A Tree Planted by a Stream Constantly Bearing Fruit
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 38:31
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INTRODUCTION
What image comes to mind when you think of a tree planted by a stream:
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
CENTRAL IDEA: like a tree planted by a stream, we discover that as Christians, when we are rooted in the Word of God and connected to the source of living water, we can understand our ultimate purpose, genuine worth, and our true destiny by continuously bearing fruit in our lives.
Ultimate Purpose
Ultimate Purpose
People get frustrated trying to determine their purpose in life, or what is God’s Will for them in this life
They seek to find purpose, but do a comparison to other folk
Looking for own identity but it mirrors the masses and it’s nothing but a fad
Conform to a pattern
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Book stores are lined with self-help books, books on the purpose of life.
Filling that hole with something other than God
Some seek specific, personalize, individualize answers from God on a soulmate, job, house, etc. in order to be fulfilled.
People feel unfulfilled because they don;t know their purpose
People are genuine when seeking their purpose. But there are some who think they have no purpose and are here just taking up space - WHY?
When you are away from the source that made you, you will have a hard time figuring out your purpose in life
When you are away from the source that made you, you will have a hard time figuring out your purpose in life
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
He has made everything suitable in its time. He also has put the past in their hearts, yet no one can grasp what God does from the beginning to the end.
Genuine Worth
Genuine Worth
Closely akin to finding your ultimate worth is also discovering your genuine worth.
Every person has intrinsic value. The only purpose that does not have value is the person Christ did not die for.
This seek purpose through addictions, promiscuous lifestyles,
When you understand your worth, then and only then can you truly live and not just exist
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Your value begins with the fact that you are made by the hand of the Creator in His very image.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
True Destiny
True Destiny
Christianity is the only religion the tells you who your are, why your are here and where you’re going.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.