God the Father Is a Gardener: Jesus, Our Great Physician Sermon Series

Download the sermon guide to print here.

In this sermon, Zach Daniel teaches on the metaphor of God as the Gardener in our lives. Just as an expert gardener carefully plants seeds, uproots weeds and prunes fruitful branches, our Heavenly Father is at work cultivating abundant life within each of us. These questions are designed to help us apply the gardener metaphor to our daily walk with Christ so we can bear more fruit for His glory.

This sermon emphasizes:

• God the Father is at work like a gardener in our lives planting seeds, uprooting weeds and pruning fruitful areas for greater fruitfulness.
• The seed God plants is His Word, which has the power to bear fruit in our lives.
• God the Father plants people in the soil of the local church community for their growth and flourishing.
• God the Father uproots patterns and ways of living that don’t align with His Word or the abundant life He has designed for us.
• God the Father prunes areas that have been fruitful so that they can become even more fruitful.

Key Scriptures:

• “Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.’” Matthew 15:12-13 (NASB1995)
• “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 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 15:1-2 (NASB1995) “
• “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” 1 Peter 1:23 (NASB1995)
• “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and the rampant wickedness, receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21 (NASB1995)
• “The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God.” Psalm 92:12-13 (NASB1995)

Table Questions:

These are questions based on the scripture and sermon to help you put the teaching into practice. They can be used in discipleship, Lifegroup, as a family or with whoever is around your table this summer:

1. What stood out to you the most from the sermon? Why?
2. Have you ever thought of God the Father as a gardener in your life? How does this metaphor help you understand His work in a new way?
3. In what ways have you experienced the power of God’s Word (the seed) bearing fruit in your life?
4. Why is it important to be planted in the local church community for our growth and flourishing as believers?
5. What are some “weeds” (patterns or ways of living) that you have seen God uproot in your life? How has that uprooting aligned you more with His vision for abundant life?
6. Share an area of fruitfulness in your life where you have experienced God the Father’s pruning. How did you respond to that pruning process?
7. Like John’s story have you ever had to trust God and wait on His timing in a significant area of your life? What did you learn through that experience?
8. How can we support and encourage one another as a group to remain rooted in God’s Word and open to His work of planting, uprooting and pruning in our lives?
9. What practical steps can you take this week to steward the seeds God has planted in your life and allow them to bear more fruit?
10. Spend some time praying for one another, asking God the Father to reveal areas where He is at work as the Gardener in each person’s life and for the grace to cooperate with His loving work.