Fresh Fruit

God evaluates each of us according to what we do. God is always righteous and just. The one who does what is right in God's eyes will flourish and bear fruit every season.

“Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king...He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly...each will die for their own sin.” He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march...Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The LORD can give you much more than that.” So Amaziah dismissed the troops... Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army...When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them... he sent this challenge to Jehoash...“Come, let us face each other in battle... Amaziah, however, would not listen...Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.”‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭1‬-‭24

Amaziah had everything going for him. He was king, he did what was right by holding people accountable to God's commands, he counted the cost and absorbed the sunk cost of paying for troops because he believed God would pay him back if he listened and did what was right, and he had victory on the battlefield. So, what went wrong?

Somewhere along the way Amaziah went off on his own. He allowed arrogance, envy, and his achievements to turn him in the wrong direction. He worshiped other gods and picked a fight that led to financial loss and his own death. He was senseless. His eyes and ears stopped working as intended. He no longer saw his role as king as a steward of what God had given him nor would he listen to the warnings of prophets or other people.

We can all get off track. Jesus said the road to life is narrow so it should not surprise us that we are not on track if we allow our eyes to wander. The life of following Jesus is not about perfection. We all fall short of the glory of God and His righteousness. But, God has given us senses to help us stay in the right direction and He sent His Son to set us free from getting stuck in our sin.

How has your walk with Jesus been going? Are you doing what is right in His eyes or have you allowed your eyes to lead you away like Amaziah? Do you have ears to hear the voice of Jesus or are you unwilling to heed a warning? Regardless of where you have been, what God wants more than anything is for you to do the next right thing you can do. We are always one step of faith from being right in righteous arms of Jesus.

“It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night...For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,” ‭‭ Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭1‬-14

It is easy to get caught up in the comparison game or in performance measurement. When we talk about righteousness you naturally consider how you are doing. It is good to always hold fast to humility so your eyes see and ears hear how to be holy. But, be careful not to make it all about you. That was the trap the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees did, in their day. There focus was on strict adherence to following the letter of the law without understanding the underlying spirit of mercy upon which it was built. Be careful not to turn what is meant to be a living relationship with Jesus into a ritualistic religious of rigid rules.

You will flourish and produce fruit as you pursue God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Flourishing and producing fruit are natural byproducts of living in faithful relationship with Jesus. As we are connected to Him, we will bear much fruit by the Holy Spirit. The psalmist was wise and shows us how to keep our relationship with God at the center of pursuing righteousness.

What did he do to help his heart stay healthy? He did not start each day by measuring his own performance. He did not start by punishing himself by all he had done wrong. Many of us do. We walk right into the enemy's trap that is full of guilt, shame, and regret. Does that ever help you flourish? Only light can drive out darkness. The psalmist started each day by proclaiming the love of God in the morning and praising God's faithfulness at the end of the day. He used all of his senses to be aware of the Almighty.

Note that he said senseless people to not know God's will and fools do not understand. You would have to be a fool to not see the evidence of God all around you. Paul said all creation points to God. Think of what it means to be senseless. You have five senses, and possibly a sixth sense if you count the Holy Spirit. You can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. Each of these is a gift given that you might experience God. God wants you to stop using all your senses to satisfy yourself. The psalmist sang that those who abide with God in His house will flourish and produce fruit. How is that going for you? Do you feel alive and are you actively feeding others by the life you are living?

“Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. Two are better than one...Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-13

Consider the connections between the scriptures. We read of Amaziah, a king who would have read these words of Solomon. Solomon was his great times eight grandfather, but somehow he had lost the words that were written to protect him. He failed to hear or heed the warning. What did his distant relative say that would have helped?

Solomon said use your eyes and ears to see and hear where the world needs help. God uses people willing to help other people to bring help and healing. Fools ignore the cries of the needy. The righteous do what is right by helping in whatever way they can. Solomon said envy and comparison lead to emptiness. He said all toil and achievement spring from envy. What an interesting statement! Think about your own life and the culture we live in. Think about how social media and what you see in advertising produces feelings within you of envy or not having enough. Think of how it can all make you feel alone.

God has a better way. He designed us with eyes to see that He provides all we need and with mouths made to praise His generosity out of hearts that experience grateful joy. He designed us for community. You were never meant to do life alone. It is not healthy or holy. The idea of a lonely cowboy or self made millionaire who succeeds apart from others is not biblical. Our lives are meant to be connected and communal. Think of how the righteous produce fruit. That fruit is never just for themselves. Pause for a moment and consider how envy or isolation has impacted your heart? Do you need to change? Jesus may have gone off to pray in isolation, but He never stayed there. After dwelling with God, He was empowered to build up individuals and community.

“For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. “Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or...oppress anyone...He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live...But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?”‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18‬:‭4‬-‭31

Is it not freeing to know that you will not be guilty of the sins of others? Is it not great that you get to decide in your heart how you will live and be rewarded for your own choices? You get to control your own destiny by choosing Christ. God says that each of us get to choose and will be rewarded when we choose Him.

One would expect that the righteous would be repaid for being faithful, but what is amazing about our God is the surpassing love that looks beyond the times that we fall short. God said that He does not delight in even one person perishing. He sent His Son that none would perish and all would find new life in Him. Long before Jesus, Ezekiel shared the same message. God wants you to live! So choose life. The unconditional love of God covers the sin and He said that you are never too far gone. Is that not a message we should share with everyone?

He said that no matter where you have been or what you have done, if you turn from your wickedness, if you repent, He welcomes you home. Think of the beauty of the prodigal son story. This is our God. He is love. Like the psalmist said, proclaim His love early and His faithfulness always. His love and faithfulness does not depend on our performance. The enemy wants you to isolate, fear, and feel the weight of your sin. Jesus wants to set you free.

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬-25

Paul wraps up Romans with a list of people who have served God alongside him. He told of the strands of lives that have helped strengthen him. The chords, the brothers and sisters, the people he has fed and who have fed him, his community. Who are the people God has placed around you? They are there for a reason. God wants to use you to build up His people. Are you willing to sacrifice your time and comfort to build up community?

You have to be a friend to make friends. You do not have to have all the answers, but you do have to show up and lend an ear. Do what you can. Do the next right thing you know to do. Pray. Remind someone they are not alone and you see them. Sometimes the next right thing is as simple as making a phone call, sharing a meal, or slowing down enough to hear how someone is doing. The fruit God grows in you can become the very thing that sustains someone else through a difficult season.

Paul said God is able to establish you. Your strength comes from God. It does not have to come from how well you performed yesterday or how prepared you feel for tomorrow. The one who dwells in the house of God and invites in His presence will be empowered. If you have wandered off track, turn toward Him. If you are weary, Jesus said find your rest in Him. If you need help, be honest with others about how you are feeling. God says you are never too old to bear fruit, never too broken to be made whole, and never too far away to come home. As you are rooted in His love, you can flourish and bear fruit.

Like Paul does when he gives thanks for his friends, start today by focusing on the love you see in your life. Open your eyes to How God has already been faithfully working in your life, open your ears to hear His voice, and give your hands to serve someone else. Avoid the envy that can entangle and the lies of the enemy that try to beat you down. As you turn to God, He forgets your sin so you can remember His faithfulness. The God who held you this morning will still be holding you tonight.