“CAPITALIZE ON YOUR BORROWED TIME”
LUKE 13:1-9: 1 There were present at that season some that told Jesus of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
INTRODUCTION: “CAPITALIZE ON YOUR BORROWED TIME” – THANK CHURCH & EVERYONE.
Illustration: Man tells wife killing flies - got 4 males, 3 females – 4 on beer can, 3 on telephone.
We Are Blessed To See One More Year. Through all the ups and downs, mountains and valleys, joys and sorrows, victories and defeats, good days and bad days, we can see one more year. That should be enough for someone to say “Amen”. Enough to say “thank you Jesus”. A reason enough to let out a “Hallelujah”. One more year where we begin 6 feet above rather than 6 feet below.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BORROWED TIME?
It Is Common To Hear People Talk About Living On Borrowed Time. We use it to describe somebody who has survived a major heart attack, a malignant cancer, a major accident, a near death experience. It means somebody is alive who should have been dead. And come to think of it, that's all of us – For the wages of sin is death. We should all be dead since the moment we were conceived with a sin nature. Death could have taken us in the womb, in the crib, on the playground, at school, at work, home, streets, etc. Enough problems to take us: Depression, diseases, disappointments, failures, threats, lies, hate, deception, etc. Thank God the tower didn't fall on us. Thank God Pilate’s soldiers did not kill us. We are still alive. It is God’s borrowed time, not man’s. Why God? Because God is merciful, compassionate towards sinners and holds back His anger.
A LOOK AT THE PASSAGE
This Passage Occurs During The Last Year Of Jesus’ Public Ministry - Year Of Controversy. Jewish leaders were seeking to silence Him. Here, He is teaching in Judea before a multitude. For them, bad things happen to good people because they sin. Pilate (Roman Governor) killed some Galileans (Jews from Jesus’ region) and mingled their blood with their sacrifices. Tower in Siloam (Jerusalem) fell and killed 18 people. Were they worse sinners? Examples: Job, Hebrew Boys; Elizabeth & Zechariah; Tsunami killed 100,000+; Christians beheaded; tornadoes & flooding in South & Midwest; people sick, some lost loved ones, etc. Why does God allow such? The victims were worse sinners? For Jews, yes. For Jesus, No! God expects repentance. Then He gives a parable.
WHAT IS PARABLE?
A Parable Is A Simple Story To Illustrate A Truth. Jesus used parables. The parable moves from familiar to a truth which challenges the hearer. Example: Why should a shepherd risk his life to find a lost sheep when 99 are safe? Parables: The Sower, The Wheat & Weeds, The Rich Fool, The Two Builders, The Thief in the Night, The Ten Virgins, The Wedding Feast, The Rich Man & Lazarus, The Good Samaritan, The Prodigal Son, The Lost Coin & Lost Sheep, etc.
ABOUT THE FIG TREE: THIS IS YOU – COMING OUT OF 2015 & GOING INTO 2016.
1. This Fig Tree Was Planted In A Vineyard (Luke 13:6).
Fig Trees Are Mentioned 60+ Times In The Bible. They were & are very common & valuable In Israel. Adam & Eve using its leaves to cover nakedness. Figs were vital part of the Hebrew diet. The first ripe figs were valued. Good figs were images of believers. Rotten figs of wicked men. The fig tree was often a symbol of Israel. Fig trees would grow to about 25ft high & 20ft wide. The fruit was like a small plum / mango. They provided fruits about 2-3 times a year. They grew on their own but flourished well when catered to. Great shade trees because of the density and the size.
First, But Vineyards Are Supposed To Grow Grape, Not Fig Tree. They grow by the wayside - on hard ground. They depend on the rain to grow. But something special about this fig tree: Second, It was Planted By Someone; Third, It Was Located In A Vineyard - soil is fertile; ground fertilized so tree could flourish. Fourth, Someone Cared For The Fig Tree so it had adequate irrigation & sunlight. He trimmed the branches, dug up the soil and fertilized the ground. He provided for the tree’s every need. Fifth, The Fig Tree Was Not A Product Of Chance. No! The tree was planted in the vineyard because the planter had a purpose in mind for the planted.
We Are Like That Fig Tree. God has taken us from the wayside, moved us from the hard ground of darkness & despair, from the wayside of hopelessness, no peace, no joy and planted us in His vineyard. He placed special blessings in our lives. I’m glad to be a part of God’s vineyard where we are constantly fed God’s Word. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow for “my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” It is a privilege to be a part of God’s vineyard. When we are burdened we can take it to God in prayer. When we are weak, He is strong. We know our help comes from. David said: “I will look unto what?” The Hills.
