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The Fruit-Bearing Project
19 Plays10 days ago
Series: Discernment of Jesus' Person
Mark 4:1-34
Recommended
Transcript
The Call to Be Fruit-Bearing Christians
00:00:00
Speaker
This morning I want to ask a very important question, a question that may very well be one of the most important questions that you'll ever answer as a believer. How do I become a fruit-bearing Christian?
00:00:19
Speaker
Why do I think this is such an important question for us to answer?
Glorifying God as the Ultimate Goal
00:00:24
Speaker
What is the most important thing, important goal, as a Christian in the Christian walk? What is the one thing that should drive us from the moment we wake up in the morning to the very moment we put our head on the pillow? What's the highest goal that God has called us for as His children? Is to glorify Him. It's a very simple answer to a very complex question. Now,
00:00:54
Speaker
I know what you're thinking to yourself. Wait a second, pastor. You just simply asked me the most important question. How how do I become a fruit-bearing Christian? And now you're saying, what does that have to do with glorifying God? Which is it? And I'll tell you, it's both. ah You can't do one without the other.
Challenges in Living Fruitful Lives
00:01:14
Speaker
John 15.8 says this, by this, my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.
00:01:24
Speaker
And if you do that, it says you prove to be a disciple.
00:01:32
Speaker
That's the case, friends, this morning. Why aren't more of us leading fruitful lives? If we're Christ followers, and this is what He's called us to do, is to glorify Him, why aren't we living fruit-filled lives? We cannot glorify God apart from fruit bearing. Yet many of us struggle in this area. We struggle because we don't have very fruit filled lives. How do we become fruit bears?
Key Areas for Fruitfulness
00:02:08
Speaker
That's what we're going to look at today. I hope you have your outline that you picked up with you on the way in here. We're going to look at three things in Mark chapter four, verses one through 34. When it comes to leading a fruit filled life,
00:02:23
Speaker
As a disciple, we're going to look at first the human element, that is you and I and our responsibility. Second, we're going to look at the divine element, that is God's interaction with you and I as we cooperate with him in this fruit-bearing effort. And third, what is the proper response and that you and I need to take?
00:02:45
Speaker
when it comes to leading fruit-bearing lives. This is kind of the direction we're going today. If you have your outlines, I'm gonna ask you to do something special today. I want you just to lift them up in your hand so I can see them nice and high. Perfect, okay, great. The reason I say that two-fold, last week there was not an outline. We had a ah special guest speaker, and the first thing I heard was this. Where's the other piece of paper in the middle of the bulletin?
00:03:13
Speaker
That outline is helpful, and I'm really glad that I started it. It's something that helps me in my preparation. I hope it helps you as you're taking notes and you're seeing what's going on in the scripture today. It's especially important today because what it does is it provides us an understanding of the scripture. It gives us a visual picture, if you will, of what's going on in the scripture. You'll notice there in that part of the outline I've given you a little section there that says, what does it say there on the on the bottom left there? Yeah, a passage structure. It's so that we can at a glance look at it and you'll see the very beginning is an introduction. And the very end of this passage is a conclusion.
Understanding Parables
00:03:59
Speaker
And in this passage is bookmarked by these two sayings. It starts with, many things are in parables.
00:04:09
Speaker
And then it ends with, many things are in parables. What is a parable? Many of you are like, I've been in church a long time, pastor. I know what a parable is. um I might give you a clue, a hint today, that probably nobody else has taught you before, I hope. I hope this is something new. The parable itself, the Greek word is para, meaning alongside embolo, meaning to throw.
00:04:38
Speaker
So the parable is something that you throw alongside. It's a story that's thrown alongside another story. It's a story within a story. That's what a parable is. And Jesus taught in parables with two purposes in mind. One is to conceal and one is to reveal. If you're taking notes, that would be a great time to take one.
00:05:03
Speaker
the parable functions both as a concealing aspect and a revealing aspect. And we know this because verse 9 in our passage today says, anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. So there are some today who are going to listen and just not hear it. I hope that's not you today.
00:05:30
Speaker
Alongside the beginning and the end are these two seed parables right in the middle. We're going to look at both of those. You're going to know both of them. very They're very familiar. What we're going to see in the very middle of this is a conversation between Jesus and His disciples.
