Introduction

This final session of the fruitfulness series is going to be a little different. There are so many truths and principles that we can learn from Scripture about being fruitful that we cannot possibly cover them all. The aim of this last study is to encourage you to look up a number of different scriptures as a small group, and begin to identify and discuss some of these principles. Consider what practices they encourage us to adopt in our lives to help us be fruitful. There are several principles and you may well be able to think of more. We suggest that you choose just a few of them, look up the relevant scriptures together and discuss what they teach us and how we can apply them to our personal and corporate life.

Key Principles and Passages

  1. Offer the fruit of our lips – praise God in all circumstances and speak what is good (Hos.14:2; Heb.13:15; Prov.12:14; Proverbs 10:31; 12:14; 13:2; 18:20-21)
  2. Attend to the roots of our lives – roots determine the fruit (2 Kings 19:30; Is.27:6; 37:31; Jer.17:8)
  3. Be prepared to work hard (Ps.128:2; Prov.12:14; Phil.1:22)
  4. Principle of sowing and reaping (Prov.11:18; Gal.6:7-10)
  5. Trust God and give to him as one sign that we put him first (Neh.10:35-37)
  6. Live right (Prov.11:30; Is.3:10; Is.32:17; Hos.10:12; Matt.12:33; Eph.5:9-11; Phil.1:11)
  7. Enjoy intimacy with God (Song of Songs 2:3,13; 4:13,16;)
  8. Live in the way of the cross and the resurrection, the path Jesus shows us (Is.11:1; John 12:23-24; Rom.7:4)
  9. Avoid forbidden/false fruit – idols
    • Genesis 3:6 – disobedience and wrong the motivation
    • Lev.19:23-25 – waiting for God’s timing
    • 2 Kings 18:31 – fruit of your own vine – self-centred fruit!
    • Is.5:2 – bad fruit!

Questions for Reflection and Application

For each of the principles you look at, ask:

  1. What do the provided scriptures teach us? Can you think of any other relevant scriptures?
  2. What have you learned already in your Christian life about this principle? Share with each other.
  3. How can we apply this principle to our personal and corporate life so it is part of our way of life?

Further Reading

Consider looking up the other scriptures that you did not get to in your study together

There is a PDF version of this Study here.