As we greet 2016 our church will be thinking about what it means to be fruitful. We will begin with the 15th chapter of John, where Jesus taught His disciples that if they are to bear any fruit at all, they would only do so if they would "abide" in Christ. This week we will be considering what it means to "abide" and how we can best do that so as to be fruitful (if you would like a hint, consider the title of this week's blogpost).
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:17)
James wrote that whether or not we have wisdom is made evident by our good fruit. Those who do good deeds in humility are wise. Those who do not, who are bitter and selfishly ambitious, are not. If we wish to be wise, one route to gaining wisdom is to live a life marked by good fruit, for when we do so we reap a harvest of righteousness.
Here is a question for you to consider (and answer, if you are so inclined): What does it mean to depend on God alone, and what would that look like in practice? Feel free to respond as you are led, as we are going to explore that question this week prior to taking communion together.
I'm not sure what it means to "rely on Him alone". He created each of us - individuals w/ the ability to think - to be creative - to plan and to achieve - to use the gifts and talents His has given. We rely on Him for guidance, wisdom, strength - our ever-present Father - "The One Alone" who gives meaning to our accomplishments - to our lives.
* Wisdom from His Word vs. from the minds of men, even though the latter may seem to speak louder (especially in todays world)
* Peace in His promises vs. calm circumstances and/or accumulated wealth and supposed "security" from the world, even though the former is not always tangible and often require great patience (even to the point of awaiting His great return)
* Strength from the righteous path upon which His Spirit leads me vs. my own prideful ways, even when I am tempted to seek the immediate relief that I could get by following my ego
My personal journey with the Lord has taught me that, to depend on God alone, means to purposefully abandon any hope that I have placed in this world & instead put my entire life -- every single bit of it -- in His hands.
Here's what I have "rolling around" inside my head. Relying on God alone means that we are selected, connected, directed and protected by God alone. We are selected by God. It is God who chooses to graft us onto the "vine" of Israel (Romans 11:17-24; John 15:16). There is nothing I can do to make God select me; that is by grace alone. We are connected through Jesus (John 15:1-7). It is when we "abide" in Jesus, when we rely on Him alone for our salvation and remain in His will for us, completely dependent on Him, that we are connected to the Father. We are also directed by God, who leads us, mainly through His Word, into His will (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I can't listen or look to the culture/world in order to make decisions or know God's will. That is only revealed in His Word, through His Spirit, and with the help and guidance of other believers. Finally, we are protected by God (2 Thessalonians 3:3; John 10:28). My safety and security is not found in my bank account or who I know or the power/influence I wield. It rests in God alone, to whom I look for help (Psalm 121).
Fruitfulness is such a common theme in God's Word. I have been reading through Hosea for my personal devotional time this week and today I read this: " Israel is a luxuriant vine; He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the sacred pillars. Their heart is faithless; Now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will break down their altars And destroy their sacred pillars." (Hosea 10:1-2)
Here we see fruitfulness in another light. The people of Israel were productive, but their fruitfulness benefited only themselves. Worse yet, their prosperity led them to no longer rely on God, but to rely on other "gods" instead as they made altars and sacred pillars in order to practice their idolatry. We are called to a fruitfulness that is not material, but are nonetheless blessed materially in many cases, which can make being spiritually fruitful difficult. We are challenged by passages like this to guard our hearts in spite of our riches so that we will not only be materially fruitful but spiritually fruitful as well.
"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.'” (Psalm 92:12-15)
We are to bear fruit at every stage of our walk with God. Many of us have experienced the slow fade that can accompany a mature faith. When we first come to Christ we are full of a great deal of excitement and energy. We freely share our faith and are bold around those who do not know Christ. But over time, as our friends come to Christ (or run away from God and thus run away from us), as we are hurt by unbelievers who reject our message, as we slip into "cruising" mode and become complacent where we are, that energy and excitement diminish. Yet God promises us that we will bear fruit even in our old age; that we will be fresh and green throughout the time we walk with Him. What a blessing it is to know that God is always ready to use as so that we might be fruitful, and promises that we will bear fruit for as long as we abide in His Son.
"Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law." (Jeremiah 6:19)
Bearing fruit is not always good. The schemes of Israel bore fruit, but it was bitter. This is a good reminder that there are consequences for our sin, and that the things we do that displease the Lord bear their own kind of fruit (anger, strife, bitterness, jealousy, and so on). That is one more reason why it is so important to abide in Christ. If we will remain in Him, relying on Him alone, the fruit we bear will have a much better chance of being pleasing both to God and to ourselves.
Good Sabbath! Today we celebrate the One who promised His people, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." As we abide in Christ, seeking to know and do His will, He promises to bless our efforts so that we might bear much fruit. See you in church!
As we greet 2016 our church will be thinking about what it means to be fruitful. We will begin with the 15th chapter of John, where Jesus taught His disciples that if they are to bear any fruit at all, they would only do so if they would "abide" in Christ. This week we will be considering what it means to "abide" and how we can best do that so as to be fruitful (if you would like a hint, consider the title of this week's blogpost).
