Grafted Children

 

Romans 11:19-21; 19) “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ 20) Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”

          “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Matthew 11:43 (NIV). Here Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, tells them that if they fail to believe God sent Him, the Messiah, that He would go to the Samaritans and proclaim the good news to them. Since we now believe that Christ is our Savior and have accepted Him, we must go out and proclaim Him to others. We have been “grafted” into His tree. We gather our spiritual nourishment from our Creator. We must live lives diligent in leading others to know Jesus and follow Him. We must show those with little faith, or unbelief, that Christ Jesus cares for them, and desires to have a personal relationship with them. “If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us.” 2 Timothy 2:12 (NIV).

          Our faith will bond us securely into the tree of God, as we are fed by His word we begin to bear fruit. His fruit will be the love, compassion, mercy, and grace that will flow out of us in the lives we lead. And we must be willing to share this fruit in order to be obedient to Him. But there will be times when pruning is necessary times when our belief and faith will be tested. But the word, in our hearts, will be the nourishment we need to make it through those times of dryness in our lives. “that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:15 (NIV). We need to share with others the fruit of Jesus’ mercy and grace, so that they too may be grafted in to His tree of life enabling them to draw His nourishing grace and mercy for themselves.

          We also must watch ourselves, so as to not grow arrogant of what we have and know God to be. What we have comes ONLY from Jesus. We have, and are, nothing without Christ in our lives. Christ has made available His words for us to follow in order that through the power contained within we live for Him. And that our lives would also follow His pattern, that the Light of His glory would radiate out from us and into the lives of others. We accomplish this by His power in us because without Christ we are powerless. “For by the grace in me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Romans 12:3 (NIV).

          We must not take lightly the position we are in. Christ grafted us into His tree, but if we are not fruitful He will break us off. By not bearing fruit we will be considered dead in our faith, no good to anyone. “Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. “ 1 Peter 1:17 (NIV). Jesus will judge us and his judgment will be just and fair. But we MUST NOT use that as assurance that our “works” will save us. We need to also study His word and daily spend time in prayer, listening for Him to speak to our hearts and then courageously carry out His plans knowing that our professed faith in Him will carry us forward, in order that we complete what He has for us to do. We will do much to advance His kingdom, as long as we stay in Him. Through His word our hearts will be one with Him in order that we stay grafted in Jesus. And through our pruning, we will then be fruitful bringing others to Him in order that the power of the Holy Spirit will enter into their hearts filling them with the peace, love and joy our heavenly Father freely gives to ALL HIS CHILDREN!!!!