DIGGING DEEP NO. 1014 December 12, 2023 Fruitfulness Part I: God Spends Men John 12:20-26 NKJV The Fruitful Grain of Wheat

²⁰ Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 

²¹ Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Desired Learning Objective:

1. What is required for service to JESUS?
2. Why must we be fruitful?
3. What does it mean for men to be fruitful? Why is JESUS called the True Vine?
4. Why is GOD called the Vine Dresser? What does it mean to be “pruned” by the Vine Dresser? 

The Bible IS NOT a book ABOUT PRAYER, although it’s filled with prayers.

The Bible IS NOT a book ABOUT CHRISTIANITY, although it has Christianity within it.

The Bible IS NOT a book ABOUT SIN, although it talks about sin.

The Bible IS NOT a book ABOUT MONEY…

The Bible IS a book ABOUT A KING & HIS KINGDOM.

The GOSPEL is the REDEMPTION STORY of the KING’s Children BACK to HIS KINGDOM, through HIS son CHRIST JESUS by the testimony of the Holy Spirit.

 

QUESTION #1: What is required for service to JESUS?

1 Corinthians 12:1-5 NKJV

Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

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In the GOD trinity, Elohim**‎ אֱלֹהִים (the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ ‘Ĕlōah’), there is a division of labor. In 1 Corinthians 12:4, the Holy Spirit is responsible for the diversity of spiritual gifts (often termed the “charismatic gifts” in v.10); Romans 12: 4-8 NKJV

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In v. 5, our LORD, JESUS CHRIST, is responsible for the differences of administrations (ministries), as outlined in Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

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And lastly, we have GOD the Father, who is responsible for the diversity of operations (production).

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So, our LORD, JESUS CHRIST, is responsible for all the ministries of service to the body of CHRIST. That said, in order to perform in any one of these services, you MUST first be born-again and baptized by both water and spirit (John 3:1-8 NKJV; 1 Corinthians 15:50-51 NKJV)

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JESUS is trying to convey to Nicodemus that in order to partake in any Kingdom activity, you must first become a Kingdom citizen. Heavenly citizenship is only granted to “men”, who are the birth of a woman and the Holy Spirit. And the way you’ll know that they’re birth of Spirit, Ruach רוּחַ (pronounced roo-lakh), is that you will not “see” them, rather you will “see/experience” the effects of Ruach, and HIS giftings… it’s in their giftings that you will know them as being born of Spirit.

According to JESUS, the necessary requirement for somebody to serve HIM in any administrative capacity must first experience the New Birth of the Holy Spirit. Then the man must also die in a similar manner as JESUS died. JESUS said in Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV.

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We must do these things because the first birth of man brings you into this world under the structure of Adam, our first human father. Adam received the breath of life from GOD (Genesis 2:7); however, Adam personified rebellion; the doctrine of Satan (Revelation 12:7-10, 1 John 3:8). GOD said to Adam, not Eve, that if you eat of the tree of life and death (Genesis 2:15-17) in dying, you shall die*. Whereas, JESUS the second “Adam,” personified and perfected obedience; the doctrine of GOD (John 5:19-22; John 14:31 ESV)

BIBLE LOGIC:

1. The principle of rebellion and obedience: If a man starts sinning, he will stop praying (fellowshipping with GOD), whilst if a man starts praying, he will stop sinning (Genesis 3:8-10).
2. The principle of divine & demonic order: GOD made Adam, commissioned Adam, visited Adam, and educated Adam. Whereas Satan possessed a serpent, visited Eve, spoke to Eve, and deceived Eve. (Genesis 2:25; Genesis 3:1-13 NKJV)

**What priesthood is in your home? Who is responsible?

**Why do you think, since creation, there’s been a battle over the male child?

3. The principle of seeds and sources: if a man causes a problem, a man must solve the problem (Romans 5:12-14 ESV; v.17ESV). If an angel causes a problem, an angel must solve the problem (Revelation 12:7-9). If GOD causes a problem, GOD must solve the problem (Genesis 2:7, John 20:22).

**What problems do you have in your life? What is the source? Have you administered “life”?

ANSWER #1: According to scripture, in order to serve JESUS CHRIST, our LORD, a “man” must be born of a woman and must experience New Births of water (baptism) & the Holy Spirit (Ruach). You will not know a person is Born Again in the Holy Spirit by their outward appearance, but rather, but the “gifts” of the spirit will manifest through them and you’ll “experience” the effects of HIS gifts through them. Mind you, there are three types of baptisms (Matthew 3:11 NKJV)*. And the aspirant must Die like JESUS died; both to himself and on the cross daily, through perpetual obedience (Matthew 16:24)

QUESTION #2: Why must we be fruitful?

