaded with good fruit. Just at least for me. It's a pleasing Feeling that's pleasing just to see this plant. I wrote it. I think there's A Simple categories, I chalk up three different types of fruit.

So you have good food. This is in the Natural but some of it might not apply to the natural either. Especially in the spiritual, but you have three fruits one is good fruit. Yeah, there's bad fruit. The third one is synthetic fruit.

Now those categories can have variations. But so I kind of wrote a few illustrations on about this type of fruit. And keep it in mind as we go through the Bible then or through these verses chapters. Because when Jesus uses these illustrations He's he's trying to get to a person's mind to realize what he's talking about.

Everybody knows what fruit is for most part. It Could be it doesn't have to be in the class of fruit. I think it can be vegetables or anything. So if you think about the whole garden that you've planted Tomatoes peppers broccoli watermelons, whatever it may be by now sweet corn.

Spring turns into summer you start picking the fruits off these plants. The plants are just loaded you have plenty and even enough to give to the neighbor. That that's a really a blessing good fruit. On the other hand as you watch your plants grow and they do not give any fruit as spring becomes summer.

You have nothing to show for it except some shriveled up fruit. The corn only has a few grains on it the tomatoes. Maybe only one tomato with a wormhole in it. Maybe the pepper plants are just kind of yellow Ugly looking just really other things just a few whatever you may be have planted out.

It would really be a Sad feeling especially for the people that rely on it for an income. And for anybody but years ago this was a serious thing like Maybe not so much some silly city dwellers, but for the most part people relied off the land on a more of a Intimate level than what we do in this society.

And then I guess within this would be the other thing like if you just came out all your tomatoes are rotten or just this ugly fruit nasty rotten tomato stink and you have other sort of just like this very ugly fruit and That could be I'd say that would be this bad fruit.

It could also be sour bitter or maybe poisonous and then thirdly Let's say you planted some plants and Summer came around you started harvesting it here a while ago Dwayne had a corn roast party or not party whatever get-together fellowship time and so he brought that wagon full roasted corn up and we all started eating it and As we started biting into the kernels we found out they were doing the cone like that would be It'd be very disturbing and Not okay nice, so you were ready to cut up a Apple or something and you'd slice into it.

It's just a block of plastic, but you put it off the tree this type of synthetic fruit. And I and this type so that that good fruit the bad fruit and synthetic fruit is ultimately bad fruit. But it's it's the counterfeit part of it is hypocrisy.

So if you think about someone that actually nice to you, but inwardly they're not happy to see you. That's this fake fruit could be many many types of many different types of Actions that we as humans can end up doing that is fake, or we're just being hypocrites we have a Something that looks good, but inwardly it's bad.

John the Baptist's Call to Bear Fruit

Anyway, so keep these in mind and mostly what I'm going to do now is just read a bunch of scripture. So you want to turn to Matthew 3 7 through 10, but when he saw this is John speaking. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism He said to them you put a vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come therefore bear fruit in Keeping with repentance and do not suppose just that you can say to yourselves.

We have Abraham for our father for I say to you that from these Stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down thrown into the fire in Matthew 7 15 through 20.

Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad Fruit nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then you will know them by their fruits. Jesus is somewhat repeating of what John said earlier this has a little bit of that beware of false prophets counterfeit fruit. And touch on that later, okay, Luke 8 11 through 15 now.

Perseverance in the Parable of the Sower

I chose this One in Luke because it ends with perseverance. This is the Jesus explaining the parable of the sower. He went out the so but it's interesting and Dwayne pointed out this before how in In Matthew it reads.

This is the man who hears the word and understands it. Then a mark it reads. And they hear the word and accept it and then in Luke it reads. These are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart and hold fast to it and bear fruit with perseverance.

Anyway, so it's understanding accepting and then bearing fruit with perseverance. I'll just read that section so Luke 8 11 through 15 now this part now the parable is this the seed is the Word of God.

Those beside the road are those who have heard the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart. So they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those when they hear receive the word with joy and Those and these have no firm root.

They believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away the seed which fell among the thorns. These are the ones who have heard and as they go on their way the Way, they are choked with worries and the richest and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to maturity but the good seed in the good soil are those are these who.

These are the ones who have heard the word and honest and good heart and hold fat hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance. Some translations say What is it. King James uses a different word there I think Patience keeps it.

The Fig Tree and God's Patience

So next one is Luke 13 6 through 9 he began telling this parable a man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any and He said to the vineyard keeper Behold for these three years.

I've come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any cut it down. Why does it even use up the ground and He answered and said to him let it alone sir for this year too until I dig around it and put fertilized put in fertilizer and if it bears and If it bears fruit next year fine, but if not cut it down I could be an example of Jesus.

I haven't thought that thought through entirely but whoever this Vineyard keeper is Had mercy on this tree. Okay, John 12 20 through 26. Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast.

Dying to Self to Bear Much Fruit

These then came to Philip Who was from Bethsaida of Galilee and began to ask him saying sir? We wish to see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew and Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. It is interesting.

I don't know why Philip went and told Andrew then they both went and told Jesus, but it's kind of Interesting and Jesus answered them saying the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified Glorified truly truly.

I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains alone. But if it dies it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

If anyone serves me he must first follow me. And where I am there my servant will be also if anyone serves me the father will honor him. John 15 1 through 17. I am the true vine. My father is the vine dresser.

Abiding in Christ, the True Vine

Every branch of me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that bears fruit he prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. So neither can you unless you abide in me? I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him He bears much fruit for apart from me.

You cannot do not you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me He is thrown away as a branch and dries up and they gather them and cast them into the fire. And they are burned if you abide in me and my words abide in you.

Ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My father is glorified by this. That you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples just as the father has loved me I also have loved you behold.

Now abide in my love if you keep my commandments if you keep my commandments. You will abide in my love just as I have kept my father's commandment and abide in his love these things I've spoken to you so that my joy may be in you and That your joy may be made full.

This is my commandment that you love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.

No longer do I call you slaves for the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I've called you friends for all things 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 make you would go and bear fruit and Your fruit would remain.

So that whatever you ask in my father's name, he will give you this. I command you that you love one another. So one thing I would like to point out in that those passages is Jesus makes a point that as The branch cannot bear this has been verse 4 as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself Unless it abides in the mind.

So neither can you unless you abide in me? I think he's making a point here that unless we abide in the doctrine of Christ I know it's obvious, but I just wanted to make a note there unless we abide in the doctrine of Christ We cannot bear good fruit.

The fruit he's looking for and apart from him we cannot do anything. But he calls us to do everything that makes sense, maybe I should clarify that so there's no confusion. Apart from Christ we cannot do anything, but Christ also requires us to do everything to lay down our whole life for him.

So there's this do Working relationship, I guess Galatians 5 6 16 through 28, but I say Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh for the flesh sets its desires against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.

The Fruit of the Spirit Versus the Works of the Flesh

For these are the opposition for these are in opposition to another so that you may not So that you may not do the things that please you. But if you're led by the Spirit you are not under the law now the deeds of the flesh are evident.

Which are immorality, impurity sensuality, idolatry sorcery enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissension factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. Of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you.

That those who practice these things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passion and desire if We live by the Spirit. Let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful challenging one another, ending on Ending one another.

I would like to note there That word challenging. I think there's other words used in King James may use provoke the word Challenges in the in a bad connotation. Irritate would be another word you could use provoke irritate.

Because we are supposed to challenge each other in the right ways. But this is this is in a bad way. Now imagine so this the fruit of the Spirit is love Joy, peace, the whole list. These are the good-looking Fruits that God is looking for and the list could go on to like there's many things that could be added to that, but these are the Person has these these are very nice fruit to behold.

The Fruit of Light: Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth

Okay, Ephesians 5 1 through 11. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant fragrant aroma but immorality and any impurity or greed must not even be named among you as Is proper among Saints and there must be no filthiness.

And silly talk or coarse jesting which is not fitting but rather giving of thanks. For this, you know with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man Who is an idolater has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God?

Let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them for you were formerly for you were formerly darkness.

But now you are light in the Lord walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness and righteousness and truth. That was the part I wanted in that Those passages. For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness and righteousness and truth.

Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them. Colossians 1 1 through 12. Paul apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ.

Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work

Call us Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We give thanks To God the Father our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all of the saints.

Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven of which you previously heard in the word of truth the gospel Which has come to you just as in all the world. Also it is consist constantly bearing fruit and increasing.

Even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understand the grace of God in truth and understood the grace of God in truth. Just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow bond servant who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf and He has also informed us of your love in the spirit for this reason also since the day we heard of it We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual Wisdom and understanding so that you will walk in the manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects bearing fruit in every good work and Increasing in the knowledge of God strengthen with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience.

Joyously giving thanks to the father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of his saints in light. Some of this I'm reading a little bit of the context. I didn't know if it would really make sense if I only read the verse that I was Um Getting at but Bearing fruit in every good work.