ReplyDelete"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (James 3:17)
ReplyDeleteJames wrote that whether or not we have wisdom is made evident by our good fruit. Those who do good deeds in humility are wise. Those who do not, who are bitter and selfishly ambitious, are not. If we wish to be wise, one route to gaining wisdom is to live a life marked by good fruit, for when we do so we reap a harvest of righteousness.
Here is a question for you to consider (and answer, if you are so inclined): What does it mean to depend on God alone, and what would that look like in practice? Feel free to respond as you are led, as we are going to explore that question this week prior to taking communion together.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what it means to "rely on Him alone". He created each of us - individuals w/ the ability to think - to be creative - to plan and to achieve - to use the gifts and talents His has given. We rely on Him for guidance, wisdom, strength - our ever-present Father - "The One Alone" who gives meaning to our accomplishments - to our lives.
DeleteTo me, to depend on God alone means . . .
Delete* Wisdom from His Word vs. from the minds of men, even though the latter may seem to speak louder (especially in todays world)
* Peace in His promises vs. calm circumstances and/or accumulated wealth and supposed "security" from the world, even though the former is not always tangible and often require great patience (even to the point of awaiting His great return)
* Strength from the righteous path upon which His Spirit leads me vs. my own prideful ways, even when I am tempted to seek the immediate relief that I could get by following my ego
My personal journey with the Lord has taught me that, to depend on God alone, means to purposefully abandon any hope that I have placed in this world & instead put my entire life -- every single bit of it -- in His hands.
Here's what I have "rolling around" inside my head. Relying on God alone means that we are selected, connected, directed and protected by God alone. We are selected by God. It is God who chooses to graft us onto the "vine" of Israel (Romans 11:17-24; John 15:16). There is nothing I can do to make God select me; that is by grace alone. We are connected through Jesus (John 15:1-7). It is when we "abide" in Jesus, when we rely on Him alone for our salvation and remain in His will for us, completely dependent on Him, that we are connected to the Father. We are also directed by God, who leads us, mainly through His Word, into His will (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I can't listen or look to the culture/world in order to make decisions or know God's will. That is only revealed in His Word, through His Spirit, and with the help and guidance of other believers. Finally, we are protected by God (2 Thessalonians 3:3; John 10:28). My safety and security is not found in my bank account or who I know or the power/influence I wield. It rests in God alone, to whom I look for help (Psalm 121).
DeleteFruitfulness is such a common theme in God's Word. I have been reading through Hosea for my personal devotional time this week and today I read this: "
ReplyDeleteIsrael is a luxuriant vine;
He produces fruit for himself.
The more his fruit,
The more altars he made;
The richer his land,
The better he made the sacred pillars.
Their heart is faithless;
Now they must bear their guilt.
The Lord will break down their altars
And destroy their sacred pillars."
(Hosea 10:1-2)
Here we see fruitfulness in another light. The people of Israel were productive, but their fruitfulness benefited only themselves. Worse yet, their prosperity led them to no longer rely on God, but to rely on other "gods" instead as they made altars and sacred pillars in order to practice their idolatry. We are called to a fruitfulness that is not material, but are nonetheless blessed materially in many cases, which can make being spiritually fruitful difficult. We are challenged by passages like this to guard our hearts in spite of our riches so that we will not only be materially fruitful but spiritually fruitful as well.
"The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
ReplyDeletethey will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, 'The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.'”
(Psalm 92:12-15)
We are to bear fruit at every stage of our walk with God. Many of us have experienced the slow fade that can accompany a mature faith. When we first come to Christ we are full of a great deal of excitement and energy. We freely share our faith and are bold around those who do not know Christ. But over time, as our friends come to Christ (or run away from God and thus run away from us), as we are hurt by unbelievers who reject our message, as we slip into "cruising" mode and become complacent where we are, that energy and excitement diminish. Yet God promises us that we will bear fruit even in our old age; that we will be fresh and green throughout the time we walk with Him. What a blessing it is to know that God is always ready to use as so that we might be fruitful, and promises that we will bear fruit for as long as we abide in His Son.
"Hear, you earth:
ReplyDeleteI am bringing disaster on this people,
the fruit of their schemes,
because they have not listened to my words
and have rejected my law."
(Jeremiah 6:19)
Bearing fruit is not always good. The schemes of Israel bore fruit, but it was bitter. This is a good reminder that there are consequences for our sin, and that the things we do that displease the Lord bear their own kind of fruit (anger, strife, bitterness, jealousy, and so on). That is one more reason why it is so important to abide in Christ. If we will remain in Him, relying on Him alone, the fruit we bear will have a much better chance of being pleasing both to God and to ourselves.
Good Sabbath! Today we celebrate the One who promised His people, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." As we abide in Christ, seeking to know and do His will, He promises to bless our efforts so that we might bear much fruit. See you in church!
ReplyDelete