Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Second chance, final chance
Luke 13:6-9
He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”
The Gospel writers confuse us sometimes. We know that they weren’t systematic chroniclers taking notes as and when things happen, but were, years after, putting down memories and documenting much of what had become authentic oral history. To some modern minds that sounds like an unreliable approach to something as critical as the life-changing scriptures, but don’t let contemporary always-on video streaming discolour your view of times past.
This short story that we have above today from Luke 13:6-9 almost seems to have no context and was just thrown in by Luke because he had the material. Luke, as we know, was a diligent researcher and often brought material that we otherwise would not have had. So here, Luke records this parable that is not included anywhere else.
There is, of course, the larger theological point that the owner of the vineyard and by extension, the fig tree was God and the tree itself represented Israel. The understanding here is that if Israel would yield some fruit, show signs of repentance as discussed in the verses before, judgement would be avoided. Many see the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 as an execution of this judgement about which Jesus was warning.
But there is also here another point and application that relates to each of us in our present circumstances. I like to refer to this as “grace and warnings” or as in the title, “second chance – final chance.”
If we observe carefully, the fig tree was not where it should be, fig trees were not generally found in vineyards. However, it was in a privileged position, in the vineyard, with a vinedresser to care for it. As such, it was expected to be very fruitful. Jesus had taught earlier, in another context that, “everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” Luke 12:48.
It is also clear that uselessness and unfruitfulness invite disaster. The owner of the vineyard was ready to cut down the fig tree and have it thrown into the fire. There was no reason for it to just occupy space. It wasn’t a flowering plant kept for beautification, it was a fruit tree that was intended and expected to be fruitful. Some time ago in these devotionals, we noted that – fruitfulness is built into our design. To be unfruitful is to not operate in keeping with our design and not please the designer.
The next thing that we note here is that there are takers and there are givers. Those who are takers only won’t survive. The fig tree was taking from the soil but giving nothing in return. It was brought under focus, and its future threatened because it was a taker that was giving nothing back
Many of us have barren fig trees in our lives that we have to confront, examine, and determine the future course. For some of us, our fig tree is an investment that we have made. There is a tendency to keep feeding some projects and investments even in the face of great financial loss, in the hope that something would suddenly happen to change the fortunes.
I had a business centre in a leading Georgetown Hotel that was very profitable for years. Those were the years before smartphones. Everyone had to come to my operation to connect their laptop to the internet with a cable or purchase time on one of my machines to access email and the like. Then if they had to print my joy was complete. The smartphone revolution killed that business model, but because of its former profitability, I was reluctant to close it. The thing had become a taker and I was giving, it took me a while to be a tough owner.
For others, their barren fig tree is a relationship. There are so many relationships that are dead and over that we are still feeding. As I listen to people, especially women, but not exclusively women, discuss the challenges that they have with someone with whom that are in a relationship, it is clear that the relationship would not yield fruit, but they keep hoping that he would change.
And finally, for all of us, we are the fig tree that God has here in his vineyard and He is looking for fruit. Many of us are recipients of God’s grace and mercy but are failing to produce any fruit for the kingdom and glory of God. Just like Jesus said of Jerusalem if we remain fruitless God’s judgement will come.
We each need to do a few things. We should examine our investments and relationship to determine if we are giving and not receiving anything in return. Where that is the case we need to make a firm decision, set a timeline, work on them diligently and if nothing changes in the time we set we need to get out.
And then we need to examine our own lives before God to see what we have done with life, grace, and opportunity that He has given us. If we aren’t producing fruit, we need to move quickly before judgement comes. God gives second chances, but sometimes, the second chance is the final chance.
Think on these things:
- Have you been investing in anything or anyone and not seeing fruitfulness?
- Can you think of a way in which you could “fertilise” your investment in the hope of finally bringing it to fruitfulness?
- Is there a business investment or relationship that you should quit?
- Are you being personally fruitful with what God had given you?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would act quickly on our investments and relationships to determine their future and at the same time ensure that we are being fruitful for God.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex
