Pruning for Growth: Letting Go to Bear More Fruit
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 46:03
0 ratings
· 7 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
CENTRAL IDEA: Just as a gardener prunes a vine to increase its fruitfulness, God requires us to let go of certain things in our lives that hinder our growth, so that we may bear even more fruit and glorify Him.
INTRODUCTION
Pruning is the process of selectively removing the dead, diseased, or injured parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or spent flowers, to achieve a desired outcome.
It helps minimize the potential for secondary or opportunistic pests
It helps maximize the aesthetic qualities and overall vigor of the plant, or tree.
This same principle applies for the Christian:
In scripture, pruning is the process that helps Christians grow in our faith and relationship with God
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
The word prune here means to “cleanse” in the original Greek.
The only way to stay healthy is remain in Him and stay connected to the Vine.
It is not punishment - it is a blessing from God to enhance our spiritual growth by REMOVING whatever inhibits, stops or diminishes that growth
OBJECTIVE
The Purpose of Pruning
Habits/Sins that need to be Pruned
People in our lives that need to be Pruned
Purpose
Purpose
God loves you so much that He will take you as you are. He loves you too much to leave you where you are.
To remove what hinders growth
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2. Identify distractions, sins, and negative influences in our lives.
3. To prepare us for future blessings
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Habits/Sins to Prune
Habits/Sins to Prune
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
The reason Eve follow the serpent was not because he has better credentials than God. She follow him because she liked was he was saying
Folk who leave the faith are in search of happiness - not truth.
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
If it’s against God’s word, I should not agree with it, support it, endorse it, or celebrate it - Not matter how “important” the source.
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;
“But for fear” - church for the most part is the safe zone. There’s not fear of putting you foot out there for fear of it getting stepped on.
People to be Pruned
People to be Pruned
Toxic folk
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
How did Jesus deal with toxic people?
Jesus would not converse with them for long, would not engage on their own toxic terms, and most often would walk away from them altogether
Counterfeits
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
Hollow individuals with no ability for intimacy
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
These folk perceive everything as an attack - narcissist
insecure b/c they want control
True Christians want feedback and don’t mind it
The prideful person need people to stroke their ego
my accomplishments
my goals
These folks are their own rock-star
Healthy folk celebrate your accomplishments
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Self-centered takers. They do not appreciate what you do for them.
How do they respond to your needs? Are they responding to your needs.
How do these folk use scripture?
all blessing are centered around them
All scripture of correction are centered around you.
CONCLUSION
Honestly examine your life and those in you surround yourself with - and reflect on what God is asking you to let go in order to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.