Nourish The Root

Introduction

What do you want to fill your life with?

Former roommate, life revolved around video games and couldn’t figure out why his life was miserable.

People are driven to sell themselves into various ideologies in order to fill the emptiness that only Christ can fill.

But, because they are placing their root in things which are poisonous or vain, they produce unsatisfying fruit.

Vicious cycle of pleasure, power, possessions, and none of them satisfy.

How do we attain a blessed life?

We need to nourish the root.

The Blessed Life

Jeremiah 17:7–8 ESV

“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.”

Should sound familiar - compare to Psalm 1 from last week. An awareness of the psalmist’s words.

What does it mean to be blessed?

Blessed. Happy. Content. Fulfilled.

Contrast it to the words previously spoken by the prophet:

Jeremiah 17:5–6 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

People run from the curse and run towards the blessing.

What people truly desire.

Nobody says, “I really hope I can just coast through life and get to death as quickly and quietly as possible.”

Poets capture the opposite sentiment – Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Blessing must be intentionally sought.

A tree does not consider which way to send its root and then does it. Not capable. Plant.

But, the tree here, “sends out its root.” There is a conscious decisions.

You have the responsibility to make the decision where to put your root.

Results? Does not fear WHEN heat comes. Not anxious in the year of drought.

Those things are going to come. How we respond to difficulties is directly related to our spiritual strength.

Instead, as we stay connected, we find life (leaves remain green) and a productive life (does not cease to bear fruit).

Living the Abundant life

Romans 6:22 ESV

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Set free from sin – Root out

Slaves to God – Transplant of True Freedom / your root is going to be in something!

Sanctification – Becoming more and more like Jesus in our Attitudes and Actions.

In the end is eternal life

Meaning in the Now and the Then.

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Received – Salvation

Walk – Live. Leaving evidence (carbon footprint decrease, spiritual footprint increase)

Rooted and Built Up. Taught & Thanksgiving

The more we know and know about God, the more we will worship.

Conclusion

Cleaning out the cattle trailer. Like the worst job. Scoop it out into the garden.

It was good to get that stuff into the ground! Good for those plants to have their root in that fertilizer.

Too many people today have their root in “fertilizer.”

We’ve got something better.

Nourish your root by...

Discipleship

&

Worship.

Discipleship.

Chain

Dead Sea Syndrome

Worship

Personal - Church is to be the culmination of personal worship.

Corporate - When we join our hearts together. If this has taught us anything, it is the value of being together.