Sacrifice Bears Fruit

“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:23-24

Jesus spoke these words just before His crucifixion, explaining the reason for His death. The metaphor of the seed illustrates a profound spiritual truth. The "kernel of wheat" represents Jesus Himself. His death (falling to the ground) was necessary to bring spiritual life to many. Just as a seed must be buried in the soil to sprout and multiply, Jesus had to die to bring salvation to the world. Jesus was teaching that true life comes through death not just physical death, but the death of self, personal ambitions, and worldly desires that pull us away from God. Jesus’ sacrifice led to the spread of the gospel throughout the world, just as a seed produces a harvest. We too are called to produce a spiritual harvest!

Counting the Cost
The cost of bearing fruit is a difficult conversation if we are honest because it means we must give up the fleshy parts of ourselves that we struggle to release. I had to learn this the hard way. In my early days of being a Christian, I wanted Christ without the crucifixion in my own life. I wanted the blessings without the breaking, the transformation without the trials. But as I matured, I gained a deeper understanding of what it truly costs to bear fruit. I came face to face with sacrifice.  It meant dying to the parts of myself I wanted to hold onto, pride, impatience, control. It wasn’t easy, and it still isn’t. Can you relate?

The enemy doesn’t want us to count the cost because he wants us to stay on a superficial journey of serving God; where we give little and expect much, where we hold on to self, masked in good deeds. But God is calling us to surrender self, just as He illustrated through the example of the kernel of wheat.

Many love the idea of transformation, but resist the process it requires. We want the beauty of the harvest without the pain of pruning. We desire to be more loving, more joyful, more at peace, but do we recognize that each of these fruits comes with sacrifice? True spiritual growth requires surrender and sacrifice. It demands that we lay down our pride, our impatience, our need for control, and the comforts of serving self. We cannot remain the same and expect to bear the fruit of the Spirit.

So often, we pray for patience but then resent the difficult people God places in our lives. We pray for joy but push back against the very trials meant to deepen our trust in Him. We long for peace but refuse to release our grip on control. Bearing fruit requires sacrifice!  We must shed the flesh to grow and we must clear the weeds so we can thrive.

Many of us remain spiritually stagnant because we do not want our kernel of wheat to fall to the ground and die. But Jesus demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice. It was only through His death that we can live. Likewise, only through dying to our bad habits, sinful desires, and selfish ways will growth happen. And yet, this is not an easy thing to accomplish. It is only through the Holy Spirit that change is possible.

This truth is relevant during the season of Lent, a time of reflection, repentance, and preparation for Easter. Lent calls us to die to self, to sacrifice worldly comforts, and to realign our hearts with Christ’s. It is a season where we are invited to let go of what is holding us back from bearing the fruit God desires in us. As we journey through this season, let us intentionally embrace the pruning process, knowing that through sacrifice, we will bear greater spiritual fruit.

Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
Each fruit of the Spirit requires something in us to die so that we can truly walk in it. Love requires us to die of selfishness and pride, choosing to love even when it’s difficult. Joy demands that we let go of circumstantial happiness, learning to trust God even in trials. Peace grows when we surrender worry and control and rest in God’s sovereignty. Patience is developed when we release our need for things to be convenient. Kindness grows when we sacrifice judgment and choose compassion over criticism.

Goodness requires us to live with integrity even when no one is watching. Faithfulness flourishes when we let go of our fears and commit fully to God’s plan for our lives. Gentleness comes when we lay down our pride and respond with humility and grace. Self-control is strengthened when we deny our fleshly desires and choose discipline over disobedience. Every fruit comes with a sacrifice, but as we die to self, we make room for the Spirit to cultivate a harvest in us that glorifies God.

Bearing Fruit Liberates the Culture
This call to sacrifice is not just personal but collective. As black people the struggle for justice and dignity is deeply spiritual, echoing Christ’s own suffering and resurrection. Just as Jesus bore the cross to bring life to many, we too have endured oppression, yet through faith, resilience, and sacrifice, has continued to bear fruit. The fight for justice, equality, and healing is not separate from the Gospel, it is a reflection of it! The call to die to self is not a passive surrender but an active participation in the work of liberation, knowing that true freedom both spiritual and societal comes through sacrifice.

Life Application
Sacrifice Leads to Spiritual Growth

• Just as Jesus gave up His life for others, we are called to surrender our own desires, pride, and comforts to follow Him. This might mean letting go of unhealthy habits, selfish ambitions, or fear in order to live out God’s purpose.
• Application: Ask yourself, what areas of my life need to "die" so that I can grow in faith and be more fruitful?
  
  

Sacrifice Leads to Greater Impact

• Living for Christ often requires personal sacrifice—whether it's giving up time, comfort, or resources. But just like a seed multiplies, our sacrifices for God’s kingdom leads to greater blessings and impact.
• Application: Consider ways you can serve and invest in others, knowing that even small sacrifices can bear great spiritual fruit.

Trusting God’s Process

• When we experience loss, hardship, or seasons of waiting, we can remember that God uses those moments to bring new life and transformation.
• Application: If you’re facing a challenge, trust that God is working through it, just as a buried seed eventually produces a harvest.

This verse challenges us to embrace the paradox of the Christian life: by giving up our lives for Christ, we actually gain true life, for “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” Luke 9:24. If we are willing to "die" to our own will, we will see God produce something far greater in and through us. Lent is not just about giving something up—it is about laying something down.

It is about surrendering those parts of us that hinder our spiritual growth and allowing God to reshape us. It is a time to lean into sacrifice, knowing that just as Jesus’ journey to the cross led to resurrection, our willingness to die to self will lead to new life. So, as we walk through this season of Lent, let us count the cost, embrace the refining fire, and trust that what God is producing in us will be far greater than what we leave behind.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice, for laying down Your life so we might have eternal life with You. We are in awe of Your love and mercy. We do not take for granted the price You paid for our freedom. Lord, help us to see every sacrifice, whether small or great as part of Your refining work in us. Remind us that through surrender, you are shaping us to bear fruit that glorifies You. Give us the courage not to resist the process, but to embrace it. When it feels hard to let go of the things that are not like You may we turn our eyes to the cross. Let Your example strengthen us to lay down our own lives daily. May we not despise the cost of obedience, but rejoice in the transformation it brings. Teach us to trust that every act of sacrifice is making room for Your Spirit to grow something beautiful in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.