30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 24 50-53 THE BLESSING OF GOD 09 21May2022 Luke 24 50-51 Be fruitful
📖 Luke 24:50-53
09 – 21May2022 – Be fruitful - Luke 24:50-53 - THE BLESSING OF GOD - Bible reading: Isaiah 61:1-3
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have blessed us. You have caused us and have called us to be a blessing to our world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
Luke 24:50-51 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. (51) Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
We have considered the Aaronic blessing. Let us now go to the very beginning and consider the creation blessing.
Genesis 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
We are to live out and exercise the creation blessing. We were created to function on the earth with this blessing. If we ignore the creation blessing, then our lives will fall apart.
It is like an appliance, manufactured for a particular purpose. If this appliance is used for some other activity, that appliance will fall apart. Complaining to the dealer or the manufacturer, that the appliance is faulty, is absurd since the appliance was not used for the purpose for which it was intended.
For mankind to once again set our compass right and live, we must come back to the framework of the creation blessing.
The Lord created man and creation in such a way that man and creation will experience the creation blessing. We were set up to enjoy the creation blessing.
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
As we look at Genesis 1:28, we see five dimensions of the creation blessing. Each flow into the other.
1. Be fruitful
2. Multiply
3. Fill the earth
4. Subdue it
5. Have dominion
We will now look into each dimension of the creation blessing. This is the blessing in which we must delight. If we are indifferent to the creation blessing, it will be to our own grief.
Be fruitful
Firstly, we are to be fruitful.
Colossians 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
What does it mean to be fruitful? How can we live fruitful lives?
A tree bears fruit and the fruit is consumed by people and other creatures. The tree bears fruit for others. The tree does not bear fruit for itself. This is the fundamental principle of life. Yes, as the tree nourishes others, the tree too flourishes.
Fruitfulness is about living our lives for others. This is the first and primary basis for life. We are living in a world that has reversed this basic principle and has told us that we must live for ourselves.
We too, the church, have adopted the ways of the world and our relationship with God is for God to take care of us, since we see ourselves at the centre. This is sin. Sin is enthroning/worshipping the self.
This is why Jesus went to the cross. He died for us so that we should no longer live for ourselves.
II Corinthians 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
The life of Jesus is a life that considers others. He gave Himself for us. If He had thought for Himself, we would have perished, but because He thought of us, we have hope.
It is the life of Jesus that we must manifest. It is only when we die to ourselves that we can begin to live for others. That is the purpose of the cross. We must be crucified with Christ in order to live for others.
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, (3) To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
We are here to think of the needs of people around us. We are here to share the good news of Jesus with people. The gospel is a complete package and brings deliverance in all aspects of life.
As we share the gospel with people, we are addressing their broken-heartedness, captivity and bondage and we set people free. The Gospel of Jesus brings comfort, consolation, beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. People become the planting of the Lord that He would be glorified.
Fruitfulness is about investing ourselves into others and seeing their lives becoming complete.
Are we living fruitful lives? This is the creation blessing. It begins by giving ourselves to others.
Thought to ponder
Are you bearing fruit?