Title: In Christ you are reconciled!
Text: Luke 13:1-9
Facebook live: In Christ you are reconciled!
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
The fig tree of Israel had been growing for a long time. It had been planted in the time of Abraham. It had sprouted in Egypt. It had been transplanted to the land of promise and had grown to full maturity there in the days of David and Solomon.
Then it had wilted and except for brief periods, had remained mostly unproductive up to the time of Christ, even considering all the care God had given it through his profits.
When Jesus came, he had every right to expect the tree to be, in a healthier condition than it was. However, he was willing to let that pass, because he had come to make a new beginning and to inject new life into them, so that they might again bring forth fruit.
What was the result of this effort toward the close of Christ’s ministry? Our Lord in sadness of heart was compelled to speak this parable.
“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none … Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?”
The cutting down has been dreadfully done in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dispersion. The Jews had forfeited their position as the people of God, and now, when we spring forward from the age of Christ to today, what application is to be made?
The roots of the New Testament fig tree into which we have been grafted go deep into history.
The seed of it was planted when the bloody body of our savior was put into the ground on Good Friday afternoon, and sprung to life when he came forth from the tomb on Easter morning and sent his spirit into his church on Pentecost, and continued during all the centuries that have followed.
Many have been faithful and we find today that this rich tradition of faith has been left to us. Here and throughout the entire church.
The New Testament itself is made available in many translations for us to read and study. There are tremendous study helps, music, and devotions all of which that has been given to us for our edification and spiritual maturity.
There are works done by professors, pastors, and missionaries in every age, which have resulted in a rich Christian tradition given to us and the mustard seed his grown into such a great tree that the faith continues to grow.
God has done everything for us, beginning with the planting, watering, and feeding and continues to this present hour in his work of pure grace.
We understand his mercy and are grateful for the Christian tree of life that has flourished in our country as well for so many years.
Looking at the state of the world today, we must be thankful for our past, which God has bestowed upon our country and the religious freedom which has permitted the church of Christ to grow and prosper from the gospel proclaimed for almost 250 years.
The Christian church has been blessed - and the Lutheran church Missouri Synod with its pure word and sacraments has played no small part.
This brings us to the point of the parable, which is that from the tree God has so mercifully planted and so patiently cultivated. Our Lord expects some fruit periodically.
The divine gardener comes to make an inspection!
Anyone with a sense of awareness feels that he is doing this now as well, and is asking what has been produced as a result of - his grace.
Sometimes the Lord finds the tree bearing no fruit and gives his instruction.
Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground!
We know of places where Christianity has flourished and has now died.
That is not true in our country, at least not yet, but we also know that Christ desires fruit and has mercifully withheld his judgment because of the prayers of saints, here and throughout the world.
The New Testament fig tree into which we have been grafted in, was planted when the bloody body of our savior was put into the ground on Good Friday afternoon and rose to life when he came forth from the tomb on Easter morning and then sent his Holy Spirit into the early church on Pentecost to call the lost to life in his blessed name.
It is a fruitful and Godly work that he desires to continue through you and me!
We have his word and its inspiration from the sacred text.
His gifts and his Spirit, continue to edify our hearts and minds so that our mouths proclaim to those who hear, a lifesaving Gospel in Jesus Christ.
The mustard seed is grown truly into a great tree!
God has done it, and he will continue to do it for all he desires to come and live in him.
God’s blessed work, out of divine grace and mercy, has preserved you and me into his blessed tree, and out of profound gratitude we remain thankful for the eternal gift that we enjoy in his son.
We as his children through, have a call and responsibility, which is that from the tree he has so graciously planted and cultivated; our Lord expects some fruit once in a while.
Anyone with a sense of awareness knows and feels that he is desiring fruit at this time, and is asking what has been produced as a result of his grace. At times condemnation comes:
Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground!
I’ve cut down trees and so have you. We’ve all burned the wood.
That Christ has been disappointed in the church in our day is true, but he has mercifully withheld his judgment because of the prayers arising to him for it.
‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
Can this stir us up out of our complacency?
Well, he doesn’t mean us, does he?
God has cut so close to the root recent years. We see it and feel it. We are always pushing it off until tomorrow and looking for earthly cures.
There has to be an urgency about the Kingdom.
It means that each of us who is Christ’s child is a kind of fig tree in which the Lord's expects us to bear some fruit as well.
We have been grown through the cultivation of the word at the hand of pastors and teachers.
We also, by the work of the Spirit, are at this moment alive in God and he is never unfair in his demands. He does not require us to produce beyond our capacity.
One thing, however, is sure; he does expect something from each of us.
As the Vine dresser God seeks to cultivate you and me hoping that in this year, we will finally fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
The day of grace has not yet passed.
Repentance is now in order for some, and motivation for others.
Holy baptism has marked us as his children and we are called to bear fruit.
What does this mean? What is this fruit?
It means in the first-place obedience to his word.
Not in the formula and spirit of the Jews, whose hardness our Lord was not pleased with - but primarily in the submission of the spirit, to all that God gives our hearts and minds to believe and to accomplish.
Fruit means much more than only thinking, reading, or hearing the word and praying, which we do not make our own, but when we pray – asking in confidence that he hears and placing our trust in him.
Fruit includes the corporate worship of God and the active nature of being in the word.
Fruit involves a life that is morally clean - not because it looks nice, but because it wills to be clean in Christ.
Fruit means the right talk from our mouths, because God has given us tongues and languages for the edification of the body of Christ to the Lord's service to fulfill his will.
The question proposed to us by the parable, is what am I doing for Christ?
Am I content to receive from him and do nothing for him?
Or, if we are doing something for him is it our best?
What will be the situation in a year from now?
It is up to you and me and we must take a step of faith to grow.
If you have not been attending public worship regularly, do so.
If you are not a member of a Bible class, join one.
If you have not been reading the word and praying every day, begin today.
The Lord has not given up on you or me.
He desires fruit from each one of us and will bring it to bear in your life as you follow and remain connected to Jesus.
May the gift of his love be and abide with you now and always!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in and through Christ Jesus our Lord Savior now and forever. Amen
Modified, Concordia Pulpit 1974, Rev. Herbert Lindemann 1973 pg. 33
No comments:
Post a Comment