Parable of the Fig Tree in the Vineyard not Bearing Fruit
In this parable the fig tree is not bearing fruit as it should be. I would speculate that this tree is about five years old as a typical fig tree typically starts bearing fruit in two years. The owner of the vineyard tells the caretaker to take the fig tree out of the ground, essentially saying that it is taking nutrients and giving nothing in return.
The care taker asks the owner to give him one more year to dig around the tree, fertilize and water it, and then if it still is not bearing fruit he can cut it down.
“Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing 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 up 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.”
Luke 13:6-9 (NIV)
God Speaks through His Word
As I read this parable it spoke to me. It still amazes me sometimes how God’s Word can speak so directly to my spirit. Sometimes with such love and comfort only today it was a convicting word to my heart. I found myself wondering how long had I been this fig tree. Planted, rooted in heavenly soil being watered daily, in prayer and His Word; yet was I bearing fruit? Honestly, there is little if any fruit that can be seen in me, at the time of this writing.
I am starting to see that I am in a time of being prepared. This is something I needed to seek out, to pray for. If wisdom is knowledge in action, I was only accumulating knowledge. Keeping the majority of it locked away. Not putting it to good use, God’s use, I was not being wise.
Blindly I prayed for wisdom, and now I’m starting to see just how much I need it. Wisdom is a key nutrient in bearing fruit.
I see how God is tenderly digging around and showing me all the weeds that I need to uproot.
Symbols of Grace
I see the Trinity of God in this parable- here the Father is the vineyard owner, just and holy. The caretaker is Jesus, He is saving me. God’s Word is the fertilizer. The fertilizer is empowered by the Holy Spirit, which is the water that brings with it the all the nutrients I need.
The Narrow Gate
Just a few verses farther and we find Jesus urging us to work hard to enter through the narrow gate.
“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’”
Luke 13:24-25 (NIV)
In the KJV those who try to enter and don’t make it are told, “away from me” by the Lord. That is not something I ever want to hear Him say, especially not to me.
Salvation
Salvation is more than believing in God. It really isn’t a one time and done kind of thing. Rather, it is an everyday, moment by moment decision. Salvation is surrender and service to God. He gave me everything – my life, my limbs, my family, my home, my career, the ability to see, to hear, to speak, and to breath. He gave me a mind, heart, soul and strength to love Him with. I must be willing to give it all back to God and do His will. He gave me life for a purpose and He has a plan for me. Unless I work hard to live out His purpose for me (bearing fruit), I may just find the door closed when I come to it.
Faith
As a Christian I know that it takes more than “being a good person” to spend eternity with Christ. It takes God’s grace through faith.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
Eph 2:8
I also know that faith without works is dead.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
James 2:14
Salvation takes the kind of faith that says, “Lord, I am Yours – what is Your plan for my life?” and follows regardless of how scary and impossible His plan may be.
This is not a faith that invites Jesus to join my life, it is a faith that drops everything to follow Jesus. This is the only way I can bear fruit.
Gathered Under His Wings
This chapter ends with the beautiful picture of Jesus gathering His people like a chicken gathers her chicks under her wings.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”
Luke 13:34 (NIV)
I don’t know how you feel, as for me I can’t image a better place to be than under the wings of Jesus. It sounds safe and comforting. However, when He says to me, “I am taking your health and your career because I have other plans for you.” This no longer feels safe or comfortable. I find it is distressing, disturbing and it feels like I’m being kicked out of the nest, it does not feel like I am under His wing. This is a hard place to be, and the question is, what will I do with my faith at this point?
Bearing Fruit
This is where salvation and faith get real, where the rubber meets the road – so to speak. Will I trust Jesus and continue to follow? Am I willing let Him dig around in my heart, my life and will I pull out everything He calls a weed? Will I be fertilized by the Holy Spirit and watered by God’s Word? Or will I decide that He has abandoned me and turn from Him? When it gets tough will I grab on to any excuse and continue in a lie and run or am I willing to do what is hard, stay and dig for truth?
In the crossroads of life there are two choices. I can either turn into God or turn away from God.
“…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15
I will choose to turn into God with all my might. I may not always be as quick to follow when it seems crazy impossible from my worldly logic, but I will. Thankfully, God is patient with me. I will work hard to be obedient in all things. Pulling out weed, and doing what seems ridiculous or incredible, simply because that is what Jesus has asked of me. I want to follow Jesus and to bear fruit for Him. My hope is to find an open door. I don’t want to be a fool who lies to myself and risks finding the door closed.
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Debra Jean
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Debra, I like how you connected Jesus’ teachings in this chapter. I also have weeds that need to be uprooted from time to time. And one of my favorite thoughts in this post is the point you make about salvation not being a one-time done deal. So true. We put a period after salvation. When really we are working out that very salvation throughout our Christian journey by cooperating with the Lords’s sanctification process in us and becoming more like Jesus. Salvation is eternal life…a free gift. Still, it’s also that surrender and service to God you mention.
Thanks for coming by to visit today Karen. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you for helping me dig deeper into this parable. You’ve got me thinking about my state of fruit bearing!
Thank you for stopping by and reading. I think we should ask God if we are bearing what He considers sufficient at any point? All we can really do is abide and be obedient. I have struggled with the latter lately. Thanks again!
I absolutely feel that when we are truly following the Lord in our life that we will bear fruit. I also believe that justification is what we receive when we we truly believe in our heart that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, we serve a living God 🙂 I do believe that sanctification is a process that we are continually in. I want to grow more and more to be like Jesus and I feel that is the sanctification process. I’m so grateful for God’s grace and I can tell by your post that you are too!! God is so good!!
Yes, God is so very good- the word good is not enough to express how good He is. Many Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read.
Debra, thank you so much for linking up at Friday Fellowship! I love the honesty in this post. The seasons of drought, when our fruit is not abundant, can be so difficult. Like you said, it’s time to allow Christ to dig up the soil, show you the weeds and take action. And while we know we don’t earn our salvation, obedience is love…Jesus says if you love me you will keep my commands. (John 14:15) But we also need to remember who we get our strength from and who is actually doing the work through us. Btw, “away from me”, “I do not know you”, are the scariest words in the Bible, in my opinion. Wonderful post! Come back next week! 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to read Julie. I’ll be back. 🙂
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control are some of the fruits (listed in Gal. 5.) We can’t see these things in ourselves very well, but we can usually tell if we have more of them now than we did before we came to Christ. And others can see our fruit (or lack thereof) better than we can. Ask a fellow believer who knows you well if they can see the fruit in your life. I think you are “fruity!”
Thank you, In this case being “fruity” is a compliment. 😉 I love the idea of asking a fellow believer. So glad you took time to read, and you enjoyed it.