Fwd: Parable of Barren Fig Tree

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From: ryanjaustin@comcast.net
Date: April 18, 2012 3:58:47 PM EDT
To: ryan austin <ryanjaustin@comcast.net>
Subject: Parable of Barren Fig Tree

Storyteller: The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

 

 

Last week we touched base on the issue of worry. If we take our focus off of ourselves and set our focus on Jesus our worries fade. It's when we realize who Jesus is in the midst of our worry that we discover peace in the storm.

 

This week we will discover what Jesus thinks about productivity as we look at the parable of The Barren Fig Tree.

 

When Jesus, the master storyteller told his parables, He did more than simply tell a good story. He brought revelation of who He was and what the Kingdom of God was about. Jesus' parables always answered a question—whether it be a life issue, a question about God, or a question of God's Kingdom. Usually the answer to that question or the meaning of the parable would be expressed at the end with a punch line—just like any great movie or story ending. Jesus did not just tell his parables to impart information. He told them to ultimately bring transformation. He calls us to action. As we study this parable ask yourself who you are in the story and what God's call to action for you is. Some of us look so deep into the parable that we miss the most important part—obeying!

 

In Luke 13:6-9 Jesus tells the parable of The Barren Fig Tree: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

 

DOES GOD CARE ABOUT RESULTS?

 

The question posed here is, "Does God care about results?" Jesus answers this question with a "yes" by addressing the importance of fruitfulness. Being productive and bearing fruit are important to God. 

 

Religion says that our good deeds get us into heaven. When I am evangelizing to someone and ask the question, "Why do you think you're going to heaven?" the most common answer is, "Because I'm a pretty good person. I've done a lot of good things. I think as long as you are not evil but do more good than bad, then God will allow you into heaven." This is what religion teaches us—that by our efforts we can earn our way into heaven. The Bible, on the other hand contradicts this belief.

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Here we discover God's view on works. Religion says that we are saved by our fruit. The Bible says we are the fruit of the work of Jesus. We are saved by grace alone. Many Christians who grow up in the church take this verse and move on the complete opposite side of the spectrum and say that works do not matter, and they miss out on the truth. They use "God's grace" as an excuse to be lazy and do nothing for God, because they have failed to read verse ten. The truth is God saves us by his grace to do good works. His grace in our life should produce fruit in our lives. If we have made Jesus our Lord and He lives inside of us we will produce the fruit of Jesus. So are works important? YES!

 

The question you must ask yourself is, "What area of your life needs to become more fruitful? What branches on your tree are not fruitful?" Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight the areas of your life that need to be more fruitful. What areas do you need to be more productive in, or bear more fruit in? Is it your quiet times, prayer, school work, respecting parents, reaching out to others, sharing the Gospel, making disciples? How about your kindness, selfless acts, encouragement to others, expression of thanks? Are you bearing the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, goodness and faithfulness? God wants transformation!

 

When I went on my Israel hiking excursion a couple of years ago I noticed that fig trees grew like weeds there. As we hiked throughout the Judean hillside and into Galilee we would pick off huge, luscious figs and try to eat them, but they were too ripe. Every fig tree had hundreds of figs on them. Likewise, when God formed us, he created us to bear fruit. When we come to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, it is only normal to bear good fruit. Something is wrong if we are not bearing fruit. We deserve to be cut down for our selfish lack of productivity.

 

But notice what the Gardner in the story says: "Give it one more year. Let me cultivate and fertilize it and we'll see if it changes." The good news is God is giving us another chance. If you have been unproductive lately and maybe have strayed away from your new year's resolutions, God is chasing after you, extending more grace so that you might be transformed. As Mark Driscoll says, "God has a long wick. No, He won't put up with our unfruitfulness forever, but he definitely has extended an abundant amount of grace." There is hope for us! It won't last forever, but God has given you another chance.

