Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
–Matthew 7:19-20
Jesus called sinners to repentance. Much of what He taught was not very seeker-friendly. Yet, the men and women who walked the earth with Him were drawn to Him. These men and women who had been outcasts (lepers, prostitutes, and tax collectors) could not seemingly get enough of the Galilean. Much of what He said was difficult to understand and much was in story form where the listener had to take time to consider what was meant. Jesus would tell them to go and sin no more.
He encouraged a rich man to leave behind his wealth and follow Him. All of the apostles left the lifestyles that they had been living to follow Him. Others like the woman caught in adultery in John 8 and Zachaeus in Luke 19 were publicly known to be sinners yet they were drawn to Jesus. This is an incredible picture of the fruit of the Spirit emanating from Jesus.
Today’s church needs to take time to examine itself. What kind of fruit are they creating? Do the people that attend your church become better Christians, better husbands, fathers, wives, and mothers? Does regular attendance at your church train up the people of God to be better citizens, employees, and employers? What is the lasting fruit of your ministry?
When Jesus was asked by the followers of John if Jesus was indeed the Messiah He answered, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
Take a quick survey of your church. Do those that have literal, or even figurative blindness, ever receive sight at your church? How often does that happen? How about the lame getting up and walking? Again, this might be very literal, or it could even be those that have lost their way, getting direction and walking with God. Again, does this happen at your standard Sunday or midweek service? Why not? Look at the rest of the statements Jesus gave John’s messengers. The sick and the deaf healed or the dead raised. Granted some of these might be tough but how about preaching the good news to the poor?
Do not feel shame if you do not see these things taking place at your church. But do examine them, and if you are not seeing the fruit then it is up to us to adjust what we are doing. God is always in motion. He is busy doing all He can to develop relationship with Him. He is inviting us to join Him. He speaks to our hearts and oftentimes that creates a crisis of our faith. God seldom calls us to maintain the status quo. Rocking the boat is scary, but if we adjust our lives to what He is doing by burning down the programs, styles, music or whatever we are doing that does not match up with what He is calling us to do, we will truly experience God.
