John K. Jenkins Sr - A Process for Bearing Fruit (B.L.E.S.S)

All right, y’all can be seated. Open your Bibles to John chapter 15. I’m going to preach from John 15 and minister today from John 15. I need to apologize because I’m teaching today what I already taught in Bible study on Tuesday. Since we had about a thousand people here on Tuesday and nine or ten thousand of y’all didn’t come, I have to bring Bible study to you-amen. Go ahead, look at your neighbor and say, «We got a hip-hop study game 'cause you weren’t here.» Go ahead, tell them this message today is very important to my heart and to what I believe for our church. I’m praying that I can convey it, and I believe God wants it to be a movement in our church, which is why I’m taking the risk and teaching it again, even though a number of you have already heard the message.

I want to read the first eight verses of John chapter 15, but I’m not going to give you my subject until halfway through the message. Okay, John 15, let me read that to you real quick. John 15, beginning at verse 1, says, «I am the vine, the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser or gardener.» I need to tell you that means «gardener.»

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.

Say this: «For without me you can do nothing.» Look at your neighbor and say, «Without Christ, you can’t do anything.» Look at the person on the other side and tell them, «Without Christ, you ain’t nothing.» I am the vine; you are the branches. It says again, «He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.» If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

If you abide in me and my word abides in you, verse 7 says you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. And by this, my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples. Thank the Lord for His word.

Now, these verses identify four things about what level or kind of fruit you can bear. Verse 2 talks about no fruit-say «no fruit.» Verse 2 also talks about some fruit. Verse 2 talks about more fruit, and verse 8 talks about much fruit. No fruit, some fruit, more fruit, much fruit.

Look at your neighbor, eyeball to eyeball. Don 't look at their nose, their lips, their chin, or their weave-look right in their eyeball and ask them, «What kind of fruit are you bearing?» Wait for an answer. Is it no fruit, some fruit, more fruit, or much fruit? Did they answer? What did they say? Did he say anything? What did you say? He didn’t say anything. Would you say, «You just said nothing»? A lot — that’s not one of the options!

You got to be in the no fruit, some fruit, more fruit, or much fruit. That 's why you’re here to learn. You ain’t got no fruit, y’all! That 's what that means! More fruit!

All right, so verse 8 says this: God is glorified when you bear much fruit. The problem is some of you have become satisfied and content with being at a place in your life where you’ve borne no fruit. Some of y’all need to ask, «When is the last time you actually won somebody to Jesus?» Really! When is the last time you won somebody to Christ because of your life, your testimony, what you’ve done with that person, how you treated that person, or what you said to that person? Or how you lived in front of that person?

God has used you to help win somebody to the kingdom of God. We’re living in a culture today where everybody is so self-centered that it isn 't even about trying to help somebody get to heaven! Amen! I wish I had a few amens up in here today! That 's not right, y’all-you got to say something!

I feel the angels of heaven saying, «Preach on, Pastor Jenkins!» because this message is really about how much fruit you have borne. This is how God is glorified: when people see in you something different than what’s in them, it makes them want to serve the same God that you’re serving.

Now, I’m going to give you three points to start off with, and then I’m going to have five other points, just an eight-point thing today. We’re going to be here until I get done. Look at your neighbors and say, «Take your time.»

I’ve come to the point where I want to pass this on, and the pastor is going to take his time. The first thing I want to tell you is from verse 1: it talks about the power of the true vine and the gardener. The power of the true vine and the gardener-that Jesus is the true vine. He says, «I am the true vine and my Father is the vine dresser or the gardener.» And we have a true vine, Jesus.