MS Series
by Jen Stewart
WEEK 3- GREEN MEANS RELEASE
We have been talking about how Jesus wants us to be GREEN. In fact, let’s just read the passage again from John 15.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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.
Remember, when we think of GREEN, we normally think of reduce, reuse, and recycle. Jesus has a different idea of GREEN. He wants us to receive, rejoice and release. The first job for a branch is to receive all of its satisfaction from the vine (to receive our life from His life). As a branch, we do not have another source that will satisfy us as much as the vine. We tend to try to get satisfaction from other sources, but at the end of day, our only real, sustaining, constant source for our life should be Jesus.
The second job of the branch is to rejoice. To celebrate all that the Vine, Jesus, means to us (to rejoice in what He gives us).
The third job of the branch is to release. It is to give away or release the fruit that comes from our lives lived with Jesus. You know, all the things we rejoice over like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. All of that fruit starts in the Vine, flows into the branch, and then shows up as visible fruit. That is why it is called the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit is already in the Vine, the branch rejoices over it, but the intention of the fruit is to release it or give it away to others. And really… I have never in my life seen a branch eat its own fruit. It is for others to enjoy. You see, we can receive and rejoice in Jesus all day long, but if we don’t release the fruit into the world, it really doesn’t accomplish much.
John 15 is a great way to explain what it means to be a Jesus follower. So what about you? As a branch, are you receiving your full satisfaction from the Vine, Jesus? Are you rejoicing in what He gives you? And last, but for sure not least, are you releasing fruit into the world?
Are people picking the fruit of the Spirit from your life? When someone needs love, can they get it from you? When someone needs joy, can they count on you? When someone needs peace, are you one of the first people they think of? How about patience? Are people getting that from your life?
Are you starting to see the point? GREEN means receive. GREEN means rejoice. GREEN means release.
Release- we are to release fruit into the world for others to enjoy.
So think about who needs the fruit in your life. Who do you know that could use some love or joy? What about peace or patience? Goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, or self-control?
All of the receiving and rejoicing in the world is pretty much useless unless we are releasing it into the world. The fruit of your life is sometimes the only visible reality that Jesus is real. The fruit is proof that Jesus is alive and working in your life. Are you giving it away? Do you have it to give away? Think about that.
Maybe now when you read this passage we’ve been studying for the last 3 weeks it will have more meaning to you. Let’s take a look at it again and hopefully your understanding is greater:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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.
