by Pastor Jeffrey Smith

In Luke 13, Jesus was put on the spot to respond to a headline story of His time. A group of people were killed by Pilate’s men while worshipping in a temple, and curious minds wanted to know Jesus’s response to this horrific event. Jesus responded  “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:2-4) Jesus answers their question with logic and throws the focus back to his audience. In essence, “You need to worry about yourself and the state of your heart and spiritual growth.” 

He proceeded to share a parable. “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9) In this story, God uses the fig tree as a way he views people. A fig tree is supposed to bear figs. The owner in the parable was angry due to the fact that the fig tree had not produced figs after several years. Jesus’s moral to the parable is you are either a tree producing fruit for the kingdom of God or you are not producing fruit at all.  

Fruitfulness matters to God and is very significant in the life of a Christian. We are not saved by fruit, but our faith should produce good fruit. I want godly fruit to show in my life that comes from a deep faith in Jesus. Jesus urges his audience to repent of their sins and focus on becoming the people God called them to be, bearing good fruit. 

I share this passage in Luke to echo Jesus’s heart for us --It’s time to grow! You may feel like your life has not produced anything significant, but Jesus symbolizes the caretaker in the parable. He steps in with His mercy willing to help us produce fruit when we come under His leadership and care. The parable in this passage does not have an ending. Jesus leaves it up to us to finish the story. Are you willing to grow?