THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, WE HAVE SEEN MANY GREAT REVIVALS AND GREAT AWAKENINGS. HOWEVER, OF LATE, WE NOT ONLY WONDER WHEN THE LAST TIME REVIVAL HAPPENED, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR CHURCHES TODAY?
I AM WONDERING IF THE CHURCH BECAME INVOLVED IN A THREE-WAY RACE AGAINST A SLOTH AND A SNAIL, THAT THE CHURCH WOULD STILL MANAGE TO COME IN FOURTH! THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHURCH HAS SLOWED DOWN CONSIDERABLY.
TOWERS OF SILOAM FALL AROUND US AS ACTS OF VIOLENCE ARE ON THE RISE, WARS CONTINUE, VIRUSES BECOME MORE COMBATIVE THAN CURED, AND EARTHQUAKES AND WEATHER-RELATED STORMS BECOME MORE INTENSE AND DESTRUCTIVE.
AS THE SCRIPTURE READ TODAY, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LET PILATE MINGLE BLOOD WITH OUR SACRIFICES BY LETTING SECULAR GROUPS AND THE GOVERNMENT INTIMIDATE OUR CHURCHES TO SILENCE OUR FAITH, CHANGE OUR DOCTRINE AND TO TRY AND MAKE JESUS OUT TO BE “JUST A WAY” AND NOT “THE WAY.”
THERE HAS TO BE A TIME WHERE WE AT LEAST TAKE A STAND AND GENERATE SOME TYPE OF CHALLENGE WHEN ATTEMPTS LIKE THIS ARE MADE AGAINST US. THERE COMES A POINT IN TIME THAT STANDING STILL, DOING NOTHING AND SAYING NOTHING IS A SIN.
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER FAMOUSLY STATED, "SILENCE IN THE FACE OF EVIL IS ITSELF EVIL: GOD WILL NOT HOLD US GUILTLESS. NOT TO SPEAK IS TO SPEAK. NOT TO ACT IS TO ACT." NEVER ASSUME, AS A BELIEVER THAT IF WE WALK AWAY FROM OUR RESPONSIBILITIES NOW THAT THERE WILL BE“OTHER OPPORTUNITIES” LATER.
LIKE THE FIG TREE, WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR CHURCHES, OUR MINISTRIES, AND OUR LIVES TO GO BY YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT BEARING AT LEAST SOME SIGNS OF LIFE THAT BEAR FRUIT.
WE SHOULD LIVE IN OBEDIENT HOLINESS SO THAT WE WOULD NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD COMING TO LOOK US OVER TO CONCLUDE, "CUT DOWN THAT TREE!"
OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE CONTAINS A SAD STORY TOLD BY JESUS ABOUT A SIMPLE TREE THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN THREE YEARS TO BEAR ITS FRUIT. IT WAS TAKING, BUT NOT GIVING. IT WAS USELESS!
THE TREE WAS ABUSING THE RESOURCES BECAUSE FOR THREE YEARS IT WAS GIVEN SOIL, GIVEN FOOD, GIVEN NOURISHMENT, GIVEN CARE AND GIVEN ATTENTION, BUT AFTER ALL THAT ATTENTION IT NEVER ONCE GAVE ANYTHING BACK. IT PROVED ITSELF WORTHLESS.
IT WAS GIVEN EVERY CHANCE AND OPPORTUNITY AND, AS THEY SAY, “YOU HAD ONE JOB” AND COULDN’T EVEN MAKE THE EFFORT TO EVEN ACCOMPLISH THAT SINGLE JOB EXPECTATION.
THE TREE DESCRIBES A CHURCH THAT PUSHES BACK DOCTRINE TO MAKE CONCESSIONS WITH THE WORLD. IT’S A GROWING ATTITUDE TO APPEASE THOSE WHO CRY “SERVE ME! ENTERTAIN ME! ACCEPT ME WITHOUT EXPECTING ME TO CHANGE! DON'T CORRECT ME! DON'T CHALLENGE OR OFFEND ME!”
WHY ARE A LOT OF CHURCHES GETTING CLOSER TO BEING CUT DOWN RATHER THAN PRUNED TO GROW LARGER, FULLER, AND PRODUCTIVE? JUST LIKE THE NATION OF ISRAEL IN OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, THEY HAVE SQAUNDERED AND WASTED GOD'S GRACE.
GOD'S GRACE IS WASTED BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GOD'S UNDESERVED, UNMERITED, LOVING ACTION TOWARDS US THROUGH HIS EVER-PRESENT HOLY SPIRIT. BY SQUANDERING OUR TIME, TALENT, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES HE GIVES US TO INVEST.
