Preparing to Bear Fruit, Pt. 2 (08/20/2000)

Preparing to Bear Fruit and the Sanctification Cycle

Always careful to hop up. Last week I hopped too quickly and today I was right on my mark. Next Sunday, the Lord willing, I want to preach a doctrinal message to you called the Sanctification Cycle. And it'll be more of a teaching time where we talk about all the different aspects of sanctification.

And we'll look at it from a doctrinal point of view. This morning, though, this will be more of a sermon in the sense that I want it to touch your hearts. And not that I don't want the teaching to, but I want to continue this message that we began called preparing to bear fruit.

And we're going to pick up where we left off. And if it takes us anywhere near where it took me in the study this week, we're going to have a good time today. Hallelujah. So turn to Isaiah chapter 30.

We're going to be in Isaiah chapter 5, but I want you to look at chapter 37 and verse 30 first of all, just to review just a little bit. Let's look at Isaiah 37, 30, and 31 because remember that the whole idea of discussion for several Sundays has been fruit bearing.

Isaiah 37 and verse 30. And this shall be a sign unto thee, ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself. And the second year that which springeth of the same. And in the third year, sow ye and reap and plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof.

And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. And that's going to certainly come to light. This little, this sets up a little cycle or the beginning of a cycle that we're going to talk about next Sunday, the sanctification cycle.

Now turn to Isaiah chapter 5, verse 1. And we're going to pick up in that passage of scripture that we preached from last time I preached a couple of Sundays ago. All right. Just follow along with me just in case it might be somebody that wasn't here two Sundays ago.

Kind of get you up to speed on this passage. Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. Who do you think is the well beloved in the Bible? Jesus. My well beloved hath a vineyard and a very fruitful hill.

And he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower in the midst of it. And also made a wine press therein. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes.

And it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray ye, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?

Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes. And now go to I tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I want to stop there just a moment. And let's just review what we learned about that part of the passage before we go further.

You could turn this down just about a little couple of hairs there. Thanks. First of all, we see this passage begins with the work of a sovereign God in the life of the believer. And sometimes we call this sanctification, although sanctification has other aspects.

We'll talk about that next Sunday. But we see Jesus as the vine dresser in verse one. And we see several things that God has done. First of all, he planted seeds in good soil. It says he put them on a fruitful hill.

So God planted the seeds, the son of God, or I should say by the son of God. He planted the seeds and he planted them in fertile soil. Secondly, it says he fenced it in, which pictures protection. Psalm 37, 28 says for the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints.

They are preserved forever. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein forever. So God places a fence around his own, a fence of protection. Jude 1 says, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ.

Don't you love that word preserved? And then Hebrews 7, 24. But this man, and we're talking about the one who is over the vineyard here, the vine dresser. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him. So we have a fence built about us. And then we see as we go on down in the passage that he gathered out the stones in the soil.

Now in Luke chapter 13 verse 8 it says,. And answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it, and if it bear fruit well. So here he removes the rocks. He takes care of the plants.

He fertilizes the plants. He works the soil. And then the next thing we see is that he planted the right seed. He calls it the choicest vine. This is God's seed. And God's very nature is born within the person when he is born again.

And we are God's seed. And so he plants the right seed in this place. And then the next interesting thing that we see is that it says he builds a tower right in the midst of it. Now that's beautiful symbolism.

Because it points out the omnipresence of the Lord, of the Father let's say. But it also points out the fact of the indwelling Holy Spirit right in the center of the life of the believer. Now that's an amazing thing that not even the Old Testament saints had.

They had the Holy Spirit sometimes. He would come upon them. But we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our bodies. And our body is the temple of the living God. The Apostle Paul taught us so very clearly.

And it's like the Holy Spirit rebuked me a little bit this week as I studied for some things that I've said before. Because I've heard other preachers say them. You get in trouble there. You ever notice that Brother Otis?

You get in trouble when you repeat other preachers sometimes. So probably y 'all get in trouble when you repeat me sometimes. But I've had this saying. And I never liked it when I said it. But I said it anyway.

Have you ever had one like that? Where you said it and something pricked your heart? Who do you think that might have been? The Holy Spirit saying, let me teach you. You need to be careful about these men teaching you.

Let me teach you. But I've said, well, God showed up. You ever heard that expression? God showed up. You've heard it because I've said it. Well, I think I know what we mean when we say it. And it's certainly not meant to be wrong or evil or anything.

