How Fresh is Your Fruit?
“But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Matthew 3:7-8
When I was a little girl, my grandmother lived right next door. I spent time at her house nearly every day. Each time I walked up the steps and into her dining room, the first thing I saw was the dining room table with it’s centerpiece - a bowl of fruit. The bowl was a beautiful green glass with a ruffled edge and it had an unusual shape. But what really occupied my attention was the fruit inside of the bowl. It looked real to my little eyes, but it wasn’t. I would poke the apple and squeeze the grapes, yet they didn’t have any life in them. They looked the same, day in and day out.
At first glance, a visitor might see fruit that resembled something authentic, but upon closer inspection, they would realize it was fake. It had no substance. It provided no nourishment. It wasn’t the product of being connected to a tree or vine. It was plastic. Eventually, the plastic fruit was thrown away. It wasn’t worth keeping- it was fake. And when it was tossed, it didn’t sink into the earth to produce more fruit, no, it just went to a landfill- rubbish with no value.
John the Baptist called out the Pharisees and Sadducees on the same issue. He first called them a brood of vipers- snakes who were shrewd, sly, and full of poison. Then he challenged them to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance!”. The fruit these men exhibited was artificial- it was a product of following rules, of evaluating themselves in comparison to others who didn’t know as much or follow the rules as well (in that case, they were sure to always come out on top). Oh, the Pharisees and Sadducees knew how to use Scripture, of that we can be sure. But they didn’t use it to teach and encourage, no, they used it to intimidate and oppress others. Their knowledge was used to gain power over others and elevate their own standing.
These men stood in judgment over others as if they had the authority by God to do so. Their fruit was self-manufactured and synthetic. It didn’t give evidence of life, nor did it give evidence of being connected to the Vine- Jesus. It didn’t nourish others and it didn’t produce a harvest. No, it was just legalistic rule-following, all for show and to earn the praise of men. It manifested as anger, pride, arrogance, and entitlement. The Pharisees and Sadducees had plastic faith and fake fruit.
“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.” Ephesians 5:6
So what distinguishes real fruit from something that ‘looks’ similar, but is fake? Real fruit has a fragrance that draws people to want to enjoy it. It brings refreshment and nourishment. It is alive with colors that are vibrant because they’re all natural and a product of creation, not manufacturing. When the seeds of real fruit are planted they sink into the fertile soil and produce more fruit.
Isn’t that what the Holy Spirit does in our hearts? He cultivates real fruit that is fragrant and nourishing. The fruit benefits not only us, but those around us. He produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He grows those character qualities in us that are so appealing that others want to be near, to learn more, to be blessed by us because it’s not us...but God IN us that affects the change and brings the fruit. When we are in Christ, He works in us and through us to show others the life that is transforming us into the likeness of Jesus.
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:15
Godly fruit is nothing we can manufacture in ourselves because we have no power to transform our own hearts and minds- that is always, only Jesus in us producing fruit in keeping with His likeness.
“For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.”Ephesians 5:9
This week, let’s pray that our sons and daughters have clear discernment to recognize fake fruit. There are ‘Pharisees and Sadducees’ all around us, even today. Pray that they would seek to listen to those who are connected to the Vine-producing real fruit and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide their words and actions versus those with selfish ambition and vain conceit.
Pray, too, that they would allow Christ to work in their heart and mind to produce authentic fruit- evidence of a life lived in pursuit of Jesus. Pray they would surround themselves with others who are also pursuing Jesus. Philippians 1:9-11 is a wonderful prayer. Let’s pray for real fruit
“Heavenly Father, You are the Creator and Sustainer. You cultivated the Garden and placed man there for fellowship with You. Though sin destroyed it, You made a way, through Jesus, that we can enjoy fellowship and life with You. I pray that You would work in (name) today. Cultivate authentic fruit in their life that gives evidence of their faith in Christ. Keep them from the temptation to be a people-pleaser, going through the motions and saying words only to get the affirmation of others or to ‘look the part’. I pray, Holy Spirit, that you would grow in them love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Those with fake fruit don’t demonstrate these qualities. Help me to give evidence as well, so that when my family sees me, they don’t see a synthetic faith, but genuine love for Jesus that produces fruit that is sweet and refreshing. Lord, change me, grow me, and help me to live out my faith with confidence in Jesus alone. Let the fragrance of my faith be such that others would catch the fragrance of Jesus and they would breath deeply of Him. Lord, I pray the words of Paul in Philippians 1:9-11 for (name), “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Lord, fill them with the fruit of righteousness and let it grow, let it flourish, let it be authentic and beautiful for the glory and praise of Jesus, in His name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Follow the Leader?
1 John 3:7-9 “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”
“No one who is born of God will continue to sin.” That’s a true statement right there. If one is a believer, their heart has been changed, their motivations are redirected, their heart is attuned to the Savior and their desire is to do His will. So when someone ‘claims’ to be a Christ-follower, yet continues to sin, that should bring into question the authenticity of their faith. They may ‘talk the talk’, but if your spirit is unsettled by that person, that’s a good indication that all may not be as it seems.
We MUST be on our guard to avoid being led astray. Think about that statement ‘led astray’. It indicates that someone is a willing follower. They are ‘escorted’ to a place of sin, deception, danger and destruction. They’re not forced or dragged, they’re led, willingly following. Why would someone willingly follow a deceiver?! Well, because they’re not alert and watchful to the danger. They believe what they hear rather than evaluating the words and actions against Scripture. Friends, just because someone quotes scripture, does not mean they love the Lord, it only means they are able to memorize something. It doesn’t mean their heart has changed. Just because they carry a Bible does not mean they believe what it says. Far too often we look for ‘surface-y’ signs of Christianity and we jump on the bandwagon of someone’s message because they say or do something that remotely-reflects godliness. We are gullible and far-too trusting. We see it all the time - (can you say “politics”?) But even Satan quoted scripture. Think about that. Imposters are everywhere. Are we alert or are we oblivious. Look, there is no middle ground. Either you’re a believer or you’re not. The one who does what is right is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil. Period. No one who is born of God will continue to sin. Are we taking the time to truly evaluate who we trust, spiritually?
As the Day of the Lord grows nearer, the deception will grow more intense. Are we prepared? Are we alert? We cannot be complacent. We cannot be lukewarm. We need to shine the light of Jesus on everything we see, hear, and experience. We need to filter it through the lens of Scripture. Is it of the Lord or is it deception? Friends, it’s time that we step up and address the evil that’s trying to infiltrate and destroy believers. it’s not going to be a tidal wave, it’s going to be a gentle, unassuming current that begins to slowly move believers from their foundation into the stream of complacency and the river of indifference that will erode their faith.
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters critically analyze and evaluate what they see and hear according to Scripture. Pray that they would determine who they listen to and follow based on what the Bible says, not by what their ears hear and our hearts ‘feel’.
Take time to pray through these things today. Pray over your sons and daughters by name. Spend some time listening to the Lord as well. What is it that He’s calling you to pray over more faithfully?
Pray without ceasing.