b) The kind of fruit borne reflects the Tree (Matthew 7:15-20)
i) A bad tree is distinguished from a good tree
ii) A bad tree cannot bear good fruit!
iii) A good tree will bear good fruit
2. The Churches founded by the Apostles
a) The Jerusalem Church
i) It was a fruitful Church
ii) It drew thousands to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
THE FRUITFUL CHURCH OF COLOSSE
6 Which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,
8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 1:6-8
1. As it has also in all the world
a) Fruit-bearing is a universal indicator
b) This is easily verifiable
c) All churches of God, world-wide will bear fruit!
2. What makes a Church fruitful?
a) Knowing the grace of God in truth
b) The Grace of God is the essential factor
A CLASSIC TEXT ABOUT THE GRACE OF GOD
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:4-10
1. Grace helps us understand God
a) Rich in mercy
b) Great in love
2. Grace helps us to comprehend His plan of salvation
a) Saved from death
b) Made alive by the grace of God
3. Grace helps us see the far-reaching Plan of God
a) He raised us up
b) He will enable us to sit with the Lord in the heavenly places
c) In the ages to come, God will display His exceeding riches of grace
4. Reiteration of grace in God’s Plan
a) We are saved by grace
b) Through Faith
c) We are not saved by our works
d) We continue to be God’s workmanship
e) We were designed to do good works (fruit-bearing)
THE CHALLENGE TO BE FRUITFUL
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John 15:1-8
1. A sobering word to the unfruitful branch
a) It is pruned
b) If it continues not to bear fruit it is taken away
c) It is cast out as a withered branch
2. An encouraging word to the fruitful branch
a) It is also pruned that it may bear even more fruit
b) To bear much fruit is within God’s will
c) It glorifies God
d) It proves that we are good disciples of the Lord