The Consequences Of Producing A Crop Series

- I need to start with a word that I use quite a bit in sermons: context.

- It is essential that we don’t pull passages out of their original context and try to make them mean something that the original author didn’t intend. Further, we need to look at what comes before and after to see if that informs what is being said in our passage.

- In this case, it is what comes before it that strongly informs what is shared in our passage for this evening. Our last sermon was the parable of the four soils. As you hopefully remember, the passage brings out the idea that the normal Christian life is to be an abundantly fruitful one. Our lives, to take the last few words of v. 15, are intended to “produce a crop.”

- That leads directly into our passage for this evening. There are a number of ways to approach it but I’m going to divide it up into four consequences. What are some of the consequences in our lives of producing a crop? Obviously one from last week is the most obvious and important one: we live a fruitful life. Tonight’s passage builds on that to give us more understanding.

- A second initial point: this is what happens when we obey the teaching of Christ, not just claim an empty “belief” in Jesus.

- As we obey His teaching, it brings incredible changes in and through us. This is something we learn in John 15 - that we are the branches to Jesus’ vine and that a good connection to Him with naturally bring abundant fruitfulness. We obey, which leads us to abiding in Christ, which leads us to abounding in fruitfulness.

- But all this presumes that we are actively following the teaching of Christ.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF PRODUCING A CROP:

1. When our lives produce a crop, we become God’s shining lights.

- Luke 8:16a.

- The importance of context shows up immediately.

- Jesus begins this passage with a general truth about home lighting. No one lights a light and then hides it away. The whole point of lighting a light is to bring illumination to that room.

- Now, the point is not that Jesus is trying to help us with home decorating. This comes immediately after the parable of the four soils. He has just taught on the abundant fruitfulness that following Him brings.

- The point He is making is clear: when we follow the teaching of Christ, our lives become lights in the dark world around us.

- And that's not an unimportant aside - it’s why you light a light! God is trying to light the darkened world that we live in and the way He is doing it is through the fruitful lives of Christians.

- This presumes change in our lives.

- It’s not that we just claim a belief in Jesus but that we live lives that increasingly reflect the life of Jesus.

2. When our lives produce a crop, others can see God’s light in our lives.

- Luke 8:16b.

- The second half of v. 16 explicitly makes the point of the purpose of the light: so that others can see.

- This statement counteracts a lie that is prevalent in American Christianity today. That lie is that being a Christian just means saying you believe in Jesus and any life change is an unexpected bonus. No - Jesus intended Christians’ lives to be a living billboard to the power of Jesus in their lives.

- This is, to be blunt, one of the major reasons for the weak state of the American church today. We think that outreach events or slickly-produced worship services are going to attract people to Jesus. That is possible, but the original plan is that people would be attracted to Jesus by looking at the lives of His followers.

- We do, of course, need to be careful that we don’t do our works only for others to see. Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 brings out that truth.

- There are two extremes we want to avoid. On the one hand, doing our religious work exclusively for people to see. On the other, acting like our “belief” requires no religious work, no fruit.

- Instead, we want to live for God, naturally producing fruit, and know that the difference in our lives will impact the lives of those around us.

3. When our lives produce a crop, we are ready for the revealing judgment to come.

- Luke 8:17.

- Now let’s move on to v. 17. What are we to make of this and how does it connect to v. 16?

- What are we told here? We are told that nothing will be hidden and everything will be brought out into the open. What’s that about? It’s about Final Judgment.