Are We Bearing Fruit?

Where is God when bad things happen? Purpose: Let’s discuss time and chance, and God giving us one last chance to repent. Plan: Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-9.

Martyrs

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-3 NKJV)

Were the victims of recent atrocities around the world being punished by God? Are innocent victims of war worse people than us? Are massacres God’s punishment? Pilate massacred Galileans during worship. Was their worship insincere? Such judgmental questions annoy Jesus, because as He said, we will all perish unless we change our ways. Judgment by human governments does not necessarily constitute divine judgment.

Accident Victims

“Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:4-5 NKJV)

Were the victims in recent accidents being punished by God? Those who died in a Jerusalem building collapse, were no worse or better than you and me. Unless we all repent we too will perish. We love to judge the fate of others, but Jesus reminds us to judge ourselves and repent.

Fruitlessness

“He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’” (Luke 13:6-7 NKJV)

What do you do with a fruitless tree that is wasting garden space? What does God do with a believer that is showing no fruit of repentance or faith? This is first a warning to Israel as a nation, but then also to every Christian, faith without works is dead.

Last Chance for Fruitfulness

“But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ” (Luke 13:8-9 NKJV)

We can’t blame everything on time and chance. One day God will cut off the unrepentant. God gives space to repent. The parable of the fig tree shows that God’s leniency will not last forever. There is a certain urgency to repentance. So let’s repent, before it is too late.

“His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalm 136). Not every calamity is God’s punishment. Time and chance happen to everyone (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Not every loss is punishment and not every gain is a reward. Even when punishment is due, Jesus showed God’s preference to give us a second chance to repent.

Postlude

Next time we hear of an atrocity, a major sickness or a natural disaster, let’s look upon those people with compassion instead of judgment. Let’s also understand that we can’t blame time and chance for everything. God is giving us a little time to bear fruit. Let’s repent before it’s too late.

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.