But you know what? It is undoctrinal. It is completely outside of Scripture. Because if you walked in this building, God showed up. Because He dwells within your hearts. And everything that the Ark of God pictured in the Old Testament.

Which we're going to see in a few moments. It pictures what's in your heart. So what does it mean? The presence of God. The presence of God is here if you're here today. So I think sometimes. And this is a fascinating study that we're doing on fruit bearing.

Because what it does is it brings in this marriage of the sovereignty of God. And the will of man. It forces us to examine how they exist together. We may not understand how. But that they exist together is a fact.

It forces us not to just look at the outside of time viewpoint. But also at the end time viewpoint. And let me say this. If you have seen the outside of time viewpoint. The sovereignty of God. The fact that God is the I Am.

And the Father is not in time. And it's present tense to Him all the time. If you've seen that it's only because the Lord revealed it to you. Because you would never naturally understand those things.

If He hadn't put some little nuggets in the scripture. You'd never have known that. But I'll say this. Even though God makes us aware of the sovereignty of God. We're living in time. And there are times that you need to live like you live in time.

And if you don't you become what they call a hyper-Calvinist. And you just sit at home and wait for God to do everything. And that's not only unbalanced. It is heretical. Now I've enjoyed talking with some of the folks in our church about these things just privately.

I get an opportunity to speak with Brother Otis about it a lot. And I got to visit with the Evermans this week. And Brother Everman was talking to me about the same subject. He was talking to me about a preacher that.

Or actually it was a little church. You don't mind me telling this. It's good because I'm doing it anyway. But anyway. I already told it. I hope that's okay. No. He was telling me about a little church that actually.

He was instrumental in helping to start this church. And actually donated the building that they could meet in. Years later he looks back on that. And I told him, Brother Everman, that's hindsight which is always perfect.

You don't need to worry about what happened. But he said, I think I may have made a mistake in going with that group at that time. And I said, well, why? He said, well, today if you go to that church.

They just kind of sit there. And they may study the Bible. But they sit there and they just think God's going to do everything. They don't witness. They probably don't pray all that much. And they've gotten so far out on the sovereignty of God issue.

And out of balance. That they just don't do anything. It's kind of like maybe they would open the back doors. You've heard me give this example of a hyper Calvinist. You open the door. And God will bring in the elect.

And they'll get saved. Well, that's a little bit out of whack. And he was explaining to me how the fact is. Preachers need to also preach the whosoever will passages. And as we go out in our lives. We need to share the gospel with people.

In fact, Jesus said share it with everything that moves. And God will work. This study brings us to a place where these two great doctrines come together. And we have to study sanctification. Not only from the outside of time viewpoint.

Which is what we'll see next Sunday is called positional sanctification. But also from the end time viewpoint. Which is where we live. Every day of our lives until he comes back for us. And that's called the experiential side of sanctification.

Or experimental as some of the theologians call it. It means what happens now. What is happening in my life. Right now as I move forward in time. And these two things meet in this study. Makes it very interesting to take a look at it.

Well, Jesus is in this lookout tower. Which is in the midst of the garden. Now I've really been thinking a lot about outside of time and inside of time. And I really have a hunch that one of the things that has kept the great theologians of the past.

From being able to even talk about the sovereignty of God and the will of man in the same sentence. Is because they haven't understood the outside of time versus in time. And perhaps it's two different dimensions.

But we know that it's two different things existing at the same time. God can see perfectly how simple that is and we struggle with it. But I will say this. That God the Father who is outside of time and beyond time.

Extends himself into time in two ways. One by the Holy Spirit and the other by Jesus Christ or in Jesus Christ. And so as we see Jesus in the Bible. Sometimes we'll see him in the Old Testament. Sometimes we'll see him in the New Testament.

And we even see in the book of Psalms that it says he has a special affinity for this earth. And for the men of this earth. Jesus does. That's in time. As the Holy Spirit dwells in your body and you take sequential steps through time.

Then the Holy Spirit is in time. And therefore the Father is in time. Because his spirit is here within you. Now chew on that a little bit this morning and think about it. Because it is a way that God can be both outside of time and inside time at the same time.

Easy for me to say wasn't it? Well as we study this little passage today. We're going to see God in time. In his son the vine dresser. Now this is pictured in some places and we'll see it a little later.

David, King David is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ many times. And we'll get to that in just a few moments. But anyway he planted this perfect seed in this perfectly fertile soil. He gathered the stones out, worked the soil.

