O, Barren Bring Forth Life!

O, BARREN BRING FORTH LIFE!

WHEN THE BARREN GIVES LIFE

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

If you do this lesson as one sermon you have to move very quickly, from point to point, or do as a two part.

Introduction:

There are degrees of fruit bearing. (John 15)

1. No fruit 2. Fruit 3. More fruit 4. Much fruit.

What if where we have been we see little to no fruit? Is this OK? Some plant, some water, but God gives the increase.

We need to earnestly seek God that we do not stay BARREN!

We desire much fruit to lay at His Feet!

TEXT:

Eccles. 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall

prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

GOD’S PLAN IS BEYOND STAYING BARREN! GOD HAS A PROMISE!

Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon,

they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds

and rushes.

8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the

wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and

sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Years ago we lived in the mountains of eastern Kentucky.

We would drive US-23 to Ashland,KY or Hunington, W. VA. There was a beautiful brick church by the side of the road. It was not used and empty.

The windows were broken out and the old house of worship was desolate.

As I would drive by I often wondered why the church was dead and empty?

One day I was driving and I spoke out loud:

I WONDER WHY THAT BEAUTIFUL CHURCH IS RUN DOWN AND EMPTY AND NOT USED FOR WORSHIP ANY MORE?

My oldest son was about 10 years old, answered and said: I KNOW DAD, SEE THE CEMENTARY ALL AROUND THE CHURCH? IT IS FULL. ALL THE CHURCH MEMBERS GOT OLD AND DIED AND NO YOUNG PEOPLE TOOK THEIR PLACE.

I thought --- the church is one generation away from extinction.

What is the name of your pet dinosaur?

You don’t have a pet dinosaur? Why?

They died quicker than they hatched?

I. ARE WE RAISING UP BARREN CHRISTIANS? DO WE ACCEPT FRUITLESSNESS AS AN ACCEPTABLE NORM?

A. How many have been aborted in our churches?

What happens when our churches straight line and grow stagnate?

Are we satisfied with no growth?

B. NO ROOTS? NO FRUITS?

SICKLY OAKS FROM SICKLY ACORNS GROW.

C. GREAT IS THE YIELD OF A FERTILE FIELD.

D. DEFINE:

1. DESERT:

Arid,barren land incapable of supporting any considerable population.

An area devoid of life.

A desolate or forbidding area.

2. Desert:

To withdraw without intent to return.

To quit one’s post, allegiance, or service without leave or justification.

3. BARREN:

Sterile, infertile

Not reproducing, --- incapable of producing off spring, ---not productive

Habitually failing to deliver fruit.

To produce inferior products.

To lack interest, information, or charm.

Dull, unresponsive.

An extent of unusual level land having inferior growth of trees and little vegetation.

4. Desolate:

Joyless

Sorrowful as in separation of a loved one.

Showing the effects of neglect and abandonment.

Devoid of warmth, comfort, and hope.

No longer used or occupied.