John 15: 1- 17 Bearing Fruit for God’s glory in 2026

 

 

Welcome to 2026!  

Everyone longs to live an effective, meaningful and fruitful life. That is the reason why we like making new years resolutions. Nobody wants to waste their life. Everyone wants to create a fruitful legacy and fond memories. And that is good. It is wonderful to remember those whose fruitful lives have enriched us and who have left rich memories for us to cherish.  We owe much to people who have lived fruitfully, and whose legacy we now enjoy. 

We randomly think of people like Johannes Gutenberg (1400-1468) who invented the movable-type printing press, the father of modern printing. Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was the father of the electric motor.  Louis Pasteur (b. 27th Dec.1822 d.  Sept. 1895) gave us   the first laboratory-produced vaccine and  is perhaps best known for pasteurized milk.   Alexander Bell (1847-1922) gave us the telephone.  Marie Curie (1867-1934) laid the foundation for modern nuclear physics, cancer treatments, and radiography. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845-1923) a German physicist discovered X-rays in 1895.  All of these were ‘fruitful people’.  Some of these were professing Christians.

Whilst acknowledging that these people have made physical life so much easier for all of us, we must still ask that huge question raised by Jesus in Matthew 16:26, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  It is very good to live good lives and to make life changing contributions that benefit all of humanity in this life, but what matters ultimately?   

JOHN 15:1-17

Our text directs us to the subject of godly fruitfulness. What is the essence of true fruitfulness? What matters ultimately?  To answer that we must begin by looking at the greater context. I remind you that the most fruitful human being that ever lived is Jesus. He gave His life that we might live...  and that our joy may be full (15:11)

CONTEXT   

John 13-17 contains Jesus’ upper room discourses - things that Jesus did and said to His disciples on the night that He was betrayed. Last words are generally weighty words.  Here we find ...

·       Jesus’ foot-washing and teaching on the nature of servanthood (13:1-20)

·        The great commandment to love one another (13:31-35)

·       Jesus’ personal promise to prepare a place in heaven for His people, and of His return, and of the necessity of believing in Him (13:36 - 14:11)

·        Jesus’ promise that if He left, He would not leave His people as orphans, but that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them and to empower them (14:16-31)

And now in 15:1-17 we find His vital teaching on being fruitful ourselves (15:1-17). Nothing tells the truth about us as much as this. Here we need to be aware that this fruitfulness cannot measured by mere appearance. Jesus’ own life demonstrates this. His own life and words were appreciated by comparatively few in His day, and yet who can deny His supreme fruitfulness?  Some of the most fruitful people in God’s economy are not those who occupy public office and pulpits, but faithful women and men that display the fruit of the Spirit in quiet and unassuming ways.    

It is very fitting that our key illustration for fruitfulness is a vine - something found in great abundance in the Breede River valley. 

1.      THE SOURCE OF FRUITFULNESS

The source of the fruitfulness is our Tri-une God.  I am the true Vine (15:1a); I am the Vine (15:5). Jesus is the Vine stem. God the Father is the vinedresser (15:1b).  The work of the vinedresser is to prune the branches of the vine regularly so that it may produce fruit. Please note that the Son and the Father are both involved in making the branches fruitful. What about the Holy Spirit?  Well, He is found to the left (14:15ff) and to the right (16:7-15) of our passage. In fact, the fruit that we are called to bear,  eventually are called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal.5:22).

We draw the strength of fruitfulness by abiding in Christ (15:4)  - the true Vine, pruned and made even more fruitful by God the Father. More about that in a moment...

2.      THE SUBJECTS OF FRUITFULNESS

15:3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  One of the most essential works that our Heavenly Vinedresser does is to cleanse us from all sin.  Those that are rooted in Christ are called “clean” (cf. 13:10,11).  If you are a Christian, if you trust in Christ, born again (Jn 3:7) then you are clean. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7).  

The work of the heavenly vinedresser continues as He prunes us from time to time SO THAT we may be more fruitful.  

The subjects of fruitfulness are those that are clean, who abide in Christ  i.e.  who are born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:1-8) 

3.      THE PURPOSE: BRANCHES ARE DESIGNED FOR SPIRITUAL FRUIT-BEARING

Here we want to make a few observations:

(i)                  Branches derive their fruitfulness from abiding in Christ. It comes from nowhere else. It does not come from our own efforts. If we are not abiding 'in Christ', then there is not just no spiritual life within us, but there can also be no spiritual fruit. We must get this clear.  We may be good people; we may be decent and moral people; we may be good citizens and parents in the eyes of our society, but we may not necessarily be fruitful according to God’s Word. The goodness of our fruit-bearing is rooted in Christ. 

