By: Dale Weckbacher
Revelation 3:1b-3
“I know all the things
you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. 2 Wake
up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I
find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go
back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and
turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as
unexpected as a thief.
(NLT)
Unless we grow fruit for a living or have fruit trees in our
yards, many of us view fruit is something we purchase at the grocery store or
from a fruit stand. From this
perspective, we may view scripture urging us to bear fruit as someone carrying
the fruit home. Once again, we must look
at scripture from the perspective of the audience being addressed. The perspective of those living in biblical
times was fruit as something seen growing from a plant, indicating that the
plant was healthy and vibrant.
Matthew 21:18-22 records the account of Jesus cursing the
fig tree. In this account we see Jesus,
hungry upon returning from Jerusalem, seeking something to eat from the fig
tree only to be disappointed at seeing it had no fruit. While the disciples are amazed at how the fig
tree withered at just the words of Jesus, they totally missed the point of this
illustration.
In His final words before leaving to be with His Father,
Jesus urged his followers to take the good News, the Gospel to the world (Mark16:15). Acts 1:8 tells us that the power
to do this will come upon us as we receive power from the Holy Spirit. Evidence of the fruit from this empowerment occurred
as Peter delivered the first evangelistic message recorded in scripture (Acts2:14-41).
The fruits of the Spirit within each believer are love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
(Galatians 5:22-23). While this passage
states there is no law against such things, they are unfortunately not
prevalent in our world. Instead we witness
a world of violent protests each time a police officer has a confrontation with
a minority, ignoring the fact that the police officer may have been acting in self-defense
(1)
or apprehending someone fleeing after committing a crime. (2)
In his statement after acquittal of a first-degree murder
charge, officer Stockley stated, “It feels like a burden has been lifted, but
the burden of having to kill someone never really lifts.” (2) Officer Stockley went on to say, “The taking
of someone’s life is the most significant thing one can do, and it’s not done
lightly. … My main concern now is for the first responders, the people just
trying to go to work and the protesters. I don’t want anyone to be hurt in any
way over this.” (2) However instead of this incident becoming a
teaching moment demonstrating the pressures police officers face when making
split second decisions in the line of duty and the consequences of breaking the
law, the event is used to stir up hateful rhetoric that resulted in the recent
riots in St. Louis. (3)
We also witness the hatful political rhetoric lashed out at
anyone not in agreement with someone’s political agenda, especially hateful
rhetoric of President Trump including a vile video by Kathy Griffin depicting
his decapitation initiating a Secret Service investigation as the video was
viewed as a threat to the President. (4) The low viewership at this year’s Emmy Awards
where Trump bashing was on display demonstrate that the viewing public may be
tiring of this continual spewing of the fruits of political hatred. (5) Then we witness the fruits of hatred
displayed on a global scale with a maniacal dictator in North Korea in
possession of dangerous weapons of mass destruction blatantly demonstrating his
willingness and ability to use them against anyone standing against him,
including President Trump. (6) (7)
It is obvious that the fruits of hatred present in our world
require the cure of the fruits of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. That is why over the next ten Wednesday
postings to this blog we will look at each of these fruits presented in
scripture. The purpose of the studies is
to spur us as children of God, full of His Spirit, to bare the fruits of the
Spirit and counteract the hateful destructive fruits seen in our world.
I am urging everyone reading this to bookmark this blog on
your browser and return to it each Wednesday.
I also encourage everyone to tell their friends so they too can join
in. Most importantly, however, I urge
everyone to pray and ask God to make them fruit bearing Christians and not be
like the fruitless fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22.
May God bless us all as we endeavor to take the fruits of
the Gospel to a world that desperately needs it.
1. Salter, Jim. Prosecutor: St. Louis cop acted
in self-defense in shooting. www.sandiegouniontribune.com. [Online] The
San Diego Union-Tribune, June 20, 2016. [Cited: September 23, 2017.]
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-prosecutor-st-louis-cop-acted-in-self-defense-in-2016jun20-story.html.
2. Byers, Christine.
Acquitted officer Stockley: 'Everyone wants someone to blame, but I'm just not
the guy'. www.stltoday.com. [Online] St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September
17, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.]
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/acquitted-officer-stockley-everyone-wants-someone-to-blame-but-i/article_1e4b29ee-d558-5aed-8279-4e2ca19133be.html.
3. Valerie
Volcovici, Kenny Bahr. More than 80 arrested as riot police break up St.
Louis protest over officer's acquittal. www.reuters.com. [Online]
Reuters, September 15, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.]
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-crime/more-than-80-arrested-as-riot-police-break-up-st-louis-protest-over-officers-acquittal-idUSKCN1BQ161.
4. TMZ. Secret
Service Investigating Gory Trump Photo. www.tmz.com. [Online] TMZ, May
31, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/31/kathy-griffin-secret-service-investigation-beheading-donald-trump/.
5. Flood, Bryan.
Emmys ratings crater; Trump-bashing to blame? www.foxnews.com. [Online]
Fox News, September 18, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/09/18/emmys-ratings-crater-trump-bashing-to-blame.html.
6. Mowat, Laura.
North Korea LATEST: Earthquake sparks claims of ANOTHER Kim Jong-un nuclear
test. www.express.co.uk. [Online] Express, September 23, 2017. [Cited:
September 23, 2017.]
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/857784/North-Korea-latest-news-earthquake-missile-tests-Kim-Jong-un-North-Hamgyong.
7. USA Today.
North Korea warns of Another nuclear test. www.usatoday.com. [Online]
USA Today, September 23, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.]
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