Philippians 1:21-22a (ESV):
Mothers are characterized by a number of things. There are good mothers and bad mothers, new mothers and old mothers, mothers who are close to us, mothers who live far away, and mothers who are no longer with us. But the one characteristic that all mothers have is fruitfulness. Each of us are the fruit of our mother's womb.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.
Mothers are characterized by a number of things. There are good mothers and bad mothers, new mothers and old mothers, mothers who are close to us, mothers who live far away, and mothers who are no longer with us. But the one characteristic that all mothers have is fruitfulness. Each of us are the fruit of our mother's womb.
The first command given to people was the command to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth… (Genesis 1:28).” The first command given to the church, even before it was a church, was to “make disciples (Matthew 28:18).” Mothers are fruitful. That’s what it means to be a mother. In several passages in the Old Testament children are called the “fruit of the womb.” When Elizabeth meets Mary, who is pregnant with Jesus, she says, “Blessed are you … and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Fruitfulness is a primary characteristic of mothers, but it is not limited to mothers. Paul writes, in Philippians 1:21-22a, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me."
Paul speaks to the Corinthians as his children in 2 Corinthians 6:13. John writes, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (3 John 4).” In 1 Corinthians 4:17 Paul calls Timothy his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord.” God commanded mankind to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. We’ve done a pretty good job of that. He commanded the church to be fruitful by making disciples. In half a lifetime the church spread from 120 people hiding in an upper room in Jerusalem to the center of Roman civilization, and had expanded across Asia and into Europe and Africa.
Paul speaks to the Corinthians as his children in 2 Corinthians 6:13. John writes, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (3 John 4).” In 1 Corinthians 4:17 Paul calls Timothy his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord.” God commanded mankind to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. We’ve done a pretty good job of that. He commanded the church to be fruitful by making disciples. In half a lifetime the church spread from 120 people hiding in an upper room in Jerusalem to the center of Roman civilization, and had expanded across Asia and into Europe and Africa.
The church spread best through the influence of small groups of devoted individuals. God has not called us to stop the invasion of immorality in our country, nor to halt the growth of Islam, nor to save our country, as commendable as all of those things might be. He has called us to be fruitful. He has called us to make disciples. There is nothing more exciting to me than hearing about believers talking with co-workers about Christ, answering questions about the Bible to people of others faiths, sharing the hope they have found in Christ with friends, family and strangers. This earth didn’t get filled with people from top to bottom because of a corporate plan for expanding and filling the earth. It became full of people because couples had babies. The church doesn’t grow because of grand corporate strategy and throwing money at systems and events. It grows because the Holy Spirit, who convinces the world of “sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8),” lives within and empowers every believer to be fruitful. How fruitful are you?
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