BEARING FRUIT: THE BARREN FIG TREE
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Bearing Fruit
a) The parables of the Vine and the Branches, the Barren Fig Tree, and the Sower, are collected together because they picture garden plants bearing fruit. Fruitfulness is one of the many characteristics of true obedience to God.
b) The three parables teach us about the importance of obedience to God.
c) We also observe, in the parable of the Barren Fig Tree the mercy and long-suffering of God. The parable of the Vine and the Branches the severity of God (John 15:1-6, Luke 8:5-15, Luke 13:6-9).
2. The Barren Fig Tree
Luke 13:6-9
“6 Jesus told this parable: A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He came hoping to find fruit on it. He found none. 7 So he said to the vine-dresser, 'Look here, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' 8 And the vine-dresser answered him, 'Sir, spare it one more year. I'll dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good. If not, you can have it cut it down.'” (Luke 13:6-9).
a) This parable is about a fig tree in a vineyard. The fig tree failed to bear fruit for three seasons, so the vineyard owner told the vineyard keeper to cut it down and put the ground to better use. But the vineyard keeper interceded for the fig tree and asked that it be given another season and some encouragement, to see whether it might bear fruit the next year. If it still failed, then it would be cut down.
b) Luke 13:6-7 relates what the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father) said to the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son). The vineyard owner’s words illustrate the severity of God toward those who are disobedient and fail to bear fruit.
c) Luke 13:8-9 relates what the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son) replied to the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father). The vineyard keeper’s words illustrate the goodness and long-suffering of God in giving opportunity and encouragement for the unfruitful and disobedient to repent. The vineyard keeper’s plea on behalf of the condemned fig tree represents the intercession of Jesus Christ for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).
d) Luke 13:9 uses that little but important word "if" to show that our remaining in God’s grace and in the body of Christ is conditional upon us being obedient and fruitful. It is interesting to compare this parable with the fruitless fig tree that Jesus made to wither (Matthew 21:18-19).
The End ...
1. Bearing Fruita) The parables of the Vine and the Branches, the Barren Fig Tree, and the Sower, are collected together because they picture garden plants bearing fruit. Fruitfulness is one of the many characteristics of true obedience to God.
b) The three parables teach us about the importance of obedience to God.
c) We also observe, in the parable of the Barren Fig Tree the mercy and long-suffering of God. The parable of the Vine and the Branches the severity of God (John 15:1-6, Luke 8:5-15, Luke 13:6-9).
2. The Barren Fig Tree
Luke 13:6-9
“6 Jesus told this parable: A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He came hoping to find fruit on it. He found none. 7 So he said to the vine-dresser, 'Look here, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' 8 And the vine-dresser answered him, 'Sir, spare it one more year. I'll dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good. If not, you can have it cut it down.'” (Luke 13:6-9).
a) This parable is about a fig tree in a vineyard. The fig tree failed to bear fruit for three seasons, so the vineyard owner told the vineyard keeper to cut it down and put the ground to better use. But the vineyard keeper interceded for the fig tree and asked that it be given another season and some encouragement, to see whether it might bear fruit the next year. If it still failed, then it would be cut down.
b) Luke 13:6-7 relates what the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father) said to the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son). The vineyard owner’s words illustrate the severity of God toward those who are disobedient and fail to bear fruit.
c) Luke 13:8-9 relates what the vineyard keeper (who represents God the Son) replied to the vineyard owner (who represents God the Father). The vineyard keeper’s words illustrate the goodness and long-suffering of God in giving opportunity and encouragement for the unfruitful and disobedient to repent. The vineyard keeper’s plea on behalf of the condemned fig tree represents the intercession of Jesus Christ for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).
d) Luke 13:9 uses that little but important word "if" to show that our remaining in God’s grace and in the body of Christ is conditional upon us being obedient and fruitful. It is interesting to compare this parable with the fruitless fig tree that Jesus made to wither (Matthew 21:18-19).
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