The Fruitless Vine – Part 1
Isaiah 5:8-12
March 12, 2023
Raymond Ortlund Jr. wrote:
“One of the anomalies of our age is how the lives of professing Christians are often little distinguished from the lives of others.”
(Ortlund Jr, Raymond [Preaching The Word Commentary Series; Isaiah: God Saves Sinners; R. Kent Hughes editor; Crossway, Wheaton, IL; 2005] pg. 68)
We have all witnessed this reality,
Sadly often we have witnessed this reality in our own lives.
Jesus confronted this reality in the Jews of His day when He said:
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
That is to say, If you are light, why are you hidden? If you are salt, why is there no flavor?
There ought to be a stark contrast between the life of a Christian
And the life of those still in the world.
Far too often however, it is virtually indistinguishable.
Whether we want to evaluate the arena of hobbies or passions
Or forms of entertainment or language or anything else.
Far too often we must admit that:
• The language of Christians mirrors that of non-Christians.
• The entertainment of Christians mirrors that of non-Christians.
• The priorities of Christians mirror those of non-Christians.
• And so on…
There ought to be a difference, but so often there is not.
TURN TO: EPHESIANS 4:17-5:21
That is just a vivid reminder that Christians should live different from the world.
And if you are looking for a good term for this, we would call it: FRUIT.
WE LEARNED THIS MORNING that God desires fruit from those He has redeemed and that fruit is justice and righteousness.
It is to live differently from the world.
It is to shine a light in darkness.
It is to be the salt of flavor to a confused world.
We are not to look like them we are to be a shocking contrast to them.
This is the very epitome of what it means to bear fruit.
This morning you learned how important it is.
It is so important that when God’s people failed to produce fruit,
God chose to exile them to a foreign land.
Fruitfulness matters.
Matthew 3:7-10 “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Luke 13:6-9 “And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. “And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ “And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”
John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
John 15:5-6 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”
Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Romans 7:4 “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”
You get it, Christians should bear fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
THIS IS THE GOAL.
As a recipient of grace, you are expected to bear fruit for God.
As one who has been indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit,
You are expected to reflect the fruit of the Spirit.
But this is precisely the problem with Israel: NO FRUIT
It is basically a waste of grace.
God has chosen and saved them and they are wasting the benefit
And refusing to produce fruit.
This 3rd sermon of Isaiah confronts that and announces the coming exile which is a punishment for that lack of fruit.
You can break this sermon into 4 points.
We saw the first this morning.
#1 THE SONG OF THE VINEYARD
Isaiah 5:1-7
• There Israel was likened to a vineyard which had been meticulously cared for
• But which still produced worthless grapes.
• And how this vineyard would be abandoned and destroyed for its failure to produce fruit.
Tonight, let’s move on in the sermon.
#2 THE SIN OF THE NATION
Isaiah 5:8-12; 18-23
What you actually have in the sermon is a recognition of sin
Then a revelation of the consequences of that sin immediately following.
And this happens twice.
• (8-12) Sin revealed
• (13-17) Consequences listed
• (18-23) Sin revealed
• (24-25) Consequences listed
We’re going to combine those segments and look at the sin first
And then the consequences.
We’re going to break this down a little further.
The specific announcements of sin are easy to see
Because they all start with the word “Woe”
And there are 6 of them.
When you read the word “Woe”
Just think of it as the opposite of the word “Blessed”
What I want you to understand is that
These are not just moral shortcomings.
These sins explain why Israel is unfruitful.
Consequently these sins will explain why we are unfruitful as well.
Let’s look at these 6 sins of the nation.
1) COVETING (8-10)
Here we come across that familiar person
Who just can’t get enough of what they want.
(8) “Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, Until there is no more room, so that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!”
At a simple glance it just good old-fashioned coveting and greed.
O rich man kept buying up land and someone finally asked him, “How much land are planning on buying?”
He responded, “I’m just looking to buy all the land that touches mine.”
It is bad enough in that sense, but in ISRAEL IT WAS EVEN WORSE.