00:05:50
Speaker
And it's on purpose, and that's why I included that structure for you, that you see this conversation between Jesus and His disciples is right in the middle. And the author is doing this on purpose because he wants us to know that today's message is just for the disciple.
Lessons from the Parable of the Sower
00:06:08
Speaker
So if you're here and you're not a follower of Christ, and you think to yourself, why am I not producing fruit? That's the way it's meant to be.
00:06:20
Speaker
Jesus is addressing you guys, you followers, myself, who claim to be disciples and saying this is what it's going to take to be a fruit-bearing follower of mine. That's what we're going to see right in the middle.
00:06:35
Speaker
This is what we're going to answer this question at the very end. What's the right response to Jesus? How do we lead this fruitful life? We're going to start here in verses 1 through 9. Look with me here. Verse 1 through 9 says this. I'm reading from the New Living Translation. He says, once again, Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. Yours may say, the ground.
00:07:02
Speaker
remained on the shore or on the ground. And he taught them by telling many stories in the forms of parables such as this one. I like this verse three begins. This is Jesus reading because he's ah he's saying this. It's in red for those of you who have the red-lettered Bibles. He says,
00:07:19
Speaker
sir A farmer went out to plant some seed and he scattered it across the field. Some of the seed fell on a footpath and the birds came and ate it. Now I'm gonna pause right there because many of you have heard this parable before. If you've heard it, raise your hands. Okay, put your hands down. I'm gonna just talk to those people who raised their hands. Unlearn what you've already learned about this because what we have a tendency to do is when we've heard this parable, we kind of check out and we go, okay, I'm gonna wait till he gets to the bottom of this parable, then I'm gonna start paying attention again.
00:07:49
Speaker
Are you all paying attention? There's some seed that he scatters on the footpath and the birds came and they ate it. Verse five says, other seed fell on the shallow the soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly and because the soil was shallow, but the plants soon withered under the hot sun so that it didn't have deep roots and it died. Other seed fell among the thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
00:08:15
Speaker
So they produced absolutely no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil and they sprouted and grew and produced produced a crop of 30, 60, even a hundred fold as much as had been planted. Then he said, anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. To which those who were not disciples would have heard this and started scratching their head. What in the world is he talking about?
00:08:44
Speaker
But you and I know exactly what he's talking about. He's talking about those who walk a certain way in the Christian life will produce fruit. So much fruit, it says, based upon their obedience, they will produce 30 or 60 or even 100 fold. How we respond to Jesus is depicted by the fruit we have in our lives.
The Role of Obedience in Spiritual Growth
00:09:15
Speaker
Notice verse 20.
00:09:19
Speaker
Jump with me down verse 20. This is on the explanation part of this parable. He's sitting around his disciples and he says, And the seed that fell on the soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of 30 or 60 or even a hundred times as much that had been planted. He's explaining to his disciples, you are insiders. You are the people who follow me and you're listening to me. And the reason you are fruitful is because you listen and everybody say it, obey.
00:09:54
Speaker
Friends, I could close my Bible right now and we could all go out to eat 30 minutes early. The Christian walk, in large part, the fruitfulness in your life, is all based upon one word, obedience.
00:10:13
Speaker
And I get it, um I'm gonna talk to a little bit of the younger folks just for a second. You older folks, tune out. The younger generation doesn't like this word. They don't like to hear the word, I need to obey. Let me give you an alternate word that you guys can hear. You need to accept it. You need to listen to what God's word is telling you, and you need to accept it. And once you accept it, what happens in your life, you start doing what God is recommending. All right, you older folks. You need to obey, plain and simple.
00:10:50
Speaker
I wrote down just as a note to myself right here as a reminder, be gentle to myself as I'm speaking to you about this because oftentimes when we get to a message of obedience, what happens?
00:11:06
Speaker
I can see it right now the shoulders are tensing it up a little bit. You guys are sitting out there. I don't want somebody to tell me what to do. It's a natural human response. Relax, it's okay.
00:11:20
Speaker
Here's why it's so important. As I read this and you heard this parable, I know because I sat where you sat before. This is what some of you were thinking. Oh, I'm that type of soil.
