36. Bear Fruit and bring forth
Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
The conditional, wonderful promise is: If you hear the Word in an honest and good heart, understand it, and keep it, then you will bear fruit and bring forth the intended harvest in your life many times over. You will show forth and experience personally love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Your life will be bristling with beauty and good works. You will live a spiritually prosperous, useful and purposeful life. In other words, you will bear much fruit many times multiplied from one single seed sown. Think what the field will look like when the whole field is filled with thousands of seeds multiplied.
We cannot even see ourselves well enough to know how beautiful our life looks with all the beautiful fruit that has grown up. Since we do not see ourselves clearly and because God prevents us from seeing our own inner beauty to prevent pride, we need to be told by God what He sees and how it really is. We really do produce and grow fruit and abundant crops in our lives much more than we will ever see. We cannot see what God sees when He looks at me: He sees no sin, but only good works, very much inner and outer fruit. If we could see ourselves as God does pride would take it away and bring ugliness back again.
Jesus tells the parable so that we may place our focus on the right place and let the promise be fulfilled on its own. We are not to try to produce fruit and do good works by our own efforts; that would be futile. The fruit will grow automatically when the Word of God is heard, received and believed in an honest heart. Practically speaking, that means “go to church,” “read the Bible,” “attend Bible study.” Give yourself every opportunity to hear the Word (believe the Gospel). Get something out of going to church by preparing your heart to receive the Gospel weekly. (Go to a church that preaches the Gospel.) Let your heart listen to that Gospel in daily repentance, prayer and Bible reading.
Believe the promise will be fulfilled in your life. Let God speak to you in love and forgiveness as often and sincerely as possible, and that Word of Gospel will grow much fruit and many good works.