Good morning. This morning we continue with our sermon series on the parables of Christ. We are going to take a look at the parable of the fig tree this morning. We just heard that parable, there in the book of Luke, chapter 13, verses 6-9. Well just like most of the parables we first need to figure out who we are in the story. Does anyone want to take a guess? We have the owner of the orchard, we have the gardener and of course we have the fig tree. In this case, the owner of the orchard is God, our Father, and Creator. The gardener who asks for just one more year, is most likely our Savior, Jesus Christ. And guess what…you and I are the tree. Every person, every human, is the unfruitful fig tree.
Let’s first look at the owner. The owner, owns the tree, he planted the tree, he expects to get fruit off the tree, otherwise, why even have the fruit tree? If the tree was a walnut tree, it’s purpose would be to grow and produce walnuts, an orange tree would produce oranges and so on. In any case, all fruit trees are supposed to produce fruit. They aren’t there to make shade for someone underneath the branches, if that what was needed, a larger tree would have been planted. The owner, simply wants the tree to produce fruit.
And then we have the gardener. This person cares for the tree, waters the tree, trims and prunes the tree so it is even more fruitful. It protects the tree from animals and bugs that may hurt the tree. And in our scripture verse, we realize that after three years of waiting for fruit, that the owner hasn’t seen even one fig. But what about the gardener? For some reason, he cares about this tree. As the owner says, get rid of it, it takes up space in my orchard, the gardener says, give me just one more year, just a little more time, and I will water it more, fertilize it, protect it and maybe with some extra care, it will give some fruit. Remember, you and I, are the tree.
So you may be wondering what about the fruit? God doesn’t really expect us to grow things out of our ears and nose, we aren’t created to make peaches, or pistachio nuts or anything else grow out of our bodies, are we? Well the answer is, yes and no.
It turns out we can produce fruit, just not the kind you eat. We produce a different kind of fruit. Biblical fruit are the results or the actions that come from holy living. So a person that lives a Godly life, leaves things behind, like a pleasant word, an encouraging word, a plate of food for a hungry person, a jacket or a blanket for a cold person, money for a poor person and so on. It turns out, good deeds, are our fruit. The actions we do, the words we say for others, that are helpful, that are encouraging, they are fruit. The things we do for others, simply carrying someone’s groceries, helping someone cross the street, or helping serve a meal. These are all fruit. Being generous is a fruit. Sharing God’s Word with others, that is a fruit. All of these things help other people, and that is fruit, from our life. Kids can produce fruit, teenagers can produce fruit, adults can produce fruit, the older more experienced members of society can produce fruit. We can each produce different fruit that others may need.
Now, Scripture talks about humans being fruit trees on a few different occasions, so it must be important to God. Twice in the book of Psalms, and in the New Testament, one of these verses stands out above the rest. John chapter 15 verses 4-8 explains the importance of humans being like fruit trees. God’s Word in John 15 reads, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Hmm, pretty plain I think. It turns out we can see a couple of different lessons in that verse. First in verse 4, That you and I cannot bear fruit without God and our Savior. It is impossible. We need Him to be a part of our life, period. The next verse tells us that if we choose to do this without Him, we are each doomed. Condemned to be thrown into the fire and burnt. There is no way around it, if we choose to try to go through life without God being a part of it, He will, at some point, throw our life into the fire, away from Him. That verse gets much better though. We see in the next line, that if we do choose to keep God in our life, and you will notice He specifically mentions His Word, as well. If we do make that choice, we not only get to heaven, but we can ask for help. We can ask for strength, ask for guidance, ask for many different things, and He promises to give those things that we ask for, if, and that is a big IF, if we chose to keep God and His Word in our life. That doesn’t mean we read it once a week. That doesn’t mean that we pray once a week, or even once a day, that isn’t keeping God in your life. If we have 24 hours in a day and we are awake 16 of those hours, God expects to be in all of those hours, each day.
The last thing that verse says to you and I is, From Christ himself, that you and I are expected, even commanded to show that we are His disciples. Now you notice that didn’t say we were expected to say we were disciples, but to SHOW that we are His disciples. In our actions, from our fruit.
Let’s go back and read our original verse again. Luke 13:6-9 reads, “Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Ok, there we are, ready to answer the hidden question in that verse. Didn’t you all see or read, or hear the hidden question? Jesus was asking you, the tree, if you were planning on producing fruit in the very near future. We all know God gives us many chances. And we all know that God is a forgiving God, but these two scripture verses also show us that God, has His limits. For this particular tree, He had given three years, and because of Jesus, the gardener, the keeper of the tree, he will give one more year, but that is all.
So that hidden question for you is, what year are you in? Do you already follow God, read His Word regularly and produce fruit? Has He given oyu one, two or three, of ten or eleven chances already to change into a tree that produces fruit? And if not, how close are we to being on our last year? If you have already made that decision, than congratulations, and blessings to you and those around you that will see that fruit that you produce. But I can tell you, Pastors are considered to be fruit inspectors, and I don’t always see fruit from a few of you. And if it is so easy for me to see, how do you think God feels?
He isn’t asking you to go be a priest, or change jobs and wear a robe and collar. He isn’t asking you to move to Africa and teach orphan kids how to read. But I do know some of the things He is asking you. To change your actions. Be willing and start to change your speech. I have heard language come out of some children and teenagers recently that I hadn’t heard since I was a truck driver. Not all of them, not even some of them, but there are a few. And if we are all honest with ourselves, does anyone really think they couldn’t get closer to God? Does anyone here believe they can’t read His Word more often? Do any of us really think we couldn’t use as many of His blessings as possible? I don’t think so. I know I need all the help I can get, and I would bet that you could too.
Let me leave you with a story of a man who had it real bad. He was the tree that had no fruit. Technically speaking, David Ring was born dead. Quick acting medical personnel were able to get him breathing, but oxygen deprivation left him with cerebral palsy. He suffered from a speech impediment, hands that don’t cooperate, and a limp. As if that wasn’t enough adversity for one person, both his parents died by the time he was fourteen years old, and his hemophiliac brothers subsequently dies of AIDS. David’s remaining family members feared that David would never have a normal life, because they assumed he would never marry, have children, drive a car, earn a living or take care of himself. As a young teenager, David came surrender his life to God and came to see his disability as a gift. Once he began to see his circumstances as being chosen for him by God, he began moving forward.
Today he is married, had four beautiful children, drives a car, and speaks to more than 250 audiences a year. At his speaking engagements he sells T-shirts bearing the slogan “Don’t Whine…SHINE!” David ring has taken responsibility for his life—the bad, the difficult and the wonderful. And he continues to celebrate the difference he is able to make in the lives of others.
When people wrestle with difficult life experiences, the why question often gets in the way. One of David Rings Axioms is “Don’t ask God why. Ask What. What do you want me to do with this?”
David has decided that no matter what, He is going to produce fruit. He will do what God asks, no matter how hard, no matter how impossible it may seem. And David has been blessed immensely because of his decision. Have you made that decision in your life? Do you want to produce more fruit? I pray that you do and I would like you to pray that you do, with me.
Let’s Pray