00:11:38
Speaker
Maybe at one point in my life, I was the rocky soil, but most of you here were probably thinking I'm the good soil. Don't raise your hands.
00:11:47
Speaker
How many of you thought to yourself, I'm the 30-fold fruitfulness?
00:11:54
Speaker
Those are the people who are a little self-aware. The rest of you thought, I'm probably the 60-fold. Boy, I sure would like to be 100-fold. But why is my life not 100-fold fruitfulness? Why am I not living that type of life today? It's because you're disobedient. Oops.
00:12:15
Speaker
And I say that in all lovingness, because I'm saying that to myself. If you're not seeing the fruit that God has wanting you to display in your life is because there is some element of disobedience going on. So what does fruitful life look like in the life of a Christ follower? Well, the fruits of the Spirit are, and everybody can start saying them. Love, joy, peace, what? Patience, kindness, goodness,
00:12:45
Speaker
I always like this, because in the middle people go, and then they go, and self-control, right? That's the last one. How much joy do you feel in your life right now? How much peace do you feel in your life right now? If somebody were to come take a survey with you this past week and say, you know, in the life of Frank, the life of Linda,
00:13:11
Speaker
would they be more prone to say you live a life of faithfulness and patience? Now, it's not saying your life is all roses and unicorns and balloons and happiness. No, the Christian walk is fraught with suffering.
00:13:33
Speaker
But as your pastor hear me this morning, because I hear this quite often, Why does it feel like I'm stagnant in my Christian walk? To which i I'm going to tell you right now it's because for most of you, you're reading your Bible. And I want to let you know I'm super encouraged because in the mornings I can look and there's during Bible study hour, there's not very many people out here anymore. Everybody's in Bible study.
00:14:01
Speaker
as they as they should be, as you should be. Somebody told me recently, as they said you know as we had Pastor Appreciation a Week a week or two ago, they said, look back on what has happened in this church since you got here.
00:14:14
Speaker
Now, if things moved at the pace I would like it to be here, no. if If I'm completely honest with you, I want things to happen a lot faster. But the one thing that makes my heart feel great is the Bible studies are flourishing here. And you guys are in God's Word, and you're hearing it. And no doubt, some of you, after you leave here, Monday through Saturday, are actually in God's Word.
00:14:38
Speaker
To you, I applaud you. If you're not, okay, there's the first level of disobedience. You're not in God's word. So if you are in God's word and you're spending time, the Holy Spirit is telling you, you need to fix fill in the blank. Because I'm just gonna tell you, this is the way God's word works. When you are receptive to his word and you are studying his word and you have a true desire to grow, he's gonna say, I want you to grow by doing this or stop doing this for some of you.
00:15:10
Speaker
What makes somebody fruitful? It's whether or not they go, yeah, you're right, Lord, I need to work on that. And they do it. It's a matter of obedience. It's a matter of acceptance. So what is a non-receptive person's life looks like? Well, Mark tells us here, look at me, verse 11 and 12.
00:15:32
Speaker
This is Jesus. He says he's's he's still talking out. He's reading out saying, you are permitted to understand the secret of the kingdom of God, but I use parables for everything I say to outsiders. So listen up outsiders. Listen up you guys who are disobedient. Listen up to those who are not producing fruit. He says, I say everything in a parable to you so that the scripture may be fulfilled so that when they see what I do, they will learn nothing.
00:16:03
Speaker
Boy, is that not convicting. Those of you who read the word of God and don't do anything with it, he says, you're
Distractions Hindering Fruitfulness
00:16:10
Speaker
not gonna understand it. Matter of fact, I'm not gonna give you further revelation. You're gonna be lost in the parable. You're gonna hear what I say, but you won't understand.
00:16:24
Speaker
It goes on, look at me down in verse 15, 16, 17. Let me just read them here. He says, the seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message only to have Satan come and take it away. That's the first that's the first person. The seed on rocky soil represents those who hear the message, immediately receive it with joy, but since they don't have any deep roots, they don't last very long. They get carried away. This is your short-term Christian.
00:16:58
Speaker
This is what I call it. This is the guy that goes, I'm so excited to get in Bible study. I finally found a church that emphasized the Bible. I can't wait. they They're there the first Sunday, and then you don't see them for three more months. Verse 17, but since they don't have any deep roots, they won't last very long.
