I. EXORDIUM:
Does GOD place a time on everything?
Yes. Look at the creation, it's divided into 6 days of creation. GOD created a time and placed a time on everything.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (The Living Bible)
3:1 There is a right time for everything:
3:2 A time to be born; A time to die; A time to plant; A time to harvest;
3:3 A time to kill; A time to heal; A time to destroy; A time to rebuild;
3:4 A time to cry; A time to laugh; A time to grieve; A time to dance;
3:5 A time for scattering stones; A time for gathering stones; A time to hug; A time not to hug;
3:6 A time to find; A time to lose; A time for keeping; A time for throwing away;
3:7 A time to tear; A time to repair; A time to be quiet; A time to speak up;
3:8 A time for loving; A time for hating; A time for war; A time for peace.
Genesis 1:3-5 (The Living Bible)
1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light." And light appeared.
1:4 And God was pleased with it and divided the light from the darkness.
1:5 He called the light "daytime," and the darkness "nighttime." Together they formed the first day.
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To show that GOD placed a time even on our spiritual growth so don't waste time but use time for GOD's Glory.
Ephesians 5:16 (Amplified Bible)
5:16 Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.
Colossians 4:5 (Amplified Bible)
4:5 Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity.
IV. TEXT:
Luke 13:7 (Amplified Bible)
13:7 So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?
V. THESIS:
Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we bear much abundant fruit because we abide and dwell in Your Presence everyday because of Your Grace upon us.
VI. TITLE:
Three years to bear fruit
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)
B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)
C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses
VIII. MAIN BODY:
A. We are given three years to bear fruit
"So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none."
GOD has His own time table. It's usually His time not ours that is on the line.
Illustration:
If you consistently goes to your local church every Sunday, and 1 midweek service a week, and attends prayer meetings ALL as a result of Grace through faith, you are a healthy CHRISTian and bearing fruit will be automatically done because you always cling to the Vine - the LORD JESUS. Of course, not to mention, that you have your daily devotions and prayer time privately as well, first and foremost.
John 15:4-5 (Amplified Bible)
15:4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
15:5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.
Dresser of the vineyard or "ampelourgos" in Greek meaning:
1. vine worker
2. pruner
3. vine dresser
The vine dresser here is not the FATHER as compared in John 15, but an angel or GOD's worker. The worker or dresser of the vine has two main functions according to this verse alone; namely, (1) pruner, (2) cutter of the vine.
Leviticus 19:23 (Amplified Bible)
19:23 And when you come into the land and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count the fruit of them as inedible and forbidden to you for three years; it shall not be eaten.
I believe this is the answer to my question, "If GOD the FATHER loves Adam and Eve then He would just have given them the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, the answer is Yes, but Adam and Eve have to grow first spiritually, they never gone to the normal growth of human being, when they appear they are already full-grown physically but not spiritually. They are not yet ready for the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. They have to wait for three years and the FATHER GOD will give it to them when they're ready spiritually.
Leviticus 25:21 (Amplified Bible)
25:21 Then [this is My answer:] I will command My [special] blessings on you in the sixth year, so that it shall bring forth [sufficient] fruit for three years.
In the physical world of farming for the Jews, three years is an important time and deadline placed on their fruit trees to bear fruit. The significance is this you can't expect fruit from a baby CHRISTian but from a mature CHRISTian. That's why a baby CHRISTian is highly encouraged to attend all seminars offered in the local church for their own growth and maturity.
John 15:16 (Amplified Bible)
15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you.
John 15:4 (Amplified Bible)
15:4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
From the start the LORD JESUS never wanted a parasite CHRISTian, someone who does not bear fruit. It's cursed by the LORD.
Matthew 21:19 (Amplified Bible)
21:19 And as He saw one single leafy fig tree above the roadside, He went to it but He found nothing but leaves on it [seeing that in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. And He said to it, Never again shall fruit grow on you! And the fig tree withered up at once.
Fruits are therefore results of your relationship with the LORD. It's your changed lives/renewed mind, actions of faith, by-products such as another CHRISTian believer, ministry involvement, etc.
Matthew 3:8 (Amplified Bible)
3:8 Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart];
Luke 3:8 (Amplified Bible)
3:8 Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham.
Therefore, what are fruits in our lives?
1. Fruits are proof that we have changed lives.
Matthew 3:8 (Amplified Bible)
Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart];
Matthew 3:10-11 (Amplified Bible)
And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
I indeed baptize you n (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
2. Fruits are your works/labor in the LORD doing His will. When you do GOD's will, that's your fruit. For example, if you lack finances, you still tithe and offer, then that is your fruit that remains.
