Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard;

and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree,

and still I find none.

Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’

He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.

If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Luke 13:6–9

Early in the gospel of Luke (3:8-9)

John the Baptist exhorts the crowd to bear fruit worthy of repentance.

The parable for Sunday talks about when is the right time to cut down a tree that bears no fruit.

The gardener pleads for more time and care (grace) for the tree with the hope that it could still bear fruit in the future.

On the one hand, this seems like a great articulation of God’s grace and mercy.

We are given more time and nurturing in order to bear fruit worthy of repentance.

On the other hand, we should not mistake not being cut down as a sure sign we are bearing fruit.

Jesus urges us to continually repent and renew our lives because we recognize how fragile and delicate life really is.

Join us Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.