March 20 – Lent 3

LUKE 13:1-9

The parable of the Fig Tree is one that most of us have heard many times. Before we talk about the parable, however, I have a couple of questions for you.  “What do you get when you cross a tree with an artificial waterway?  (A root canal).  Okay, I admit this is kind of corny!  So, let’s try another!  “What do you get when you cross a cat with a lemon tree?  Yes, a sour puss!  Okay, this one is pretty bad also, so let’s move on to today’s Gospel lesson.

I know this might sound a little far- fetched, but I think that the fig tree reminds me of me, and possibly of you.  Just listen to what Jeremiah 17:8 has to say.  “He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”  And Psalm 92: 12-13 says, “The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God.”  As humans, we are indeed created by God and planted on this earth for a purpose.

Of course, every tree on this earth has a purpose, and the purpose of the fig tree is to produce figs.  So, it is no surprise when the owner came to check on his tree, he expected to see some fruit.  The owner knew that the tree was capable of bearing fruit, and so he felt justified in expecting something would be there as it was the season for the fig tree to bear fruit.

God also created us to bear fruit in His kingdom, and I wonder how many times He looks at us and realizes that alas, we are bearing little or no fruit.  As Disciples of Christ, we are to bear fruit, to love one another, serve one another, and to work toward peace and justice for all.  In John 15:16 Jesus says, “ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you.”  And the words are sharp and clear in Colossians 1:10, “So as to walk in the manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing much fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

To be productive and bear much fruit in God’s kingdom, we need to have “fruit of the Spirit.”   Here is what Galatians 5:22 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith.”  Perhaps faith is the most important of these.  What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. Faith is not a feeling or emotion. Faith is the foundation of our relationship with God, and without it, it is hard to have the other fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness.

Think of it like this, if our feet are grounded, our roots need to go deep into the Word of God.  That means we need to regularly hear, read, and study God’s Word.  No one can do it for you.  Only you can seek this kind of relationship with God, and if you seek Him, Jesus has said that you will find Him.

When we are connected and intentional about our relationship with God, we produce the fruit God cultivates within us. It is God who does the work in us; our fruit-bearing is simply a result of what He does. Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. John 15:16 and Ephesians 2:8–10 has a similar message.  Second Corinthians 3:18  also talks about us being transformed into the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, and we become more Christ like, and we bear much fruit.

I think some Christians think of their lives this way. It is so difficult to bear fruit for the Kingdom. It is so difficult to be joyous, to have peace. The tree does not bear fruit by striving, but by abiding, by being what God has designed it to be, the tree bears fruit.  And the only way to know what God has designed us for is to build a relationship with Him, and as we build that relationship through knowing God’s Word and through prayer, our faith increases.

As beloved children and disciples of God, we are freely given what we need to grow and to mature.  Just as surely as the garden owner expected his tree to bear fruit, so does Jesus expect us to bear fruit for His kingdom.

As we leave here this morning to begin this new week in our lives, let us remember that God loves unconditionally.  The ultimate sign of Jesus’ love was the cross.  Let us resolve to consciously walk in the Spirit this week, letting the Spirit guide us so that we can bear much fruit for Jesus and God’s kingdom here on earth.  As we walk in the Spirit, God’s unconditional love will flow out of us to those around us.  This is the kind of love that the world community needs to feel today, as hate, crime, discrimination, economic woes, and fear and anxiety over the pandemic that still rages.  Let us each resolve to bear fruit at least once this week.  It may be something as simple as smiling and saying hello to someone who looks like they could use cheering up.  May God be with each of you and may you be firmly rooted in His Word and His Love, and bear much fruit.

Amen