Jesus Christ taught many things. Perhaps one of his best known teachings is about sowing seed and bringing forth fruit.
Luke 8:5-15:
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
What Jesus Taught About Fruit
Look at the four locations sown and the results of each:
- By the way side— trodden down, the fowls of the air devour it
- Upon a rock—springs up and withers away because of no moisture
- Among thorns—the thorns spring up with it and choke it
- On good ground—springs up and bears fruit an hundredfold
Here is what Jesus said it meant in real life about sowing the Word of God:
- By the way side— they hear; the Devil comes and takes away the Word out of their hearts; they do not believe to be saved
- Upon a rock— they hear and receive the word with joy; believe for a while; fall away when tempted
- Among thorns— they hear and go forth; are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life; bring no fruit to perfection
- On good ground—they hear the word; keep it; bring forth fruit with patience
Notice that the main point is bringing forth fruit. If seeds never reach the soil, a plant never grows in the first place and there is no possibility to bring forth fruit. If a plant grows but has no roots, it will be scorched and wither without even beginning to produce fruit. If a plant has roots and begins to produce fruit, it will not bring forth mature fruit because of the thorns that choke it. But a plant on good ground will bring forth an abundance of fully grown fruit. Why? Because the ability to bring forth fruit is “built in” to how God designed the life in the seed.
When a person hears God’s Word as declared in Romans 10:9 and 10, making Jesus lord and believing that God raised him from the dead, they are saved. They now are born again of incorruptible seed by the Word of God (I Peter 1:23) and have the gift of holy spirit. They can bring forth spiritual fruit. Why? Because the ability to bring forth spiritual fruit is “built in” to how God designed our new life in Christ.
But if born-again believers are not rooted in the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7), they may be tempted away from walking in their new life without bringing forth fruit. Even if they do begin to root themselves in Christ, the cares and riches and pleasures of this life may cause them to quit before they bring forth fully developed fruit. It takes an honest and good heart to hear the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Bringing Forth Fruit Today as Born-again Believers
Bringing forth fruit is not only mentioned in Jesus Christ’s teaching about sowing seed (Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:20,28; Luke 8:15), but also in epistles written to born-again believers today.
Romans 7:4-6:
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh [walking only by our five senses], the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
We can bring forth fruit unto God as we serve Him in newness of spirit. Walking in the flesh, guided only by our senses and not by God, brings forth fruit unto death. But as we walk in the spirit, using the ability God gave us, we will bring forth genuine spiritual fruit.
Galatians 5:22,23,25:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Think of your life—you made Jesus lord and believed God raised him from the dead; you became rooted in the love of Christ and were not distracted by the cares, riches, or pleasures in life. You had an honest, good heart: hearing, keeping, and patiently evidencing the Word.
I clearly remember a day, years ago, when I was walking to Ellis Library at the University of Missouri. I had recently been born again and was fellowshipping with believers who showed me the love of Christ and helped me begin to walk on God’s Word. I stopped on the sidewalk, looked up at the blue sky overhead, and broke into a big smile. I realized that I was beginning to bring forth fruit in my life. I had love, joy, and peace inside. I was becoming longsuffering, gentle, and good to others. I was even starting to be faithful, meek, and temperate. This was the life I dreamed of for years! I had begun to bring forth genuine spiritual fruit.
Colossians 1:4-6,10:
Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew [understood] the grace of God in truth.
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing [growing like a plant] in the knowledge [understanding] of God.
The word of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ came to the world. Those in Colosse believed it and were born again. They were rooted in the love of Christ and showed it to one another. As they understood God’s grace, they walked worthy and pleasing to the Lord. Then they brought forth fruit in every good work and increased in their understanding of God.
What a gracious heavenly Father we have! Any plant seed can be sown, produce roots, take in sunlight and nutrients, and bring forth fruit. Any person can be born again of incorruptible seed, get rooted in the love of Christ, not be distracted by the cares of this world, and bring forth good spiritual fruit in every good work.
John 15:5,7,8:
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
The only way to bear fruit is to abide in Christ. Without him, we can do nothing. As we abide in Christ, we will glorify our heavenly Father by the fruit we bring forth. Then we are truly disciples who continue to lovingly serve our lord and savior.
John 15:9:
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
