II. LESSON-- What can we do for growth?
A. The Lord needs personal workers. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 contains the formula
for creating them. "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you
in our prayers; 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; 4 knowing,
brethren beloved of God, your election, 5 how that our gospel came not unto you in word
only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; even as ye know
what manner of men we showed ourselves toward you for your sake. 6 And ye became
imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of
the Holy Spirit; 7 so that ye became an ensample to all that believe in Macedonia and in
Achaia. 8 For from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth; so that we need not
to speak anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering
in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true
God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus,
who delivereth us from the wrath to come."
B. The Lord needs prospects. Luke 14:15-23 describes the process and its guidelines
to finding propects. "And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these
things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 But
he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many: 17 and he sent
forth his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are
now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto
him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me
excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I
pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I
cannot come. 21 And the servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of
the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the
city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame. 22 And the servant
said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said
unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in,
that my house may be filled."
C. The Disciple needs to "bear fruit."
1. John the baptist recommends the actions that follow repentance as "fruit
worthy of repentance," and fitting for our life of commitment to Christ. Luke
3:7-14 "He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye
offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth
therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We
have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to
raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the
trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire. 10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do? 11
And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him
that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise. 12 And there came also
publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do? 13 And
he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And soldiers
also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort
from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with
your wages." (Compare Romans 7:4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made
dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even
to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.")
2. Fruit-bearing is a response to hearing the Word, and "holding it fast." Luke
8:15 "And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart,
having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Patience
has its reward, Revelation 14:12-13. "Here is the patience of the saints, they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard the voice from
heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea,
saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with
them.")
3. Fruit-bearing is our general service to God. Colossians 1:3-10 "We give thanks
to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 having heard of
your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, 5
because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before
in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even as it is also in
all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye
heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 even as ye learned of Epaphras our
beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 who also
declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this cause we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the
knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 to walk worthily
of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God."
III.CONCLUSION AND APPEAL-- John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear
much fruit; and so shall be my disciples."