In the beginning, GOD commanded Adam & Eve to be fruitful and multiply; to fill the earth and subdue it. And to have dominion over creatures on the earth, in the air and sea (Genesis 1:26-28). With this command, GOD created animals, creatures, and plants in their own image and after their own kind (Genesis 1:24-25 NKJV). But GOD made man in GOD’s image, not in the image of man (Genesis 1:26 NKJV). This means that a lion is more original than a man. And this is because these animals were made in their image, and after their own kind; however, no other creature on earth was made Anthropomorph.

Anthropomorph is derived from the Greek words: ánthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος, lit. “human”) and morphē (μορφή, “form”). The Greeks believed that the “human form” is that which looks upwards; to the gods. Which means, unlike any other creature, we were designed to look upward, to look outside ourselves, and beyond ourselves, and not to other humans but UPWARD to the gods. The Greeks, the originators of Western philosophy, were knocking on the door of the spiritual, but without GOD revealing HIMSELF to them, they couldn’t stumble on the truth that, yes, we were made to look outward and upward, but our GOD is separate and ONE. This is critical to understanding fruitfulness because all things that were made were made in their image & likeness, while man was made in GOD’s image & likeness, we must look to GOD (upward and outside of ourselves) to understand man (Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV) in order for man to be fruitful in creating more “men”.

ANSWER #2: According to scripture, we must be fruitful because we’ve been commanded to do so by GOD (Genesis 1:28).

QUESTION #3: Why is JESUS called the True Vine? What does it mean to be “taken away” and “thrown away” from the True Vine?

A few times in the Bible, metaphors are used to describe GOD because, besides JESUS, GOD and the Holy Spirit are invisible. So, it means that even though we cannot see them, we can better understand them by their attributes or by the effects we experience. GOD has been described as Yahweh “YHWH” (LORD, Savior), Yeshua ישוע (the deliverer), a Lion (King with a Kingdom), Fruit bearing vine (The True Vine). We will focus on the “tree” aspect of GOD’s character.

In John 15:1-8 NKJV, JESUS is teaching what theologians call the “testimony of GOD”. These are instances where GOD testifies about HIMSELF by HIMSELF. We see JESUS call himself the “True Vine”, HIS Father the “vinedresser”, we are the “branches”, and the fruits are “disciples”.

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As a branch, we must abide in the “True Vine”, because there are many “vines” out in the world, that support many “branches”, but you shall know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV);

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As branches of the True Vine, we must produce “fruits” (disciples); otherwise, GOD will cut us off. Producing fruits is a command that’s been set forth since the beginning of creation, but in this instance, a branch that abides in the True Vine but refuses to bear fruits is an “unyielded” branch. It’s a branch that’s unwilling to deny itself, yield to GOD’s process of being sent, and die to itself. As such, it only receives life but doesn’t expel it… and we all know what happens to a person who eats and doesn’t expel it; they become constipated.

Spiritual constipation is someone who’s in the church, knows of the WORD, has been baptized, and continues to increase in divine knowledge but refuses to be sent and develop other disciples. Mind you, disciples are not the same as converts, and discipleship is not mentorship. Disciples are commissioned and sent ones. JESUS says in John 20:21-22 NKJV

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Anyone that is “taken away” means that the grace (spiritual capital) that’s been allotted for their ministry under CHRIST JESUS will be taken from them and reallocated to another branch in the True Vine that’s more yielded to produce “fruits”. Have you not read the parable of the talents, where the servant who was “given” one talent chose not to go out and multiply his talents but instead chose to hide it? The shroud master took the lazy servants’ only talent and gave it to the servant who had 10 talents (Matthew 25:28-29 NKJV). Such is the same for anybody who has been “taken away”.

ANSWER #2: According to scripture, JESUS is called the True Vine because there are many vines but JESUS is the only one that is manicured by GOD the Father, as the vinedresser (John 15:1).  And anybody that abides in the True Vine and does not bear fruits will be “taken away” meaning that the grace (spiritual capital) that’s been allotted for their ministry under CHRIST JESUS will be taken from them and reallocated to another branch in the True Vine who’s more yielded to produce “fruits” (Matthew 25:28-29 NKJV).

