FUTILITY
AND FRUITFULNESS
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II. FRUITFULNESS COMES ONLY BY FAITH WORKING THROUGH
LOVE A. Empowerment to live fruitfully does not come from the law, nor does it come from our own resolve or will power. It comes through faith in Jesus and the Spirit of God dwelling within us. B. As far as I can tell, the only ways that we can exercise our faith in Christ so that we might be fruitful are through: |
“The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, (Heb. 10:39) is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, (2 Cor. 4:13, Eph. 1:17–19, Eph. 2:8) and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word, (Rom. 10:14,17) by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened. (1 Pet. 2:2, Acts 20:32, Rom. 4:11, Luke 17:5, Rom. 1:16–17)” (Westminster Confession of Faith, “Of Saving Faith” XIV:1) |
Ø Study and practice of the Word of God
Ø Prayer
Ø Sacraments
Ø Fellowship of the saints (Acts 2:42; see Question 88 of the Shorter Catechism and Question 154 of the Larger Catechism)
[T]he devil knows that the Lord commonly blesses the assembly of believers, the ministry of the Word, and the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Therefore, he goes along to church and will seek to implement his practices upon you there also. He may suggest reasons to you why you ought not to attend, suggest all sorts of thoughts to you, stupefy your mind with sleepiness (if he is permitted to do so), or do a thousand other things to rob you of the Word or to render it ineffective. Remind yourself of this, be acquainted with his devices, be on your guard, and out of hatred and enmity for him, do not in any way cooperate with him. Remind yourself that at such a moment you must do battle and strive for a victory. (a Brakel, W. The Christian's Reasonable Service, Vol. 4:240).
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III. THE SOIL OF THIS WORLD AND THE NATURAL THINGS
OF THIS WORLD ARE NOT ABLE TO PRODUCE OR NURTURE THE SUPERNATURAL FRUIT OF
THE SPIRIT (John 15:19; Galatians
1:4; James 1:27; 4:4; 1 John 2:15) A. The public education system is hostile toward faith in Jesus Christ. Because of this, there is little in it that can contribute to our fruitfulness as Christians. B. Christian parents don’t want their children being taught that all religions are equal or that all sexual orientations are equal. But just as dangerous is a homeschool whose atmosphere is one of enmities, strife, jealousy and outbursts of anger! |
“Christians have no choice but to be diligent students of their host cultures…One critical issue concerns the inability of many Christians to identify the important differences between native flora and flora of God’s kingdom. For too long we have wrongly assumes that indigenous plants pose no serious threat to a Christian way of life. As a result, many churches routinely and unwittingly cultivate these indigenous plants, bringing to harvest fruit that bears within it the seeds of some other kingdom” (Philip Kenneson, Life on the Vine, pp.26f.). |
1. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6).
2. For in Christ Jesus neither homeschooling nor
public school has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing
itself through love.
“There may be theologians, scholars, and teachers who would try to tell us that there is inherent good in man which if properly tended and cultivated can be gradually improved so that it ultimately becomes divine. This may strongly appeal to our human pride. It may pander to our self-centered preoccupation with self-improvement. But it is not the teaching of God’s Word.” (Keller, A Gardener Looks…, 82).
C. Much of what is on television will not benefit you in your growth in Christ. In fact, much of it is fertile soil for nourishing the deeds of the flesh.
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise
men but as wise,
making the most of your time,
because the days are evil.
So then do not be foolish, but
understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH
DISCUSSION & MEDITATION
Take what you have learned
this morning and make it into a prayer.
Pray that your faith in Jesus would make you fruitful in your service of
Jesus Christ and in your relationship with all people.
What Old Testament book was
read from that is about the vanity of life apart from the fear of God? Have you ever read the book before? If not, take the time and read it today
Why is lack of prayer
evidence of a lack of living by faith?
What does it mean that we
naturally rejoice in vanity? How is
this detrimental to the fruit of the Spirit?
What happened to Adam and Eve
and all the world when they did not produce the fruit of obedience?
What did Jesus do to the fig
tree when He went to it for food? What
was this a sign of?
What is the only way that we
as Christians can bear the fruit of the Spirit?
Because we naturally slouch
toward futility what should the only focus of the church be? (see Matthew
28:18-20)
Comment on the statement made
in the sermon, “For in
Christ Jesus neither homeschooling nor public school has any value. The only
thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (cf. Galatians
5:6),
The means of grace are the
means by which we grow in Christ. They
include baptism, reading/preaching/practice of Scripture, prayer, the Lord’s
Supper and fellowship with God’s people.
How can you better utilize these means of grace?
“Oh, that I might not
loiter on my heavenly journey!”
Citation: David Brainerd, 18th century missionary
to Native Americans and inspiration to William Carey, the "father of
modern missions," who cited Brainerd’s journals as a key source of his
inspiration to take up the missionary life.
