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Day 173

Luke 13 :1-9 "ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF SIN"

Day 173 – Luke 13

Text: Luke 13 :1-9

ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF SIN

It is always difficult to get people to see their own state of sinfulness. The sense of self-righteousness runs so deep that it is difficult to understand what it means to have a repentant heart.

Addressing sin directly is not an easy task, but most necessary! The challenge is to find an effective means of addressing the problem of unconfessed and unforgiven sins.

Many people think that as long as they do not commit “big sins” they are surely “all right”. God could not be displeased with them, could He?

THE PARABLE OF THE UNFRUITFUL FIG TREE

Jesus once again formulated a parable to help the people see themselves. Since they could not see themselves objectively, and since they could see others more clearly, perhaps they would understand this parable and then apply its meaning to their own hearts.

There was a certain fig tree that had not borne fruit, for three long years! The owner of the vineyard ordered the fig tree to be cut down, for it was taking up valuable ground in his vineyard. He could think of a better use for the ground occupied by the fig tree.

The keeper of the vineyard pleaded with the owner for an extension of one more year. He said that he would try and give special attention to the fig tree for a whole year. If the fig tree bears fruit, then of course there would be no need to cut it down. However, if the fig tree continues to be barren, and that would mean that for four years running, it has been barren… then of course the fig tree could be cut down.

Did the people understand what Jesus was saying? Did they understand that the fig tree was used to refer to Israel? Did they understand that God expects “fruitfulness” from His people?

Year after year, the Lord would come to Israel. He would send prophet after prophet to the nation. However, there was no sign of repentance, let alone fruitfulness! What would be the final fate of the fig tree? The conclusion is inevitable!

AN OLD TESTAMENT PARABLE

We are reminded of an Old Testament parable found in Isaiah. This was a song sung about Israel’s lamentable state of unfruitfulness. The imagery in Isaiah 5 uses the vine as its motif.

“My Well-beloved has a vineyard
on a very fruitful hill.
He dug it up and cleared out its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
He built a tower in its midst,
And also made a winepress in it;
So he expected it to bring forth good grapes,
But it brought forth wild grapes.”
Isaiah 5:1-2

Whether it is the fig tree or the vine, Israel was obviously depicted both times. Unfortunately, despite all the time, care and attention given to the nation by the Lord, it remained unfruitful.

Isaiah’s lament would probably summarize how Jesus felt in His heart as He looked at Israel,

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
What more could have been done to My vineyard
That I have not done in it?
Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes,
Did it bring forth wild grapes?

And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned;
And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug,
But there shall come briers and thorns.
I will also command the clouds
That they rain no rain on it.”
Isaiah 5:3-6

JESUS WAS NOT A FAULT FINDER

Despite the fact that Jesus would from time to time speak sternly to the multitudes concerning the need to repent, we must not think that Jesus was a fault-finder. Isaiah lived several hundred years before Jesus. Isaiah was not the first prophet to point out the sins of Israel. There were other prophets before him who courageously pointed out the sins of the nation.

Their messages of the need to repent fell on deaf ears! The people carried on with their sinful activities! They showed no signs of repentance at all.

Several hundred years later, Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth and saw the same sinful, barren condition Isaiah lamented and deplored! No, Jesus was not a fault-finder. He was merely echoing what Isaiah and other prophets preached many, many times over.

ARE WE BARREN OR FRUITFUL?

Are we barren or fruitful in our faith and life? What fruits can we speak of as we examine our life? If Jesus were to examine our lives today, would He find us fruitful, or would He have to say, “Cut it down!”

Let us be deeply stirred in our hearts as we read the Lord’s Word today. How long has the Lord been patient with us, waiting for us to become fruitful? What if the waiting period would soon be over? Let us seek to be fruitful!