Read Luke 13:6-9
Don’t Be Stubborn. God Is Pleading With You.
Jesus tells a parable about a man who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. For 3 years he went to look for fruit on the tree but found none. In essence, he told the caretaker of the vineyard to cut it down. The caretaker responded, “Let me take care of the tree for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, then good. If not, then cut it down.” The owner of the vineyard is God and the caretaker of the vineyard is Jesus. The vineyard is the church who’s called to faith, repentance and to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
Bearing fruit is what gives evidence of our faith. The book of James says if we claim to have faith but we don’t bear fruit then our faith is dead – useless. God is a patient God and wants us to bear fruit, and if we don’t, then a time will come when God’s patience will end and his judgment will be given. God doesn’t wish for any to perish in hell, but at some point, we must repent of our sins and allow the Holy Spirit to work through our lives and bear fruit. Just as the caretaker of the vineyard pleads for one more year to invest into life of the tree, so Jesus pleads with the church by knocking on the door of their heart with his love, his truth, and his word, in hopes of us surrendering our lives to the Lord and experiencing a transformation, so much so, that people see a change in our lives and see other lives being impacted for God.
For those who are stubborn, who want to be in control, who love this world more than Jesus, a day is coming when your life will end on Earth and no more chances will be given to you. God’s judgment will fall on you and you’ll be cut down and face the wrath of God. God is pleading with you: repent, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and produce fruit now. I’m pleading with you! Don’t wait! Surrender your whole life today to the cause and call of God. Bear fruit!
