Plants in the Garden of the Lord (2)

I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse;
I have gathered my myrrh with my spice;
I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;
I have drunk my wine with my milk. Song of Solomon 5.1

Bounty for the Lord
The Church, the Bride of Christ, is the garden of the Lord, a bountiful source of blessings for the world, and a delight to the Lord as well. Solomon came to his “garden” – his wife – to enjoy the good fruit of their relationship. Song of Solomon is a celebration of love anticipated, realized, and bearing fruit in joy.

But the bride in Song of Solomon also represents the Church and her relationship with the Lord. Each of us as believers is part of that image – plants in the garden of the Lord – and we must read the Song of Solomon as guiding us in our relationship with our King. When the Lord comes to His Church, He expects to find her brimming with bounty for the world and for His own enjoyment and delight. Each believer who is living full faith, cultivating a strong soul by the water of God’s Word and Spirit, should seek to bring forth fruit for blessing as a result of his or her relationship with the Lord. Bounteous plants make for bounteous gardens; healthy gardens grow bounteous plants.

What kind of bounty is the Lord looking for from His Church? The New Testament doesn’t leave us guessing about this; instead, the apostles make crystal clear the kind of flower, fragrance, and fruit Jesus is calling His Church to bear before the world and His glorious throne.

We might mention four kinds of fruit in particular which the Lord is seeking from His Church, and from each of His followers.

Holiness
The first is the fruit of holiness which, grounded in the fear of the Lord, comes from walking in obedience to His Word and Law (2 Cor. 7.1; 1 Jn. 2.1-6; Rom. 7.12).

The Lord Jesus sows good seed into His Church – the pure and holy milk and meat of the Word of God. When that seed takes root in the hearts of His people, it should bear appropriate fruit. A holy Word, sown by our holy Lord and cultivated by the Holy Spirit, is intended to bear the fruit of holiness in the lives of God’s people. Our goal must be that, from the garden and wellspring of our strong souls, we should work out our salvation by perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord (Phil. 2.12, 13).

The members of the Body of Christ must not suppose that they can unite with the Lord and continue to live according to the standards of our unbelieving age. Our holy King is calling His Bride to be like Him, holy. Holiness is the first fruit the Lord is seeking from His garden.

The fruit of the Spirit
The second is the fruit of the Spirit, all those lush and delightful virtues that define the nature and character of our relationships with others – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5.22, 23).

These are but particular expressions of holiness in the interpersonal realm, and believers are called to bear this fruit in all their relationships. That won’t happen, however, apart from a commitment to bringing holiness to ever-fuller levels of completion in our lives.

Loving service
The tokens of loving service are the third fruit which the holy Word and Spirit are cultivating within the Church (Eph. 4.12; Jn. 13.1-15).

Pastors and teachers are called to equip the members of their congregations so that real, transforming ministry issues from them in all their relationships, roles, and responsibilities. Each believer must become so immersed in the Word and Spirit of God that the good works of ministry these bring forth will issue from us like fruit to bless and water to refresh.

In ministry believers humble themselves to be alert to the needs of those around them. Then, following the example of Jesus, they gather whatever resources are needed and reach out in loving service to minister grace and truth to the people in their spheres of influence. Personal spiritual disciplines and pastoral preaching and teaching are the trowels, rakes, and watering hose which the Lord uses to cultivate the fruit of ministry in the members of His Body.

Witness
Finally, the Church is called to bear the fruit of witness in the world (Acts 1.8). In our day many churches have backed off from encouraging and equipping their members to reach their neighbors for Christ. In place of such active and loving outreach, churches have determined to make their worship service and other activities the primary draw for seekers needing to hear the Good News.

But the Lord did not command the world to go to church. Rather, He is building His Church and cultivating her by His Word and Spirit so that church members might make disciples as they are going about in the daily arenas of their lives.

The Lord is seeking certain fruit from His garden. We must make sure that we are working hard to cultivate that fruit. Strong souls, focused on the expectations of the Lord, will work to bring forth the fruit and refreshment of blessing each is capable of bearing.

For reflection
1.  How would you describe the state of holiness, spiritual fruit, loving ministry, and witness in your life at this time?

2.  What specifically does your church do to help its members bear such fruit?

3.  In your own time with the Lord, how do you concentrate on growing in these four areas of fruitfulness?

Next steps: In each of the four areas of fruitfulness mentioned in this lesson, identify one area where you need to grow. Then talk with a pastor or church leader about how you might become more fruitful in these areas.

T. M. Moore

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This week’s ReVision study is Part 5 of a 10-part series, “Full Faith.” You can download “Plants in the Garden of the Lord” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.