00:17:15
Speaker
because as soon as the problems come up in their lives or they start experiencing persecution, boom, they're gone. Verse 18, the seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hears God's word but are all too quickly tied up in what? The worries of life, the lure of wealth, and the desire of things. What makes you unfruitful today, brothers and sisters, is because you are wrapped up in the things of the world.
00:17:45
Speaker
You have a desire for wealth. You have a desire for things of the world. And when that happens, the fruit factory stops producing fruit. It just does.
00:17:59
Speaker
I told the men yesterday that came to the men's breakfast. I said, you'll hear some of this in the sermon tomorrow. Don't feel like that's a a free pass not to come to church. But we talked a little bit about this concept of fruit bearing or not fruit bearing and the things that can wrap you up in the world. If you get distracted by the world, raise your hand. It's okay. Yeah, if not everybody's hand is raised, you're lying to yourself. Face book.
00:18:39
Speaker
Hallmark station. That's unfair. That's unfair. All the ladies immediately turned on me right there. There are things in this world that wrap us up, that keep you from getting here. I'm too busy.
The Spiritual Growth Process
00:19:01
Speaker
I have so many events, you wouldn't believe it, pastor. I just, man, I know I should. I can't wait. I know every day I wanna get here. Whoo, I'm tired after work.
00:19:16
Speaker
Obedience. Obedience. Okay, let's move on. This is our responsibility, your responsibility, my responsibility is to be receptive to God's word,
00:19:31
Speaker
what is What's God's play in this? Because oftentimes this is what I hear. Pastor, I've been working and working and reading and doing and um I'm just, I'm beating myself up and I'm not seeing any fruit in my life. I'm glad you asked that. Look with me here. Verse 26.
00:19:50
Speaker
The second seed parable, Jesus also says, the kingdom of God is like a farmer who scattered seed on the ground night and day while he's asleep or awake. The seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops all by itself. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of the wheat are formed and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle for the harvest time.
00:20:20
Speaker
Jesus says, how could I describe the kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? Well, it's like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden and plants. And it grows long branches and birds can come and nest in its shade.
00:20:38
Speaker
To which those who are hearing the parable and have ears understand what he's saying. Those who don't are scratching their heads going, hmm, another ah there seed parable. What's going on here?
00:20:51
Speaker
What is God's work in fruitfulness? Well, friends, he tells us right here. He says, after the sower scatters the seed in verse 26, you'll notice the sower is not mentioned until verse 29.
00:21:09
Speaker
The sower sows, and then when it's time to harvest, he harvests. What happens in the middle? Well, it says the sower doesn't know, because what's happening? God is making everything grow. God's responsibility is the growing of the fruit. Friends, it's not your job, it's God's job. Your job is to be responsible, get in His Word, and pray, and study, and listen.
00:21:38
Speaker
What is God telling me to do? And then obey. And when you do that, it says God kicks in and he says, you know what, I'm gonna start producing fruit in that person's life. Some of you need to hear that today. Leave the fruit production to him. He's in charge of that, you're not.
00:21:58
Speaker
You do your small part, and get this, he says, just like a tiny mustard seed, he will take that little bit of obedience that you do in reading and studying his word, and he's gonna produce massive amounts, much fruit in your life. To which you go, I get it. And I'm like, where's my buddy Jim Shriner? Jim Shriner's shaking his head right now, because I'm speaking Jim's language.
00:22:28
Speaker
planting and waiting is what's happening here. You'll notice that the sower doesn't sow it, God doesn't produce it and then he harvests it and it's on a Sunday. It says he plants it and he waits for God to build the fruit. In his perfect timing, in his sovereignty, God will produce. How do I know this? I'm glad you ask.
00:22:57
Speaker
Augustine Stock in his book called Method and Message simply says this. I love this because it can't get any simpler. He says, no matter how slow or no matter how great the loss may be, God always sees to it that the seed produces fruit. You do your part, God will do his part. And the amount of fruit in your life will be extravagantly more than you ever ever sowed. Friends, you do the little mustard seed and just see what God does in your life. He's going to produce large amounts of fruit in the life of the disciple.
Practical Steps to Abiding in God
00:23:39
Speaker
What do we do with this today? And this is where I'm going to land quickly.