More than just coveting and greed
It denoted a defiance of God and His declaration for Israel.
It is God who divided up the land for Israel,
And that land was to be the inheritance of every Israelite.
Leviticus 25:23-25 “‘The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me. ‘Thus for every piece of your property, you are to provide for the redemption of the land. ‘If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.”
But in defiance of such a command you have here
Men who are eagerly gobbling up the land of their brothers.
Micah 2:2 “They covet fields and then seize them, And houses, and take them away. They rob a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.”
We remember the story of King Ahab and how he wanted Naboth’s vineyard.
• Whey Naboth refused to surrender his inheritance the queen had him falsely
accused and stoned to death so Ahab could acquire it.
It was an example of insatiable greed.
And such greed and coveting was SUCH AN AFRONT TO GOD
That He immediately broke out in rebuke.
(9-10) “In my ears the LORD of hosts has sworn, “Surely, many houses shall become desolate, Even great and fine ones, without occupants. “For ten acres of vineyard will yield only one bath of wine, And a homer of seed will yield but an ephah of grain.”
It is God’s immediate response to such greed.
Isaiah says, “In my ears the LORD of hosts has sworn…”
It’s Isaiah’s way of saying, “I’ve heard from God on this issue and He is not happy!”
God is going to rip you out of the houses you’ve acquired.
“Surely, many houses shall become desolate, even great and fine ones, without occupants.”
NOT ONLY THAT, but all of those seized fields are going to become fruitless.
“For ten acres of vineyard will yield only one bath of wine, And a homer of seed will yield but an ephah of grain.”
• A “bath” is about 6 gallons which isn’t much for yield for 10 acres.
• A “homer” of seed is about 6 bushels but it will only yield one “ephah” of grain which is half a bushel.
In other words, God refuses to bless their greed.
It was insatiable coveting to the point where
There was no longer any room for anyone else
And those who owned the land basically lived alone in it.
So in disregard of God’s gracious provision of land
We have people who want more than what God had allotted them.
It is coveting.
It is a lack of contentment.
And according to Isaiah is the epitome of fruitlessness.
BUT LET’S THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT.
Why does coveting make a Christian fruitless?
Why does greed result in a fruitless life?
A moment ago we read from Matthew 5
About how we are to be “salt and light” in the world.
Most people are aware of the significance behind the analogy of light.
• They realize that light represents truth (light came on)
• They realize that light represents hope (light at the end of the tunnel)
• They realize that light represents righteousness (deeds of light or darkness)
But the analogy of salt is a little less clear to many.
• Some liken it to a preservative and see the church as that which is supposed to preserve the world from falling into evil.
• There may be some truth to that, but that is NOT WHY Jesus says that we are to be salt.
TURN TO: LUKE 14:25-35
You see there that Jesus is addressing “large crowds”
• And any time He does this He likes to address the misconceptions of the crowd.
• Here Jesus wants to make sure that the crowd understands the cost associated with following Him.
And here the cost is significant.
(16-17) ““If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
We are familiar with that announcement.
• We understand that our family might not be on board with our decision and thus they might have to be left behind.
• We understand the calling to take up our cross. Namely that the world hates Jesus and we must bear up under that same hatred.
But Jesus goes on here as He explains what it means to count the cost.
(28-32) we see the basic analogies of the importance of counting the cost.
• Whether you are building a tower or going to war,
• You should always assess the cost of what you are about to attempt.
But notice how Jesus concludes those analogies.
(33) “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”
Jesus sums up that segment on counting the cost
By reminding that His disciples must totally forsake the world.
Let’s say that again:
The call to follow Jesus is a call to forsake the world.
Do we remember what Jesus said in Matthew’s gospel?
Matthew 16:24-26 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
In order to follow Jesus we relinquish the right to obtain the world.
Jesus may not require every follower to forsake it all,
But He has the right to require any of His followers to do so,
And everyone of His followers must be willing.
Now that is what He said in Luke’s gospel too.
But then comes the link to how this is to be SALT in the world.
(Luke 14:34-35) ““Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Did you catch that?
“Therefore, salt is good”
So based on the context, being salt has something to do with
Counting the cost and being willing to forsake this world.
But it is also possible for salt to become “tasteless”
And then it has no use.
So what is “salt”?
What did Jesus mean when He said we were to be “salt”?
Certainly it is to be flavor to a tasteless world, but what does that mean?
Somehow it is linked to a willingness to forsake one’s possessions,
Take up the cross, and follow Jesus.
And this should be becoming clear now.
What is the message of a Christian to the world?
Is it not that you can take this world
Because I have found something infinitely more valuable?
Do we not sing:
“Take this world, but give me Jesus all its joys are but a name. But His love abides forever, through eternal years the same.”
Do we not sing:
“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold; I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands; I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand. Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin’s dread sway; I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today.”
Do we not quote:
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
That is our message isn’t it?
• Don’t we tell the world in evangelism that they should forsake this world and trust in Jesus?
• Don’t we tell them that this world is passing away, but we have an eternal inheritance with Christ?
• Don’t we say that a man should not store up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal?
Of course we do, that is our message to the world.
We tell them that Jesus is infinitely more valuable
Than anything this world offers.
We tell men to let it go!
We tell men we don’t need it!
We point to people like Abraham:
Hebrews 11:8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:13-16 “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
We point to people like Moses:
Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.”
We talk about those Hebrews who faced joyously the seizure of their property.
We talk about Paul who lost all things and counted it but rubbish so that he could gain Christ.
• We talk about Peter and Andrew leaving their nets.
• We talk about James and John leaving their father.
• We talk about Matthew leaving that tax booth.
• We rebuke the rich young ruler for choosing his riches.
• We commend Zacchaeus for giving up his possessions.
You see the point?
We say to the world that Jesus is more!
(He’s the pearl of great value! He’s the treasure in the field!)
But what does it say to the world when
We are just as hungry for the things of the world as they are?
What does it say about Jesus
When I think I need all the toys of the world to be happy too?
It’s a massive problem in America
Where we all think that happiness revolves around new cars and new toys and second homes and extravagant vacations and cruises and whatever else.
It’s an even worse problem when Christians
Are just as greedy for the things of the world.
What does it say about Jesus when I attach my happiness to the same stuff the world attaches their happiness too?
• You can’t be happy without a new car?
• You can’t be happy without that new toy?
• You can’t be happy unless you get to do all that stuff?
It’s hard to preach a message about how sufficient Jesus is
When we’re in the world’s mob trying to get the world’s stuff
Just as fast as they are.
It’s hard to witness in a black Friday line while fighting for that same big screen TV that the world thinks they need to be happy.
Do you see how this is not being salt?
• Do you see how this does not look like we know the secret to the flavorful life?
• Do you see how this does not make Jesus look all-sufficient?
Paul told Timothy what the Christian attitude should be.
1 Timothy 6:6-12 “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
The Christian should be content.
Remember Romans 7 Paul lamented in his pre-redeemed life how the Law had exposed him as a coveter and no matter how hard he tried he could not stop coveting.
But once He cried out to Jesus and was filled with God’s Spirit his entire mindset shifted.
Then he wrote:
Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
We think of Asaph and his depressive state because he was envious of the wicked.
We note how God changed his heart so that he wrote:
Psalms 73:25-28 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”
Now let me ask you, does Asaph make Jesus look beautiful?
Yes he does.
Did Paul make Jesus look all-sufficient?
Yes he did.
That is what it means to be salt.
That is what it means to having what makes life worth living.
Do you see why Israel lacked fruitfulness?
Because they weren’t satisfied with God’s provision in their lives.
• They wanted more!
• They coveted more!
• They greedily pursued more!
IT MADE THEM UNFRUITFUL.
If you want to bear fruit for God then walk right up close to Jesus
Until all the shiny things of this world lose their luster.
Don’t we sing it?
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
That is the fruitful life.
That is the salty life.