And he builds this tower right in the midst of it. Signifying his presence in the middle of it, in the heart of it. And then it says that he built a wine press. Can you remember what that picture is? When we did this study a couple of weeks ago.

What is the wine picture? The blood of Jesus and a result of that blood that happens to us. What is it? What is wine picture throughout the Bible? Come on. Joy. I shouldn't ask a bunch of bad. Why am I asking badness about wine anyway?

But it pictures joy. Now let's go into Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 2. And let's look at the second part of the verse. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes. Who is looking? Okay, God. But here's what I want you to do in this study.

And I've always known this but I never really practice it that much. But I've learned to practice this by talking with Brother Otis for some time now. He has made me focus on this. We know that God is one God.

But he extends himself into time by his spirit and in his son. So in this particular study I'm going to ask you to be specific. And to talk about which one we're dealing with. Now it is God, yes. But who is the vinedresser?

Jesus. And why am I thinking this is important for this study? Because Jesus can walk in what? In time. And we have an in time viewpoint in this study. The Holy Spirit as he is in us is what? He's in time.

And so therefore God can be in time in this way. And yet the Father is outside of time the entire time. Okay, so now I want you to look. Let me ask again. And he looked that it should bring forth grapes.

Who is looking? Jesus Christ. He is looking that it should bring forth grapes. Let me ask you this. Is he looking from an in time vantage point or an outside of time vantage point? In time. Is the Father at that very moment in time?

Only indirectly though. Right, only in Jesus. Because the Father is outside of time in some way. We will never, well I won't say never. But right now we're not going to fully understand that part. But we do know it's true, don't we?

Because he's the I am. And so specifically God in Christ. Our Jesus Christ being God. Is looking that it should bring forth grapes. And he's doing it in time. Now when Jesus was on the earth. Let me ask you this.

Did he exhibit all of the attributes of his deity? What is one of the things he left behind when he came down into time? Exactly. Now I want you to hang on to that thought. And you're going to begin to be able to bring together the sovereignty of God and the will of man.

You're going to be able to bring together the concept of why it is that Brother Otis teaches that God does not respond to man. And yet you seem to see God responding to man throughout the entire Bible.

As man does something and it says and the wrath of God comes. It's obviously a response. How can that be? How can both be true? Because the Father who is outside of time responds to nothing. He is the great cause.

He is the great beginning and cause and end of everything. So it would be totally illogical to say that he responds to man. Because then all of a sudden man is determining what's going to happen in history.

And God's no longer sovereign. That's impossible. But as God extends himself into time for whatever reason he does. I just say he does it because he enjoys it. I mean if you created something. Wouldn't you want to take part in it?

Or would you just want to sit up there and watch it? Or would you want to make it all happen like a puppeteer? Well what if you were God and you didn't think like we think. And you were able to be far beyond anything we can conceive of.

And it's possible for you to both be in complete control. In fact view it as if it's all already happened. And at the same time be in it and watch it as it happens. And even to respond to it in that manner.

And this is what we see God do. As we look at the Lord Jesus Christ. As he looks that it should bring forth grapes. Now look at Isaiah 5 .2 in the second half. Or the very end of the verse. He looks that it should bring forth grapes.

And or you could say but. It brought forth wild grapes. That means bad fruit by the way. In this context. Well now look at verse 3. Now I can't really see the father per se saying that as the father. But I can certainly see him as the Lord in time saying this.

It makes sense if you put it in that context. And you know the word of God has come from the heavenlies. And landed on your lap this morning. And it's in time. And it's the story of God. Predominantly as he walks with us in time.

Because that's the only way. That's the starting place. How could we as born again brand new baby Christians. Have ever contemplated God outside of time. What if he had come to you and the first thing God did.

Is all you had in the whole Bible. Is it said some of the stuff about. That I am and I'm always now. And you'd be going what? So he gives us these stories of himself walking with his people. And look what happens.

He says well I want you to judge between me and my vineyard. What could I have done more than what I did. What is there that I haven't done. To cause them to bear fruit. Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth fruits.

Why did it bring forth wild grapes he says. And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. Now we see here the sovereignty of God. Acting in the way that he has made preparation for everything.

Everything that man needs that his people needs. To do what he commands has been provided. So that they can do what he commands. And he's commanding fruit. And yet we see in the very same passage. The responsibility of man.

Because he says what more could I have done. He is showing that the fact of failure is not his fault. Now let me tell you one thing. That I and I've mentioned this in private to some of you. But let me say it publicly this morning.