2. One Day The Owner Of The Vineyard Showed Up - Expecting Fruit (Luke 13:6).
The Owner Made His Way Past All The Other Plants, And Headed For This Fig Tree Because He Had A Hunger For Figs. On his way there, he was probably getting excited over the chance to finally eat from his tree. The Bible says, “He came and SOUGHT fruit thereon…” This searching of the fig tree was not ordinary. Sought in Greek implies Careful Examination. From a distance, this fig tree looked like it had fruit. Fig trees would normally bear fruits first and then leaves later. When the leaves came they were bigger than the fruit so they covered up the fruit. You lifted up the leaves to get the fruit. A fig tree full of leaves usually meant there was some fruit underneath.
You Know About Expectation. When hope is high, anticipation is feverish, the last thing you want is disappointment. I expect my pay check at month’s end. I expect my tax return. I expect a gift from that person. I expect that job. I expect the visa for my family. I expect to be healthy. I expect money in my account. I expect food at home. I expect you to marry me. I expect us to stay together for life. I expect faithfulness in my relationship. Surprise! It always does not. Only God. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you; plans to give you a future and a hope.” God has great expectation in you. This year has not been good, but plan to be better in Jesus in 2016. Give Him fruits.
3. The Owner’s Expectation Dashed - The Fig Tree Was Barren (Luke 13:6).
“And He Came And Sought Fruit On Us, But Found None.” The owner kept coming for 3 years – that’s 36 months, 156 weeks, 1,095 days, 26,280 hours, 473,040 minutes. And the owner found nothing. This tree had been given everything it needed to flourish: good location, good soil, good sunshine, abundant water. Still, this tree was not fruitful. Nationally, Israel was just like this fruitless fig tree. They had all the signs of spiritual life, but no fruit. They were keeping the letter of the Law, carrying out Temple ceremonies, religious in every detail, but they no spiritual fruit. Israel had gone to leaves. No fruits. Israel looked alive, but was spiritually barren. They were planted in a good land, had the Word of God, the prophets of God, the Temple of God. They had everything they needed for a spiritual bumper crop, but they remained fruitless.
How Many Of Us In Here Are Like That Fig Tree That Looks Good On The Outside fruitless on the inside? Looks good to those who hardly know us? Looks good from afar? It is easy to be like that tree. We know how to pretend everything is alright. We know the church smile. We know how to greet with a warm hug. We know if we dress well enough that folks will think we are being fruitful. We think if we pay tithes, show up, that people will think we are bearing fruits. But The Saying Goes: “You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t fool my God anytime. He knows the real you.” Illustration: Piano Player – If He Is Not Happy I Have Not Done Well. Whom are you there to please? Elijah was not there to please Jezebel. Nathan was not there to please David. God Planted Us – We Are Not Children Of Chance. Man looks at the outward appearance - abundance, sweet talk and think everything is fine. God looks at the heart to see if we treat our husbands, wives, others with patience and respect; if we spend time with Him in prayer. He knows if we do things only to be noticed. We put the mask on every Sunday, but engage in the same sinful practices. We do not give God our best.
Illustration: A $1.00 bill and a $20.00 Bill. Give traveling experience.
4. Then The Owner Wanted It Cut Down – It Was Wasting Soil And Space (Luke 13:7).
We Are His Personal Property, Placed In A Privileged Position, “Planted In A Vineyard.”. But the fig tree was useless and worthless. Three years the owner went through the same routine - came expecting fruit and found none. So he says: “Cut it down. Why cumbereth it the ground” - meaning to render something useless. Job 14: 7-10 7 "At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. 8 Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, 9 yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant. 10 But man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and is no more. No this tree! In Mark 11:12-21: The fig tree was cursed and it slowly dried up from the root. Not this tree! It was to be suddenly cut down without it having no more time. Daniel 4: Nebuchadnezzar seeing in a dream as a tree that is cut with the stump remaining so that God would give him a second chance. Thus his reasoning went for 7 years like and animal and he came back to his senses to recognize God. No this tree! This tree was not only fruitless, but making the ground useless. It was absorbing precious nutrients from the earth and giving back nothing - robbing other trees of the nutrients they needed.