(ii)                Branches must be pruned from time to time in order to be more fruitful. 15:2 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.”  15:4 "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”  15:5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

There are two types of branches: those that bear fruit (15:2b,5,8); those that do not (15:2a,6). Fruitful branches are pruned – trimmed to make them even more fruitful – this happens to every true Christian. These can be painful times, but the outcome is always good.  Unfruitful branches (who do not abide in Christ – 15:6) are cut off altogether and thrown into the fire. Does this mean that dead, unfruitful branches are Christians that have lost their salvation?  No, it doesn’t. That would bring us into conflict with the nature and the power of Christ’s salvation. But it does illustrate something that we will easily overlook. There is such a person as the “Almost Christian”[1]. There are at all times people like Judas, of whom Jesus speaks in John 13:2,11,21.  This man has walked with Christ for a while, but he had no spiritual life in him to continue. He has finally proven to be a dead, fruitless branch, while the 11 disciples (unpromising as they look at times) will ultimately display proofs of fruitfulness. 

(iii)              Branches display the glory of the Vine 15:8: "This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit showing yourselves to be my disciples".   The ultimate end to which we bear fruit ( the end to which we live) is to give glory to God!

We must assert the importance of fruitfulness. Absence of fruit is a bad sign. The value of the vine depends on the fruit.  If any branches of the vine do not bear fruit that branch is actually useless. It is in danger of being thrown away into the fire (images of eternal hell) See how often the metaphor of an unproductive tree is used in the gospels by Jesus (Matt 3:10; 7:15-20; 12:33; Lk 3:9; 6:43-44)

Applying this to our Christian profession we learn by way of application that this is a “do or die” thing. Fruit is the ultimate   proof of the authenticity/value of a tree.  Spiritual fruit-bearing  of Christian authenticity. The absence thereof proves that we are not (Gal. 5:19-25).

4.      WHAT KIND OF FRUIT MUST WE BEAR TO SHOW OURSELVES TO BE CHRIST’S DISCIPLES?

 i)      We have already considered the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal.5:22) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...

(ii)    Of that fruit in John 15: 9 -17, Jesus mentions joy (15:11) but He focuses mainly on that greatest of fruit which will last into eternity - LOVE (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13).  We will merely summarise what Jesus says here

·       15:9,10 Love is the basis of the relationship between the Father and the Son

·       15:10 Christians are called to imitate that love among one another. To that end they must draw from the strength that they receive not from their own willpower or ability  but by drawing on the resources that God supplies.  PLEASE NOTE the  promise given  if we pray for such strength to love in 15:7

·       15:12-17 This love is not an option for Christians. It is commanded, and if commanded it is possible (because of 15:7). The supreme act of love is laying down our lives / preferences for one another. The manifestation of the fruit of love is the acid test of being a Christian. It is the greatest mark of the church.  The love of believers for one another is not just a nice thought; it is the very essence of discipleship and the most potent tool for convincing a sceptical world of Christ's reality (Francis Schaeffer). This love isn't just a feeling but must be visibly demonstrated in actions like apologizing, forgiving, and serving one another, even when this is difficult. Again, it is possible, because the source of such love is drawn not from ourselves but from God.

BEARING FRUIT IN 2026

·       You want to live a meaningful, fruitful life. Let God define it for you. Not your new years resolutions.

·       If you are powerless, ask: Have I been grafted into Him - the vine,  so that there is this spiritual sap in my life? Am I ‘in Christ’- abiding in Him? (15:4). Have I been born again? (3:3-8). If you are a Christian, and you still feel powerless to love - pray (15:7)

·       Understand that you may need pruning from time to time in order to be more fruitful. The experience may be bitter but the fruit will be sweet.

·       Let your love for God translate into a real, genuine love for that which God loves –  Love for  Jesus, His people (your church 15:12), His Word; His glory and kingdom; Your holiness of life; His Coming.  (all summarised in the Lord’s prayer)

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[1] Matthew Meade

JOHN 16:5-15 WHAT IS THE PRIMARY WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ?

 

Pentecost1 Sunday is celebrated 50 days after Christ’s resurrection and 10 days after the Ascension. It is the Sunday on which the church remembers that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples who were gathered in an upper room (Acts 1:13), waiting for what Jesus called “the promise of the Father” - the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).  

