What does a healthy tree do? It produces fruit. In this final sermon of the “Planted” series, we explore what fruit looks like in the life of a disciple — and how we can be people who bear much fruit for God’s glory.
Planted to Bear Fruit
This series has been inspired by two key passages: Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17:7-8. Both describe a person who is like a tree — planted by water, yielding fruit in season, its leaves never withering. That’s the picture of someone who is truly rooted in God.
But what does fruit actually look like in the life of a disciple? Jesus gives us the answer in John 15, speaking to His disciples just before His crucifixion:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
— John 15:1-5
God wants to produce fruit through true followers of Jesus Christ. And the Bible gives us three specific pieces of evidence that we are genuine disciples — three ways we can evaluate whether our lives are bearing the fruit God intends.
Evidence #1: Our Attitude
A disciple begins right between the ears — with the way we think. Fruit starts with a change of mind. In fact, fruit and repentance are linked together in Scripture with striking clarity:
“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”
— Matthew 3:8
Repentance is a change of mind — when we acknowledge that we are sinners, that our sins have separated us from God, and we put our faith in the righteous work of Jesus Christ. A true follower of Christ does not allow the flesh to control their thinking anymore. They think differently.
How does the world think? The world’s mindset goes something like this: life is about me. I am the center of the universe. My existence is the most important thing. I want instant gratification. That’s the default setting of fallen humanity.
But when we repent and trust in Christ, everything changes — including how we think. We no longer think according to the flesh. We start thinking through the Spirit. We realize: life is not about me. Life is about Jesus Christ. He is eternal. He is my Creator. And I want to live my life to bring glory and honor to Him.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
— Romans 12:2
This is a command — not a suggestion. And it’s in the present tense: we are to be constantly, at every moment of every day, being transformed by the renewal of our minds through the work of the Holy Spirit as we expose our minds to God’s Word. This is a lifelong battle. The moment we stop fighting to think God’s thoughts after Him, we start drifting back into the world’s way of thinking.
“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
— Ephesians 4:22-24
So here’s the first evidence of a true disciple: has your attitude — your thought life — been transformed? Do you fight the battle to align your thoughts with God’s Word? That is where fruit begins.
“Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
— 2 Timothy 2:22
Evidence #2: Our Actions
The second piece of evidence is our actions. Our actions are the visible reality of what our minds are thinking about. We cannot see into anyone else’s mind — but we can see their behavior. And the older we get, the better we get at hiding our thoughts from others. That’s why actions reveal what’s truly in our hearts.
“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
— 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
When Paul shared the gospel with the Thessalonian believers, they immediately repented — and then they stopped serving idols and started serving the one true God. Their actions changed because their thinking had changed. True evidence of their salvation was visible in what they did.
“When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification, and its end, eternal life.”
— Romans 6:20-22
We are always serving something. Either we serve the flesh — which leads to death — or we serve God — which leads to growth in Christlikeness and ultimately eternal life.
One practical area where our actions reveal our discipleship is in how we budget our time. All of us have the exact same amount of time each week: 168 hours. How are you spending yours? Are you being intentional about making sure that your time reflects a life submitted to Christ?
“Our people must learn to devote themselves to good works, to budget their hours so that they are doing something to serve God. Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”
— Titus 3:8, 14
Our actions are evidence of discipleship when we choose to act in ways that serve God — whether that’s spending time in His Word, serving in a ministry, loving others, or simply being intentional about putting Christ first in how we spend our days.
Evidence #3: Fruit
The third evidence — and the ultimate goal — is actual fruit. Not just internal attitude or personal behavior, but fruit that results in other people coming to know Jesus and growing in Him.
Think about a time when you shared the gospel with someone, and God used you. There is no greater joy as a follower of Jesus than to see someone come to faith in Christ — to realize that God had been working in that person’s heart, and He simply used you as His messenger because you were there, you were willing, and you were available.
That’s what fruit looks like: changed lives that grow and produce more fruit. That’s what we exist for as a church — not numerical growth for its own sake, but spiritual multiplication. We are in the cultivating business, pruning ourselves and each other so that our attitudes and our actions bear real fruit for Christ.
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
— 2 Timothy 2:1-2
This is the pattern of discipleship: we grow, we are strengthened by grace, we entrust what we’ve learned to others, and they do the same. Fruit multiplies.
The Goal: Fruit That Glorifies God
Everything we’ve talked about — the changing of our minds, the transforming of our actions, the bearing of fruit — is God’s idea. He is the one who saved us. He is the one who wants to produce fruit in us and through us.
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
— John 15:8
This is what healthy disciples look like: they are like trees planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season, leaves never withering. God wants to produce fruit in your life — fruit that lasts, fruit that changes you, fruit that changes others.
The question is: do others see evidence of God’s work in your life? Is there fruit?
Scripture References
- John 15:1-8 — The Vine and the Branches
- Psalm 1 — The Blessedness of the Righteous
- Jeremiah 17:7-8 — The Blessed Person
- Matthew 3:8 — Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance
- Romans 12:2 — Be Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind
- Ephesians 4:17-24 — Put Off the Old Self, Be Renewed, Put On the New Self
- 2 Timothy 2:22 — Flee Youthful Passions, Pursue Righteousness
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 — Turning to God from Idols
- Romans 6:20-22 — Slaves to Righteousness unto Sanctification
- Titus 3:8, 14 — Devote Yourself to Good Works
- 2 Timothy 2:1-2 — Entrust to Faithful Men