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4th Retreat: The Fruitful Life Session 1

21 October 2006

4TH YAG RETREAT – THE FRUITFUL LIFE
Session #1
Saturday, 21 October 2006
Morning Session
Text: Isaiah 5
INTRODUCTION

1. Paradigm on the subject of Fruitfulness

a) God has a Paradigm

i) Theological

ii) Historical

b) God’s Paradigm

i) Bear Fruit

ii) Barrenness is unacceptable

iii) Barrenness will be summarily dealt with

2. Provision

a) God has made ample provision

b) Features of provision

i) Internal

ii) External

iii) Special

3. Perspective

a) Perspective of John the Baptiser

i) Fruits worthy of repentance          Matthew 3:8

ii) Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire          Matthew 3:10

b) Perspective of the Lord Jesus Christ

i) Parable of the Barren Fig Tree          Luke 13:6-9

ii) Cursing of the Barren Fig Tree          Matthew 21:18-22

4. Plan for the YAG Retreat

a) Messages from the Scriptures

i) Mornings

ii) Evenings

b) Discussion in Groups

i) Significance of small-groups

ii) Sharing in small-groups

iii) Relating to each other in the Body of Christ Ephesians 4

iv) Praying together

c) Taking time out for Personal reflection and Prayer

i) Learning

ii) Examining

iii) Praying

iv) Checking things out

v) Making Changes

vi) Looking forward to a more Fruitful Lifestyle – ultimately

A FRUITFUL LIFE IS A RESULT OF PLANNING

A. Goals of the Retreat

1. To examine the Scriptures on this subject
2. To understand how we may have a truly Fruitful Life
3. To deal with problems that may have adversely affected yielding much fruit
4. To draw much encouragement
5. To plan a life that will be truly fruitful
6. To increase fruitfulness
7. To discover and appreciate afresh that God will assist us in our endeavors to be fruitful

B. The Song of the Vineyard

Text: Isaiah 5 (The Imagery of a Vineyard)

1. Plans and Provisions

a) Planning of choice of ground

My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill

Isaiah 5:1

b) Preparation of the soil

He dug it up and cleared out its stones

Isaiah 5:2a

c) Planting of the best of vines

And planted it with the choicest of vines

Isaiah 5:2b

d) Protection of the vineyard

He built a tower in its midst

Isaiah 5:2c

e) Provision of a winepress

And also made a winepress in it

Isaiah 5:2d

2. Failure of the Vineyard

a) Whose fault?

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?

Isaiah 5:3-4

b) What went wrong?

3. Punitive Plans for the Vineyard

And now, please, let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.

Isaiah 5:5-6

a) Protection removed

i) Hedges

ii) Walls

iii) Trampling of the grounds

b) Plans discarded

i) Pruning

ii) Digging

c) Provisions withdrawn

i) No rain

ii) Removal of all provision

C. The serious problem of remaining in the state of unfruitfulness

And even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down And thrown into the fire.

Matthew 3:10

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; And they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned

John 15:6

1. Danger of being cut down
2. Danger of being withered
3. Danger of being thrown into the fire

D. Sobering Thoughts

1. Are we unfruitful?
2. Are we in danger of being cut down and thrown into the fire?
3. Is there yet hope?

E. Planning of a Fruitful Life          Matthew 13:1-23

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word And understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Matthew 13:23

1. Plan to hear the Word of God well          Matthew 13:23

a) Recognising the worth of the Word          (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13)

b) Responding to the Word preached

2. Plan to understand the Word of God          Matthew 13:23

a) The next step

b) Letting the Word of God sink in

c) Taking time to allow the Word to become implanted          (Cf. James 1:21)

3. Plan to avoid the following problems: –

a) Having a wayside heart

b) Allowing the Evil One to snatch away the seed of God’s word          Matthew 13:19

c) A stony-ground type of heart

A shallow heart          Matthew 13:20-21

d) A heart that is easily drawn away by the allures of the world          Matthew 13:22

F. Failure to Plan a Fruitful Life

1. Lack of Knowledge
2. Lack of Interest
3. Lure of the world
4. Lack of Foresight
5. Lack of Wisdom

Consequences of failing to plan are grave!

G. Learning how to Plan a Fruitful Life

1. Personal-life

a) Academic

b) Career

c) Personal

2. Spiritual-life

a) Daily walk

b) Church Ministry

c) In terms of Accomplishments

H. Checking out Your Plans

1. Checking against the Scriptures
2. Checking with wise friends
3. Checking with your pastors

I. Admonition to Plan well

Count the cost

Luke 14:25-35

1. Illustration – Building a tower          Luke 14:25

a) Desire to build a tower

b) Funds to start and finish the building project

c) A shame to start and not finish

2. Plan your faith-life

a) Believing in Jesus

b) Following Him as a disciple