Acts Chapter 2 reflects the historical account of that occasion, when the Holy Spirit came upon those disciples, transforming them from timid, fearful followers to bold and powerful servants of Christ. The Spirit of God who came to dwell with them and in them made all the difference.  Compare for instance pre – Pentecost Peter in Luke 22:54ff with post- Pentecost Peter in Acts 2:14ff.  Now if the Holy Spirit is sent to empower us (Acts 1:8), then how does He do that?  First, some introductory comments and background.    

  

Jesus reminds the disciples that when He goes, the Holy Spirit must come. He promises that He will not leave them as orphans (Jn.14:18). The disciples are understandably anxious at this time (Jn.14:1-6). They are uncertain about a future without Jesus. Therefore, Jesus comforts them with the promise of sending them the Holy Spirit. He would be with them and in them (14:17). But what is it exactly that the Holy Spirit will do in them and among them?  

Please notice that Jesus says nothing in these key passages [in John 14:15-26 and 16:7-15] about the giving of spiritual gifts- the frequent emphasis associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit. These are in a sense a secondary issue. There is something far weightier and more primary that the Holy Spirit has come to do.   Let us see what Jesus says concerning Him, in terms of His names and His work.  

We will not dwell much on the names. He is called

(i) The Holy Spirit - Jn.14:26

(ii) The Helper (ESV) or Counsellor (NIV)  Jn.14:16,26;16:7

(iii) The Spirit of Truth: Jn. 14:17; 16:13  

We will focus on His work threefold work in terms of

(i) 16:8-11 Conviction

(ii) 16:12-13 Guiding into Truth

(iii) 16:14-15 Glorifying Jesus 

 

1. 16:8-11 HIS WORK OF CONVICTION  

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The Holy Spirit does the work of conviction (Gr. elencho lit. shaming a convicted person) "When He (the Helper/Counsellor) comes, He will convict the world (16:8). This needs some explanation.  A convicting Helper/Counsellor?  Is this not a contradiction?  No!  Why?   He is both! He helps and counsels us by convicting us. In order to help and counsel, He must first convict us of that which stands against us – that is our sinful nature! In this regard He does the same work as a surgeon, who in order to help us, must first cut away that which causes us trouble.   

This is the primary role which the Holy Spirit fulfills in the whole world. “He will convict the world...” Since He is the Spirit, He is not limited by a physical body, and therefore He can do this work globally. He can be everywhere at the same time. He is omnipresent.  

He convicts the world in three ways?  i.e.  concerning sin, and righteousness and judgment (Jn. 16:8-11).  Let's consider these each in turn: 

1. He convicts the world of sin, because the world does not believe in Jesus (16:9)  

Here we are reminded that all people in this world are by nature sinners.  

Genesis 3 explains the origin of sin in man. Sin manifests itself in the fact that (i) all people do sin (Rom. 3:23) and thereby incur God’s wrath, and in the fact that (ii) all people refuse to accept God’s gracious offer –Jesus, the Lamb of God - God’s atoning sacrifice.  The truth about us is that we are hardened and self-righteous. Without help we will never see the truth about ourselves. We are dead in our sins and transgressions (Eph.2:1)   

Jesus says that we need the convicting work of the Holy Spirit to pierce our spiritual deadness and our spiritual hardness. The Holy Spirit awakens in us a consciousness of true guilt, leading us to true repentance, trusting in Jesus alone for our righteousness and salvation, restoring us to fellowship with our heavenly Father.  

We have a wonderful example in the book of Acts 2.  The Holy Spirit came in response to God’s promise at Pentecost - the Hebrew Shavuot – The Feast of Weeks, (a feast of thanksgiving for the ingathering of the wheat harvest), which happens 50 days after the Passover (Easter). On this day the Holy Spirit starts His remarkable work of ingathering from many nations that have come to Jerusalem for this feast.  He uses Peter to preach a sermon in which 3000 people from among the nations are convicted of sin. They cry out, "What must we do?" (Acts 2:38). The answer is given: "repent and be baptised, every one of you…”.  Now, why do they cry out,” What must we do “?  It is not simply Peter’s sermon that does it!  This is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, acting upon the preaching of His Word.  

The 3000 have been helped by the Holy Spirit to see their sin! Their hearts are exposed by the preaching of the Word.   They now beg for a remedy!  What does the preacher do?  He helps them by looking to the remedy - looking to Jesus – “repent and be baptized, every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…”.  

Understand then that the preacher cannot bring about true heartfelt repentance or conviction, unless the Holy Spirit convicts the hearers of guilt.  

The Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus to convict the world of sin. Those who see, hear and believe are helped and counselled to 'stop being the world'. So then, thank God for sending the Holy Spirit to help us to understand the nature of sin.  

Pray that the Spirit of conviction will also rest upon us! 

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3. 2. He convicts the world of righteousness because Jesus is going to the Father (16:10)  

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We have seen then that the Holy Spirit convicts the world regarding sin because the world does not believe in Jesus. But, what about this one?  

Here is the answer: The religious leaders, and the nation of Israel in general did not regard themselves as sinful, but as righteous - one might say, self – righteous, because   they possessed the Law of Moses. They prided themselves to have Abraham as their father.  The same is true for the world we live in. When you speak to a person about their sinfulness and of their need for a Saviour, people are quick to respond, "But, I am basically a good person” i.e. “I am righteous…. I am self-righteous.”    

You will remember that Jesus frequently challenged this superficial view of righteousness e.g. the story of the rich young ruler (Mk 10:17ff).  All of us, by nature are self- righteous, and all of us need to be helped by the Holy Spirit to see this that our self- righteousness will not stand before God.   

Now, the reason why the Holy Spirit convicts the world of its ‘righteousness’, is because Jesus is going to the Father where they will see Him no longer (16:10).  So, we see that the Holy Spirit continues the convicting work of Jesus - but now on a global level!  How does He do that?  The Holy Spirit, by the Word of God, proclaimed by preachers of the Word in various settings, acting now in the whole world (even to you today), being the omnipresent Spirit, convicts the entire world of its self- righteousness.  God’s word – God’s righteous standard, when preached to self – righteous people, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are helped to see that they fall short of the righteous life that God requires.  The result is that they call out, “What must we do to be saved?”   The preacher, by the Holy Spirit points them to Christ, whom they must embrace by faith. When anybody comes to Jesus this way they will be saved. And they will be declared righteous.   

Thank God for the global work of the Holy Spirit convicting people of their self -righteousness! 

3. 3. The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (16:11) 

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How do we understand this?  The world, because of its sinfulness, has distorted standards of judgment.  At one point, in John 7:24, Jesus needed to reprimand the Jews (i.e. the world of His day) to “stop judging by mere appearances, and to make a right judgment.”  

The grossest misjudgement that our world is guilty of is that it judged Jesus to be a criminal and on that account crucified Him.  What a gross, faulty judgment! This shows us how the world's judgment can be so profoundly wrong and so morally perverse.  

The Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of its false judgments, which essentially are inspired by Satan and his demons. Satan is the originator of all false judgment, for he is the father of all lies. He is the father of those who echo His values (Jn.8:44).    

But now, because of   Christ's triumph on the cross, the ruler of this world who governs the faulty thoughts of this world is defeated!  He is judged!  

The Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of following false judgment - following bad and unreliable guides- all inspired by Satan, who because of the cross is now condemned and defeated. The Holy Spirit teaches us that the only true judgment and infallible authority comes from the Word of God – from Jesus the living Word.  

Thank God that the Holy Spirit who is in us and with us, helps us to discern the lies of Satan when we turn to the truth of God’s Word.  

 

2. 16:12-13 GUIDING US INTO ALL THE TRUTH  

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The Holy Spirit will not speak on His own authority. He speaks, reaffirms and reminds us only that which Jesus has said. See also 14:26. The Holy Spirit will not bring anything new. In Christ God's complete revelation in terms of what we need to know was made known (cf. Hebrews 1:1-3)  

 

3. 16:14,15 GLORIFYING JESUS  

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Ultimately this is the overarching reason why the Holy Spirit would come: to bring glory to Jesus - by making Jesus and His saving work known!  This is clearly stated in 16:14,15 and this is entirely in keeping with the central message of John’s gospel (see John 20:31). Everything else we learn about the work and the person of the Holy Spirit flows from this grand truth and is subject to this principle. 

  

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION 

Can you now see why we need to be thankful for Pentecost?

And why we have a duty to remember this event in our church calendar?

Can you now see why we ought to be thankful for the intervening and convicting global ministry of the Holy Spirit?  

Despite all this persistent hardness found in our world,  the merciful voice of God empowered by the Holy Spirit goes out into the entire world and into entire generations.

None of us would listen, if we had not been divinely prompted and enabled to listen.

The Spirit of God issues the effective call, which the sheep (the elect) ultimately will hear (See John 10:3).  

This then is the primary work of the Holy Spirit:  To glorify Jesus by bringing a stubborn people like us to faith and repentance, possessed of a true righteousness, and fit for entrance into the presence of the King.

Blessed be His Name!