Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

CUMBERERS OF THE GROUND

1. Christ was a Master Teacher, who knew the needs of men, and for that reason He used divers illustrations taken out of the life of the common people:
   1. In this instance a man planted a fig tree in his vineyard.
   2. For some reason the tree bore no fruit.
   3. The owner of the vineyard saw no need for the fig tree to take up ground that could be used by a more fruitful plant.
   4. He asked the vineyardist to cut it down, but the gardener pleaded with his master to give it another chance to produce.
2. There is a spiritual lesson in the parable of our Lord worthy for our prayerful consideration:

1. Dead trees:
   1. A dead tree is devoid of life and for that reason cannot produce fruit. It occupies the ground that should be used for a living and fruit-producing tree - John 15:6
   2. There are some members in the church who manifest no spiritual life for any usefulness in the church. They are cumberers of the ground!
2. Rotten trees:
   1. Rotten trees are loathsome; all they reveal is rotten -- their language, their business transactions, and their reputation are rotten.
   2. A rotten tree is light, worthless; so their conversation, their promises, and their conduct are worthless to God's cause.
3. Withered trees:
   1. When the tree has lost all sap and is withered away, it cannot bear fruit.
   2. Some look green, but have lost all fruit-producing energy and must be cut down.
4. Sick trees:
   1. Plant life is plagued with all manner of infections; that is what makes them sick. They need care and medications to restore them to health, to bear fruit.

1. How and in what respect do these nonproductive trees cumber the ground?
   1. They take up room, precious room, that might be better occupied.
   2. There is no advantage to the owner to continue them.
   3. Some of them take the nourishment away from the tree that bears fruit.
   4. Thus the cumberers of the ground are not only unprofitable to the owner, but they are hurtful to other plants.
2. This brings us to the high point of our sermon:
   1. The nonproductive tree symbolizes the unfruitfulness of some members in the church.
   2. What shall the church do with them?
      1. Not fellowship with them? Remove them from the church? Pay no attention to them, just leave them to themselves?
   3. By no means! Follow the suggestion in our text. Work with them, preach more spiritual life into them, give a message that will awaken them to a new life. Pray for them!
3. Our text shows:
   1. God's forbearance with those of us in the church that are unproductive to His cause.
   2. He urges the church to work with the nonproductive members, love them, think kindly of them, give them another chance!
   3. Let us not be hasty in our judgment towards them, but rather attempt to awaken in their soul the spark of new hope and new life.
4. There is, however, a more serious side to our text:
   1. Our text shows that there is a limit to even God's long-suffering and forbearance.
   2. The cutting down of the unproductive life means that it will be removed out of the church of God.
   3. Finally, let us not sit in idle judgment upon others, but examine ourselves and know that we are not guilty of cumbering the ground.