There are Goats in Your Orchard

There are Goats in Your Orchard!

“And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” Matthew 25:33

            Have you ever been to a fruit farm and picked fruit; apples, cherries, peaches or pears?  You may have been in the southern states where you picked your own oranges or grapefruit.  I’m sure you have noticed that not all the trees in the orchard bear fruit. Some trees appear to have dried up and died; others look perfectly healthy, but have no fruit.  However, I have come across very old abandoned orchards that are still bearing fruit.

 In the northern regions of our country there are thousands of apple orchards.  It’s quite common to find deer feeding on the fruit. Farmers find it difficult to keep them out of their orchards and consequently thousands of dollars of profit are eaten up every year by the deer.  However, it would be a rare sight to see goats feeding in the orchards. Goats are very destructive. They will eat anything in sight, so farmers are keep them away from the trees.  Generally, you will find fenced in pastures where the goats graze along with sheep and cows.

Like Christians around the world, we are much like orchards filled with fruit trees, and the goats are those who are lost in sin, but are desperately looking for fruit to fill their emptiness.  There are a lot of fruit trees and many goats that need to be fed from them, but sadly, not all the trees are bearing fruit.

When we confessed our sin and asked Christ into our heart, we were appointed, or commissioned, to bear fruit.  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit; fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)

What is this fruit we must bear?  It is so important that Jesus warned of the necessity of bearing fruit that was compatible with citizenship in the kingdom of God.  “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. (Matt. 21:43)  As you can see it is of vital importance we bear fruit.  If we don’t, the opportunity will be taken from us.

What kinds of fruit are there? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  (Gal. 5: 22)  This fruit needs to be visible in the life of every believer.  Why?  There are goats in the orchard and they are watching to see what these trees are producing. 

The lost are standing outside the fence and keeping an eye on the Christians; the way they live, their attitudes, actions and reactions.  Do they see the Christian reach out with love, or, with anger?  Jesus was teaching his disciples about this very thing. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”  This fruit we bear is so important, that Jesus went on to say in verse 19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Listen!  Bearing good fruit as a witness to the lost is the same as bearing fruit to God. “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.” (Ro. 7:4) 

                Have you ever taken a bite out of a big, red, juicy apple, only to find you bit right through a worm hole and you didn’t see the worm?  You didn’t know whether to swallow what’s in your mouth or spit it out.  This is what the lost (goats) are thinking when they see the Christian say one thing, but live in ungodly ways.  You can witness to a sinner, from now until Jesus comes, but if you are not representing Christ with the fruit of the Spirit, they won’t know what to do with it. They’ll be thinking, “I don’t know if I should swallow this or spit it out.”

In Col 1:10, Paul tells the Christian, “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work.”  There are many people in this world who do good works.  It gives them a feeling of self-worth and they use their good works as a way to show others how great they are or makes them feel better about them self.  Good works are wonderful, but where is the fruit?  Are these works done with the love of Jesus; with joy, peace, patience, kindness, or are they done grudgingly, out of guilt, or to make oneself look good? 

It is up to you to take care of your orchard and allow God to prune you, so you will produce not only good fruit, but abundant fruit. Pruning can be a difficult process, but necessary for your good.  Remember this scripture in Romans 8:28 All things work together for the good of those who love “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” That purpose is to provide fruit to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. 

 It’s alright to have goats in your orchard; open the gates, let them come in and offer fruit so good and so pure; they’ll want to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -- to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:11)