…fruit that will last…
Yesterday we looked at the Fruit Stand of the Bible, today we take a closer look at the actual fruit. We talked about the various ways we can understand “bearing fruit.” One thing we did not talk about was the nature of the fruit itself.
Earlier in this chapter, Jesus tells us he is the vine and that we have to remain in Him to have life. Now what he said earlier takes on more meaning. If we want to “bear fruit” we have to be a plant or at least part of a plant. To use Jesus’ allegory, He is the trunk that provides everything needed for life to the branches. We as individuals are the branches.
When he says, “…fruit that will last….” He is not talking about a fruit that is eaten. We are not growing fruit to feed ourselves. (In the allegory, Jesus Himself provides everything we need.) Instead, the kind of fruit that Jesus is talking about is something that has to do with propagating the plant itself. It has to do with life.
Let’s suppose for the moment that Jesus allegory has some very literal elements to it. In this life, we are branches that are grafted into Jesus so that we can have life. By being grafted in, we become fruitful in this life which results in … fruit. A fruit that carries the seeds of eternal life. When our physical bodies die, we have an eternal relationship with the Father through his Son, Jesus.
Let’s Discuss: What do you “hear” when Jesus talks about “fruit that will last?”
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Usually when I am listening to Him… through His word, through prayer.
I hear ‘mature disciples’. Fruit that is prepared to itself help propagate the vine. Mature disciples endure through the hardships of life while abiding/remaining in the vine. They also make disciples of their own. Their fruit both lasts and has the seeds to produce more fruit as well.
When you say grafted, I lean more to producing fruit that is like us from out talents or like ourselves.