RTW 2022

Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill.
Isaiah 5:1

Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?
Isaiah 2:22

Yep, Isaiah speaks truth. Humans will let you down, even those who you think won’t.

The vinedresser had plowed the land of rich fertile soil, cleared its stone, and planted with the best vines. He built a grand watchtower and winepress, but when the harvest came the grapes were bitter.

The vinedresser had done everything he could, everything within his means and knowledge to ensure a bountiful crop of sweet grapes for marvelous wine, but things did not turn out as he expected.

In a vineyard, a vine is:

• expected to produce.
  “Genuine conversion is not measured by the hasty decision but by long-range fruitfulness.” – Charles Erdman
• pruned so it can become stronger, in order to be more fruitful.
  “Left to itself a vine will produce a good deal of unproductive growth. For maximum fruitfulness extensive pruning is essential.” – Henry Morris
• pulled down if it doesn’t produce.
  “Dead wood is worse than fruitlessness, for dead wood can harbor disease and decay…God removes the dead wood from his church and disciplines the life of the believer so that it is directed into fruitful activity.” – Merrill Tenney

Jesus is our Vinedresser who did, and through the Holy Spirit does everything He could and can to make us fruitful and pleased to the Gardner.

• I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Gardener.
  John 15:1
• He lops off every branch that doesn’t produce. And he prunes those branches that bear fruit for even larger crops.
  John 15:2 (TLB)
• Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can’t do a thing.
  John 15:5
• My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to my Father.
  John 15:8

For those who desire to get in the weeds of it all:

Spurgeon on John 15

Guzik on John 15

The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.
Isaiah 5:7

“I have been thinking of the advantages of my own position towards the Lord, and lamenting with great shamefacedness that I am not bringing forth such fruit to him as my position demands. Considering our privileges, advantages, and opportunities, I fear that many of us have need to feel great searchings of the heart.” – Charles Spurgeon

Heart searching questions:

• Am I fulfilling God’s expectations of me?
• What are those expectations?
• If not, what action will I take to get back on track?

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How does my “once upon time” read?