Steven A. Bush - May 15, 2016
Bearing Fruit
There's an old Victorian-era home the next county over that was originally slated for demolition. Money, however, was scarped together by caring folks to save the old mansion. It was an enormous undertaking but the building was spared and moved into the neighboring village. But unfortunately it now just sits empty, unused, and merely wasting away in a different location. John 15:8-10 records Jesus' words to His disciples at the Last Supper: "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." (ESV) Obviously we've been saved, made disciples of our Lord, for purposes far beyond the initial rescue. Hell was a bad destination. Heaven is an awesome destination. And yet God didn't allow His Son to bear the cross only to have our destinations changed. He's changed our destinies and ours is to bear fruit that honors and glorifies our God. Besides the fruit of obedience, Paul declares in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (ESV) As believers, rescued by grace, we have been saved to bear fruits like these in all our spheres of life. May we do just that and may our Lord be ever glorified!