Pruned to Yield Fruit
The sermon emphasizes the importance of God's pruning in our lives to cultivate greater spiritual fruitfulness through trials and afflictions.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about the pruning process in the life of a believer, drawing inspiration from John 15:2. He shares a story of a child of God who questioned the afflictions in her life, only to receive a profound message from the Heavenly Gardener through a vineyard. The message highlights the necessity of pruning for growth and the purpose behind trials and suffering in our lives, emphasizing that it is through the pruning of God's love that we can bear much fruit.
Text
"And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit"
(John 15:2).
A child of God was dazed by the variety of afflictions which seemed to make her their target. Walking past a vineyard in the rich autumnal glow she noticed the untrimmed appearance and the luxuriant wealth of leaves on the vines, that the ground was given over to a tangle of weeds and grass, and that the whole place looked utterly uncared for; and as she pondered, the Heavenly Gardener whispered so precious a message that she would fain pass it on:
"My dear child, are you wondering at the sequence of trials in your life? Behold that vineyard and learn of it. The gardener ceases to prune, to trim, to harrow, or to pluck the ripe fruit only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season. It is left to itself, because the season of fruit is past and further effort for the present would yield no profit. Comparative uselessness is the condition of freedom from suffering. Do you then wish me to cease pruning your life? Shall I leave you alone?" And the comforted heart cried, "No!"
--Homera Homer-Dixon
It is the branch that bears the fruit,
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
A fuller life.
Though every budding twig be lopped,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
Be lost a space.
O thou whose life of joy seems reft,
Of beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
All bruised and torn,
Rejoice, tho' each desire, each dream,
Each hope of thine
Shall fall and fade; it is the hand
Of Love Divine
That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That thou, whose life has borne some fruit
May'st now bear much.
--Annie Johnson Flint
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding the necessity of pruning in our lives - The relationship between trials and spiritual growth - God as the Heavenly Gardener
- II points: - The purpose of afflictions in producing fruit - The significance of being a fruitful branch - The process of spiritual refinement
- III points: - Recognizing the signs of God's pruning - Embracing the discomfort of growth - The promise of greater fruitfulness
- IV points: - The role of faith during trials - Finding joy in the pruning process - Trusting in God's divine plan
Key Quotes
“The gardener ceases to prune... only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season.” — Charles E. Cowman
“It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth.” — Charles E. Cowman
“Rejoice, tho' each desire, each dream, Each hope of thine Shall fall and fade; it is the hand Of Love Divine.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Embrace the trials in your life as opportunities for growth and deeper faith.
- Recognize that God's pruning is a sign of His love and desire for you to bear more fruit.
- Find joy in the process of being refined, trusting that it leads to a fuller life.