Unfruitful Christians Rob Others Who Have Not Had The Opportunities That They’ve Had. When we hear God’s Word each week, we are supposed to bear fruit; tell others; be changed lives everywhere - homes, jobs, etc. But when we say we belong to Jesus and they see no difference in us, we are making God’s Word powerless in our lives. If we say we love God and still live like everyone else, watch the same things, curse the same, then others assume that our God has no power. We are simply hardening them to the working of God by our unfruitfulness. We cumber the ground. Fruit is always the evidence of genuine salvation. Not everyone bears the same amount of fruit, but everyone who is saved bears some fruit! In fact everyone bears fruit, but what kind? For Christ or the Devil? When all leaf and no fruit we are living in spiritual hypocrisy - fit for nothing. So, what does Jesus see when He looks at your life? Cut It Down! But The Lack Of Fruit Was Not The Reason For The Curse; it was the pretense of the leaves - making promises it could not deliver! John 15 It is God’s desire that we bear “fruit”, “more fruit”, “much fruit”. If we yield to Him, His work and His will, we will be fruitful branches for His glory! If He finds it in our lives, He will bless us and cause us to be even more fruitful. If He does not find fruit in us, He will take whatever steps are necessary to make us fruitful. The Question Is: What must God do to cause His fruit to appear? John the Baptist said to Israel (Matthew 3:10): “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
5. “Lord, Let It Alone This Year Also, Till I Shall Dig About It, And Dung It.” (Luke 813:8).
I Know Someone Is Probably Thinking - This Is All Bad News. But Luke 13:8 gives us good news. The vinedresser says: “Leave It Alone.” If you personalize it, you will say: “Leave Me Alone”. He is saying to the owner, don’t look at this tree’s past; the 3 unfruitful years; the many failings. Look at its future. “Give it one more year”. Wow! I’m glad today that God is willing to look beyond my past mistakes: I rejected Him, I was fruitless and faithless. I’m glad He is willing to give me a new start in 2016. LOOK AT THIS!
First, Fig Trees Are Abundantly Fruitful. In Israel, a fig tree can produce as many as 3 crops a year. So when the owner of the vineyard says he has come looking for fruit for 3 years and hasn’t found any, tree had missed 9 opportunities to bear fruit. Second, Fig Trees Thrive On Neglect. For this gardener to talk about digging around the roots and adding fertilizer to stimulate productivity would have been laughable. You didn’t baby a fig tree! You just let grow and the fruit would appear. But Not This Tree. It was being rebellious, lazy, disinterested, selfish. Look, Year You May Not Have Been All God Wanted You To Be. Or all you wanted yourself to be. There’s no use beating yourself. Confess and move on into your future. Third, The Vinedresser Says That He Would Pay Attention To This Fruitless Tree. The world invests time and energy in those who are successful. No one buys stocks in companies that lose money. People don’t want to hang around losers. But this worker would invest time and energy in this fruitless tree. That sounds like God to me. He doesn’t give up on us when we mess up. He comes down and works with us. Jesus came down to earth to hang out with the rejects of society – prostitutes, pimps, tax collectors, thieves. Fourth, The Text Says That He Would Dig Around It And Put Dung In It. Back then, one had to take their hands and get the dung and put it into the hole around the roots. This vinedresser is willing to get his hands messy with poops to save this tree. This tree is a mess. Let me inform you today that God will even get Himself dirty to save us. One day Jesus came down from glory. Took off the spotless robe of divinity. Put on the stain colored garment of humanity. Lived in our messed up world, became involved with messed up people, handled messed up situations, took all the mess of our sin to the cross to save us. Fifth, It Was Customary In Those Days For Vineyard Dressers To Be Paid From Fruits Vines Produced. So His livelihood depended on the fruitfulness of the trees. But he begs the owner to give this unfruitful tree another chance. By doing this he is in effect linking his future, salary, livelihood with the fruitfulness of this tree. He was taking a risk on this tree. He could have cut it down and planted something guaranteed to bear fruit. God could have left man in sin. God could have left us dead in 2015. When you look at our history, nothing but failure. Even the good ones are bad. Examples: Noah – a drunkard. Abraham – a liar. Jacob – a deceiver. David – an adulterer and a murderer. Samson – a fornicator. Peter – a deserter. But Let Me Get Closer To Home. When you look into our own individual histories, nothing but failures, unfruitfulness, broken lives, marriages, promises, liars, cheaters, thieves, adulterers, back-stabbers, deceivers, gossipers, hypocrites, etc. God could have given up on us a long time ago. But my Jesus came down to earth. Linked Himself with fallen man. Made himself one of us. Took a risk on me and declared: “Give him one more year”. God’s mercy is great my friends. He loves us so He sends sermons, prayers, friends, Bible studies to correct us. The Devil Said “Time Up!” But Mercy Said “No!” Sixth, One More Year Was Not A Sign Of God’s Approval But His Mercy. Many people think that because God gives them borrowed time, it means He approves of their actions. No. Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Repent on that borrowed time.
