2006-07-23 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church 

Luke 13:6-9 

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. 

When you are ten years old, it is hard to imagine being thirty, but when you are sixty years old, you almost want to imagine being thirty.  The ministry of Jesus became public and widespread when He was thirty years old (Luke 3:23).  For three years, He toiled away in His Father’s garden, but the fig tree (a symbol of the nation Israel) produced no fruit.  Jesus offered Himself completely to that tree, but history tells us that it was cut down, not to sprout again until perhaps 1948. 

2 Timothy 2:24-26 

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 

Unless you live your life in a cocoon, you all know somebody who needs this gift from God; “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”.  You know somebody who keeps stepping in the snares of the devil, somebody who really needs to escape that bondage. 

It’s easy for me to view myself as the dresser of the man’s vineyard, as the person interceding for that unproductive tree, trying to help that “somebody” who needs to know Jesus, but the “dresser” in the parable is Jesus, not me.  I’m the tree. 

If I do not strive (dispute and argue); if I am gentle (easy and pleasant to speak to; approachable, having a smile on my face) unto all men; if I am apt to teach (being inclined to the study and sharing of God’s Word); if I am patient (able to withstand someone’s bad nature); and in meekness I offer instruction to those who might turn and acknowledge the truth, there is a chance that my life will be fruitful.  I’m the planting of the Lord; I’m here only by His grace, and I’m the one who is taking up valuable space in His garden.  I’m the tree that Jesus cares for, and the Owner of the vineyard is asking Him where my fruit is.  I’m the one who Jesus is trying to help by His Holy Spirit, and I must be sensitive to that, knowing that this season is my last chance to bear fruit. 

It sounds difficult and risky, so why not just worry about myself, and let that difficult “somebody” figure it out for themselves?  Yes, it is difficult, and it can even be risky, but we must not forget who we are.  Who gets cut down in the parable?  If there truly is a risk in this life, the risk is in being unfruitful trees. 

As for the difficulty, well, most worthwhile things are not easy.  It should help to remember Who keeps you from getting cut down and thrown in the fire during those unproductive years of your life; The Lord Jesus!  None of us know for sure when we’re in that last year, but we do know who our number one Fan is!  Jesus intercedes for us, gives us the special attention, digging around our roots, trying to give us what we need to grow, eagerly hoping for the fruit to show in our lives.  Have you ever seen someone who talks to their plants? (You might be one)  They say it helps the health of the plant, and I’m ever so glad today that Jesus is one of those people who talks to His plants. 

As we turn our hearts and minds toward Jesus today, let’s remember that “somebody”, that difficult fig, and let’s ask Jesus to continue helping us, that we may not dry up, for the intent of pleasing the Father, and for the sake of that “somebody” in our lives.