Bare The Fruit Or Get An Axe

Luke 13:6-9

Parable Of The Barron Fig Tree

When I was a builder I had a few employees that worked for me one in particular comes to mind, his name was Roy was good guy, young. But also was clumsy and very lazy. I remember once he was using a skill saw with gloves on, he started talking to another worker and they got kidding around and he forgot what he was doing and stuck his hand in the saw,luckily he only cut the end of his ring finger off. he worked for me for 3, years 3 years I kept him on. Why because I saw that he had potential if he would just make an effort. Eventually I told him he needed to shape up or ship out, a few months later I had to let him go, because he just would not put in the effort to be the employee I needed him to be. When those who enjoy the means of grace neglect them, and bring forth no fruits of righteousness, God, in time will remove all blessings from them, and leave them to barrenness and death.

Luke is here emphasizing grace, one more year of grace!

Lets read Luke 13:6-9 Then we will take this part of scripture and put it under a magnifying glass for a closer in depth look.

Lu 13:6 ¶ He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Real quick a fig tree is a common fruit in Palestine. In this parable It represents the Jewish nation. The nation even though it was shown continuous Grace did not glorify God. No fruits of righteousness were being produced. For Three years, which was the period of Christ's ministry among the Jewish there were still no major changes in the Jewish nation. When your gardens don't grow you cut them down as they are worthless if they bear no fruit.

The vineyard by grace is given one last year of opportunity to bear fruit. After that year and the final rejection of Christ the doom of the nation would be sealed. If those who enjoy the means of grace neglect them, and bring forth no fruits of holiness, God, in due time, will remove all such blessings from them, and leave them to endless barrenness and death.

What we see so far is a man is disappointed that a fig tree in his vineyard is unfruitful. Just as God is disappointed when we do not bear the fruits of righteousness he has provided. Next we see he wants to cut it down, but is persuaded by the keeper of the vineyard to give it one more year. That is Christ interceding on our behalf, saying give them one more chance to turn to righteousness. Then if no fruit is borne, then the tree is to be cut down, Fruitlessness will not be endured forever by our lord!

Those who heard Jesus would appreciate the point. But do we today appreciate the point? There is application to us as well in our fruitfulness. God left us here to be fruitful that is our the purpose so why not cut us down and take us on home if we don’t bear fruit?

WHERE GOD HAS EXTENDED PRIVILEGES,

HE EXPECTS RETURNS!!!!!

Lets look at it this way

The owner of the vineyard expected the fig tree to bear fruit
He had given it good soil to grow on, and patiently waited for three years. Three years it had been provided and cared for.
He was ready to cut it down but because the keeper of the vineyard interceded the master was giving it an extra year, but only for the purpose of bearing fruit.

You see God blessed Israel, and He was greatly disappointed when they did not bear fruit.

Lets Read

Isa 5:1-7

Isa 5:1 ¶ Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

The point is God has blessed us through His Son Jesus, and we are to glorify God by bearing fruit
Do you utilize the privileges God has given you?
Yes the Lord is long suffering, but it wont last forever
We see the long suffering of the owner of the vineyard, He had given the fig tree three years to produce fruit. He was persuaded to give it another year. But that last year would be the final opportunity the tree would be given. We see the long suffering of the Lord in His dealing with the nation of Israel, in the wilderness. The Lord has been long suffering to us because He does not want anyone to be lost

2 Pe 3:9 […not willing that any should perish…]
His long suffering has been for our salvation
2 Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
But we all need to realize the long suffering of God will one day end, and the "day of the Lord" will come.
2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Jesus warned His disciples that such would happen to them if they did not bear fruit.
Jn 15:2a "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He taketh away;"
Jn15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. "
Even Paul warned the Gentile Christians that they would be cut off if they did not remain faithful to God.
Romans 11:19-23
Jesus’ teaching on this is clear, He is patient and long suffering, and wants to give us time to turn our life's around and be fruitful. But we don't know how much time of grace we have.
The basic lesson of the parable of "The Barren Fig Tree": repent.
1. For the Lord has been long suffering already
2. And what time you have left may be short!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
James 2:10 Even just one sin makes one guilty of all...

Unlike the barren fig tree, we may have less than a year to repent and bear fruit! And since Jesus died on the cross we have been in the grace period of that fig tree. And the grace period could end at any moment, so don't keep putting it of you know God is calling you. Answer him today.