fruit

In 2007 the Lord told me that this was the season He would be asking for His fruit. He was referring to the parable of the tenants and the landowner. Today's lesson begins with this parable.

In Jesus’ parable about the tenants we read about a landowner who rented his vineyard out to some farmers (Mt 21:33-40). The farmers were to tend to the vineyard and give the landowner fruit when the harvest time came. However, the farmers tried to seize the inheritance due to the son of the landowner by killing the son. Jesus told this parable to the Pharisees to illustrate that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to a people who would produce fruit (vs 43).

If we look at Jesus’ words in the parable of the tenants, we understand that He was the son of the landowner. The leaders of the Jews thought that they had the kingdom of God coming to them and killed Jesus, the Son of the Landowner. What, therefore, is the fruit that God, the landowner, wants? Let’s look at Jesus’ discourse on the vine and the branches in John 15. He explains that when we abide in the vine (Jesus) we, the branches, bear fruit. If we remain in Him and His words remain in us, then we bear fruit (vs 7). Not only do Jesus’ words need to remain in us, but we need to obey them (vs 10). The fruit God seeks will be found by hearing and doing what Jesus’ says. We will actually produce something tangible by listening to and following what He shares with us.

The substance of the kingdom of God in the first parable was fruit. God desires fruit and hired farmers to help Him with His vineyard. We have many who help with the fruit-producing branches in God’s kingdom. Paul uses the illustration of God’s laborers being husbandmen, or farmers in 2 Tim 2:6, and James, in 5:7. We who labor for Christ should be helping others to bear fruit. This concept is found in Ephesians where Paul states that the 5-fold ministry is to “prepare God’s people for works of service . . . “ (4:12). God’s kingdom, run God’s way, will produce people who bear fruit.

The farmers in the parable of the tenants did not want to give the landowner His fruit, though. They wanted to take the inheritance of the kingdom by force. If the ministers of God encourage the people of God to believe for the kingdom of God without equipping them, there would be a vineyard that was not bearing much fruit. Or, if there were husbandmen who wanted to take credit for bringing the kingdom of God to the earth, and denied Jesus His glory, then they would be trying to take the kingdom by force. In essence, ministers who try to steal God’s glory are saying they can have the kingdom without having the King rule over them.

Can we take the kingdom by our own efforts? Jesus told us that the violent take the kingdom by force (Mt 11:12). The difference between Jesus’ statement of taking the kingdom, and the parable of the tenants is that in the latter the farmers tried to take the kingdom unlawfully. The farmers did not want the Son to rule over them and so they killed him.

In looking at obtaining the Kingdom of God, it would be helpful to not only look at our role in obtaining it, but God’s purpose in giving it. As early as the book of Daniel we read the “kingdoms under heaven be(ing) handed over to the saints”(Dan 7:27). We see that “His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey Him.” Our role is to receive a kingdom in which we rule, and yet we, and all authority, are under God’s authority.

The farmers in the parable of the tenants had a very small agenda; kill the Son and take His inheritance. Though Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb and was slain, God has a much bigger agenda for bringing His kingdom to Mankind. Rather than leave this story at the point of the Heir slain by the farmers, God planned on taking it to the point of success for all Mankind. His agenda is much larger than any glory we can think of here on earth. And God is involving His people in His kingdom works, as we abide in and obey what we hear Him share with us. It is the fruit we bear for Him that brings the kingdom to the earth. Let us look at some scriptures that tell us about the work the Lord is doing to establish that kingdom.

“Christ, the first-fruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. . . . “(1 Cor 15:25-28). The purpose of having a King is to exert His authority over His enemies, until they are all under His feet. Jesus is putting all His enemies under His feet through us, His saints. This is why Paul writes that “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Rm 16:20). Part of Jesus’ kingdom business is to work in His saints to defeat His enemy. Jesus is still destroying the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). Though some teach that this was accomplished by Jesus on the cross, we read that “at present we do not see everything subject to Him.” (Heb 2:8). Jesus is gaining victory through the faith and actions of those who abide in Him.

There is a definite war-like attribute to Jesus’ character as portrayed in the book of Revelation. We see that those who will not repent of their sins and false teaching will see Jesus as One who fights with them by the sword of His mouth (Rev 2:16). Jesus is not passive about establishing His kingdom in His Church but uses the words of truth, yielded by the Spirit, to bring whom He can back into alignment with the truth. In this end time we will see more men and women being used by the Holy Spirit to confront falseness and sin than ever before. Lest we think the kingdom will be established peacefully by Jesus Himself, let us look at our history of martyrs who laid their lives down before us as an example of those heroes willing to take a stand for the truth. Their words were no more popular than the One whom they served. Yet because of them the gospel was kept pure for our generation. We also must keep it pure for our children’s generation.

Jesus is at work preparing a people whom He and the Father can live amongst (Rev 21:3). He created us all with a richness that He labors with us to accomplish. He also put a richness in the nations that He wants us to share with each other. Jesus extends reconciliation between God and Man so that we can dwell with Him, and He works in us to extend reconciliation between men. God’s kingdom will be a place where whole nations will bring their God-given splendor to share with others (Rev 22:2). Their special abilities will be known, and their character or personality from God, discovered. We will all be enriched by living in peace amongst each other. So that this peaceful place can exist, Jesus works in us to care about each other more than ourselves. It is this nature in us that will reconcile men to each other and prepare a people for His kingdom on earth.

Jesus labors amongst us to nurture us, giving us truth and teaching us His way. You might say this is symbolized by the words “light” and “water.” As we walk with the Lord, listening to Him teach us, we grow in understanding. If we are thirsty for His Spirit, the Spirit will help us to apply all that is written and spoken by Him to our lives. This is our “training for reigning”. In the Kingdom, Jesus and the Father are the light (Rev 21:23). There we find the water of life (Rev 22:17; see also Jn 4:10). By giving us the Holy Spirit Jesus has been working in us to listen to and follow all He shares with us, both teaching and personal guidance, ministry and fellowship. He also puts individual qualities of ministry in us to teach and nourish one another.

In sharing the above scriptural lesson I hope to leave you with a picture, in part, of God’s extensive agenda by which He is setting up His Kingdom here on earth. It is called the Kingdom of God and, though we stand alongside Jesus to establish it, the Kingdom belongs to Him. If we seek after works of power, authority over men, riches or fame we will find ourselves to be as the farmers, wanting the Kingdom without the King. The Kingdom belongs to the King (Rev 11:15-17; 12:10; & 19:6). When we truly labor alongside Jesus to establish His Kingdom we will bear fruit and prepare others to bear fruit. This is what the Father is sending the Son to do; collect the fruit of our faith. As we listen and obey, let us encourage one another to abide in Him so that each one will bear his fruit. Amen.