WEBVTT - Skip Heitzig - Oct 14 - 7:30 am 0:00:00.220 --> 0:00:03.750 Welcome to Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig. We're so glad 0:00:03.770 --> 0:00:08.549 you've joined us today. Throughout his ministry, Jesus stepped into 0:00:08.670 --> 0:00:13.770 ordinary lives, fishermen at work, people on the margins, men 0:00:13.810 --> 0:00:17.780 and women with questions, doubts, and hope, and simply said, 0:00:18.760 --> 0:00:19.280 follow me. 0:00:20.579 --> 0:00:21.140 And they did. 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:26.160 Following Jesus was never meant to be complicated. In this 0:00:26.220 --> 0:00:30.210 message from Pastor Skip Heitzig, We won't just learn about Jesus. 0:00:30.950 --> 0:00:35.409 We'll rediscover the simple joy of following Jesus. We'll hear 0:00:35.470 --> 0:00:39.449 his call, watch his way of life, and remember that 0:00:39.550 --> 0:00:43.100 following him always begins with simply taking the next step. 0:00:44.780 --> 0:00:46.860 Well, welcome to Calvary Church. 0:00:47.920 --> 0:00:50.980 Did you bring a Bible with you? That's smart. You 0:00:51.000 --> 0:00:51.519 were thinking. 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:57.250 Before we get into the study today, Just an announcement 0:00:57.290 --> 0:01:00.730 that we are planning a tour to Israel next year 0:01:00.790 --> 0:01:04.850 in 2027. I've been kind of putting that off because, 0:01:04.890 --> 0:01:07.030 you know, stuff going on over there. But it looks 0:01:08.060 --> 0:01:11.600 right now like there's a window. And so we are 0:01:11.640 --> 0:01:13.620 going to do a tour. I've been asked by so 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.920 many people for so long. There's a waiting list of 0:01:17.180 --> 0:01:21.170 so many people who have been inquiring. So we are 0:01:21.190 --> 0:01:23.869 going to do that in April of 2027. You can 0:01:23.890 --> 0:01:25.090 get information about that. 0:01:25.930 --> 0:01:26.850 On our website. 0:01:27.430 --> 0:01:32.369 And Inspiration Cruises is the outfit that is helping us 0:01:32.410 --> 0:01:34.250 put this on. You can get it on their website 0:01:34.370 --> 0:01:38.410 as well, eventually at least. But we're going to pray 0:01:38.470 --> 0:01:39.870 right now for our time together. 0:01:39.890 --> 0:01:40.970 And I. 0:01:42.660 --> 0:01:47.340 Underline the word together. You have decided to come to church. 0:01:48.020 --> 0:01:50.660 You're here not watching this online. You could be at 0:01:50.720 --> 0:01:53.480 home watching it online, but you decided to That there's 0:01:53.580 --> 0:01:58.420 value in leaving your home and getting together with other 0:01:58.460 --> 0:02:03.090 believers to have the same common experience of worship and 0:02:03.210 --> 0:02:07.590 word together. And there is something powerful that happens when 0:02:07.670 --> 0:02:10.850 that happens. The Bible promises that. So let's pray and 0:02:10.910 --> 0:02:14.419 ask God to do what he wants. Father, we are 0:02:14.460 --> 0:02:18.820 putting ourselves before you as living sacrifices. We're giving you 0:02:18.860 --> 0:02:23.150 our time. We're giving you our attention. We're giving you 0:02:23.220 --> 0:02:26.970 our thoughts. We are purposely not going to be distracted with. 0:02:26.910 --> 0:02:29.630 Texts, et cetera. We are tuning into you. 0:02:30.190 --> 0:02:32.730 And we pray like young Samuel prayed that you would 0:02:32.850 --> 0:02:36.010 speak and that we would hear and we would understand. 