God, the husbandman		7/16//06		Ken Kalies

We know that the seed of the spirit is the Word of God. We know that it must be planted in a good and honest heart. We know that it results is a new spiritual growth. But is that the objective? If you're buying trees, they're judged by leaves. In Mat 21:19 the fig tree was recognized that it had a certain growth as evidenced by the leaves, yet was condemned. It looked the part. Growth is essential, but not all there is.

Joh 15: 1-9  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every {branch} that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and {so} shall ye be my disciples. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love. ASV

If we abide in the branch, are we all treated the same by the husbandman? What if we have lots of leaves? Are we to be satisfied with lots of growth? What should we ask for? God knows what we need before we ask Him Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 	Maybe we shouldn't ask for anything. Maybe God knows better than we do what needs to come off and what needs to stay. This may be true, but we have to make a choice what fruit we are going to bear and how much. In the Air Force, there are many times more support personell than pilots, so it is in the church; not many are teachers and preachers. That's not the only way to bear fruit. There are many other ways. BUT, we must bear fruit if we follow Him.

Abiding how as disciples? "that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples." What does God look for? His children living so as to bear much fruit.

1. Growth - fast or slow. Heb 5:12 "when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again..." 
2 Ti 3:15 "that from a child thou has known the Holy Scriptures..."

Can fruit be borne without  growth? No matter how sincere the planting, the care, the preparation, without growth, there's no fruit. 

The husbandman (landworker or farmer) is not interested just in planting, but in bringing forth fruit. He does this in two ways:

a. Cleansing or Pruning, digging and fertilizing  - removing the useless tendrils and suckers that hinder growth and fruitfulness, clearing out the weeds and providing nourishment. The branch pruned in the vineyard has no choice, we do. Heb 12:1 lay aside weights that hinder fruitfulness. We need to seek to be fruitful: Luk 13:6-9 He also spoke this parable: "A certain {man} had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. "Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, `Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' "But he answered and said to him, `Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize {it}. `And if it bears fruit, {well}. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

There is a time for sowing and reaping. God does not give us our body just so we can glory in our own growth, but that we might use it to bear fruit.. We are to consider the lilies of the field grow, that God clothes them, yet their beauty is just temporary. That which is alive today, tomorrow is thrown in the furnace. When you will you produce fruit?

God is patient with us, but there is an end to His patience. Rom 2:4-6 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds.

b. Removal as a branch  - "Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?" This is done by discipline among members, or as is sometimes the case, removal as a name in the book now and then in fact at the judgment. 
1. Now - 1Co 5:3-5 removing the immoral from among you., 	Rev 2:5 to the church at Ephesus, just as the Lord walked amid and quickly removes some candlesticks, which are the churches, so He removes the unfruitful members of that church by so doing.  Mat 21:20 "how soon is the fig tree withered" 	Their names are blotted out of the book of life. Rev 3:4,5 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

2. Later from our perspective: 1Ti 5:24  Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some {men} they follow after. 
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

The explanation for the parable is given in 37-42 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked {one}; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

They tares were growing, but not bearing fruit unto righteousness. The servants and reaperes could tell the difference, but they were left among those that bore fruit unto righteousness until the harvest. 

2. Bear fruit - Mar 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive {it}, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

a. Fruit of repentance - Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: It is called fruit because it is what God expects it of His children. Rather than the fruit of defiance as the high priest, council and leaders of the Jews in Act 7:54

Fruits of Truth and righteous works - others can see and judge - What fruits do you have to show for the years you've spent in the vineyard? What is in your fruitbasket that you carry? Nothing? Some religious folks work much harder and put us to shame in their abundance, yet their fruit, although plenteous, is not approved by God either. An abundant, evil tree is no better than an unfruitful tree. 
Mat 7:15-20 beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree  bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither {can} a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Paul was afraid that the Galations were going to listen to teachers of error and not go on to maturity. Most people get it backwards; not just unknown as to who is friend and enemy. Paul knew that they were on the edge of counting him as an enemy instead of a friend. Your enemies make your fruitless, while your friends help you to grow and bear fruit unto God.
Gal 4:11-19 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. Brethren, I urge you to become as I {am}, for I {am} as you {are}. You have not injured me at all. You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, {even} as Christ Jesus. What then was the blessing you {enjoyed}? For I bear you witness that,
if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? They zealously court you, {but} for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 

Some have the makings of fruit to bear, but lack the diligence to bring forth the mature fruit. They are like the seed planted among the thorns that turn their attentions to "cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity." Luk 8:14

We need men (and women) who will teach the Word of God 2Ti 2:2

What fruit will you bear?
Fruit of death: Rom 6;21, 22 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things {is} death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Fruit of the Spirit: Gal 5:22, Eph 5:9
Giving of Thanks for the gifts of God for our growth Eph 5:4 (Heb 13:15 fruit of lips)
Ability to prove that which is good, righteous and true, Eph 5:9, 10
Ability to reprove by the manifestation of the light Eph 5:13
Treating others as members of the body of Christ,