Jude 12 - Trees

Last week

Jude uses some examples of nature to describe those determined on destroying the church

Likened unto clouds

They are without water

Carried about of winds

Disappointing

Carried about by the evils of this world

Our Response

Rooted in the Word of God

Resolved to the Word of God

This Week

Next illustration from nature being trees.

King James Version Jude

trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Trees have

Expectations of producing fruit

Plant young trees in the back, one day they will produce fruit.

Old mature trees in the back already producing fruit

Expectations of protection

See a lot of norfolk pines here

They are planted around the fruit and nut farms to provide protection from the wind

Go to the Mauna Loa mac nut farm and you will see hundreds of norfolk pines surrounding the mac nut trees

They are there to protect the fruit

God’s Expectations

Genesis 1:28 - And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Man procreate

One of the reasons homosexuality is an abomination unto God as there is no possibility of same sex being fruitful and multiplying. Breaks the natural order God established.

John 15:8 - Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Fruit, More Fruit, Much Fruit

Good fruit - that type of production that is gainful, helpful, glorifying.

Bad fruit - rotten fruit coming from corrupt trees

Jude 12

These men are dead trees, twice dead

Their soul is dead

They are dead to God

No fruit for God

Give the appearance of possibly fruiting, but produced nothing

Spiritual aspect

No life in them

No Spirit

No fruit

Matthew 7:18-20

Exposed to the Gospel

Rejecting of the Gospel

No conversion, they were living a lie

Their works are dead

They are dead to man

No fruit for man

Theses men are uprooted, tossed away

Separated out from the fruitful

Matthew 7:19

2 Corinthians 6:17 - Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Mixed metaphors here showing spiritual poverty and the separation that should take place from that

Not ignored

Taking up space, could contaminate the other trees

Application

Make sure you are alive, lol.

Eph 2:1 - And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ye must be born again

Making 100% sure your faith is on Christ

Not your works

Not your religion

Be a fruitful Christian

Good Fruit

Good fruit is upward

Who is glorified; God

What is produced is for Him

Good fruit is outward

The tree gets no gain from producing fruit

The fruit is not for the tree

The fruit is for others

World of self today we flip that around that the fruit is for our gain. Prosperity gospel crowd.

God’s order is that the fruit is for others for their benefit

What does that look like?

Servant of Jesus Christ

Life marked by the Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23

Protection

Part of being a productive tree is being a protective tree as well

Just as those large Norfolk pines block the wind

So does each family need a Father standing up blocking this world from the home

So does each family need a mother standing up blocking the winds of this world

So does the church need members standing up for the old paths

Salvation one way, through Christ alone

Sanctification of the believer

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Separation

World’s music

World’s theology

World’s methods

World’s motives

Pastor should not be the only one concerned over doing things in a Biblical manner and protecting His church

Invitation

Churches and homes full of twice dead trees today

Make sure you are alive today, born again

Determine to be fruitful

Upward and outward

Protective