Discipline and the Peaceful Fruit of Righteousness

That's what I wanted to emphasize there. Hebrews 12 1 through 13. Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin, which so easily entangles us and let us Run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes on jesus the author and perfecter of faith.

For the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of god. For consider him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself.

So that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not resisted to the point of shedding point of shedding blood in your striving against sin and you have. And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons.

My son do not regard lightly the discipline of the lord. Nor think when you are reproved by him. For those whom the lord loves he disciplines and he scourges. Every son whom he receives It is for discipline that you endure.

God deals with us as with sons for what son is there whom his father does not discipline. But if you are without discipline of which all have become partakers then you're illegitimate children and not sons.

Furthermore, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and For a short time as seen best to them, but his disciplines. But he disciplines us for our good so that we may share His holiness. Our discipline for the moment seems Not to be joyous, but sorrowful.

Yet to those who have been trained by it afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit. Righteousness, that's what I wanted to After to go through the fire. It yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness. If we submit.

Therefore strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble and make straight path for your feet. So that the limb which is lame may not be put out and the joint Put out of joint, but rather be healed then in james 3 13 3 18 among you.

Wisdom from Above and Fruit Without Hypocrisy

Who among you is wise and understanding let him show by his good behaviors and deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and self-ambition in your heart selfish ambition in your heart do not be arrogant.

And so lie against the truth this wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly natural demonic. For there for where jealousy and selfish ambition exists there is disorder and every evil thing.

But the wisdom from above is first pure and peaceable gentle Reasonable full mercy of good fruits unwavering without hypocrisy. Um. Without hypocrisy, there's that plastic fruit. Good fruits unwavering without hypocrisy.

And the seed whose fruit and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sewn in peace by those who make peace. So that's all the verses I had. Um, i'd like to read part of john 15 again. In closing, um I am the true vine.

My father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that bears fruit. He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are ready. You are already clean because of the word which i've spoken to you abide in me and I in you.

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. So neither can you unless you abide in me? So Jesus really is the only way and his teachings are um as I look at the scriptures I can just.

Over and over he makes the point that his words really are the The way to life and what he taught his spirit. Um, so as most of us have plans growing this summer or as they grow, um, let's just remember.

That the amount of fruit that we would like to see on our plants um. Let us realize that god through his His son is expecting a full crop from us. Um some 30 and some 16 some 100 That's all I have. Comments anything to share.

Amen. Thank you for the message. And uh, I think it's kind of funny how um. When. When we're requested to give a message or something of that nature we find that somebody else may have already prepared a message that uh.

Kind of suits the needs of what it is that you're already trying to present. Uh, there was kind of a mix-up. Where I guess max was supposed to go today and and we were supposed to have something prepared so they asked me to do something and Uh.

Correcting One Another in Love

The message you just gave was pretty much what I had Uh inspiration for this morning and. But there were a couple of things that that you mentioned just in passing that I I think like brotherly conduct as far as like, uh, like how to Like iron sharpening iron like how to how to approve how to correct like how to deal with one another in a healthy and loving manner um.

They're they're just ways that specifically are spoken about in in scripture, I don't have them written down right now. I figured like I thought i'd have another week to go over this. So maybe i'll go over some of those details next week or something.

Uh I don't know about anybody else. But personally I I'd feel like If you've had the response of like somebody trying to correct you. Physically, it kind of feels. It feels kind of antagonistic it feels um.

Very challenging and it hits home very directly. Uh. And so usually our responses If we're not in the right spirit can be kind of indignant. It can it can just be an unaccepting kind of thing. Uh, that's not how we're supposed to be um.

But just recognizing that we have to be patient with one another and and what it is that's being presented. Uh, well anyways you were talking about the the synthetic fruit and I just recognized that uh.

Over the last uh couple of weeks going out and really getting to know some of the people in the community in springfield that uh, they well, it seems like the mornings always go very peaceful, but then but then it's like the The street gang warfare of like like the who's who of preachers come out and there's all this interaction.

And it's never really like a very fruitful exchange. It always seems like it never goes anywhere and uh. But time and time again, I I get responses from from like the homeless people and the people around.

That really appreciate the fact that we are conducting ourselves in a way of peace. Uh. Mercy and love like being able to express our our points without having to be forceful like the other preachers try to be.

And um, anyways, there was there was a passage, uh, you you pretty much hit everything that I wanted to read except for the chapter 16 in john 15 refers to. Um loving one another goes on to speak about.

