THE CURSE OF THE BARREN FIG TREE
TEXT - Luke 13: 1-9
INTRO. - There is a message to everyone in this great parable
of Jesus. God extends mercy and grace to all. He provides and
meets needs. He loves and cares. But God has his limits. He
looks to see what we will do with what he has given us. There
are those who reject and resist the love and mercy of God as
well as those who take from God but do not care about ever
giving to God. This message is to these.
I. NOTICE THE BARREN FRUIT TREE - Luke 13: 6
A man had a fruit tree and he came again and again looking
for fruit but found none. The man here is symbolic of God.
See John 15:16
The tree is symbolic of man. God put us here. We are his. He
planted us therefore we are not children of chance. God has a
plan for our lives. Other passages in the Bible use trees to
symbolize people.
See Psalm 1 and Psa.37:35
II. GOD HAS A RIGHT TO EXPECT FRUIT FROM OUR LIVES - 13:6
The man expected fruit and he came looking for it. He did all
he could for the tree so as to help it bear fruit. He planted
it in a vineyard. He had a caretaker. He selected a place for
it. He had it watered, dressed, and fertilized. No labor was
spared on this fruit tree. The man had a right to demand
fruit from this tree.
God has a right to demand fruit from our lives. God made us.
He has been good to us. He has put each of us into the place
where we can best serve him. He has worked with each of us
over the years of our lives. He has spared no labor on us and
has done everything possible for us to become what he would
have us to be.
God expects the fruit of repentance from the unsaved. See
Luke 3:8
God expects fruit from the Christian too. God wants to see
the fruit of service and character. Gal.6 tells us of the
fruits of the Spirit which ought to be in the lives of God’s
children. Fruit suggests reproduction - Gen. 1: 28 - 29. God
expects Christians to be fruitful and multiply and produce
other Christians.
III. GOD SOUGHT FOR FRUIT BUT FOUND ONLY LEAVES - Mark 11:13
Leaves and fruit both take strength from the tree but fruit
helps all while leaves help nothing but the tree. Leaves at
times do not even help the tree. The leaves of the tree were
purged or pruned in John 15 so as to give strength to the
fruit.
Many of us have leaves in our lives that are sapping our
strength so as to keep us barren. The leaves of sin, bad
habits, worldliness, laziness, and unconcern are among a few.
We put too much of our energy into leaves and not enough into
fruit. Too many unsaved have no fruit of repentance because
of the leaves of sin.
IV. NOTICE THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD - Luke 13: 7a
For three years the man has been patient with the tree. From
the context we see that this was too long to wait for the
this type of tree to bear fruit. God has been long-suffering
with most of us. God has waited years for us to get saved and
serve him. Some have turned to Christ and God has waited
years to see the fruit of service. It seems many hope to give
their lives to the devil and then one day give their souls to
God. How foolish.
The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. He
waited in the days of Lot. He waited in the days of Israel’s
wanderings. The long-suffering of God waits today. How long
has God been waiting for you?
V. NOTICE THE MERCY OF GOD SEEN HERE - Luke 13: 8
The keeper of the garden asks for more time. He asks for one
more year. Maybe the dresser of the garden saw possibilities
not previously seen. Maybe he saw some little buds that
indicated possible fruit. Maybe he had worked with the tree
so long that he just had a love for it. Whatever the reason,
he interceded for the tree and was heard. Here we see
intercessory prayer in parable form.
God waits for many today. He has waited for a long time but
now the waiting is limited. God will wait just a little
longer for you to get saved, just a longer for you to bear
fruit. The owner gave it one more year. God in his mercy may
give you one more year. God may have already given you one
more year. Now is the time to do something about your
situation. Maybe God is giving you another year because
someone prayed and stood before God on your behalf. Maybe he
sees in your heart a slow stir and hunger for him. Maybe it
is because some Christian has worked and prayed long and hard
for you like a mother, dad, pastor, or Sunday School teacher
and God is doing it for them.
VI. GOD’S WARNING - Luke 13: 7 and 9
"Cut it down"! Why? Barrenness is contrary to the whole
purpose of planting. A fruit tree which bears no fruit is
worthless. This tree occupied a place in the garden
uselessly. The tree brought no good to the owner. It was
taking from the owner but giving back nothing in return.
Cut it down because it is useless. There is nothing as
useless as an unfruitful fruit tree except salt without savor
and a light that will not burn. See Matt.5: 13 - 16
The painful truth is that many professing Christians are in
no way fruitful for God. He is helping himself with the gifts
of God so as to bring only leaves. The worth of a man is
this. To what use are we putting our lives? Some people think
that as long as they are not helping at least they are not
hindering. This tree was not helping and it was hindering. It
was taking up the ground that a fruitful tree might use. It
was taking nourishment from the soil and giving nothing in
return. A test of your usefulness to God can be made by
asking yourself one question. The question is "What kind of
world would this world be if every other person were just
like me?" What type of church would my church be if every
member were just like me? Would there be a visitation
program? Would there be any services that the church would
have to close? Would there be enough money to fuel the
programs of the church?
Many is the person who will not bear fruit in their lives and
at the same time will get in the way of others bearing fruit.
Cut it down! It is a law of nature that whatever does not
reproduce itself must die. A family that does not reproduce
itself will die and a church that does not reproduce itself
will die.
IN CONCLUSION ---
What is the answer to unfruitfulness. The answer is to be
fruitful. Look at one passage as we close for the answer.
Look at John 15: 4 - 8.
The answer is a true, yielding, intimate relationship with
Christ.
We must have it - says verse 4.
We cannot do without it - says verse 5.
If we don’t have it and get it we will eventually be
destroyed for the lack of it - says vs.6.
It is God’s will that we be fruitful - proclaims vs.8
BECOME FRUITFUL. DON’T WAIT.
