Sermon # 33 - Bear Fruit Series

Today’s meditation is based on the parable that Jesus taught in Luke 13:6-9. We read in Luke 13:6, “Then Jesus told them this parable:”(GNB)

The Background to the parable

While Jesus was teaching there were some who shared this information with Him. The news they brought to Jesus is found in Luke 13:1, “At that time some people were there who told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices to God.” (GNB)

The report they brought to Jesus was that Pilate had killed some Galileans while they were worshipping God by offering sacrifices to Him. This was the response they received from Jesus as recorded in the verse below.

On suffering and sins

We read in Luke 13:2, “Jesus answered them, "Because those Galileans were killed in that way, do you think it proves that they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” (GNB)

Jesus knowing their thoughts, and the reason why they conveyed this message to Him, asked them the above mentioned question, if they thought that the Galileans who were killed were worse sinners than those who escaped.

When some people face some calamities, there are those who assume that the ones going through the hardships have committed some grave sin. They conclude that the difficulties in their lives are therefore a consequence of their sinfulness.

Observe the life of Joseph in the Old Testament, and many would have concluded that the ill-treatments he went through were because of some sin in Joseph’s life. So also, when Job went through untold hardships, this was the thought of many, and even his own friends concluded that he was suffering as a result of something wrong that he had done. Eventually, God Himself testified that all of their assumptions were erroneous.

Oftentimes, we too are at fault when we judge people this way and conclude that their calamities are a result of their sins. If we have thought this way, the Lord reminds us that this is wrong thinking that needs to change.

We read in Luke 13:3, “No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did.” (GNB)

Jesus was categorical to teach them that everyone needed to repent of their sins. The first lesson we learn from this incident is that we have no right to judge or condemn anyone based on the difficult situations that they encounter in their lives. Secondly, each one of us has to search ourselves, and should repent of our own sins and wrong-doings.

It was in this context that Jesus shared this parable with the people.

Fig tree in a vineyard

We read in Luke 13:6, “Then Jesus told them this parable: "There was once a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went looking for figs on it but found none.” (GNB)

This vineyard was owned, and the owner that this represented in this parable is the Almighty God who is the creator of heaven and earth.

Tending a vineyard

There were certain ways in which the vineyards were planted and preserved.

Isaiah, the prophet talks about this in Isaiah 5:1-2, “Listen while I sing you this song, a song of my friend and his vineyard: My friend had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug the soil and cleared it of stones; he planted the finest vines. He built a tower to guard them, dug a pit for treading the grapes. He waited for the grapes to ripen, but every grape was sour.” (GNB)

Generally vineyards were planted in fertile soil. Moreover, there was much care taken to protect the vineyard, and it seemed that the vineyard mentioned in the parable had all the facilities needed for the functioning of a good vineyard. The soil had been cleared of all stones, and the finest vines had been planted.

In the parable that Jesus taught, there was a fig tree that was growing in the vineyard. A fig tree did not really need much care, as fig trees grew freely in that region.

There are two incidents where the fig tree is mentioned which I would like to highlight.

The fig tree Jesus cursed

We read in Matthew 21:19, “He saw a fig tree by the side of the road and went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. So he said to the tree, "You will never again bear fruit!" At once the fig tree dried up.”(GNB)

This fig tree was one which grew by the side of the road which meant that no one would have taken special care of it or tended it.

The fig tree Zacchaeus climbed

We also read in Luke 19:4, “So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.” (ESV)