Our Word for today comes from Luke 13:1-9 with emphasis on verses 6-9-the parable of the fig tree. Listen to verses 7-9 again:

“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.”

A serious sounding conversation. The owner of the fig grove came once again looking for fruit on the fig tree but found none. No doubt disappointed, due to the amount of time, effort, and work put into the trees. One particular tree didn’t respond to the gardener's care. How do we know? NO FRUIT! The tree bore no fruit. It was useless ... non-productive … taking up space. Get rid of it … cut it down!

Hear the words of John the Baptist earlier in Luke saying,

“The ax is ready at the root of the trees
and every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire!”

Now the gardener says,

“Wait! Give it one more year…
give it more time and let’s see what it does.
Let me work with it.”

What’s all this talk about gardeners and fruit trees? You don’t have a garden, you say? Well let’s identify the characters in this parable.

In the early days, the fig tree represented Israel but let’s look at the fig tree today as us—you and me. The man is God and the gardener is Jesus and tools used in working the soil around the tree is the Holy Spirit. God wants us in right relationship with God self, but sometimes like a prodigal we turn away. Jesus calls us softly and tenderly but we don’t answer, yet the call continues. He won’t give up on us. We may go to far off lands to do all manner of things. Oh, you’ve never gone to a far off land? Well perhaps you’ve stayed at home in your prodigal-ness. We’ve turned from God and focused on modern day idols. What’s an idol? Anything that comes before God in our lives. What might they be? Our jobs, our cars, our homes, our children, our husbands, our wives, our looks, our hobbies, an excuse we offer about something, an attitude we have or an idea, our tradition, sports, sewing, crafting, alcohol, movies, drugs, television, the internet, the clock or maybe, even ourselves. You fill in the blank. There are plenty to go around.

The gardener comes, looks at the tree /us, and says, “Let me have time with the tree for one more year. With the infusion of the Holy Spirit, I can get it to produce fruit. Jesus is willing to give us time to repent. That is divine patience. I’ll loosen the soil around its roots so the roots can stretch out and receive the Holy Spirit. I’ll fertilize it with the good food of grace. I’ll water it with love and mercy. I’ll prune it with the shears of forgiveness. I’ll take good care of it. We’ve worked so hard on the trees, I can’t bear the thought of losing one."

Just one more year…one more chance. A chance to turn my life around and graft onto the true vine. Is there really a second chance? A third chance, one more chance for me? “REPENT!” John exclaims as he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. My sins and your sins. Can we produce fruit in keeping with repentance and keep the ax away from our roots?

Shallow root systems lead to death. The tree produces nothing but uses space, soil, sunshine, water, and air. Take, take, and take. Like those John the baptizer admonished as they followed the crowd down to him for baptism. A brood of vipers he called them. They thought they had a free pass into God’s kingdom riding in on Abraham’s coattail. Oh, no you don’t! Every tub sits on its own bottom. YOU must repent or die. God can call children of Abraham from the rocks we trip over on the ground! Repent or die! The evil/shallow rooted person cannot produce good fruit. It’s not in the person. Even if they do good works that doesn’t make the heart, the root system good. It’s a farce! Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. Fruits are easily seen and remember…you can fool some of the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but you can’t fool God! The person must turn to Christ and the Holy Spirit to do the work that they cannot do for themselves. They will cheat, steal, mock, be selfish and self-centered, seemly self-sufficient and happy. Nevertheless, God is merciful and allows them time to turn around…to repent but remember God is just and will bring judgment. It’s only one more year. Time will end. They may have to say as recorded in Jeremiah 8:20,

“The harvest is past,
the summer has ended ,
and we are not saved.” 

His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat and to burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. Again the cry,

“Repent or die!”

What is it to repent? To say, “I’m sorry?” It’s more than that. It’s turning away from ungodly behavior and attitudes and walking towards God. It’s looking ahead and not going back. No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.

What might this good heart, good root system
that produces good fruit look like?

We practice self-control…all the time…even when driving.

We respond to Jesus’ call and live a life worthy of our calling as a Child of God.

Our light shines and we become beacons of light and love showing others the way to the true Light. Those are good, strong and deep roots that allow us to live. No ax ready at those roots. Follow Christ and live…I’m talking eternal life. Go any other way and die! Jesus said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life”
and
“He who believes has everlasting life.”

The challenge of the fig tree is to live every day as a gift from God. Live each day in such a way that you have no fear of giving an account of how you used God’s gift. Our God is one of second chances…third chances…the one more chance. God will give us that one more year to seek God’s face and turn from our waywardness. Look! There are buds on the tree. The tree will not be cut down. The tree will live! We will live! That’s good news! Hallelujah!