In different or fruitful? Sermonette for a rest home. Luke 6: 43-49
A thing to remember about this passage is that while Jesus was talking about trees and fruit; he was and he wasn’t talking about trees. This was metaphorical, that word picture stuff. Jesus was talking about people and in doing so he used a couple of interesting fruit at that. He talked about figs and grapes and compared them to thorn bushes and briers. Briers are a prickly wild rose; there are a lot of them growing up the Waitaki Valley around Otamatata.
The nation of Israel at the time was itself is compared to three types of fruit producing plants two of which are the fig and the grape vine. But hey there are another couple of sermons in that at least – another day.
Back to us doing not so ordinary stuff. In fact doing extraordinary stuff, life changing, eternity shaping and heaven coming down to Earth stuff. What is it that Jesus is saying in these couple of verses about this? How is it that you get to store up good stuff in your heart and bear good fruit? This could be well worth knowing.
The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. What do you want your heart to be full of, good, bad, or something indifferent? I see that Jesus didn’t refer to indifferent. Because if you are indifferent that’s ‘not good’. We were not saved from our sins to be indifferent. The Spirit of God does not enter a person’s life so that they can become indifferent. He changes people for good. He dispels evil and good fruit comes through him and out of them.
Indifference is an interesting thing, it’s that place of nothing really. Nothing changes, there is no real commitment, the indifferent achieve nothing, because they are just apathetic and unresponsive. The truth is that God can’t use the indifferent because they don’t want to be involved.
Imagine if that person who taught you truths from the Bible had not bothered and had just told you nursery rhymes instead, where would you be with your faith journey? Or if the pastor of your church had only ever recalled hunting and fishing trips and yarns about his week instead of preaching the gospel message of the grace of God. Where would you be?
Indifference is a deadly thing. It is thought that Edmund Burke said this about indifference and evil; “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Which is a good point.
Being from the generation that you are you would of over the years have seen this occur again and again. No doubt you can recall a few dictators who have risen to power because good men did nothing and evil prevailed for a time. It is interesting that in all cases indifference is overcome as the realisation that circumstances will affect those indifferent good men.
Now I didn’t come to the rest home today to just tell you this. You good people as believers have a task. This is no secret task. When you are visited by your families, by the staff in this place take the opportunity to do some of those things that Jesus tells you to do.
Where there are disputes, be the peace maker.
Where you are wronged, turn the other cheek.
Don’t hide the joy that you have in the Lord under a bushel.
Give to those who are in need.
Love those who are sharing this home with you.
Pray for your friends and family and those who govern this country God knows that in this world that they can do with prayer.
Don’t worry about where you are in life but pray about your circumstances.
I leave you with this thought, do you love Jesus? If so live out his words and show others what the love of Jesus is.