00:23:45
Speaker
Oh, I apologize. It's not quickly. I just realized I have 15 minutes.
00:23:54
Speaker
I'll make it real simple today. How do we take this message today here? A message that says, get in God's word, listen to God, pray to God, do what he says. How do we make that real today as you leave? Well, first off, it's just two points today, quickly. Identify the distractions in your life. Your distraction and my distraction are completely different, but we all have distractions. For some of you, it's your kids. And the kids are going, what?
00:24:25
Speaker
Kids, understand your parents love you, but you could be a big distraction sometimes. Oh, I got to get them to the soccer game, the football game, the volleyball game, banned. I know I was a parent. I went through the same thing.
00:24:45
Speaker
Understand we all have distractions. Kids, social media, TV, fill in the blank.
00:24:56
Speaker
There's something that snares you. And I like this, I think it was, I think I was talking to Brother Pease yesterday. there's There's something that the enemy has laid out for you like a trap, a snare, a something that tangles you up. And he knows exactly what works for you. And it's different than what works for me.
00:25:23
Speaker
Recognize it for what it is. He's trying to trap you. He's trying to rob you of that fruit-bearing life that you so deserve.
00:25:35
Speaker
How do we produce fruit? This is the last part. You first identify the distraction, and then just two words. I want you to write these two words down. They're very small, very short. Abide and obey. Those are the two words I want you to write today. Abide and obey.
00:25:53
Speaker
Abide, because this is what it says in John 15.5, right? I am the vine, you are the branches, what? If you want to grow much fruit, you're gonna what? Abide in me. Because apart from me, you can do, say it again. If you think you're gonna start producing fruit in your life and remain not attached to God, not attached to Jesus, it's not gonna happen. Abide means that you're close knit It's this picture of wovenness like this. Are you tightly knit with Jesus throughout the week? You know how I know that? Because you go into a business meeting, you go into work, and you think to yourself before I get in,
00:26:39
Speaker
How in the world am I going to teach these fourth graders today? I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to pray to God for some guidance and some discernment and some patience. I'm getting ready to go to a business meeting. I'm going to sit in the board. i'm ava talk I need to go pitch an idea and try to get some new sales. You know what I'm going to do before I do that? I'm going to go to God. I'm going to ask for help. And I'm going to listen to what he says. And I'm going to do it. This is a tightly knit, tightly woven Christian life that you and I must have.
00:27:07
Speaker
We must come to him in all humility, opening his word, talking to him in in prayer, quieting yourself, which is somehow really difficult to do these days. I don't know why that's the case. Everybody's so busy doing something. Quiet yourself, listen to what he's revealing to you. He might be saying, you're spending too much time here.
Closing Reflections and Prayer
00:27:35
Speaker
Would you not spend so much time there? I have some such something better for you over here. Maybe he's saying, kids, obey your parents. They may have lived life just a little bit longer than you have. They maybe have figured out a thing or two. Obey them and see the blessing that comes from that obedience. He might be telling you, stop scrolling Facebook.
00:28:04
Speaker
You know how I know that's the case? Your thumbs start to hurt and your wrists hurt and your arms ache. And you're like, maybe I need to go to the chiropractor. No, put down your phone. Matter of fact, turn it upside down, turn it off. Maybe he's telling you that person that's living in your house with you, your spouse, maybe you're not spending enough time with them.
00:28:31
Speaker
Maybe you need to start spending a lot more focus on them. When we hear this direction from the Holy Spirit, and I'm gonna be real careful here, because i know I know how some of you guys are when we talk Holy Spirit. I'm not telling you God's gonna sit there and talk to you, and you're gonna hear this magnificent voice, and the bright light is gonna come down like Brother Wes read today in Acts so beautifully.
00:28:59
Speaker
I'm not saying that's the case. I'm saying when you're in God's word and you're praying and you're listening, you are led by the Holy Spirit because it reveals things in your life which don't align with God's will for your life. And he's saying, stop doing this, start doing this. The choice is yours. Stop doing this, start doing this. Will you obey me? And if you do, I will produce fruit.
00:29:27
Speaker
By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and prove to be his disciple. May we be a people who remain close, who abide, who are receptive and obedient to his word and he receives all the glory. Amen.