There's one thing that I know is true. That I could go into a large congregation. Of the most serious Calvinist in the world. And I could say it and not one of them would disagree with me. And that is.

That at the great white throne judgment. As the world comes before God to be judged. Not one of them will stand and say. Well God you can't throw me into heaven it's your fault. You ordained me to go to hell.

How many of you think he'll hear that. By one single preacher. He won't hear that. But is it a fact. Some of you balk at that. Read your Bible you'll find out. There are some ordained to the smoke of their torment.

Will ascend forever and ever. But they won't be saying that. Why do you suppose they won't be saying that. Because they're not going to blame that on the sovereignty of God. But you know what we do. Since we're schooled in these issues.

And we focus on God rather than man. Which is the right position to take by the way. But sometimes when we fail we blame it on God. Well he must have ordained it. I mean if it happened he ordained it.

Well there's a sense in which that's true. But he's not going to allow them to say that at the great white throne judgment. And I don't believe we'll be saying it at the judgment seat of Christ either.

Do you? Well Lord I mean. You made me exactly what I am. And the gifts I have you gave me. I couldn't do that. I know you told me to be kind to people. I know you told me to give. I know you told me to witness and to pray.

But I couldn't obviously. Because I would have if I could have. It's your fault. If you're going to say that you better say it now and then confess it. Because you won't get that opportunity when we meet Jesus.

So what we see is the responsibility of man. And we see it right here. And God says what more could I have done? Now for God to say that he had to come down into time though didn't he? For him to ask any such question.

If God appears to be seeking information. He has to be in time doesn't he? Because the Father knows all things. The end from the beginning. And so all of a sudden we see that man bears fruit or lacks bearing fruit.

Because he does what he wants to do. Even in the face of God's grace. And goodness. And provision. And everything that God has done. Man does what he wants to do. And he's held accountable for it. Lack of fruit is the result.

Both of man doing what he wants to do. And as we'll see in a few moments. Especially next week. This sanctification cycle. All of a sudden God withdraws certain of these benefits that he gave. And then it gets real bad.

But you know what he always does? He comes back and puts his love on us. Because he knows we're responders. And he'll bring us back to himself. And there's a cycle we'll talk about next week. Right now though what I want you to do.

That was all kind of just preparation to see this message this morning. Turn to 2 Samuel chapter 16 and verse 20. And I want to read to you a couple of verses from Ephesians. While you're finding that.

Sounds like most of you found it before I did. But Ephesians 5 24. Now listen to this carefully. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ. So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Man there was your chance to say amen right there. You blew it. Now ladies are you ready to go? Oh amen. Husbands love your wives. Even as Christ also loved the church. Oh nice godly small quiet amen.

I like that. Husbands love your wives. Even as Christ also loved the church. And gave himself for it. That he might sanctify and cleanse it. With the washing of water by the word. And later it says I speak of a mystery.

I speak of Christ and the church. And so we see here that. Christ being the groom. And the church being the bride. We're starting. God is starting to give a some symbolism. And some pictures in the physical world.

To help us understand spiritual truths. Is he not? Well he does this in the Old Testament too. And I want you to notice. For the rest of our time this morning. I'm going to talk about two different kinds of wives.

Both very real. Both in time and in time viewpoint. And I want you to see David as a type of Jesus Christ. And you know what I mean by that. A picture of Jesus. David in these stories is going to be a picture of Jesus.

And the wife or in some case the wives. Are going to be a picture of the church. Now you have to understand that. Or you're going to miss this whole message this morning. Jesus is who? He's the groom.

And who's going to picture Jesus? King David. And who are the wife and or wives of David going to picture? The church. Now I think what you're going to notice. Is David being a picture of Jesus Christ.

David is going to be in time. David is going to be the lover. And the wife is going to respond with love back to him. Hopefully that's what he desires to happen. And we're even going to talk about bearing fruit.

Because fruit comes from a marriage doesn't it? In the form of babies. So this whole thing is going to be pictured here. But you're going to see two different types of wives. And you're going to see God in time.

In Jesus Christ responding. So even though we understand the father does not. We'd better understand as we walk in time. We better live as if we're in time. Better not hold to the part that we're going to meet God someday.

And say well I did everything your sovereign hand made me do. Therefore everything's okay. It's your fault God that it's going to happen. What's going to happen is God is going to ask us. Why'd you do that?

You know why? Because perhaps even that judgment occurs in sequence. And we're going to answer to who? The Lord Jesus Christ. That's why they call it the judgment seat of Christ. So let's start with the first form of wife.