Persevering When the World Hates Christ's People

In the beginning of it, uh disciple relation to the world. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world the world would love its own but because you are not of the world.

But I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates me hates you. Remember the word that I said to you a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they kept my word They will keep yours also. But also these things they will do to you for my namesake. Because they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them They would not have sinned but now they have no excuse for their sin.

He who hates me hates my father also. If I had not done among them The works which no one else did that they would not have sin. But now they have both seen and hated me. And my father as well. But they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled.

That is written in their law. They hated me without a cause when the helper comes. Whom I will send to you from the father that is the spirit of the truth who proceeds from the father. He will bear witness of me and you will bear witness also because you have been with me from the beginning.

The very beginning of chapter 16. He says these things I have spoken to you that you may. You may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcast from the synagogues. But an hour is coming from everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to god.

And these things they will do because they have not known the father or me. But these things I have spoken to you that when the their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you.

Speaking about the details like Like I can honestly say that none of the interactions that i've had with these opposing. Uh churches have been a very peaceful one. It has not been like an easy exchange.

And uh, and so when I I was really thinking about uh, steven having to be stoned. By the people that thought that they were carrying out god's will because he was teaching something that was not in accordance with their laws.

The Fruit of the Spirit as a Witness to the World

Uh but I was gonna speak gonna go into the details about galatians and The fruits of the spirit those things that we should be expressing what we stand firm on the very rock that jesus has for us. Is that that these are the.

These are the signs that are that. That not only do we have fruits, but that we are alive in christ. And so if we can focus on those details and really really emphasize them before people then I think we will be a city sitting on a hill.

A light that cannot be hid. God bless you. Thank you for sharing. Um, I thought I'd on the subject of.

Fellowship Amid Doctrinal Differences

The different ideas different ways churches go about it the different emphasis they have and Um I guess i'll just say how I can deal with the differences if somebody has to give the tongues and uses them or if um.

If the people that do these things are not transgressing. Otherwise that I can fellowship with that. I want to fellowship with that and if somebody Gets bitten by a snake and he's not hurt by it or drinks poison not hurt by it.

If he's keeping the teachings of jesus, i'm gonna fellowship with those people. But the trip I guess they put on people is Is saying if you do this or that then? Now you're really into the kingdom or now you're really doing something great.

And if you don't do it, then there's something wrong with you. I I don't agree with that. I don't fellowship with all those that are walking in the light that we do understand um. And some things like duane said I I just go ahead and believe both because I don't know which one to believe and I assume in my own Understanding of some of these things they both can't be true.

They're not both going to come to reality. But maybe they can but I can't see it that way right now so when one person makes the argument on one side, then I I say well, what about this side and if you make the argument on that side i'll make so what about this side and.

That's kind of where i'm at on. These different subjects and I want to fellowship with those that are walking the light even if they do things. I don't understand. If that makes any sense I've been blessed today and thankful for all of you.

May god bless us.

No Cheap Grace and Separation from Sin

As a passage out of um the book the secret of the strength and uh, it was talking about. Uh, it's page 103. It says. No cheap grace. Proud world wants to be christian too wrote an osborne writer. But the world is ashamed of the cross.

The worldly says. No, that cannot be. Why should we suffer if the sufferings of christ were enough to redeem us from our sins. A blind world you will be put to shame. Your faith will not save you. Repent.

If you do not want to suffer forever. Come out from among the world and sin no more. It goes on page 104. Man, are you tired of being sad. Leave the world. Leave your possessions leave your goods and your money.

The one who thinks of death chooses the best and christ earns grace for him. It is difficult for the one who loves to talk to get to know himself. If he would think of who he is, he would not have so much to say.

Look at yourself. Leave the rest. Do not gossip. Be quiet so that in the end you may not be put to shame. What you measure out will be measured to you. Christ treats all men fairly. No sin remains unpunished.

Therefore fear god and keep his commands. No good deed remains without its reward. Pray for grace early and late. And pray that we may be spared. If you want to be saved keep away from sin. To be carefully minded.

Oh to be carnally minded. You want to be saved? All right. Sorry it is. To be carnally minded is death. Leave the world. Leave your possessions. Leave your goods and your money. The one who thinks of death chooses the best and christ earns grace for him.

God will not forsake the one who lives in truth. God is ready to hear us if we hate sin. Oh jesus christ. It is your spirit that comforts us. Do not leave us be merciful to us and intercede for us as we near the end of time.