Lesson 7: Work and fruit

Philippians 1:9-11 - And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so 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.

What is lacking? The close connection between the worker and the heavenly Vine is lacking. Christ, the heavenly Vine, has blessings that He could pour on tens of thousands who are perishing. Christ, the heavenly Vine, has power to provide the heavenly grapes. But, "You are the branches," and you cannot bear heavenly fruit unless you are in close connection with Jesus Christ.

 Do not confound work and fruit. There may be a good deal of work for Christ that is not the fruit of the heavenly Vine. Do not seek for work only. Study this question of fruit-bearing. It means the very life and the very power and the very spirit and the very love within the heart of the Son of God —it means the heavenly Vine Himself coming into your heart and mine.

 You know there are different sorts of grapes, each with a different name, and every vine provides exactly that peculiar aroma and juice which gives the grape its particular flavor and taste. Just so, there is in the heart of Christ Jesus a life, and a love, and a Spirit, and a blessing, and a power for men, that is entirely heavenly and divine, and that will come down into our hearts. Stand in close connection with the heavenly Vine and say:
 “Lord Jesus, nothing less than the sap that flows through Yourself, nothing less than the Spirit of Your divine life is what we ask. Lord Jesus, I pray, let Your Spirit flow through me in all my work for You."


 I tell you again that the sap of the heavenly Vine is nothing but the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the life of the heavenly Vine, and what you must get from Christ is nothing less than a strong inflow of the Holy Spirit. You need it exceedingly, and you want nothing more than that. Remember that. Do not expect Christ to give a bit of strength here, and a bit of blessing yonder, and a bit of help over there. As the vine does its work in giving its own peculiar sap to the branch, so expect Christ to give His Holy Spirit into your heart, and then you will bear much fruit. If you have only begun to bear fruit, and are listening to the word of Christ in the parable, "more fruit," "much fruit," remember that in order that you should bear more fruit you just require more of Jesus in your life and heart.

 Ministers of the gospel know how great the danger of getting into a condition of work, work, work can be! Let each of us seek to understand that the life of the branch is a life of much fruit, because it is a life rooted in Christ, the living, heavenly Vine.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to trust You for the work You have for me to do, so I will not push ahead of You nor lag behind.