And see what happens. And I want you to know this. I was talking with Brother Russ about this this week. We just had an amazing discussion about this. I felt like. And I was telling him how the Pentecostals have the cart before the horse.

And he looked at me. See these glasses? Look at his glasses. See how he does that right there? He looked over the top of those glasses. He said David. Sometimes the Baptists don't even have a cart. So I went down under the table.

I dropped my fork Brother Russ. But I want you to see both errors this morning in the church. We have. And I'm not really picking on the Pentecostals per se. But you'll see what errors we're picking on there.

And then we've got the other errors that we can see among ourselves. Which is more important to us would you think? Our own. Okay. But naturally being a good Baptist I'm going to start with the other one.

Alright. So let's look at 2 Samuel 16 and verse 20. Now. We see. Absalom who has usurped the throne. From the rightful king who was David. So Absalom is going to picture who? Satan. Let's just say the enemy.

Could be the flesh. The world. Satan. Let's just say the enemy. And notice that he's getting counsel. From an ungodly counselor in verse 20. Then said Absalom to Ahithophel. I should have practiced that one out loud.

Just to myself all week. Ahithophel. Give counsel among you. What we shall do. Now there are a lot of folks in churches around today that are taking counsel from the wrong people. They're being given bad counsel.

And they're preaching things that aren't true. And saying things that they've heard other people say. And carrying it on as if it's the truth. And they're getting in trouble. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom.

Now this is real good advice. He says. Go in unto thy father's concubines. Now who's his father? Who's Absalom's father? David. The rightful king. And when David had to flee for his life. He left. He couldn't even have time to get his household out of there.

So his wives are left there. He didn't get to take them with him. He had to leave. And they're left there. Well Absalom takes over. And all of David's wives and concubines. Or maybe not all of them. But a lot of them are there.

And this evil counselor tells Absalom. Go in unto thy father's concubines. Which he hath left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father. Then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

Because they'll be afraid David's going to come and kill you. So they'll protect you. Now that was real interesting counsel wasn't it? That's logic isn't it? Boy that's. That just shows how if you start with a false presupposition.

You can end up with a conclusion that's wrong. But if you follow the train of logic it seems perfect. As long as you'll accept the beginning as right. Then when you follow it on down it's perfect. That's how the devil always deals with us.

He'll throw out a false presupposition. Eve God would want to keep from you that which he knows is good. She accepted that and then the rest was easy. Just follow right down to the place. We'll take the fruit and eat it.

God wants you to have it. Now look at verse 22. So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of David's house. And Absalom went in unto his father's concubines and wives in the sight of all Israel. Now that's a certain kind of wife that got caught in that problem.

That's the kind of wife who was deceived by the enemy to say the least. Taken advantage of by the enemy. And I would say that this is kind of a picture of the part of the church in the world today. That will accept any form of doctrine and counsel.

Because that's not what's important to them. What's important to them is just sometimes worship. Sometimes praise. Sometimes excitement. And not that the excitement is wrong. It's certainly not. But what is wrong is when false counsel will be accepted and the doctrine is not important.

And we see that all around us. I would say it's the fastest growing movement in the country right now. And the reason is because of the excitement. People want to be where people are excited about God.

And these people are. But they're being taken advantage of by the enemy because they're given false information. Now I want you to turn to 2 Samuel 6 .12. And let's look at the other kind of wife. And if you want to leave, now would be the time.

Because this one's going to talk about Baptists. The modern Baptist. 2 Samuel 6 .12. And it was told King David. Now what is the Ark of God picture? One of the most important thing in pictures is what?

The presence of whom? The presence and power of God. So David went and brought up the Ark of God. From the house of Obed-Adam. Into, it's easier the second time with practice. Into the city of David with gladness.

Why would David be glad about bringing the Ark of God to the city of David? To the temple where it belongs? Why would he be glad? That man. It sure is. And why is it going to be a blessing? Is it actually the Ark that was the blessing?

Who was it? The presence of God. David was excited about the presence of God. David brought the presence of God back to where it was supposed to be. Which represents our hearts. He brought this back with gladness.

And it was so that when they that bear the Ark of the Lord had gone six paces. David stopped them and sacrificed oxen and fatlings. Every six steps. And I don't know how long the journey was. But it was probably, how long?

Fourteen mile journey. On foot every six steps they stopped and offered offerings. And this man is a religious fanatic. And David danced before the Lord with all of his might. He certainly was not a Baptist.