Matthew 7:20-21 (Amplified Bible)
Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.
3. Fruits are words that comes out from your mouth. For example, if you say curse/cuss/useless words, that's your fruit. You need a change of heart.
Matthew 12:33-35 (Amplified Bible)
Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.
You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
4. Fruits are your understanding and comprehension of GOD's WORDS.
Matthew 13:23 (Amplified Bible)
As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps and comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.
5. Fruits are your children or descendants - spiritual children/descendant or physical children/descendant
Luke 3:8 (Amplified Bible)
Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham.
Matthew 12:33 (Amplified Bible)
Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.
Luke 1:42 (Amplified Bible)
And she cried out with a loud cry, and then exclaimed, Blessed (favored of God) above all other women are you! And blessed (favored of God) is the Fruit of your womb!
6. Fruits are Divine effort on your life
Matthew 21:19 (Amplified Bible)
And as He saw one single leafy fig tree above the roadside, He went to it but He found nothing but leaves on it [seeing that in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. And He said to it, Never again shall fruit grow on you! And the fig tree withered up at once.
Remember Adam and Eve they sewed fig leaves or leaves pertaining to human effort to reach out to GOD but we know leaves will fail, will be blown by the wind and will wither but leaves are not the ones needed but GOD's effort - which is a sacrifice. Not leaves (human effort) but skins (Divine effort).
Genesis 3:7 (Amplified Bible)
Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apronlike girdles.
Genesis 3:21 (Amplified Bible)
For Adam also and for his wife the Lord God made long coats (tunics) of skins and clothed them.
Romans 1:13 (Amplified Bible)
I want you to know, brethren, that many times I have planned and intended to come to you, though thus far I have been hindered and prevented, in order that I might have some fruit (some result of my labors) among you, as I have among the rest of the Gentiles.
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B. If three years have passed, still no fruit, we will be cut down.
"Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?"
Illustration:
I've talked with a hard working, rich, single woman who was thirteen (13) years in local church and she's bragging about it, then I ask, what ministry she's involved with, she just said, she's always busy and never have the chance to join any ministry. Yes, these type of believers flooded the local church and waste space and the aircon of the church, but they're not joining any ministry (fruits) or showing any renewed mind because if her work offers overtime on Sunday, she goes to work for the whole day on Sunday but never goes to church. She prioritizes her job more than her relationship with the LORD. (no changed lives)
I salute pastors who say to their members, please if you're going to sleep in church, better not occupy the seats just sleep outside of the church, so you can give chance or places to sit for people who are interested.
For me, they're physically present in worship services but deep inside they are no longer joined with CHRIST, no relationship with CHRIST, yes they say the right words, like Hallelujah, Praise the LORD, GOD bless, but deep inside they don't have any personal relationship with the LORD anymore, they are already cut off, because three years have already passed from them.
That's why church visitation ministry plays a great role in knowing these type of CHRISTians, in church they act save but visit them in their houses, you'll know them more.
Luke 3:9-13 (Amplified Bible)
3:9 Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
3:10 And the multitudes asked him, Then what shall we do?
3:11 And he replied to them, He who has two tunics (undergarments), let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do it the same way.
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?
3:13 And he said to them, Exact and collect no more than the fixed amount appointed you.
When John, the Baptist was asked how can they prevent the axe from cutting them off. John the Baptist answered them with changed lives, and renewed mind. (both of these are fruits)
Example of King Nebuchadnezzar:
Daniel 4:14 (Amplified Bible)
4:14 He cried aloud [with might] and said, Cut down the tree and cut off its branches; shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the living creatures flee from under it and the fowls from its branches.
A rich, powerful king but does not bear fruits for GOD.
Example of Israel, the fig tree that does not bear fruit for GOD:
Matthew 3:10 (Amplified Bible)
3:10 And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Doing GOD's will is also our fruits.
Matthew 7:19-21 (Amplified Bible)
7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
7:20 Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.
7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.
Illustration:
Let's return to this rich, hard-working, single woman and after hearing her story from her directly, I challenged her to resign and find another job/work that will allow her to go to church on Sundays, be on Saturday for worker's preparation and for her to attend midweek usually on Wednesdays. But she just said, sorry i can't do that, i love my work. She's just really saying, "sorry i love my work more than GOD" I'll just be like this for the rest of my life until JESUS returns, attends church but never commits.
IX. CONCLUSION:
Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS for we bear much abundant fruit because we abide and dwell in Your Presence everyday because of Your Grace upon us.
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