This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15: 8(NIV)

Boomer Sooner!  My family and I live and die with Oklahoma University— particularly football.  We can’t wait for that September kick off.  We wear our jerseys in our home on game days.  We have a tradition where I smoke a couple of racks of ribs for game day.  When the temperature is right outside, we turn on the game, turn off the air conditioner and open the windows so we can get as close as possible to sitting in the stadium.  Even in the lean years when our team isn’t doing so well, it’s still the same.  Why?  Because we are Sooner fans.  It’s our nature.  Our actions tell the story and give the evidence of our love for Oklahoma and Oklahoma University.

That’s what fruit is— the outcome of your nature.  Why are we concerned about bearing fruit in our relationship with Jesus?  Because it’s in our nature.  Our new nature.  And if we have a new nature, we are abiding in him.  If we are abiding in him, we are giving evidence of that.  We are bearing fruit.