My Most Fruitful Year Ever
Sermon: “My Most Fruitful Year Ever” Jan 6, 2008
Question #1: What year is this?
Question #2: Does God want this to be my most fruitful year ever, since I became a Christian?
John 15:2
Ezekiel 17:24
Question #3: What would my life look like, if this was my most fruit year ever?
1.
2.
3.
Question #4: What does it mean to be “Fruitful”?
John 15:10
Question #5: Why does God want this to be my most fruitful year ever?
John 15:8
Isaiah 60:21; Isaiah 61:3
Question #6: How can I make this my most fruitful year ever?
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
Psalm 92:12-13; Psalm 52:8
John 15:4,9-10
Matthew 3:16 – 4:10
Sermón: “El Año de más Fruto” Jan 6, 2008
Pregunta #1: ¿Qué año es?
Pregunta #2: ¿Quiere Dios que este año sea mi año de más fruto?
Pregunta #3: ¿Cómo sería mi vida si hay más fruto este año que en ningún otro año?
Pregunta #4: ¿Qué significa ser un Cristiano con mucho “fruto”?
Pregunta #5: ¿Por qué quiere Dios que este año de mi mas fructífero año?
Pregunta #6: ¿Cómo puedo hacer de este año el más fructífero?
Lee: Juan 15:1-10
Isaías 60:21; Isaiah 61:3
1 Corintios 3:6-7
Salmo 92:12-13; Salmo 52:8
Sermon: “The Fruitful Christian” Jan 6, 2008
QUESTION #1: What year is this?
Answer: This is the yr of fruitfulness…….by God’s grace it will be my most fruitful ever!
QUESTION #2: Does God want this to be my most fruitful year ever? YES
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (VP) Si una de mis ramas no da uvas, la corta; pero si da uvas, la poda y la limpia, para que dé más [fruto todavia]
Ezekiel 17:24 All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and [I] make the dry tree flourish. “ ‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’ (VP) Y todos los árboles del campo sabrán que yo soy el Señor. Yo derribo el árbol orgulloso y hago crecer el árbol pequeño. Yo seco el árbol verde y hago reverdecer el árbol seco. Yo, el Señor, lo digo y lo cumplo.’ (RVR) Y sabrán todos los árboles del campo que yo Jehová abatí el árbol sublime, levanté el árbol bajo, hice secar el árbol verde, e hice reverdecer el árbol seco. Yo Jehová lo he dicho, y lo haré.
QUESTION #3: What would my life look like if this was my most fruit yr ever?
* Paint your personal picture of fruitfulness in your life
Rom 1:13 [converts] I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles
John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor
Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Rom 15:28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit [financial], I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control….
Heb 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name
John 15:7[Answered prayer] If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples
QUESTION #4: What does it mean to be a “fruitful” Christian?
“Fruitful” = moment by moment Obedience to God’s revealed will
John 15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (RVR) Si guardareis mis mandamientos, permaneceréis en mi amor; así como yo he guardado los mandamientos de mi Padre, y permanezco en su amor. (VP) Si obedecen mis mandamientos, permanecerán en mi amor, así como yo obedezco los mandamientos de mi Padre y permanezco en su amor.
Which were Joseph’s most fruitful years? Those as a slave & prison or those in power?
Which was Moses most fruitful X? his miracles days in Egypt OR his 40 yrs in the desert
QUESTION #5: Why does God want this year to be my most fruitful year ever?
John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (NBLH) “En esto es glorificado Mi Padre, en que den mucho fruto, y así prueben que son Mis discípulos. (NVI) Mi Padre es glorificado cuando ustedes dan mucho fruto y muestran así que son mis discípulos. (RVR60) En esto es glorificado mi Padre, en que llevéis mucho fruto, y seáis así mis discípulos.
Isaiah 60:21 Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. [in order to bring myself glory – nlt] (RVR60) Y tu pueblo, todos ellos serán justos, para siempre heredarán la tierra; renuevos de mi plantío, obra de mis manos, para glorificarme. (VP) “Todos los de tu pueblo serán gente honrada, serán dueños de su país por siempre, retoños de una planta que yo mismo he plantado, obra que he hecho con mis manos para mostrar mi gloria. (NVI - la obra maestra que me glorificará]
Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. [In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory – NLT] (RVR) a ordenar que a los afligidos de Sion se les dé gloria en lugar de ceniza, óleo de gozo en lugar de luto, manto de alegría en lugar del espíritu angustiado; y serán llamados árboles de justicia, plantío de Jehová, para gloria suya. (VP) a dar a los afligidos de Sión una corona en vez de ceniza, perfume de alegría en vez de llanto, cantos de alabanza en vez de desesperación. Los llamarán “robles victoriosos”, plantados por el Señor para mostrar su gloria
QUESTION #6: How can I make this my most fruitful year ever?
