The greatest stress I ever faced in my “career” as a student was standing in a line on the polished gym floor with my classmates. Opposite the line were my two most athletically gifted peers chosen by Coach to select the kickball teams. The wait was agonizing as each “team captain” analyzed each of the remaining classmates for their speed, agility, and ability to wallop the kick-ball into the bleachers. As each name was called and one more student left the line to join the crowd behind one of the captains, I found myself remaining, one of the non-chosen. It felt like catching a line drive kickball right in the gut. It was us verses them.
One autumn, as I returned to school, and that gym, I realized an incredible transition had taken place. I was no longer a kicker of singles in the game of kickball. Over a short summer break, I had become a homerun slammer. The dreaded wait in line wasn’t as long anymore as I found my name one of the first chosen each game.
It’s funny; my kickball ability was not the only thing transformed. Those gut-wrenching feelings at being left unwanted were replaced by feelings of superiority and cockiness toward those “geeks” standing in the line I used to be in. My pain was replaced by reveling in being one of “the chosen”. The us verses them mentality still existed, but the “us’s” and the “them’s” had changed places
I’m sure I’m not the only one with a similar experience. Sure, it may not have been kickball, but all of us know what it is like to be either one of the chosen, or one of the “un-chosen”.
The Jewish people of Jesus’ day knew what it felt like to be God’s chosen people, to be the “elect” of God, to be the “us” group of the world. They were set aside by God as His People, His nation. Imagine their surprise to hear Jesus’ parable the day He told them that the “us’s” were about to become the “them’s”.
Jesus had just been preaching to a large crowd about impending judgment and the nation’s inability to notice the signs that judgment was near (Luke 12:54-59). Right in the middle of this sermon on imminent judgment, Christ was asked a very odd question. “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners then all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish (Luke 13:1). Or those eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them-do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent you too will all perish.”
As Jesus told the crowd of the judgment coming, the people were still thinking “us” verses “them.” Those in the crowd couldn’t help but think that the judgment Jesus preached about was for them, the other people, not us. After all, Galilee was not the pride of Israel. It was full of “mixed” people, Jew and Gentile. To some in the crowd, when Jesus spoke of coming judgment, they heard judgment for the others, not themselves.
That is when Jesus decided to “shatter their world” and introduce a new paradigm. One of the most effective ways Jesus subverted the conventional values was to “parable a parable.”
(Luke 13:6-8) “Then He told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted 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 of 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.”
A simple story of a fig tree in crisis. But, why was that fig tree in a vineyard. Didn’t it look a little out of place surrounded by all of those grapes? It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for fig trees to be planted in vineyards. Fig trees work perfectly in those rocky bear patches of ground that is good for nothing else. Besides, there isn’t anything better to hold up a trellis than a sturdy old fig tree. In some vineyards, the grape vines were allowed to wind themselves up fig trees. It had even been said that the “choicest wines come from grapes that grow at the top of fig trees.”
So, it wasn’t uncommon for fig trees to be in a vineyard, but why did Jesus choose a fig tree for this parable rather than a regular grapevine? The vine theme worked well for Him another time, remember? “I am the vine, you are the branches.” (John 15:5)
The fig tree was never in a vineyard by its own free will. It was always and only there because the owner of the vineyard wanted it there. Although fig trees grow wild in Palestine, a fig tree will not grow wild in a vineyard unless the owner intentionally puts it there.
Jesus wanted Israel to hear, that fig tree represented them and they were there in that vineyard of the Kingdom of God, because God Himself had chosen them to be there. They were there because of God’s election. They were there because they were God’s chosen people. God wanted them in His Kingdom and He wanted them there for a purpose. At the foot of Sinai, God gave explicit instructions to Israel what their responsibility would be as God’s chosen people (Ex19:3-6).
God’s purpose for Israel was to make them a nation of priests, a holy nation. Israel was to expand their borders until the nation of Israel encompassed the entire earth. They were to be a light on a hill and the salt of the earth enlarging God’s kingdom, but they fell short and they lost their focus. They developed the “us” against “them” mindset instead of making them a part of us.
In Jesus day, a fig tree was planted as a sapling in a pot and kept there for 2-3 years. At that time, they were planted, but the fruit from the fig tree during the first three years after planting was thrown away and the fruit from the fourth year was given as an offering. (Lev 19:23). Three years was ample time for the tree to bear fruit. If nothing else, the owner of the tree could determine if the tree was capable of bearing fruit. During this time as the owner waited for fruit, the vinedresser would care for the tree making sure that it received enough water, was pruned carefully and fed with fertilizer. Apparently, none of these techniques helped this fig tree to bear fruit.
Israel had been given every opportunity to bear fruit. The nation had been given enough time. But time seemed to make them build higher walls to separate the “them” from the “us”. In a last ditch effort, some might call it grace, the owner allows the tree one last chance, another year to bear its fruit under tender loving care. But if grace is rejected, judgment must come. If no fruit, uproot.
In another last ditch effort, some might call it grace, God gave the nation of Israel one last chance as God’s chosen people in His kingdom. That grace ended for the nation as a whole one-year after Jesus’ crucifixion with the stoning of Stephen. The nation of Israel chose to leave “us” and become “them”.
And if no fruit, uproot. Why must the tree leave its place in the vineyard called the Kingdom of God? A barren tree steals the nutrients that cause other trees to blossom and bear fruit. A barren tree even steals the nutrients that grapes need to flourish. A barren tree occupies much needed space within the kingdom that can be well used by a tree that actually bears fruit. A barren tree blocks the sunlight from the younger plants growing at its base and slowly chokes them out. A tree that bears no fruit must be uprooted and replaced by one that does what it was placed there to do, bear fruit.
The nation of Israel failed its mission and was replaced by a chosen people who would take it up. The gentiles, the “them” of the world became the “us” and were planted and grafted into the kingdom of God to bear fruit. Their mission commissioned by the landlord, as recorded by Matthew, is “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the f\Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19, 20). The mission the gentiles were chosen to carry out at Pentecost is our mission today, to bear fruit, to expand God’s kingdom.
That was the mission of Israel. That is the mission of the gentiles adopted into the kingdom of God. That is your mission. Bear fruit. Form friendships with those who attend no church and look for the opportunity to share the hope you have been given. Turn off the television and open your den for Bible studies with those thirsting for living water until your den overflows with a new company of believers. Plant new churches with those whom you have led to Christ. Increase the sphere of your influence until the world is part of the kingdom of God. Most of all bear fruit. The landlord will nurture you with tenderness and love into fruitfulness if you will let Him.
A people who forget their mission are replaced by someone who will bear fruit. So, what are you doing in the vineyard?