Israel’s covetousness and greed made her unfruitful
And because of that God was about to destroy His vineyard.
So there’s one: Their Greed
2) SENSUALITY (11-12)
“Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.”
Now the easy target here would be the drunkard.
“those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!”
Anyone waking up and immediately going to the bottle
Anyone who’s sole source of pleasure at night is to hit the bottle again.
We see the plague in our nation.
It’s as though the only real entertainment our world enjoys is any venue where they can use it as an excuse to get drunk.
• I see the golf tournaments that are only an excuse to get drunk.
• I see football games where we get to have a tailgate party and get drunk.
• We have the cookouts and barbecues where we can get drunk.
• People who like to go fishing so they can get drunk.
• Night clubs…
• Rodeos…
• Ballgames…
You’ve seen it in our culture.
And certainly we are not going to cut any slack to such a filthy lifestyle.
Certainly Scripture condemns drunkenness.
Certainly any Christian who is participating in such a lifestyle is not only failing to be salt, but is making willfully sinning and making a mockery of the Christ who calls them to live in self-control.
That is clear.
But DON’T read this segment of Scripture and say,
“Well I don’t drink so this isn’t about me.”
NOT SO FAST.
Raymond Ortlund had this to say:
“The gospel explains that there are basically two kinds of people in the world: sensate and spiritual (Romans 8:5-6). The sensate mentality is drawn to entertainment, while the spiritual mentality is drawn to worship. Isaiah condemned Judah’s unreasoning passion for one thrill after another, because a visceral approach to life quenches the Holy Spirit. The gospel says, “Do not get drunk with win…but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) The power of grace does not lie in spiritual moderation but in deep, repeated gulps of the Spirit. And that kind of excess does not dull our minds; it sharpens our awareness, so that God becomes real to us.”
(ibid, pg. 69-70)
His point is that Isaiah is speaking about more than just drunkenness.
He is talking about what you or I might call ESCAPISM
It is that propensity that just turn off the mind
And escape the realities of the day.
I must admit his words were convicting to me who is far too prone in the evening to want to just get lost in a movie and “turn off the brain”
But as I read his words my thoughts were, “How is my wanting to numb out while watching a western different from a drunk who uses the bottle to do the same thing?”
At it’s core we’re talking about what people saturate their mind with.
And saturating your mind with the world instead of the word
Will not lead you to the fruitful life.
Did you catch what Isaiah said?
(12) “Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flue, and by wine; but they do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.”
Instead of focusing on the truth of God in Scripture,
They are instead looking for a party or some other form of entertainment.
THAT WILL NOT LEAD YOU TO FRUITFULNESS.
That is not what Jesus had in mind when He said to “abide in Me”
And that DOES NOT produce fruit.
Luke 8:14 “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
Worldly entertainment and escapism will choke out the seed of the gospel
And restrict the fruitfulness of the Christian life.
Romans 8:5-6 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”
If we want fruit…
If we want to be people of justice and righteousness
IT REQUIRES A DIFFERENT FOCUS.
I can show you the difference real easy:
Luke 10:38-42 “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
It’s not hard to figure out which one was the most fruitful.
And this is the issue at hand.
We have here a nation that is not producing fruit.
All they are giving God is rancid grapes.
And this is not the expected return for the grace which God has shown them.
AND WE THINK OF OUR LIVES.
• Those of us who have been chosen and predestined and redeemed and forgiven and saved.
• Those of us who have been given the Spirit and an inheritance and a future and a hope.
• Those who have been given the mandate to produce good works.
Certainly God wants more
Than for us than to crave the things of the world with the world.
Certainly God wants more
Than for us to be preoccupied with entertainment instead of dwelling on His glorious person.
The secret to fruitfulness is to abide in Him.
• It requires loving Him
• It requires focusing on Him
• It requires meditating on Him
• It requires time spent with Him
How do we expect to be fruitful when we crave and run to the things of the world just like everyone else?
YOU GET THE POINT.
Well, there’s the first two expressions of the sin of these people.
We’ll look at the rest of the list next time.
