Please note that the content and viewpoints of Mr. Hansen are his own and are not necessarily those of the C.S. Lewis Foundation. We have not edited his writing in any substantial way and have permission from him to post his content.
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Dear Friends:
There shall come forth a shoot
from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots
shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord
shall be upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge
and the fear of the Lord.
(Is 11:1-2)
The summer was cooler and the fall was warmer than usual. We are in a drought. My tangerine tree that blesses each December with sweet, juicy fruit is so confused that it didn’t bear this year. That disappoints me, but the tree is healthy and will bear its fruit again when the time is right.
In preparing this week’s message for you, I labored for hours on an idea. I learned a lot in the process about the economy and policies of the Roman Empire at the time of Christ’s birth. The shining truth of that birth never came to light in the process. My words lay on the screen like so much unused, unneeded inventory, waiting for someone to buy them. It is not my calling to “sell” you. It is my calling to make you hungry for Jesus and to trust that the Holy Spirit will lead you to satisfy yourselves with the Bread of Life and the Living Water and to live and grow in Christ.
The Holy Spirit, Scripture tells us, bears fruit called “love, joy. peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” These are not separate fruits, for the word “fruit” used by Paul is singular. These are not separate flavors. If they were we would be tempted to gorge ourselves on a particular flavor while ignoring others. I might say for instance, “I enjoy being self-controlled, so that’s what I am, but being generous I do not enjoy so much so I hoard rather than sharing.” Or, “I will be faithful for sure. You can count on me. But don’t ask me to love.”
No, we are not called to be orchardists or connoisseurs. We are called to let the Spirit have its way with us to yield when it will.
Jesus described the Father as the grower, himself as the tree and his disciples as the fruit-bearing branches. Those joined to him in connected, living relationship will bear much fruit. Those who are separated from him can do nothing. “It glorifies my Father,” Jesus said, “that you bear much fruit and join those who live in intimate living relationship with me” (Jn 15:8-9, my paraphrase).
Does the branch of an apple tree worry that it may turn out shriveled prunes? No way! We, however, too often concentrate on our behaviors and ignore the power that makes the Godly life possible. If Jesus Christ is our life, it is impossible not to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Jesus says, “I am the tree and you are the branches. . . If you are connected to me and growing with me, ask for whatever you wish and it will be done for you” (Jn 15:5-7).
I spent the end of the week in icy winds beside a cold river. In my room, my writing efforts described problems, but my “solutions” were “preachy” with no ring of authenticity.
Then, Saturday night, in the warm light of a beautiful cathedral, I listened to my son’s university chorale sing in glorious praise to God and my attention was brought back to the Lord in worship.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand:
Ponder nothing earthly minded for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our Lord to earth descendeth our full homage to demand.
On they sang,
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only-begotten by the Father full of grace and truth.
And . . .
Light! Warm and heavy as pure gold
and the angels sing softly to the newborn baby.
Dormant as we are in the long winter, we forget that our life is being saved for the spring. The Light of the World dawns. Christ is with us to warm and draw us up to new life. That is the meaning of his birth. All of the spiritual gifts that we sing about in this season–love, joy, and peace–are embodied in him and are brought to living reality for us through him. We cannot buy or manufacture these gifts for ourselves. They are the fruit of his life growing in us. We must wait for the “sprout” of Isaiah’s prophesy referenced above to bear fruit in us.
Paul described the marvelous process of this growth from the death of winter to the rebirth of spring. “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above and not on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you will also will be revealed with him in glory” (Col 3:1-4). Now is the time to wait.
The Festival of Lessons and Carols ended with an arrangement of an American folk hymn that spoke the truth of what I am telling you and inspired this message. It broke my proud heart in repentance that I have for too long tried to do what Christ alone can do.
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green:
The trees of nature fruitless be,
Compared with Christ the apple tree.
This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive,
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.
May our hunger for Jesus increase in this season of Christmas. May our souls flourish and grow in the light of his presence.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy are those who seek refuge in him” (Ps 34:8).
Under the mercy of Christ,
Kent
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Kent Hansen is a Christian attorney, author and speaker. He practices corporate law and is the managing attorney of the firm of Clayson, Mann, Yaeger & Hansen in Corona, California. Kent also serves as the general counsel of Loma Linda University and Medical Center in Loma Linda, California.
Finding God’s grace revealed in the ordinary experiences of life, spiritual renewal in Christ and prayer are Kent’s passions. He has written two books,Grace at 30,000 Feet and Other Unexpected Places published by Review & Herald in 2002 and Cleansing Fire, Healing Streams: Experiencing God’s Love Through Prayer, published by Pacific Press in spring 2007. Many of his stories and essays about God’s encompassing love have been published in magazines and journals.Kent is often found on the hiking trails of the southern California mountains, following major league baseball, playing the piano or writing his weekly email devotional, “A Word of Grace for Your Monday” that is read by men and women from Alaska to Zimbabwe.
Kent and his beloved Patricia are enjoying their 31st year of marriage. They are the proud parents of Andrew, a college student.