Living On Borrowed Hours

Luke 13:6-9

Living on borrowed time

Another year of Grace

Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

? Now, in today's verses, Jesus is basically reminding us that we are on borrowed time.

? We need to repent now. We've been extended a season of grace to become fruitful, so we've got to be fruitful.

? No more playing around with religion. No more hypocrisy. No more religious talk without spiritual commitment and spiritual living. It's put up or shut up time. It's time to be fruitful.

Time

In Jesus' day, this was a parable about the Jewish nation but it also contains some important lessons for us.

- The Biblical issue of fruit bearing and the principles put forth in this parable also apply to the church. They concern you and me.

Another Year of Grace

Another year has almost gone and we are on the brink of another!

What kind of a year has 2023 been for you?

Where would you place it on a scale of 1 – 10?

? Maybe you would give 2023 an 8 or 9 out of 10 – in other words, it was a really good year.

?

It was a good year because you had success in your business,

? a good year at work or at school, good family relationships,

new friendships?

? 2023 was a year that included a lot of exciting things, new challenges, tasks completed, a great holiday.

? Or maybe you rate this past year 8 out of ten compared to the previous year 2020 which was a horrible year

? How about your relationship with God? Did that flourish and grow during 2023 or did it just hover in much the same place as it did the previous year or perhaps even went backwards as you prayed less, heard less from God through his Word, worshipped less.

As we stand on the threshold of another year, Jesus tells us a parable. It’s brief but the point is clear.

- Let's examine this parable more closely

"Listen," Jesus says. "A man has a fig tree and plants it in his vineyard. (Apparently it was common for fruit trees to be planted among the vines). Three years later he’s making his way up and down his vineyard, he is looking forward to the taste of a ripe fig but he sees that the fig tree still doesn’t have any fruit. He calls to his gardener, ‘Hey! Get over here. Why is this tree still here? It’s taking up soil and moisture and space. Cut it down, right now.’

Jesus got it right.

? Why should that tree remain standing?

? Why should it keep taking up space, using up the goodness of the soil if it’s serving no purpose?

? What’s the point of having a tree that should bear fruit but does nothing?

Jesus’ words, "Cut it down, right now, and stick a match to it" cuts deeply. The owner has a right to be disappointed and angry at that useless tree.

- Cutting down the fig tree was a drastic action, but it was well within the rights of the owner. It was his vineyard. It was his tree. He could do with it as he pleased.

- Suppose you decided to paint your house a certain color and someone came to you and objected, telling you he liked another color better and that you'd better paint it his color. You would probably tell him to take hike. Why? Because it's your house, not his. The right of ownership carries the right of determination.

- Likewise, since God owns the world and everything in it and He also owns each one of us, it is simply not right for us to object to His dealings with us or claim that He has "no right" to do this or expect that in our lives.

It’s no wonder he wants it destroyed. But as we listen to Jesus story we know Jesus isn’t just talking about a fig tree. He’s talking about you and me.

Jesus’ parable is frightening but also comforting. Examine the parable and learn the lessons from the barren fig tree.

Examine the parable and learn the lessons from the barren fig tree.