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BIBLE LOGIC:

– Every person that JESUS will use, MUST have a gift/talent. Fortunately for us, we’ve all been given gifts from birth; some innate, while others discovered, but all gifts must be developed.

– GOD the Father, as the custodian for the diversity of operations (production), is responsible for all creation of disciples; so, it’s HIM that will examine a person’s development based on the gifts and grace they’ve received.

– A person’s discipleship is decided in eternity but actualized in time. So, if you want to know what you’re supposed to look like, YOU must find JESUS for yourself, NOT your pastor, teacher, apostle, self-help books, etc., and know JESUS, first through the scriptures, then through revelations of said scriptures BEFORE you can even consider being commissioned and sent by JESUS.

– Every person who’s sent by JESUS, will be introduced into this commission by JESUS first revealing HIMSELF; initially (1.) through scriptures, (2.) then revelations and prophecies, (3.) and lastly visions and encounters (John 20:19-22)

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– If you have not experienced JESUS in all three phases of discipleship, you have NOT been sent by JESUS. If you go and start a ministry, without being sent by JESUS, you will not be afforded the grace to fulfill the task

– JESUS will always give you what you CANNOT do (Zechariah 4:1, 1 Corinthians 10:13*).

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QUESTION #4: Why is GOD called the Vine Dresser? What does it mean to be “pruned” by the Vine Dresser?

Since GOD the Father is responsible for the diversity of operations (production), GOD is called the “vinedresser.” And GOD is a GOD of unity through diversity, so we as “branches” will not all “look the same.” GOD is not into cloning; however, our fruits MUST all be the same (producing disciples who are in the image and likeness of JESUS). The vinedresser is responsible for examining and ensuring that necessary resources are available to produce “more fruits” (Matthew 9:35-38 NKJV).

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Every gardener knows trees and herbs are grown by their seeds but are identified by their fruit. A seed by itself is useless but must be placed in the proper soil with proper nourishment, and it must die by breaking its outer shell and allowing the true seed within to develop. Water is a universal solvent, and the same water that cracks and dissolves the outer shell of a seed is also that which brings the nutrients. Watch Clip: Peanut Time Lapse

JESUS is the seed, the world (people and human systems) is the soil, the water is the scriptures, and GOD is the gardener who sees to the growth of all; this is why Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”  (1 Corinthians 3:5-8 NKJV).

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To be “pruned” means to trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. Isaiah prophesized the very nature of JESUS in Isaiah 53 and in v.5-8, 10.

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The vision of Zechariah also explains this process through Joshua, the prophecy of YESHUA יֵשׁוּעַ “the deliverer”, the ONE who was to come. Moses represented the law, and Joshua/YESHUA came after Moses, in the order of Moses, as a deliverer of the Jews. JESUS/YESHUA () came after Moses, in the order of Moses, as a deliverer of the WORLD.

BONUS: “Yeshua” in Greek is spelled Iesous (Ἰησοῦς), from which, through the Latin IESVS/Iesus, comes the English spelling Jesus.

But Joshua was pruned (willingly subjected to unfortunate circumstances by GOD to develop righteousness); to show the blueprint of what JESUS will also be subjected to; (Zechariah 3:1-10 NKJV).

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BIBLE LOGIC:

– Anything that is barren or sterile is NOT of GOD, but of death. Everything was created in its image, male and female; HE created them, and GOD commanded them to be fruitful and multiply.

– This is why homosexuality and lesbianism at the biological level are not of GOD because it’s sterile.

– Barrenness and sterility are a direct attack against the command of GOD and part of the effects of the fall.

ANSWER #4: According to scripture, GOD is called the Vine Dresser because HE is responsible for the diversity of operations (1 Corinthians 12:6 NKJV). As such, GOD the Father sees the production of fruits (disciples). Disciples who produce Christ-like qualities will subject themselves to be pruned of fleshly desires, appetites, faults, and circumstances (like Joshua/YESHUA) before they can be presented as a genuine fruit of the True Vine.

REVIEW Desired Learning Objective:

1. What is required for service to JESUS?
2. Why must we be fruitful?
3. What does it mean for men to be fruitful? Why is JESUS called the True Vine?
4. Why is GOD called the Vine Dresser? What does it mean to be “pruned” by the Vine Dresser? 

QUESTIONS?