Date: 21-07-24
Preacher: Bro Chua Kin Teck
Title: Bearing Fruits in Christ Jesus
Bearing Fruits in Christ Jesus
John 15:1-17 came alive today with the Holy Spirit’s anointing on Bro Chua’s message. As chairperson I called it a game changing message!
Bro Chua started by sharing that, as believers, if we constantly pursue earthlydesires, then, we are like unpruned branches of a grave vine competing for far more nutrients than the grape fruits. And like unpruned branches which can reach lengths of 40 metres without bearing fruits, we would be drunk with the ways of the world with all the attributes that are in direct opposite to the fruits of the Spirit. These earthly desires would exceed our motivation to pursue a relationship with God. Grape farmers would constantly prune their branches of their grape vine to keep them at 3 to 4 metres to ensure they fruit. Unwanted branches not bearing fruit would be cut down to serve as firewood.
When a branch is unable to bear fruit, two persons would best know why. The first is the vine and the other is the farmer. The vine is the Lord Jesus and the farmer is the Lord himself. Therefore the supply and work of these two persons are crucial in determining that the branches bear fruits. They would also perform the work of the farmers in pruning our lives by way of disciplining us. It is through the work of disciplining us that the Lord teaches us the futility of a life in drunken pursuit of works in the flesh. Disciplining us make us more in characteristics of the Lord’s life which is the fruit of the spirit.
We should not be discouraged nor should we despise the work of the Holy Spirit in helping us bear fruit. For to bear fruit we must transform from work in the flesh to fruit of the spirit. How? It is found in John 15: 4. Unfortunately our ability to bear fruit is also often hampered by our limited knowledge of God.
According to Bro Chua, grace from God is of two kinds: one is God’s promise and the other is God’s guidance. The former is for us as believers to believe and receive and the latter is for us to believe and obey. The fruits of the Spirit are a promise from God and it is up to us to believe and receive. We can claim them anytime anywhere in our daily walks with Him. By accepting we accept the attributes of the Lord to replace the things of our lust.
Bro Chua gave many examples of how easy it is to slip down the slippery road of fleshly desires. He quoted King David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the fact that temptations of all kinds are all around us. And David was described by God himself as a person after His heart.
Why is fruit bearing so important? He shared that a life without the fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot influence believers to believe in the Lord. It will also be a life full of bitterness, resentment, factions and disputes. Bro Chua listed three reasons from John 15. Apart from sanctification, there is the command to bear fruit which lasts and to love one another.
(I claim the promises of this message to prune my ability to write.)
