And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

        Luke 13:6-9

Jesus told a lot of parables. And in each one, there is an important message for us as humanity. Sometimes the parables leave us feeling uplifted and bold, while others can bring us to the point of conviction and deep introspection. Today’s passage falls into the latter category, reminding us that authenticity yields results. Maybe we see this productivity coming from our lives, maybe we don’t. But this parable serves as a reminder that God is looking at our lives and checking to see if indeed we are living in such a way that honors and glorifies Him. After all, we are here to serve Him, not Him existing to serve us. And while there are all kinds of blessings to be enjoyed in the lives of authentic Christ followers, we should all spend a little time reflecting on the truth found in this parable to see if we are truly yielding results for the kingdom. 

First, we need to identify the major players in this parable. The vineyard owner is God the Father. The vineyard-keeper, tending to the trees, is Jesus Christ. The fig tree represents humanity and the fruit represents kingdom work that comes through our lives as a result of God’s Spirit living within us. And so the parable begins: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.” 

We actually have another parable in which Jesus tells us exactly why someone professing the name of Jesus would actually have no fruit to show for their years of living. It is often referred to as The Parable of the Sower and can be found in all of the synoptic gospels (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). The first reason given to us as to why an individual would be without fruit is that the person has never been saved (Matthew 13:19, Mark 4:15, Luke 8:12). There are many people who exist in some religious context, perhaps something that they were taught from birth, but still exist in a state of spiritual lostness, having never received salvation through a born again experience in Jesus Christ. Void of the Spirit and without spiritual understanding, these sometime secular and sometime religious people are spiritually dead. They are like a tree that has no life in it therefore they have no ability to bear fruit. 

Secondly, Jesus tells us that some people are without kingdom fruit because, while having responded to the gospel, they never grow in their faith, have very shallow roots, and end up walking away from the faith (Matthew 13:20-21, Mark 4:16-17, Luke 8:13). 

Thirdly, Jesus tells us that some people simply get caught up in the world, pursuing material wealth, following the desires of their heart, and “desiring other things,” choking out the possibility of fruit bearing for the kingdom (Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:18-19, Luke 8:14). 

Only one kind of soil brings forth fruit, that which Jesus deems as “good soil.” These people are authentic, born again believers in Jesus Christ. They persevere in living out their faith in a lost and dying world. And they are productive for the kingdom, preaching the gospel to all creation and making disciples of all nations (Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15). 

So there are a myriad of reasons why people don’t bring forth fruit but as the parable says, “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.” So what happens next? “And he (the vineyard owner) said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’” Is this your understanding of God? Have you been so inundated with the “feel good” gospel that you have failed to realize that God is saving only those who are authentic, born again believers, belonging to Christ, and full of His Spirit? Important: this is not, “Produce fruit so that you can be saved!” Hardly. Rather, the message is that because you have been saved by the finished work of Christ on the cross, there should be evidence of true salvation in the bearing of kingdom fruit. Otherwise, we should examine to see whether we are merely caught in religious motion that cannot save or some world philosophy that will be equally disappointing in the end. 

“Cut it down!” This is a true representation of who God actually is and what He expects from those who He died to save. No, we are not saved through works but again, this is a reminder that “authenticity always yields fruit.” “Why does it even use up the ground?” Again, this is a representation of God’s disapproval over the life of someone who continues on year after year, with nothing of eternal value to show for his/her life. 

So, here is where we see the love of Christ at work. “And he (the vineyard-keeper) answered and said to him (the vineyard owner), ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’” Do you see what Jesus does for us? Jesus is our Mediator (Hebrews 4:14-16, 1 Timothy 2:5). For everyone who belongs to Christ, we have an Advocate with the Father. That’s why we have the awesome privilege of talking to God everywhere, all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The vineyard-keeper was asking the vineyard owner for more time. But notice that if the additional time did not result in any useful fruit, then the vineyard owner and keeper would be in full agreement that the tree must be cut down. 

Again, this is not a doctrine of “Bear fruit or else!” Rather, this is a reminder that as we walk with Christ and live in the power of the Spirit, we will bear fruit. In the Psalms, we have the key to kingdom productivity. Consider the following: 

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

      Psalm 1:1-3

Notice that this person is compared to a tree “firmly planted by streams of water” (stability), “which yields its fruit in its season” (productivity), “and its leaf does not wither” (vitality), and “in whatever he does, he prospers” (prosperity). This is the  evidence of a life filled with the Spirit of God…stability, productivity, vitality, and prosperity. But it’s the beginning of this Psalm that gives us the key to such a productive life.

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” In order to bear fruit for the kingdom, we cannot be about the world or it’s ways (James 4:4). We have to be separate, set apart for the work of the kingdom (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Secondly, we delight in the law of God, the Word of God, and the presence of God. We meditate on everything that we read in scripture and not just thoughtfully consider it rather we put it into practice (Matthew 7:24-27). Saying “no” to the world and saying “yes” to Christ, these are the hallmarks of a life changed by the power of God’s Spirit. 

And that brings us to the bottom line: if we are truly saved, authentic born again believers in Jesus Christ, we will walk with Christ everyday, we will stay in the Word of God, we will live in the power of God’s Spirit, and we will bear fruit for the kingdom!

…and He (Jesus) died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

        2 Corinthians 5:15