2011-12-04
Training of the Twelve - Produce Fruit... and Share in His Joy!
David Wagner

A. Review - Key Teachings of Jesus as He Trained the Twelve
Basic, elementary principles:
Prayer
Faith
Evangelism
Hypocrisy/leven
Legalism

Grad school:
Cross
Humility
Kingdom
Community
Extravagant love

B. Intro - Last Week of Jesus' Life, Triumphal Entry and Teachings
(don't miss the point)

What message would you want to leave with your loved ones?
Warnings - deals with the Pharisees/Israel (Matthew 23: 1 - 3); "Awful Sermon"; Seven Woes
From the heart - more teaching on bearing fruit—God cares deeply about fruit!

C. Fruit is Expected, AND There's a Harvest Appointed for You and the Church
God wants fruit in the kingdom, removed from Israel
Hosea 14: 8 - "...for from Me comes your fruit!", yet they kept turning away
Amos 2: 13 - "...behold, I am weighted down beneath you!"
Amos 8: 2; Amos 9: 8
Matthew 21: 43 - Jesus points to the Pharisees as the leaders/those responsible!
Amos 9: 11 - 15; Hosea 6: 11 - God is not done with Israel. "...harvest appointed for you"

D. Teaching on End Times - Will You be Found Self-focused, or Faithful/Wise?
Matthew 24: 36 — No one knows the day or hour but God
Jesus did give signs, some detail, but what's the point? Self-focus, or humility?
Self-focus will block fruitfulness in your life, but also in those around you. Don't be fooled!
Matthew 24: 44 - 51 "Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant?"
Matthew 21 - Parable of the wicked tenants; Mark 13: 34 We have a job to do
Luke 12: 35 - 48 "Stay dressed and ready for action". Yes, bearing fruit is costly, but...
Luke 12: 19 - 21 To bear wrong kind of fruit is more costly! Rich toward yourself, or God?
End times studies are fascinating, but don't miss the point:
...blessing, and joy at being ready

Even the disciples got caught up in the fascinating. Matthew 24: 1 - 2 - There's a bigger job to do
Proverbs 11: 30 Will you be found faithful and wise? "...whoever wins souls is wise"

E. Parable of the Talents - do you believe? What's your plan?
Matthew 25: 14 - 30
See, your mina has made ten more! (Luke 19: 16) Whose work are you doing?
Matthew 25: 21 Well done good and faithful servant... enter into the Master's joy.
Where do you find your greatest joy—the most fulfilment? Your fruit will prove, not words
Expectant faith that moves us from self-focus to kingdom fruit-bearing that will last
Zacchaeus, Luke 19 - Right before this, "he hurried... and received him joyfully"
Psalm 16: 11 - "In your presence there is fullness of joy!"
Do you believe this? (Psalm 63: 5; Psalm 73, 26)
Seeing sin/no fruit? "Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Nehemiah 8: 10
Hosea 10: 12 - "Sow with a view of righteousness... break up your fallow ground"
Psalm 37: 3 - 5
Trust in the Lord
Cultivate faithfulness
Delight yourself in the Lord
Whether you're and athlete, a soldier or a farmer, it takes work!
What's your plan for fruit bearing?
Psalm 1; Isaiah 37: 30 - 31
A firmly planted tree, bearing fruit in its season
1 Corinthians 16: 13 - 14
A firmly planted, fruit-bearing you
...is a firmly planted, fruit-bearing church