The Prayer God Loves to Answer

April 27, 1997

John 15:8; Acts 8:26-40

It is a coincidence, I suppose, that on Annual Meeting Sunday the Gospel lesson ends with a life verse of mine. For years John 15:8 has been a real challenge to me, literally almost daily in my private time with God. I know it sounds silly to always say that 15:8 comes right after 15:7, but 15:7 is a great, great promise of God answering prayer that people who know anything about the Bible love to quote. "Ask whatever you will!" they say, as if that means we can bring any kind of wish list to God. But that promise is a focused promise: IF you abide in me— and IF my words abide in you— and THIS IS HOW MY FATHER WILL BE GLORIFIED—-IF you bear much fruit! John 15:8 challenges us to will God's will. John 15:8 challenges us to dare to bear MUCH fruit to the glory of God!

One important emphasis of this entire passage is that every branch that is connected to the true vine will bear fruit. Not to bear fruit is to prove there is no vital connection to the vine. Jesus says plainly (5) "apart from me you can do nothing."

What does it mean to "bear much fruit?" I am glad that the final answer to that is not yours or mine to say. But i really do believe that if I abide in Christ, and Christ's words abide in me— this is one prayer that Christ is really serious about answering! This is the pray God loves to answer. we all can bear fruit— and we don't have to just settle for being nominal, leaves-only Christians!

One example of "much fruit" is this story of Philip, the deacon, who in the lesson we just heard read witnessed Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch and baptized him on the spot and thus was God's instrument to take the Gospel to Africa for the first time. But Philip's story is spread through the Book of Acts for us to see:

First, to Philip (in Acts 6) "bearing much fruit" meant serving tables to free up the apostles. Philip even had the same name as Philip the apostle, who seemed to be in the 'inner circle.' But he was willing to serve on the board of deacons and wait on tables if that meant Peter and James and the others could spend more time filling out their assignments. Acts 6:7 says, "Then (after the deacons freed up the apostles) the word of God spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly..."

But then the assignment changed. Stephen, one of the board members, was killed. The persecution began in earnest, and the disciples were scattered, and Philip found himself in a city of Samaria—

Then, second, to Philip (in early Acts 8) "bearing much fruit" meant becoming a witness to revival. An entire city was stirred. People came in crowds. The "fruit" was visible and abundant. There was great joy in that city. And so what happened? The "preachers" came and took over— Peter and John came down to preach about the need for being filled with the Holy Spirit. Philip wasn't the star any more.

And that is where this morning's lesson begins— the Holy Spirit said to this very fruitful branch of the true vine— "Go down into the desert, to the road that leads toward Egypt and beyond."

So Philip found still another, a third definition of "bearing much fruit." (In our lesson, Acts 8) He was a one-on-one witness. In the wonderful timing of God it was "just an amazing coincidence" that as Philip, obedient Philip, arrived a small cloud of dust was moving southward following a wealthy man's chariot. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and do what you are supposed to do!" And that day Philip led one man to Jesus. One man. "Much fruit!" Revival in Samaria? One Ethiopian? What is "much fruit?" How do you imagine the Optic Church and all the Christians in Ethiopia got their spark of light?

So— that is the end of Philip...right? Well, not exactly. Years pass, and toward the end of Paul's ministry as he is returning to Jerusalem for the last time before being arrested and sent to Rome, the disciples stop in the beautiful marble city of Caesarea, and stay for a while in the home of— old Philip, the evangelist, one of the original seven deacons (see Acts 21:8.) Now I'll admit i don't have a lot of facts about the rest of the life of this man Philip, but I can say with some assurance that Philip (finally in Acts 21) could define "bearing much fruit" as seeing his own family in the faith. The Bible tells us that Philip had four wonderful grown daughters who all knew and loved the Lord, and who knew how to share their faith. To this father and grandfather mind, this is the greatest kind of bearing fruit to God that can be!

There we have it, the example of Philip, the consecrated lay person:

• A servant and supporter of the front-line workers
• A key part of mass evangelism, stepping into the place of need, but also willing to step aside when the apostles came down from Jerusalem— step aside with beautiful grace
• A person willing to obey the Spirit even when it meant a desert assignment. But also a gift of using the scripture— being able to begin with an opportunity and share the love of the crucified, risen, personal Savior.
• A faithful family person— give his wife credit, too, of she in fact was there as the girls grew older; no doubt she was— we don't know the details.

Can we translate the challenge of John 15:8 into a church's challenge to be a living part of the True Vine and not settle for just bearing fruit, but asking that we bear MUCH fruit?

We will need the vision for serving, for caring. We need the glue of loyalty and the oil of fun and fellowship. We can't do Christ's work unless we do it with joy along the way!

We will pray to see the times of revival, with numbers seeking and finding God. There will be these times— and like the Book of Acts, it is impossible to see what comes before or after. the revival in Samaria was the result of tragedy in Jerusalem, or so it would appear to us. But we pray that many will find Christ in the public services.

We ask God for the vision to learn better how to obey God one-on-one; along the desert roads, the Spirit will arrange for Philip to meet the Ethiopian. Race, culture, customs— none of these can be a barrier when God gives the guidance.

Perhaps dearest to my pastor-heart:

We ask God for vision to equip our families to grow in the love of God until, like Philip's four daughters, they will go past us, out-do us in serving the Lord! What will it profit us to gain the whole city of Quincy if we lose our own sons and daughters? But God helping us, we will not!

I cannot think of a better challenge for Annual Meeting Day than this passage from John 15. What is the "state of our church?" Maybe I should have been speaking about the $100,000+ we have given in assigned budgets for others, or I should have been raising the challenge again for Sam and Winna Chung and the Asian ministry— perhaps I should have been publicly thanking God and so many of you who minister in Sunday School and small groups and compassionate ministry and so many, many other good things this church does because we belong to the True Vine. Instead I ask you to join with me in believing with all our hearts the promise of John 15:7— that IF we abide, and IF God's truth is in us— we can ask whatever we will— and then daring to pray John 15:8: WHATEVER IT COSTS, O LORD, MAKE US BEAR MUCH FRUIT TO YOUR GLORY!

That is the prayer God loves to answer! And He will do it!

Hymn 36 To God Be the Glory or 702 Christ for the World We Sing