HOW IS GOD'S GRACE WASTED? WHEN WE DON'T SHARE CHRIST WITH OTHERS WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES. IT HAPPENS WHEN WE REFUSE TO SPIRITUALLY GROW AND REFUSE TO DEAL WITH SIN. IT HAPPENS WHEN WE WALK AWAY FROM OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT HAPPENS WHEN WE TREAT OUR WORSHIP SERVICE LIKE IT IS A SUNDAY MORNING MATINEE!
IN OTHER WORDS, WE FALL INTO A STATE OF JUST EXISTING. IF WE JUST EXIST THEN THERE IS THE RISK THAT THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD WILL NOTICE THE FRUITLESSNESS AND MAKE THE HEART-WRENCHING DECISION TO SAY, "CUT DOWN THIS TREE!"
IN THE WORDS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST IN LUKE 3:9, "EVEN NOW THE AX OF GOD'S JUDGMENT IS POISED, READY TO SEVER YOUR ROOTS. YES, EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT WILL BE CHOPPED DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE."
ALTHOUGH THE WARNING IS CLEAR AND THE OUTCOME IS FRIGHTENING, THERE IS STILL THE SOUND OF GOOD NEWS! THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD CALLS FOR THE CHOPPING, BUT IT IS THE GARDENER WHO CRIES FOR MERCY FOR "ONE MORE YEAR."
THE GARDENER'S PLEA FOR ONE MORE YEAR SHOWS US THAT GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION, AS WELL AS HIS GIVING OF A SECOND CHANCE IS STILL OFFERED TO ANYONE WHO HAS AWAKENED AFTER SPIRITUALLY FALLING ASLEEP OR WHO HAS JUST “COME TO THEIR SENSES” AND RETURNED HOME FROM FEEDING THE HOGS.
THE TIME TO “WAKE UP” IS AT HAND! THE KEY TO RECEIVING THIS "REPRIEVE" FROM OUR WAYWARDNESS IS BY ADMITTING OUR SINFULNESS AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE WASTED AND SQUANDERED SOME OF GOD'S UNMEASURABLE GRACE.
LET US LEARN FROM THIS PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE OF HOW GREATLY GOD IS DISPLEASED WITH LACK OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES AND HOW MUCH IT HURTS HIM WHEN WE HOARD HIS GRACE JUST FOR OURSELVES WITHOUT LETTING OTHERS KNOW IT IS FOR THEM TOO!
WE MUST REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF GOD'S DISPLEASURE WITH ANY OF US WHO IGNORE OR WASTE THE RESOURCES HE PROVIDES FOR US TO BEAR FRUIT AND TO HELP OTHERS FIND SALVATION IN JESUS.
THOSE WHO KNOW GOD'S GRACE AND ARE SECURE IN IT SHOULD RESPOND GRATEFULLY WITH A LIFE THAT IS FILLED WITH OBEDIENCE AND FRUITFULNESS. IF JESUS CHRIST HAS TRULY TOUCHED OUR LIFE, IT WILL SHOW IN OUR ACTIONS AND THE FRUIT WE BEAR.
IF WE HAVE TRULY COME TO HIM WITH A HEART THAT IS INDEBTED TO HIS MARVELOUS GRACE AND CLAIMS TO HAVE EXPERIENCED HIS MERCY, OUR STORY SHOULD AND BETTER BE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE FIG TREE. THERE ARE TIMES WE WILL BE “RECIPIENTS,” BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE TIMES WHERE WE’RE PARTICIPANTS, PLANTERS, DEVELOPERS, AND GIVERS!
TODAY’S PARABLE PROVES THAT THE CARETAKER OF THE VINEYARD HAS ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND WITHIN HIS POWER TO SAVE THE TREE FROM BEING CUT DOWN TO INCLUDE GIVING IT EVEN MORE TIME, ATTENTION, AND RESOURCES.
OUR PARABLE IS A REMINDER ABOUT HOW DISPLEASED GOD IS WITH LACK OF FRUIT IN OUR LIVES. WE ARE WARNED TO TAKE HEED WHEN THINKING ABOUT IGNORING OR SQUANDERING THE TIME AND RESOURCES HE PROVIDES FOR US TO BE FRUITFUL.
EPHESIANS 5:14-17, “AWAKE, O SLEEPER, RISE UP FROM THE DEAD, AND CHRIST WILL GIVE YOU LIGHT. SO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE. DON’T LIVE LIKE FOOLS, BUT LIKE THOSE WHO ARE WISE. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN THESE EVIL DAYS. DON’T ACT THOUGHTLESSLY, BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD WANTS YOU TO DO.”
