Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

A NINE-FOLD CLUSTER OF GRAPES

This entry was posted on 10-22-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

Have you noticed in this study how the word "fruit" keeps popping up in the text? Notice the progression: "fruit" (vs. 2a, 4), "more fruit" (v. 2b), and finally, "much fruit" (vs. 5, 8). Our text today says, "that you bear much fruit" (John 15:8 NIV). Weymouth's translation says "abundant fruit." Sometimes a branch can bear as many as 300 grapes! That is "much fruit."

We can't bear this fruit on our own or by ourselves. Although the Holy Spirit is not mentioned (as such) in John 15:1-7, His "fingerprints" are all over the place in the chapter before (14) and the chapter following (16). Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit He would send to us would live with us and abide in us (14:17). We are not surprised, therefore, when we read in Galatians 5:22 & 23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." This beautiful, nine-fold cluster of "grapes" is the product of the Holy Spirit living in us and producing such "abundant fruit." This is fruit that is produced by Jesus Christ (by our living in union with Him), through the work of the Holy Spirit, to the glory of God! The word "fruit" comes from the Latin frui and means "enjoy." God enjoys seeing this fruit produced in our lives. And when we, as a fruit-bearing Christian, manifest the fruit of the Spirit, others will see our good deeds and glorify our Father in Heaven (see Matt. 5:16).

Poem by Freda Hanbury:
For His Spirit's fruit is love,
And love shall thy life become,
And for evermore in His heart of love
Thy spirit shall have a home.