Bible Message/Preaching : Fruitful Tree by the Waters
"You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (Mt 7:16-18)
We see in Ps 1:1-3 this is also talking about bearing fruit: Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Every tree comes from a seed. Let's have a look at seedlings when they are sown!
And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: 3 "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4"And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5"Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 "But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7"And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8"But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." 9 And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" 10But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.
14 "The sower sows the word. 15 "And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16"These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17"and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. 18Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." (Mk 4:1 -10, 14-20)
19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 "stony places ? hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 "thorns ? hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 "good ground ? hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Mt 13:19-23)
How to be fruitful?Hear -> accept (understands) -> bear fruit! But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7to godliness brotherly kindness (philia), and to brotherly kindness love (Agape). 8For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:5-8)
Why should we be fruitful?Col 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. 9But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
14And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful. (Tit 3:1-9, 14)
38"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (Jn 7:38-39)
Message in one line = Led by Holy Spirit and used by God for the Glory of God and for the Kingdom of God's (KoG) sake!!
Meditation:
- Let's think about these questions for a moment.
- What kind of tree are we?
- What kind of ground are we for the word?
- What is our contribution to the KoG?
Delivered 12 Sept 2010
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