SERMON KEY POINTS

What is more important, faithfulness or fruitfulness? Both matter, obviously. And there’s a way to define each that would make us say that we’re called to both equally and that neither is more significant. But what do you think, which is more important, faithfulness or fruitfulness?

If you say that faithfulness is more important, does that mean that you don’t care about results or outcomes or consequences? Surely, fruitfulness is one of the strongest commentaries on whether or not faithfulness is actually happening, right? And if you say that fruitfulness is more important, does that mean that the ends justify the means? Does that mean that the results are more important than the process? Surely, faithfulness itself has to be part and parcel to the definition of fruitfulness, and all true fruitfulness comes from faithfulness, right? So, the question still begs, which one is more important?

And what does this question sound like on the journey of following Jesus? And because Jesus is Lord of all of life, if we answer this question as it pertains to life with Jesus, we will simultaneously answer it in every other arena of life. In the Bible, sometimes it feels like there are different answers. We’re repeatedly called to faith(fulness) in Scripture. But the Bible also invites us to be like trees “that bring forth fruit in season” (Psalm 1), and Jesus himself told his disciples, “By this, my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit” (John 15). But again, the operative word is more. What is more important, faithfulness or fruitfulness?

As Paul talks about life in the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit In Galatians 5, this question lurks right beneath the surface. We’re supposed to see that desires lead to deeds, and that wants lead to works. That’s how the passage moves. Only living according to the desires of the flesh leads to the deeds of the flesh (5.19-21), and living according to the desires of the Spirit leads to the fruit of the Spirit. And the fruit of the Spirit is a good and glorious thing (5.22-23)! We’re supposed to read these and examine our own lives. We’re supposed to ask the Spirit to stir these things in us. We’re supposed to note that life in the Spirit is a group project, it’s a community issue. But we can’t forget the movement in the passage. It’s a basic progression from desires to deeds, from faithfulness to fruitfulness. The fruit is the Spirit working Christ’s own character in us, Christ’s people. We should be fruit-inspectors, yes. Fruitfulness absolutely matters. But the root leads to the fruit, and the root is faithfulness. We’re called to be faithful to hearing the Spirit’s voice, heeding the Spirit’s call, and surrendering to the Spirit’s desires. In Scripture, in others, and in our own hearts - we are ultimately called to faithfulness to the Spirit’s leading. We are to “keep in step with the Spirit” (5.25).

Because of the gospel, we now live in the freedom-world by the Spirit and not the slavery-world by the flesh. And even if we’re still distracted by the desires of the flesh, that’s not who we are at our most fundamental level. That’s not our identity. Because of Jesus, we have been made new. And we await full and final newness at Jesus’ return. And in the meantime, our dominant call is to faithfulness, to wake up every day and throughout the day say, “Teach me, Holy Spirit, to say and do what you’re saying and doing.”

When Psalm 1 says that you’re blessed by being like a tree that bears much fruit, before that, it says that the way to do the fruit-bearing is by meditating on God’s Word day and night. That’s faithfulness. When Jesus says, “By this, my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit,” right before this he says that the way it happens is by “abiding in him because apart from him we can do nothing.” That’s faithfulness. Faithfulness and fruitfulness in Jesus’ name are both utterly crucial, and we’re called to both, but only one is taking the lead in the dance. A faithful farmer cares for his land all year even if the harvest is only gained for a season.

*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.