Fruit of the Spirit

Jesus did not ask people for money. Jesus instructed His disciples to leave everything and follow Him. Jesus’ disciples left behind everything “to follow you.” Luke 18 27–29 demonstrates this. It says,

Luke 18:27–29

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Here, Jesus tells us that leaving everything in the world to follow Him shall be rewarded. The reward is “to receive many times as much in this age, and the age to come eternal life.”

Thus, even though Jesus says leave everything, the reward will be a lot more than what they’ve left behind. It does not necessarily mean material benefit. It could be Spiritual and faith growth.

The reward Jesus talks about will come from God. That is why He is certain that the reward will be greater than what you leave behind.

In Matthew 6:25–27 Jesus tells us that God shall provide for his brethren. It says,

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

However, Jesus also expects His brethren to provide for each other. There’s lots of examples in the Bible about people providing food and shelter to Jesus’ disciples and His brethren. The brethren are Jesus worshipers.

The book of Mark chapter 11 talks about when Jesus cursed a fig tree for not having figs on it. Jesus cursed the fig tree even though the “…it was not the season for figs.” It says,

Mark 11:12–14

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.”

The fig tree symbolizes Jesus creation, His people. Jesus cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit. Thus, Jesus is saying that Jesus’ worshipers ought to always be ready to serve each other.

How do we know that the fig tree symbolizes people?

Luke 3:8 recounts when John the Baptist was calling out to people telling them that Jesus Christ was on His way. He tells them,

8 “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ “ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Above John the Baptist is telling people that they need to “produce fruit.” To produce fruit means to live in God’s will. God’s will is that we serve each other. This is demonstrated throughout the Bible.

When John the Baptist talks about being Abraham’s children, he is telling the people that they shouldn’t think they are going to heaven just because their ancestors were closely connected to God. In the Bible, Abraham proved to be completely faithful to God and our Lord spoke to him directly.

When John the Baptist says that God can raise Abraham’s children from stones, he is saying that God can make people and call them children of Abraham. The blood relationship with Abraham is not what counts. What counts is following our Lord’s commandment and “produce fruit.”

Abraham produced fruit by living in accordance to God’s will. Abraham produced fruit by remaining faithful to God.

Then in verse 9, he says,

“…The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

This again is using trees to symbolize God’s creation, that is, people. John is warning that people who don’t produce fruit will go to hell. “ The ax is already at the root of the trees…” means that Jesus is already here and our Lord will soon call us into judgment.

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