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.
II. SARAH WAS BARREN, BITTER, AND HOPELESS. THERE IS NO WAY --- BUT THEN GOD HAS A PLAN --- THE BARREN SHALL BRING FORTH LIFE ---
A. WHEN GOD VISITS THERE WILL BE LIFE.
Genesis 11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
B. THE HOPE WAS GONE FROM ABRAHAM AND SARAH?
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOD’S PROMISED PEOPLE ACCEPT BARRENNESS?
C. DO WE LAUGH AT THE PROMISE?
Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and
shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
D. THE BATTLE OF BEING BARREN IS MUCH MORE THAN A ONE DAY BATTLE!
E. WHEN YOU ARE BARREN TODAY, YOU HAVE TO FOCUS BEYOND THE BARREN DESERT IN WHICH WE ARE DWELLING.
F. THE NOT SO SUDDEN --- SUDDEN MOVE OF GOD.
G. THE CHANGE IS COMING, --- THE BARREN WILL BRING FORTH LIFE.
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou
perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
H. O, BARREN HOPELESS PEOPLE, STAND BACK, BUY THE DIAPERS, THE BABY --- THE PROMISED SON WILL BE HELD IN YOUR ARMS.
Genesis 21:1 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
III. REBEKAH HAD A PROMISE, BUT SHE WAS BARREN.
A. Genesis chapter 24 is THE BEAUTIFUL BRIDAL SEARCH CHAPTER.
B. ABRAHAM SENDS HIS MOST TRUSTED SERVANT BACK TO THE HOME LAND. REBEKAH COMES UP AND OFFERS WATER TO THE SERVANT AND UNTO HIS CAMELS.
C. The servant prayed a 110 WORD PRAYER AND THE ANSWER CAME BEFORE THE AMEN WAS SAID... REBEKAH ---
D. Rebekah comes back and marries ISAAC.
THE PROMISE OF GOD WAS A CHILD.
Genesis 25:21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren:
E. GOD GIVES THE FAITHFUL BARREN WIFE A SON.
F. REBEKAH GIVES BIRTH TO TWO SONS --- TWINS ---
1. ESAU --- The Hunter.
2. JACOB --- The Momma’s boy.
G. THE ENEMY TRIED HIS BEST TO KEEP THE PROMISE FROM DELIVERY, BUT THE BARREN WOMB HAD A SON.
IV. JACOB IS WALKING IN GOD’S PROMISE, AND HE MEETS HIS LOVE --- RACHEL, AND BARRENESS TRIES TO THREATEN THE PROMISE AGAIN.
A. JACOB THE CHEATER IS CHEATED ---
Jacob worked seven years to marry Rachel.
Jacob married Leah, the older sister.
B. JACOB LOVED RACHEL SO MUCH HE WORKED ANOTHER 7 YEARS. He worked 14 years for her...
Genesis 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
C. JACOB MARRIES HIS LOVE.
LEAH THE SISTER HAD 10 SONS, BUT POOR RACHEL WAS BARREN.
Genesis 29:31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
D. RACHEL HANG IN THERE, YOUR SON WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HISTORY.
Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Genesis 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
Genesis 30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
E. FAITH CLAIMS MORE! RACHEL BEARS JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN AFTER BEING BARREN.
V. HISTORY NEEDS A GOD CALLED LEADER, AND A BARREN SPIRIT TRIES TO HINDER THE PLAN OF GOD AND THE WORK OF GOD.
A. MANOAH’S WIFE NEEDED A SPECIAL TOUCH SHE WAS BARREN, AND GOD NEEDED A MAN --- SAMSON.
Judges 13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and
bear a son.
Judges 13:6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
Judges 13:8 Then Manoah intreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
B. WE MUST REFUSE TO BE BARREN, FRUITLESS, HISTORY DEPENDS ON YOU. PLEASE COME BACK AND TELL US AGAIN? LET US HEAR THE MESSAGE AGAIN?
C. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
EAT WITH US?
Judges 13:20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar.
And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
D. MANOAH AND HIS BARREN WIFE BROUGHT FORTH LIFE THAT HELPED THE NATION TO VISTORY.
VI. CAN ONE BARREN WOMAN CHANGE HISTORY? ASK HANNAH? HER LITTLE SON WILL ANOINT THE FIRST TWO
KINGS OF ISREAL.
A. Hannah was neglected and she hurt real bad.
Hannah refused to accept bitterness.
B. The enemy tried to make her barrenness her pain.
Hannah refused to accept her barren part.
1 Samuel 1:5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb. 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
C. WHEN THE LORD REMEMBERS YOU EVERYTHING WILL BE OK!
1 Samuel 1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.
D. HANNAH GAVE HER SON, GOD BLESSED HER FRUIT.
1 Samuel 1:27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.
E. BECAUSE HANNAH REFUSED BITTERNESS AND BARRENNESS, GOD BLESSES HER WITH MORE.
1 Samuel 2:21 And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
VII. YOUR ENEMY TRIES TO USE BARREN SPIRITS TO HINDER GOD’S WORK, WE MUST NOT ACCEPT BARREN.
A. ELISABETH WAS MARY’S COUSIN.
Luke 1:7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
B. BARREN SPIRITS CAN’T STOP LIFE!
Luke 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call
his name John.
C. IT WOULD BE NICE IF WHERE THERE WAS DOUBT PEOPLE COULD NOT TALK!
Luke 1:20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
D. WHERE THERE IS BARRENNESS WE MUST PRESS ON AND CLAIM NEW LIFE.
E. WE MUST LOOK:
1. INWARD
2. OUTWARD
3. UPWARD
F. Please, let us not accept spiritual barren and dry deserts as the norm.
This is a test, hang on and reach forward. Grow!
Let us lay much fruit at Jesus’ feet.
Philippians 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
2 Cor. 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass it on to another?