6. Give It Another Chance To Bear Fruit; If It Doesn’t, Cut It Down (Luke 13:8-9).
Now, Even Though We Love To Talk About God’s Mercy, God Is Also A God Of Justice. One day everyone will be called to give an answer for his or her deeds. I know it’s not what we like to hear. But it’s the truth. 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Payday is coming. I don’t want to frighten anyone today. I just have to tell the truth. The Bible says that one day mercy will have to agree with justice that enough is enough. Isaiah 5:4 “What could have been done more in my vineyard that I haven’t done to it?” I’ve sent sermons. Weeks of prayers. Hardships to put you on your back to look up at me. I sent my Son to die for you. I sent my Spirit to plead with you and agonize with you. What more could I have done to make you fruitful? Shout To Somebody And Say: Leave Me Alone. That’s why He woke me up. He told death to leave me alone. He told disease to leave me alone. He told HIV to leave me alone. He told the mortgage company to leave me alone. He told IRS to leave me alone. He told your enemies to leave you alone. Shout and say: “Leave me alone”.
7. Notice The Parable Is Unfinished.
We Don’t Know From The Text What Happened After That One More Year. Did the tree flourish and become fruitful? Was the owner satisfied? Did the tree reward the vinedresser’s investment? Or was it still barren? Was it ordered to be removed? The answer to that question is: You Decide. You can decide from this moment that you will live for God. No more of that acting stuff. Let someone see a difference. You decide the ending. From tonight, you can decide to put away all the things holding you back and start afresh this New Year with Jesus. The past is gone. Your future lies ahead of you. Illustration: Old businessman dying – cremate, send to IRS. Now you have it all. Give Jesus your all.
CONCLUSION: The Primary Lesson From The Barren Fig Tree Is REPENT.
1. Unlike The Barren Fig Tree, Some May Have Less Than A Year To Repent & Bear Fruit! Let Me State This Again: God Has A Right To Expect Fruit From Us. God Has A Right To Examine Us For Fruit. God Has A Right To Intercede For Us. God Has A Right To Extend Mercy To Us. God Has A Right To Expel Us For Fruitlessness. But He Has Not Expelled Us But Given Us Another Chance.
2. So How Do You Make Use Of Borrowed Time? First, Surrender Your Life To Jesus. Second, Forgive Yourself Of Wrong You May Have Done In The Past & Believe That There Is Still Hope. Third, Believe & Meditate On The Word Of God. Fourth, Live A Pure & Holy Life. Fifth, Praise God Always For Your Situation. Seventh, Be A Giver.
Illustration: Come Christmas, Easter, New Year: "I'm in the secret service."
FINAL POINT AND PRONOUNCING BLESSINGS FOR EACH SITUATION.
1. A Blessing For Protection: May the God of peace, grace and truth be your guide as you begin Year 2016. May He go ahead of you and prepare the way. May He come behind you and protect you. May he surround you and make you aware of His presence.
2. A Blessing For Encouragement: Let his spirit overshadow and consume you. I pray that He gives you strength and courage and focus in everything you do this year.
3. A Blessing For Trust: God is strong and can keep you from falling. He can bring you before His glory without any fault. To Him be glory, greatness, power, authority through Jesus forever.
4. A Blessing For Commitment: God has uniquely equipped you for service. Recommit to God the gifts He has given you. May they see in you a life blessed by faith.
5. A Blessing For Stewardship: Be grateful for what the Father has given you. Be generous as God is generous. God loves a cheerful giver because he is a cheerful giver.
6. A Blessing For Courage: May God give you the confidence of Daniel to face crisis; the assurance of Moses and Abraham that God is with you. The faith of Job to overcome sickness.
7. A Blessing For Forgiveness: May you know the healing that comes from forgiving others. Relinquish any anger in your heart and remove any bitterness from your attitude. Lay these burdens at the foot of the cross. Vengeance is not yours - vengeance is God’s.
THE AARONIC BLESSINGS IN 2016: FOOD PANTRY FOOD DOWNSTAIRS
Numbers 6:24-26:24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