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:38.620 We would not only be hearers of the word, but 0:02:38.660 --> 0:02:42.060 we would become doers of the word as well. Use 0:02:42.139 --> 0:02:46.600 us not only individually, but together as a team, as 0:02:46.620 --> 0:02:51.690 a group, as a congregation in this community to bring 0:02:51.710 --> 0:02:56.280 your light In Jesus' name, amen. One of my favorite 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:58.850 stories for a long time has been the story about 0:02:58.870 --> 0:03:02.350 the preacher who was selling a horse. And because the 0:03:02.389 --> 0:03:04.530 horse belonged to a preacher, he trained it a little 0:03:04.570 --> 0:03:07.810 bit differently. And when he was selling his horse to 0:03:07.930 --> 0:03:10.650 another guy who was interested, the preacher said, look, this 0:03:10.710 --> 0:03:13.200 horse is trained a little bit different, so it will 0:03:13.220 --> 0:03:17.500 not respond to the typical commands. If you want the 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:22.560 horse to go, do not say giddy up or kiss. whatever, 0:03:22.580 --> 0:03:25.200 you need to say, praise the Lord. If you just 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:28.780 say those words, the horse will go forward. If you 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:31.460 want to stop the horse, you don't go, whoa, you 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:34.040 just say, amen. That's how this horse responds. I've trained 0:03:34.060 --> 0:03:36.840 to praise the Lord, go, amen, and stop. So the 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:40.930 guy paid the preacher the money, walking or trotting, taking 0:03:40.970 --> 0:03:43.190 the little horse on a trot out in the fields, 0:03:43.250 --> 0:03:46.630 taking it home. when suddenly a jackrabbit ran in front 0:03:46.650 --> 0:03:49.410 of the horse, spooked the horse, and the horse just 0:03:49.690 --> 0:03:54.060 took off into an open gallop, which freaked the guy 0:03:54.240 --> 0:03:58.300 out on the horse, and he just forgot the instructions. 0:03:58.940 --> 0:04:01.480 So he's trying hard. Whoa, whoa, whoa. 0:04:01.500 --> 0:04:04.520 The horse keeps going, going, going. Whoa, whoa, nothing, nothing. 0:04:04.620 --> 0:04:06.920 Then it dawns on him what. 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:08.020 The preacher said. 0:04:08.860 --> 0:04:15.260 So he said, amen, and the horse dug his hoofs 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:20.280 in and came to a screeching halt just before a 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:26.050 200 foot drop into a river. And the guy's horse 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:34.669 is panting and he goes, praise the Lord. Now that 0:04:34.710 --> 0:04:37.990 may be the only wrong time to say the words, 0:04:38.210 --> 0:04:44.460 praise the Lord. All other times, it's right to say that. 0:04:45.770 --> 0:04:47.950 I bring that up because I actually had a hard 0:04:48.029 --> 0:04:49.770 time saying those words. 0:04:51.050 --> 0:04:55.510 I remember distinctly as a young believer, I knew people 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.340 who would say praise the Lord and it just seemed weird. 0:04:58.060 --> 0:04:59.200 To me, contrived. 0:04:59.220 --> 0:05:02.580 They were always saying it, it just sounded odd to 0:05:02.620 --> 0:05:05.859 me and I just didn't, I couldn't do that. And 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:11.550 I actually remember the place and the time that I 0:05:11.640 --> 0:05:14.590 first said the words praise the Lord and I meant 0:05:14.650 --> 0:05:16.980 it from my heart. I remember what I was doing. 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.360 I remember where I was going. And I said the words. 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.720 And when I did, it was like a victory for me. 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:28.680 I kind of felt like I'm becoming a fruitful believer. 0:05:30.250 --> 0:05:36.830 And I discovered that verbal praise is indeed fruit. It 0:05:36.870 --> 0:05:40.310 says in Hebrews 13, we should offer the sacrifices of 0:05:40.350 --> 0:05:41.229 praise to God. 0:05:41.710 --> 0:05:45.190 That is the fruit of our lips. 0:05:47.529 --> 0:05:52.890 However, we also know that just saying the right things. 0:05:54.210 --> 0:05:54.789 Isn't enough. 0:05:55.089 --> 0:05:57.620 It's not enough to just get excited about something. We've 0:05:57.630 --> 0:06:00.539 been reading a parable, the parable of the soils and 0:06:00.580 --> 0:06:05.020 the sower and the seed, where there were some who 0:06:05.060 --> 0:06:13.260 had great excitement with no commitment. John Stott wrote these words, 0:06:13.990 --> 0:06:17.950 the Christian should resemble a fruit tree, not a Christmas tree. 0:06:19.370 --> 0:06:23.630 For the gaudy decorations of a Christmas tree are only 0:06:23.770 --> 0:06:29.660 tied on whereas fruit grows on a fruit tree. You 0:06:29.700 --> 0:06:33.520 may recall that Jesus talked about fruit bearing in John 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:37.350 chapter 15 and he said, abide in me and you 0:06:37.390 --> 0:06:44.010 will bring forth much fruit. Now, We have been reading 0:06:44.110 --> 0:06:47.470 in Mark chapter four, where you are turning now or 0:06:47.510 --> 0:06:51.229 have turned, Mark chapter four, we've been reading about that 0:06:51.310 --> 0:06:54.370 parable in the first 20 verses that we did for 0:06:54.410 --> 0:06:57.870 a couple of weeks, about four different soils, four different hearts. 0:06:58.870 --> 0:07:02.780 And the first heart listened, but rejected. 0:07:02.240 --> 0:07:05.580 The truth immediately. That's the heart and soil. 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:10.920 The second type of heart was somebody who expressed superficial excitement, 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:15.510 but that didn't last very long. Because they were shallow 0:07:15.690 --> 0:07:19.670 in their commitment. The third were people who were distracted 0:07:20.250 --> 0:07:24.800 over many competing interests. And that's the weed infested soil. 0:07:24.860 --> 0:07:28.700 But then the fourth type was the good soil. And 0:07:28.740 --> 0:07:31.560 the good soil was very productive. The roots went down. 0:07:32.120 --> 0:07:35.960 And it was very abundant in the harvest that it produced. 0:07:36.380 --> 0:07:38.990 Now... As we continue on. 0:07:39.070 --> 0:07:43.490 Jesus will expand on that fourth type of soil, the 0:07:43.530 --> 0:07:48.410 receptive heart soil. Fruitful believers, those who hear the word, 0:07:48.950 --> 0:07:53.440 accept it, and bear forth fruit, as he said in 0:07:53.450 --> 0:07:59.020 verse 20. Now, that begs the question, what exactly is 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:05.460 a fruitful follower, a fruitful believer? It simply means he 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:10.270 is or she is productive followers. Their life is producing something. 0:08:10.330 --> 0:08:15.290 It's growing to the point of productivity. And the Bible 0:08:15.410 --> 0:08:19.410 actually uses the term fruit to speak of several different things. 0:08:19.450 --> 0:08:22.450 Here's a few of them. It sometimes speaks of fruit 0:08:22.540 --> 0:08:26.420 as spiritual character. That's Galatians 5. The fruit of the 0:08:26.480 --> 0:08:31.300 Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, gentleness, self-control, etc. 0:08:32.140 --> 0:08:36.420 That's spiritual character. Also, the Bible speaks of fruit as 0:08:36.480 --> 0:08:41.470 being holy things. character, holy living. Romans chapter 6, you 0:08:41.490 --> 0:08:45.250 have been set free from sin and you have your 0:08:45.530 --> 0:08:51.929 fruit unto holiness. Then, as I mentioned just a few 0:08:51.990 --> 0:08:57.349 moments ago, verbal praise is also seen as fruit. Hebrews 13, 0:08:57.350 --> 0:08:58.550 offer the sacrifice of. 0:08:58.570 --> 0:09:00.809 Praise, that is the fruit of our lips. 0:09:01.830 --> 0:09:08.000 And then sometimes financial giving is considered fruitfulness. When Paul 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:10.800 took an offering of the Gentile churches to bring to 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:14.340 the church in Jerusalem in Romans 15, he said. 0:09:14.580 --> 0:09:18.020 I have sealed them to this fruit. 0:09:18.660 --> 0:09:21.520 And the fruit he was speaking about was the finances 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:27.490 that he collected from the Gentile church. But here in 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:36.910 Mark chapter four, fruit primarily speaks of spiritual reproduction, spiritual reproduction. 0:09:37.610 --> 0:09:42.929 It's where the seed, once planted in that good soil, germinates, grows, 0:09:43.590 --> 0:09:47.500 produces fruit, and in the fruit is seed so that. 0:09:49.040 --> 0:09:50.280 Plant can keep going. 0:09:50.700 --> 0:09:54.520 Some 30, some 60, some 100-fold. It is where the 0:09:54.610 --> 0:09:59.950 seed replicates itself through the fruit. So then the fruitful 0:10:00.830 --> 0:10:05.670 Jesus is speaking about here is bringing others into the kingdom, 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:11.980 bringing others into the kingdom of God, bringing others to salvation, 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:15.000 winning people to Christ. And so what I'd like to 0:10:15.059 --> 0:10:17.240 do as we continue on, beginning in verse 21, down 0:10:17.260 --> 0:10:21.800 to verse 34 or thereabouts, I want to give you 0:10:21.940 --> 0:10:28.520 four features of fruit bearing believers. These are four characteristics 0:10:29.020 --> 0:10:34.180 of fruit bearing. Now, this whole teaching of Jesus is 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:40.780 based in an agrarian culture, an agricultural culture, the culture 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:44.150 of planting and sowing seeds where the farmer goes out 0:10:44.210 --> 0:10:48.230 every day, comes back, goes home, lights a lamp for 0:10:48.309 --> 0:10:51.010 his family, beds down with his family, gets up the 0:10:51.050 --> 0:10:54.630 next day, goes out, and he does it again. That's 0:10:54.670 --> 0:10:56.870 what it's soaked in. So let me give you the 0:10:56.950 --> 0:11:02.570 first feature. Fruit bearing is noticeable. Fruit bearing is noticeable. 0:11:03.250 --> 0:11:06.390 We begin in verse 21. Also, he said to them, 0:11:07.290 --> 0:11:12.470 is a lamp brought To be put under a basket 0:11:12.590 --> 0:11:13.590 or under a bed? 0:11:13.610 --> 0:11:17.590 Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 0:11:18.410 --> 0:11:21.410 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, 0:11:21.830 --> 0:11:24.580 nor has anything been kept secret, but that it should 0:11:24.630 --> 0:11:27.800 come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:31.000 him hear. Now you'll notice there's a little change of 0:11:31.100 --> 0:11:33.760 metaphor here. We go from planting seeds in a field. 0:11:33.800 --> 0:11:35.480 He'll get back to that in a moment, by the way. 0:11:36.040 --> 0:11:40.600 But he goes into the home. where it's dark at night. 0:11:41.540 --> 0:11:47.340 And the context, however, is the same. In a Jewish 0:11:47.380 --> 0:11:50.680 home 2,000 years ago at night, this was the most 0:11:50.780 --> 0:11:53.820 noticeable feature. I actually happen to have a replica of 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:55.540 a first century oil lamp. 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:56.730 This is the size of it. 0:11:57.500 --> 0:12:05.140 It was a clay, terracotta clay, flat saucer-like jar. And 0:12:05.160 --> 0:12:07.960 there's a wick in it. and oil was simply placed 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:10.449 in it, and the wick was lit. The wick would 0:12:10.490 --> 0:12:16.130 be saturated, and it would provide evening light for the home. 0:12:16.809 --> 0:12:20.570 To maximize the effectiveness of this, the lamp would be 0:12:20.670 --> 0:12:23.990 lifted to a very high shelf, usually on the wall 0:12:24.050 --> 0:12:27.670 of the home, and that little lamp, or a few 0:12:27.740 --> 0:12:31.760 of them, would radiate through that room and drive the 0:12:31.820 --> 0:12:37.000 shadows away. People didn't like this, to cover it up. 0:12:38.179 --> 0:12:41.680 That would defeat the entire purpose. The purpose of lighting 0:12:41.740 --> 0:12:45.780 a lamp is to reveal something and to drive the 0:12:45.820 --> 0:12:46.480 shadow away. 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:48.719 So here's the point that Jesus. 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:54.040 Is making to these apostles, to these fruitful believers of his. 0:12:54.620 --> 0:13:02.150 The apostles were like a lamp designed to shed light 0:13:02.730 --> 0:13:08.410 into the darkness. to drive out the shadows, to give 0:13:08.470 --> 0:13:11.830 guidance to people. You'll notice in verse 23, if anyone 0:13:11.870 --> 0:13:14.730 has ears to hear, he has said that before, let 0:13:14.910 --> 0:13:20.370 him hear. The more truth you hear, the better equipped 0:13:20.429 --> 0:13:24.450 you will become to share with others. That's why truth 0:13:24.510 --> 0:13:28.770 is so important. That's why truth is so important. Now 0:13:28.809 --> 0:13:30.530 you're going to remember something. I'm going to tie this 0:13:30.550 --> 0:13:34.599 together back in verse 11 and 12, Jesus, when he 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:37.760 was asked about parables, he said, look, to you it 0:13:37.800 --> 0:13:40.809 has been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom 0:13:40.929 --> 0:13:43.150 of God, but to those who are outside, it is 0:13:43.210 --> 0:13:47.290 not given. That seeing they may see and not perceive, 0:13:47.350 --> 0:13:50.780 that hearing they may hear and not understand. So I'm 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:56.679 giving stories to both reveal the truth to you who 0:13:56.720 --> 0:13:59.839 want to hear more and to conceal the truth from 0:13:59.880 --> 0:14:02.420 those who really have no interest at all. 0:14:02.460 --> 0:14:04.520 This is going to be a riddle to them. 0:14:06.090 --> 0:14:09.589 So the parables were given to both reveal and conceal. 0:14:10.130 --> 0:14:11.510 That is for Jesus. 0:14:11.590 --> 0:14:13.589 He is going to the cross and he has a 0:14:13.650 --> 0:14:16.750 timetable as he goes to the cross. And so the 0:14:16.809 --> 0:14:20.320 reason he is sort of entering into this storytelling method 0:14:20.380 --> 0:14:24.240 from this point on is because he knows the people 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:28.580 want to trap him in order to find fault against 0:14:28.660 --> 0:14:32.250 him in order to put him to death. So Jesus 0:14:32.910 --> 0:14:37.390 will both reveal but also conceal the truth. 0:14:37.970 --> 0:14:42.130 However, in the Great Commission... Jesus. 0:14:41.730 --> 0:14:44.229 Will say, you go into all the world and you 0:14:44.330 --> 0:14:48.430 preach the gospel. You are not to conceal anything. You 0:14:48.550 --> 0:14:52.540 are to fully reveal the plain truth of the gospel. 0:14:53.660 --> 0:14:57.720 You are to elevate the lamp for people in darkness 0:14:57.800 --> 0:14:58.720 to show them. 0:14:58.580 --> 0:14:59.180 The way out. 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:05.380 So receivers of the truth must become transmitters of the truth. 0:15:06.070 --> 0:15:08.670 The truth has gone into your life. It's produced fruit, 0:15:08.710 --> 0:15:12.080 some 30, some 60, some 100. Now it's your turn. 0:15:12.730 --> 0:15:15.370 You who have received the truth become transmitters. 0:15:15.870 --> 0:15:16.380 You've heard it. 0:15:16.490 --> 0:15:19.810 You've listened to it. You've understood it. You've been transformed 0:15:19.850 --> 0:15:27.030 by it. Now, lift your lamp. Shine your light. That's 0:15:27.090 --> 0:15:30.310 exactly the same thing Jesus said in the Sermon on 0:15:30.350 --> 0:15:30.810 the Mount. 0:15:31.210 --> 0:15:33.690 He said this, you are the light of the world. 0:15:34.030 --> 0:15:37.280 A city set upon a hill cannot be hid. nor 0:15:37.340 --> 0:15:39.860 do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, 0:15:39.920 --> 0:15:43.380 but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all 0:15:43.420 --> 0:15:46.860 who are in the house. So let your light shine 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:51.220 before men that they may see your good works and 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:56.660 glorify your Father who is in heaven. So that's what 0:15:56.700 --> 0:16:00.800 he is saying is that fruit bearing is noticeable. You 0:16:00.850 --> 0:16:03.120 are to make it plain. You are to make the 0:16:03.180 --> 0:16:07.890 announcement clear. You are to reveal. Now you might say, well, 0:16:08.070 --> 0:16:10.690 then what's the point of verse 22? There's nothing hidden 0:16:10.710 --> 0:16:13.830 which shall not be revealed or anything kept secret, but 0:16:13.890 --> 0:16:18.190 that it should come to light. Well, in the first parable, 0:16:18.250 --> 0:16:21.490 remember he talked about seed that was sown on rocky 0:16:21.590 --> 0:16:25.510 soil and seed that was sown on weed infested soil. 0:16:26.130 --> 0:16:28.550 So that at first, both of those soils look good. 0:16:28.570 --> 0:16:35.630 They're growing stuff. But the real nature of them is 0:16:37.540 --> 0:16:43.290 hidden at first. Eventually, however, it's going to be revealed 0:16:43.310 --> 0:16:48.130 and it will be revealed to these fake believers on 0:16:48.190 --> 0:16:51.109 judgment day when Jesus will say, depart from me. I 0:16:51.230 --> 0:16:55.630 never knew you. And their house will come crashing down. 0:16:56.270 --> 0:16:58.690 As Jesus said, great will be the fall of that house. 0:17:00.070 --> 0:17:04.609 So Back to this main point. If the life of 0:17:04.730 --> 0:17:09.190 God is in you, then the light of God will 0:17:09.290 --> 0:17:14.540 shine through you. If there is spiritual life inside of you, 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:18.420 then you will shine your light so others can get 0:17:18.500 --> 0:17:20.740 out of their darkness. The easiest way you can tell 0:17:21.100 --> 0:17:23.840 if somebody is on good soil is they lift the lamp. 0:17:24.960 --> 0:17:27.460 They're always lifting the lamp. They want to get people 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:29.650 out of darkness. They want to share the truth with 0:17:29.710 --> 0:17:33.730 other people. I have an article that I have had for. 0:17:33.510 --> 0:17:35.570 A few years. It's from the New York Times. 0:17:36.530 --> 0:17:40.889 And it was about the renovation of the Washington Monument 0:17:40.990 --> 0:17:41.610 in D.C. 0:17:41.650 --> 0:17:43.429 Like 20 years ago. They've done a few of them. 0:17:44.030 --> 0:17:50.030 But on this particular renovation, they found graffiti inside in 0:17:51.270 --> 0:17:56.320 the lobby under the marble wainscoting from 1800s, somewhere in 0:17:56.340 --> 0:18:02.230 the 1800s. And the graffiti said this, whoever is the 0:18:02.310 --> 0:18:06.219 human instrument under God in the conversion of one soul 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:10.580 erects a monument to his own memory more lofty and 0:18:10.619 --> 0:18:12.520 more enduring than this one. 0:18:14.480 --> 0:18:15.280 Somebody got it right. 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:18.119 I know you've been looking at the Washington Monument in 0:18:18.140 --> 0:18:22.160 the 250th anniversary of our nation. It's awesome to see 0:18:22.200 --> 0:18:25.560 it lit up. But leading a soul to Christ is 0:18:25.859 --> 0:18:26.800 much better than that. 0:18:28.700 --> 0:18:31.429 Light the lamp and lift it high. 0:18:32.350 --> 0:18:35.750 Don't let the best news ever become the best kept 0:18:35.950 --> 0:18:37.290 secret ever. 0:18:38.430 --> 0:18:38.889 Announce it. 0:18:41.660 --> 0:18:48.060 That means all of us. You say, well, you're the preacher. Yes, 0:18:49.280 --> 0:18:54.060 but think of me more as the equipper. There was 0:18:54.100 --> 0:18:56.900 a man who drove his car from Fort Lauderdale, Florida 0:18:56.960 --> 0:18:59.500 to Tampa. And on either side of the car for 0:18:59.560 --> 0:19:04.700 miles were just thousands of orange trees. Grove, mile after 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:08.859 mile after mile. Just millions of oranges all around him. 0:19:09.300 --> 0:19:10.080 Loaded with fruit. 0:19:10.530 --> 0:19:13.350 He stopped at a little restaurant in the midst of that. 0:19:14.030 --> 0:19:16.750 And he ordered breakfast. He ordered bacon, eggs, pancakes. And 0:19:16.770 --> 0:19:17.890 what did he order to drink? 0:19:18.609 --> 0:19:23.410 Orange juice. And the waiter said, I'm sorry. We don't 0:19:23.470 --> 0:19:27.020 have orange juice. The machine is broken. Okay. 0:19:29.300 --> 0:19:33.670 Think of the irony of that statement. There are millions 0:19:33.710 --> 0:19:37.390 of oranges all around. There are oranges in the kitchen. 0:19:37.730 --> 0:19:43.380 There's orange slices as garnish on the breakfast plates. But 0:19:43.440 --> 0:19:48.340 they had become so dependent on the machine, they couldn't 0:19:48.380 --> 0:19:53.210 get orange juice. Don't become dependent on the machine. 0:19:56.040 --> 0:19:58.179 Become somebody who just lifts the lamp. 0:19:58.480 --> 0:20:04.100 Be noticeable. Fruit bearing is noticeable. The second feature is 0:20:04.140 --> 0:20:09.210 that fruit bearing is consequential. Verse 24 says, Then he 0:20:09.310 --> 0:20:13.169 said to them, take heed what you hear with the 0:20:13.250 --> 0:20:15.190 same measure you use. 0:20:15.970 --> 0:20:21.480 It will be measured to you and to you who hear. 0:20:22.660 --> 0:20:27.000 More will be given for whoever has to him more 0:20:27.060 --> 0:20:30.419 will be given. Whoever does not have even what he 0:20:30.520 --> 0:20:33.900 has will be taken away from him. Now we're back 0:20:33.940 --> 0:20:41.130 to the agricultural metaphor. And, um, When a farmer was planting. 0:20:40.790 --> 0:20:44.210 Seed, he would go to his barrel of seed. He 0:20:44.230 --> 0:20:45.070 would take a measure. 0:20:45.090 --> 0:20:48.950 He'd have a seed sack around his shoulder. He'd put 0:20:48.990 --> 0:20:51.790 a measure of seed in his measure and put it 0:20:51.850 --> 0:20:55.770 in the sack. Now, at harvest time, after planting, the 0:20:55.850 --> 0:21:01.419 farmer can expect to get back from the fields only 0:21:01.500 --> 0:21:05.320 what he has put into the fields. He had taken 0:21:05.400 --> 0:21:09.380 out seed in a measure. He's Disperse it through the fields. 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:12.730 When it comes time for harvest, he can expect only 0:21:12.790 --> 0:21:14.970 what he has put into it. That's a biblical principle, right? 0:21:15.369 --> 0:21:18.610 Whatever you reap is what you sow. You sow what 0:21:18.670 --> 0:21:21.930 you reap. Or yeah, you reap what you have sown. 0:21:23.109 --> 0:21:28.859 So if you sow, plant, disperse the seed diligently, generously, 0:21:29.980 --> 0:21:30.879 you'll get a bumper crop. 0:21:30.880 --> 0:21:32.580 30, 60, and 100 fold in this case. 0:21:34.940 --> 0:21:37.459 If you're lazy and you're indifferent, the results are going 0:21:37.480 --> 0:21:39.270 to be very, very minimal. 0:21:39.460 --> 0:21:40.350 That's what Paul said. 0:21:40.410 --> 0:21:44.850 Second Corinthians nine, he who sows sparingly will reap sparingly. 0:21:44.930 --> 0:21:50.909 He who sows bountifully will reap bountifully. So what is 0:21:50.970 --> 0:21:56.830 the consequence of a fruitful life? What is a consequence? 0:21:56.869 --> 0:21:57.960 What are the results of. 0:21:57.950 --> 0:22:01.980 A fruitful life? I'll give you two words, people and prizes. 0:22:03.910 --> 0:22:09.490 The consequence of a fruitful life are people and prizes. 0:22:10.310 --> 0:22:10.870 What do I mean? 0:22:11.410 --> 0:22:13.670 I mean people that you influence or people that you 0:22:13.710 --> 0:22:16.530 lead to Christ or people that you water the seed 0:22:16.550 --> 0:22:19.230 that has been planted in their life. And then you 0:22:19.869 --> 0:22:24.909 will get prizes. When you see God, he'll reward you 0:22:24.970 --> 0:22:28.310 for that. People and prizes. Those are the consequences of 0:22:28.350 --> 0:22:31.850 a fruitful life. People and prizes. More souls and God 0:22:31.890 --> 0:22:35.910 will reward. Let me give you scripture on that. Here's 0:22:35.930 --> 0:22:36.830 the one for people. 0:22:37.010 --> 0:22:37.530 More souls. 0:22:37.530 --> 0:22:41.410 1 Thessalonians 2. Paul writes, For what is our hope, 0:22:41.760 --> 0:22:44.960 our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Is it not even 0:22:45.119 --> 0:22:48.840 you in the presence of the Lord Jesus at his coming? 0:22:50.600 --> 0:22:56.609 Seeing you in heaven with us, with him. And knowing 0:22:56.630 --> 0:22:59.389 that we played a part in that, that's awesome. 0:22:59.990 --> 0:23:03.500 People. But then also prizes. You'll get rewarded. 0:23:04.080 --> 0:23:07.320 Second Timothy four, last letter Paul ever wrote. He said, 0:23:07.400 --> 0:23:10.060 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. 0:23:10.619 --> 0:23:13.720 I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up 0:23:13.760 --> 0:23:16.449 for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the 0:23:16.510 --> 0:23:22.350 righteous judge will give me on that day. And not 0:23:22.430 --> 0:23:25.090 only to me, but also all those who have loved 0:23:25.190 --> 0:23:26.150 his appearing. 0:23:26.910 --> 0:23:31.490 So, fruitfulness is consequential. 0:23:32.550 --> 0:23:34.950 You get on one hand the reward of seeing people 0:23:34.990 --> 0:23:38.609 that you have influenced, led to Christ, etc. And you 0:23:38.630 --> 0:23:43.200 will get a reward from God himself for being faithful 0:23:43.260 --> 0:23:47.540 with the opportunities he has presented to you. And get this, 0:23:48.660 --> 0:23:52.660 According to Paul the apostle, even those people who partner 0:23:52.810 --> 0:23:56.030 with those who share the gospel will get a reward 0:23:56.810 --> 0:24:02.129 in heaven. Paul said that to the Philippian church. Remember 0:24:02.170 --> 0:24:04.090 he was writing to the Philippians and he said, you know, 0:24:04.150 --> 0:24:07.050 no other church has shared with me in giving and 0:24:07.109 --> 0:24:11.170 receiving except you only. You have sponsored me. You have 0:24:11.290 --> 0:24:13.570 supported my ministry financially. 0:24:14.270 --> 0:24:15.910 And then he writes this. Listen carefully. 0:24:16.410 --> 0:24:19.070 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the 0:24:19.230 --> 0:24:26.389 fruit that abounds to your account. Now that is insightful. 0:24:27.150 --> 0:24:30.070 And he is actually giving us insight into how God 0:24:30.170 --> 0:24:34.560 keeps his account books in heaven. Because when he writes 0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:38.639 that it abounds to your account, those are financial terms. 0:24:40.140 --> 0:24:45.490 And it indicates the interest accrued on the credit side 0:24:45.670 --> 0:24:49.570 of the ledger where the books are kept. So what 0:24:49.650 --> 0:24:51.869 Paul is saying is that he would go out and 0:24:51.910 --> 0:24:55.030 preach the gospel. The Philippian church has paid for his 0:24:55.090 --> 0:24:58.669 mission and sponsored him. And so they're also going to 0:24:58.710 --> 0:25:03.580 get credit for it in heaven. So that's a good principle. 0:25:04.020 --> 0:25:06.480 That God will tally up fruit together. 0:25:06.859 --> 0:25:11.580 From ministry and market to your credit. Let me tell 0:25:11.600 --> 0:25:15.550 you what that means practically. You're going to go to 0:25:15.570 --> 0:25:16.140 heaven one day. 0:25:18.250 --> 0:25:20.450 I hope. Okay. 0:25:20.490 --> 0:25:23.409 So when you're in heaven, do you know people are 0:25:23.430 --> 0:25:26.170 going to be walking up to you, introducing themselves and saying, 0:25:26.230 --> 0:25:26.650 thank you. 0:25:27.490 --> 0:25:29.830 And you'll go, I have no idea who you are. 0:25:31.609 --> 0:25:32.859 I've never met you before in my life. 0:25:32.880 --> 0:25:35.119 They're going to say, I was led to Christ because 0:25:35.140 --> 0:25:38.840 you sponsored that missionary or that evangelistic event from that 0:25:38.920 --> 0:25:43.139 church or that radio broadcast or that YouTube broadcast or 0:25:43.180 --> 0:25:44.020 TV broadcast. 0:25:44.060 --> 0:25:46.480