This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
(Luke 13:6-9 NKJV)
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that, you can cut it down.’ “
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Setting the stage: the need for repentance.
If you recall, from over a week ago, I provided context for Luke 13:6-9 by sharing with you verses 1-5. In those initial verses, Jesus spoke to a group of people who were essentially pointing fingers at others, believing they were right and others were wrong, with the latter receiving what they deserved. Within this context, Jesus taught a parable about repentance. This is the parable we have been studying for a week.
Leading up to the parable, Jesus plainly said, “And unless you repent, you too will all eternally perish, just as they did” (Luke 13:5). Jesus wanted the people He was speaking to stop worrying about the lives of others and to examine their own hearts. He emphasized that, as believers, we need to learn how to repent. So, this parable is the continuation of that conversation.
As we’ve traversed through the parable, studying it in thorough detail, we approach its conclusion, and I’d like you to consider the final words of the parable today. In the parable, Jesus is the vinedresser, and He asks the owner for an additional year. Rather than immediately cutting it down, he essentially says, in essence, “Give me a chance to work on it, to see if this entity will repent.” The word “repent” signifies change. It’s not a 360-degree turn but a 180-degree one. It implies heading in a different direction, recognizing that the path you were on is not effective, and being prepared to try something different.
Jesus, acting as the vinedresser, stated that he would do two things to try to redirect this tree. He would dig around it and fertilize it. He would break up the fallow ground, agitating the soil around the tree and shaking up its foundation. Once that was accomplished, he would add the necessary elements for it to grow. Fertilizer may not always smell or look good, but it is essential for enriching the soil and producing the required results. So, let’s discuss those two aspects today.
2. When God wants you to change, He will lead you to “break up some things” in your life.
Jesus said that in order for the vinedresser to help the barren fig tree produce figs, it was going to have to “dig around it.”
— This involved breaking up fallow ground.
— This involved shaking up the tree’s foundation.
— This involved agitating the things that were keeping it stagnant.
— The soil was the source of all the nutrients the tree was getting from the earth, so Jesus needed to break up the tree’s “sources” in order to ensure it was getting what it needed.
— There was nothing wrong with the vineyard because everything else was growing. But the vinedresser needed to break up the soil around the tree!
Now, let’s apply this to our lives:
— Consider and Change: Breaking up the fallow ground in our lives often starts with a deep, introspective look at our ways, our relationships, and our influences. It’s essential to evaluate who we listen to, what input we receive from media, and other external sources. Real change cannot occur without making tangible changes in our lives. This might mean changing our circle of influence, adjusting our media consumption (protecting our eye and ear gates), or transforming other aspects that shape our perspectives and behaviors.
— Challenge Your Foundation: Many times, people don’t change because they have long-held beliefs that fly in the face of what the Bible teaches or what the Holy Spirit is leading them to do. To grow, we may have to consider why we believe what we believe, and we must be open to building a new foundation built on God’s truth and wisdom.
— Embrace Discomfort: Most people do not like to change, but you cannot change (or grow) without changing! Just as the tree’s foundation was shaken, there will be moments when our foundations will be shaken to induce change and growth. This might involve stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing new, sometimes uncomfortable, experiences or truths.
— Let Go to Lay Hold: Just as the soil around the tree needed to be broken up and agitated, we might need to let go of old mindsets, beliefs, or practices that are hindering our growth and embrace new, healthier ones that align with God’s word and purpose for our lives.
Simply put, if your life is not producing the fruit God intended, He may have to break some things up in your life in order to get you in a position to be productive. Be open to it!
3. When God wants you to change, He will lead you to ADD some things to your life. These things are designed to produce results, but they may not be pleasant to you at the time.
Jesus said that in order for the vinedresser to help the barren fig tree produce figs, it was going to have to “fertilize it.”
Back in Jesus’ day, they did not have the synthetic fertilizers we have today. So, Jesus was talking about natural fertilizer. Natural fertilizers, such as dung (animal waste), provide plants with essential nutrients that they need to grow and thrive, just like synthetic fertilizers. However, natural fertilizers have some unique advantages over synthetic fertilizers.
— Dung adds organic matter to the soil, which improves soil structure and increases its ability to hold water and important nutrients for a longer period of time.
— It stimulates the microbial activity in the soil, which helps to break down organic matter and release nutrients to the plants.
— It contains adequate levels of micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, and copper, which are also important for plant growth.
— It is less likely to overfeed plants and cause damage to leaves and roots.
The problem with this type of fertilizer is that most people don’t want to handle it (touch it, or be around it), and the smell is terrible.
Now, let’s apply this to our lives:
— Embrace Necessary Additions: Just as the tree needed fertilizer (despite its unpleasant nature) to grow, we might need to incorporate certain practices, disciplines, or truths into our lives that might not be pleasant or comfortable but are necessary for our growth and development.
— Add the Word: Just like adding fertilizer to the tree, adding the Word of God into our lives might be uncomfortable but is crucial for our spiritual growth. The Word might challenge our conduct, character, and beliefs, prompting us to make necessary adjustments in alignment with God’s standards.
— Value the Unpleasant: Fertilizer doesn’t smell good but is crucial for growth. Similarly, certain experiences or truths might be hard to accept or go through, but they are vital for our spiritual development and maturity. This might involve accepting correction, going through trials, or embracing challenging truths.
— Be Open to Change: The tree needed additional elements to grow and bear fruit. Similarly, be open to adding new practices, relationships, or activities that God might be leading you to incorporate into your life to facilitate your growth and fruitfulness.
— Embrace Conviction and Correction: The Word of God often comes with conviction, which might not always be pleasant but is necessary for our correction and alignment with God’s will. It’s about accepting the truth of the Word, even when it confronts our wrongs, and allowing it to mold and shape us into alignment with God’s righteousness.
— Prioritize Spiritual Nourishment: Just as the tree needed physical nourishment from the fertilizer, we need spiritual nourishment from the Word of God. This involves consistently engaging with the Word through study, meditation, and application, ensuring that it is integral in guiding our decisions, actions, and lifestyle.
— Seek Fruitfulness: The ultimate goal of adding the Word, like the fertilizer to the tree, is to produce fruit – evidence of the transformative power of the Word in our lives. This involves not just internal transformation but also external manifestation in the form of fruitful living that reflects God’s character, love, and power to the world around us.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
I welcome Your transformative work, even when it is uncomfortable! I know it is necessary for growth!
I want You, Father, to dig around my life, breaking up fallow ground and shaking foundations without resistance.
I commit to checking my heart and considering my ways, relationships, and inputs, understanding that genuine change demands a shift.
I accept Your divine “fertilizer” through His Word, even when it challenges my character and conduct.
Change is uncomfortable, but it is necessary for me to become the man/woman I am destined to be! So I am open to change!
I am determined to bear abundant fruit, reflecting God’s life and love to those around me.
Your Word produces change IN me and fruit FROM me. This is how You use me to change the World!
Living with this mindset, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
