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Devotional for the Week – 1 December 2008 Sermon Title: A Life of Fruit Bearing What is old age like? Our body tells us we have matured in age but our mind wants us to believe we are still young. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live out and enjoy our dreams. But we will soon have to come face to face with reality. As Shakespeare puts it, “Time and tide waits for no man.” The Bible speaks of life as a “twinkling of an eye”. Paul Anka made popular the song, ‘Times Of Your Life’ - a song about remembering how time has slipped away. As seniors, we live in the late autumn and winter years of our lives. Soon life will be over and the curtain will close after us, but what will we be remembered for? Old age does not only point to the old but it refers to all of us who sojourn in this life (Ecclesiastes 12:1-5). In our passage today in Psalm 92:12-15, the psalmist was referring to the righteous; those who will flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. What are the characteristics of the palm and the cedar? The palm grows slowly but is steadily unaffected by the change of seasons that affect other trees. The cedar gives the semblance of majesty, stability, durability and incorruptibility. Some cedars are supposed to live up to 1000 years. The righteous are planted in the court of the Lord. This phrase gives a sense that our Divine Gardener feeds and nurtures the righteous into maturity. In their old age, they will ‘still’ produce fruit. The word ‘still’ means ‘again’, repeatedly and all life long. An older, mature person is able to produce fruit which has to do with what has transpired prior to him being old. Why is a person productive in his old age? It is because he is planted in the house of the Lord, flourishing and bearing fruit. What does it mean to bear fruit? Here are two perspectives: a. Fruit bearing refers to character building, becoming more and more like Jesus. Character Building In Galatians 5:22, the ‘fruit’ Apostle Paul referred to is the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” It refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. What is important is not the gift but the expression of the gift which is love as in 1 Corinthians 13. This is strongly emphasised in Colossians 13:12-14: “… above all these things, put on love…” Another aspect of character building is revealed in John 15:1-11. Jesus is the true vine and the branches must feed on or abide in Him in order to bear fruit. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. Pruning is the journey of faith that may include suffering to shape and strengthen us. (Romans 5:1-6) In John Wesley’s journal, it was written that God had begun working in all of us even before we became Christians. God has been working in us, and will be working in us as we progress. As we continue to walk with God, there is a work of transformation and grace in us, causing us to bear fruit and move into Christ’s perfection. Ministry Outcome The Greatest Commission of Jesus Christ is to “go and make disciples,” as found in all the four gospels and Acts 1:8. The command is not only to proclaim, but also to make disciples. We are to be witnesses and will be empowered in proclaiming. The church is commissioned to share Christ with all. The outcome is for people to confess Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. In this aspect, knowing is not enough. Knowing is only complete with the act of doing. Romans 10:9-17 explains the need to confess with the mouth what one believes in the heart. It is not the knowing what to do but to doing what you know. Church growth is an indicator of our faithfulness to the Great Commission. It is not a numbers game, but numbers are indicators of our faithfulness for fruit bearing. Conclusion Fathers in old age will still produce fruit. It is important for fathers to coach young men in fruit bearing, both in Christian character and bearing witness. We are only pilgrims on a journey on this narrow road. Those who have gone this way are to cheer on and encourage those on this pilgrimage. God desires us to bear fruit continuously. Thank God for blessing us in our senior years and raising leaders to continue with His work. May God make them strong and enable them to experience freshness and renewal. Prayer Response Father God, may You continue to be our teacher and mentor as we travel this journey of faith. As we mature, spur us on to continue in fruit bearing and in the building of younger disciples to fulfill the commission given us: To make disciples for Jesus Christ. Amen. Devotional based on a message by Rev Dr Isaac Lim
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