Things I need to start doing:
Things I need to stop doing: Bad things…….Good things
John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (VP) Sigan unidos a mí, como yo sigo unido a ustedes. Una rama no puede dar uvas de sí misma, si no está unida a la vid; de igual manera, ustedes no pueden dar fruto, si no permanecen unidos a mí. 5 “Yo soy la vid, y ustedes son las ramas. El que permanece unido a mí, y yo unido a él, da mucho fruto; pues sin mí no pueden ustedes hacer nada.
John 15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (RVR) Si guardareis mis mandamientos, permaneceréis en mi amor; así como yo he guardado los mandamientos de mi Padre, y permanezco en su amor. (VP) Si obedecen mis mandamientos, permanecerán en mi amor, así como yo obedezco los mandamientos de mi Padre y permanezco en su amor.
1 Cor 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (RVR) Yo planté, Apolos regó; pero el crecimiento lo ha dado Dios. 7 Así que ni el que planta es algo, ni el que riega, sino Dios, que da el crecimiento.
Ps 92:12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. (RVR) El justo florecerá como la palmera; Crecerá como cedro en el Líbano. 13 Plantados en la casa de Jehová, En los atrios de nuestro Dios florecerán.
Ps 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. (RVR) Pero yo estoy como olivo verde en la casa de Dios; En la misericordia de Dios confío eternamente y para siempre.
Matt 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him Lk 4:1 Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan & was led by the Spirit in the desert (RVR) Y Jesús, después que fue bautizado, subió luego del agua; y he aquí los cielos le fueron abiertos, y vio al Espíritu de Dios que descendía como paloma, y venía sobre él.Lk.4:1 Jesús, lleno del Espíritu Santo, volvió del Jordán, y fue llevado por el Espíritu al desierto
OBEDIENCE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
*This year I will focus my preaching on the TRINITY (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
MISC
Romans 8:14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Ezekiel 16:7 I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare.
Ps 44:2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and [you] made our fathers flourish.
Ps 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Jeremiah 17:8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Ezekiel 17:8 It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
FLOURISH
Ps 72:7 In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more
Prov 12:12 The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.
Prov 14:11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
Isaiah 66:14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes.
Hosea 14:7 Men will dwell again in his shade. He will flourish like the grain. He will blossom like a vine, and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon
PLANTED
Ps 80:8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and [you] planted it.
Ps 80:15 the root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself.
Ps 144:12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.
Isaiah 5:2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and [He] planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
Isaiah 37:27 Their people, drained of power, are dismayed and put to shame. They are like plants in the field, like tender green shoots, like grass sprouting on the roof, scorched before it grows up
Jeremiah 2:21 I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
Jeremiah 32:41 I will rejoice in doing them good and [I] will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.
Jeremiah 24:6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
Jeremiah 31:27 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord.
Ezekiel 17:22 ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.
Hosea 2:23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’
2 Sam 7:10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and [I] will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning
Jeremiah 11:17 The Lord Almighty, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done evil and provoked me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
Jeremiah 12:2 You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear [bad] fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts
Jeremiah 42:10 ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieved over the disaster I have inflicted on you.
Jeremiah 45:4 The Lord said, “Say this to him: ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land.
Ezekiel 19:10 ‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. 11 Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many branches. 12 But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them. 13 Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land. 14 Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.”
Hosea 10:13 But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors,
Amos 9:15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
Micah 6:15 You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil on yourselves, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
Zephaniah 1:13 Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine.
Haggai 1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”
Zechariah 10:1 Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime; it is the Lord who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.
Isaiah 55:10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
1 Chron 17:9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and [I] will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning
Matthew 13:6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
Matthew 13:31-32 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
Matthew 15:13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
Matthew 21:33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
Luke 20:9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
1 Corinthians 9:7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?
1 Corinthians 15:37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.
FLOURISH…
Ps 37:35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
Ps 92:7 that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed