Luke 13:6-9
Summary
We must bear fruit in God.
The Parable
“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. 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?” But he answered and said to him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.”’”
Lesson
This verse goes well with the passage in Job 33:22-30; there it is said that three times with a man will God restore him from going down to the pit, three times He will restore him to life.
Our parable here regards one whom God has come to three times looking for fruit; a return on his investment, as it were. Finding none, he tells the keeper of the vineyard to cut it down, for it is only a waste of resources, without giving any return. The lesson is that we cannot just sit in the church and do nothing; we cannot once have turned to the Lord and make no advancement in our spiritual life. He expects of us to grow and to work.
But Christ gives us another chance, and not only that, even greater care (the fertilizer). He gives us a greater opportunity to grow, and we need to see to it that we do.