Called & Planted By God

Called and Planted by God

Text

*Gen 2:8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put H7760 the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted).

H7760 (Strong's Concordance)

שׂיםשׂוּם

śûmśı̂ymsoom,seem

A primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literally, figuratively, inferentially and elliptically): - X any wise, appoint, bring, call [a name], care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down, ([over-]) turn, X wholly, work.

*Gen 2:15

KJV

And the LORD God took the man, and put H5117 him into the gardenof Edento dress it and to keep it.

H5117 (Strong's Concordance)

נוּח

nûachnoo'-akh

A primitive root; to rest, that is, settle down; used in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, intransitively, transitively and causatively (to dwell, stay,letfall, place, letalone, withdraw, givecomfort, etc.): - cease, be confederate, lay, let down, (be) quiet, remain, (cause to, be at, give, have, make to) rest, set down. Compare H3241.

Have you ever wondered why in the world did God direct you to CBC? Why are you a member of this church and not some other church? Hopefully we will have these questions answered today ….

In Genesis God planted the Garden of Eden (delicate, delight) it must have been magnificent with all the flowers and trees and birds and He placed Adam and even in this Garden He planted them (look at Heb for ‘put’) in this delightful place. This is a foreshadow, I think, of the Body of Christ of what the Body of Christ should look like to the world:

• A tranquil place

• A place of rest and peace

• A place of safety

• A place of growth

Yet, We find that in this day and age So many believers in Christ seek for

• the ultimate church,

• the most popular pastor or

• the church that has the best of everything on offer.

• Some churches will even go so as far as selling you your favourite chair,you like to sit in Sunday after Sunday, for a small donation to the building fund.

• Then on the other hand we find many believers in the body of Christ, today that are rolling stones….and we know the age old saying: “A rolling stone never gathers moss”.

• They are for ever seeking out new ministries and have not yet found the ministry where they belong…..

A. God plants us in a ministry and church for a reason

*God is the master gardener from the beginning of time and when we look at Genesis 2:8 we can see that He planted not only the Garden of Eden for man but He also Placed or planted Adam in the garden where He fellow shipped with Adam and Eve.

*Through disobedience to God’s Word and through their own choice , Adam and Eve uprooted themselves from the Garden where God had planted them and the consequences that followed their decision has affected all of mankind (Rom 5:12):

Rom 5:12 NKJV

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.

You might think that you drifted or stumbled upon CBC one fine day, like my wife and I always thought, yet it was all in God’s design and plan.

B. We are to plant ourselves in His Word and in the body of Christ

• Feed on the Word daily

• Spend time in prayer and God’s presence

• Fellowship with fellow believers around the Word

• Discover our gift/calling is and develop it

• Use our gift to bless others

• Extend the ministry with our gift

What do trees need to grow healthy and develop a strong root system:?

• Water = The Word of God

• Sunlight = Fellowship with other believers

• Fertilizer and manure = Counsel of the pastoral team

• Pruning = Counsel of God

• Time = Staying, grounded in one church

What do trees do who have the above ………?

• They give their shade when it’s hot = Offer love to fellow believers through their gifts

• They give protection from the rain = Offer understating and prayerful ear in time of need

• They offer a place for birds to make their nesting place = Offer fellow believers encouragement and wisdom from God’s Word

• They produce fruit = The touch the world showing them the love of Christ