 

Notice the open ending of this parable. Jesus never says what happens at the end. He has left it open for us to finish the ending. Will you accept this offer of grace and bear fruit with what God has given you, or will you choose to be cut down.

 

Don't settle for a fruitless life. Determine to be productive with your life and bear fruit.

 

HOW TO BEAR FRUIT

 

1.     Cultivate your relationship with the Holy Spirit

 

Galatians 5:22 says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control." Fruit comes from being connected to the Holy Spirit. Fruit is not something we do. It is something God does in us. Therefore get to know, love and enjoy the Holy Spirit. We get to know him through our personal pursuit of Him. This is discovered when we read our Bibles, talk to him in prayer and are led by him.

 

Psalm 1 compares a righteous man who meditates on God's Word day and night to a tree that is connected to streams of living water and yields its fruit in season. So often we think if we'll just study more, determine to be productive and live right or work harder that we will be productive, when fruitfulness actually comes from cultivating our relationship with the Holy Spirit. 30 minutes with God is worth more than a days work in our own strength. We are exponentially productive with God.

 

2. Connect to the church

 

The other characteristic of this righteous man is he refuses to go along with the crowd. In ten years of doing ministry I have never seen someone be fruitful and be connected with the wrong crowd. Paul basically says in Corinthians, "If you are not connected to the church how productive can you be? The church is the body of Christ. Think about it—how can a finger do anything if it is not connected to the hand? How can the eye be useful if it is not connected to a body?" In essence, you cannot do anything apart from your spiritual family.

 

2.     Count your figs

 

Notice in the parable the landlord kept count of how many figs each tree in the garden produced. Some of us need to learn how to measure success and keep track of our progress. Harvard business review says that a person is ten times more likely to accomplish a goal if they write it down. I tell students all the time the most important key to making good grades is writing down your homework assignments and taking good notes in class. I remember carrying around a planner wherever I went so I could track my progress in how much homework I had finished. Something that changed my life was when my dad made my brother and I start writing down a to do list every morning before we got into our daily activities. I still try and do this everyday and have noticed my productivity level exponentially increases when I do so.

 

3.     Measure fruitfulness, not busyness

 

As you count your figs make sure you measure fruitfulness, not busyness. The most productive people in life are actually the least stressed. I hear left and right people saying, "I'm so stressed! I'm so busy! I have so much on my plate! I just don't know if I can handle this." Then I'll ask, "So what have you done?" "Umm… you know I just have a ton of homework…" "Ok, but what have you done?" What I have discovered is that busyness does not equal productivity. It's like all the ridiculous busy work your teachers give you in high school. How productive are you really doing that work? Almost always busyness comes from our priorities being skewed. Some of us will try to read 5 different books at once and finish 1 in 3 years. It's simply a lack of focus. The root of the problem is we say we are too busy to live for God, go on prayer walks, read our Bibles, pray and go to church. The irony of this is the less time we spend with God, the less productive we become. This is why God must always be our ultimate priority: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all the other things in life will be given to you." (Matt 6:33).

 

4.     Use your manure

 

Notice in the parable the gardener asked for one more year and decides to use the manure to fertilize the tree and help it bear fruit. Mark Driscoll says that God will use the things in our life that just plain stink to grow us. Your finances may be manure. Your relationships may be full of manure. They may just plain stink! But the good news is God wants to use that trial that stinks in your life right now to grow you!

 

5.     Be consistent

 

Lastly, be consistent. Fruitfulness doesn't come over night. The good grades, the joy, the self-control, the change in character, the cultivation of your relationship with the Holy Spirit is going to take years. The most important characteristic of a tree that bears fruit is the consistent watering and nourishing. When running in college my coach used to always tell us its not how much training you can do in 3 months, but 2 years that make you great. The most successful triathletes I know are the ones that are consistent in off-season. Likewise, we will bear fruit when we become consistent in these areas. Anyone can record notes in class for a week, what about a year though? Anyone can read their Bible for a month, but what about 10 years? Consistency is what it is all about.