Produce Fruit

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.” — Matthew 21:43

“Fruit is the evidence that a life is connected to the Vine.”

In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders. They were very religious, very knowledgeable, and very active, but they were not producing fruit. When Jesus said this, they were offended because their religion had activity but not fruit, and eventually their hardened hearts led them to kill Him.

Jesus isn’t interested in religious duty without relationship. He is interested in relationship that produces fruit. In John 15, Jesus says He is the Vine and we are the branches. The branch does not produce fruit by trying harder; it produces fruit by staying connected to the vine. Fruit is the overflow of connection.

Religious effort without connection to Jesus is empty and fruitless, but when you are connected to Him, fruit naturally grows in your life. The goal is not to try harder, but to stay connected.

So how do we stay connected and not become religious? We spend time with Jesus. We get to know Him through His Word and through prayer. Prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. I’ve learned it’s really just an ongoing conversation with Jesus that starts in the morning and continues throughout the day — talking to Him, thinking about what I read, and walking with Him through the day.

Connection produces fruit. Religion produces exhaustion. Abiding produces fruit.

So stay connected today. And remember, Holy Week is a great week to tell someone about the Man who died for you 2,000 years ago so you could have a relationship with Him today.