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 Luke 13:1-9: Fruit on THIS fig tree.(please click here for todays passage)

I clearly remember a sermon preached by John Lancaster, at an Easter Monday meeting in Leeds in around 1987. He brought such a powerful and heart-searching message. His text was Luke 13:7, and he kept emphasising that God desires ‘fruit on this fig tree.’ He wants to see spiritual fruit growing on the branches of MY life. He looks for evidence of a Christ-like character emerging in me. God is patient and will give time for the fruit to appear, but He will not settle for the absence of it. It is by fruitfulness that we show the reality of our connection to Jesus (John 15:5), and we bear this fruit to the glory of God (John 15:8).

Fruit shows the reality of repentance (13:1-5). Yesterday we saw how we are to learn from tragedies. When we see people perishing in terrible atrocities or sudden accidents, and the like, we should remember that we are all in danger of perishing at a much deeper level – not just losing our lives, but coming under the judgment of God for our sins and being separated from Him for ever. In the light of such an imminent danger Jesus called on people to repent. But repentance, if it is genuine, will be seen in the production of ‘fruit’ (Luke 3:8a). When people truly turn to Jesus and seek His forgiveness their lives are changed. It’s unmistakable. There is ‘fruit on THIS fig tree’ (emphasis mine).

As I write I am reminded of something I heard many years ago: ‘God is more interested in the production of your character than He is in your comfort’ (John 15:1,2).

Prayer: I pray that you will cultivate in me fruit that will remain, and be for your glory.

 Luke 13:1-5: A lesson from tragedy.(please click here for todays passage)

Early this morning (22 March as I write) we heard the terrible news of  terrorist bombings in Brussels, leaving many dead and more injured. Suddenly and tragically the end came for people who were just going about their business. Some would be going to work; others, perhaps, were excited about the start of a vacation. In an unexpected moment or two everything changed.

What Jesus said here,making reference to a couple of tragic events that must have been ‘on the news’ in His day, is still relevant. We are not to imagine that those personally affected by these incidents in Belgium were worse than other people. But we should heed the lesson to repent and get right with God, because we never know when the opportunity might be gone forever. As suddenly as a disaster can strike, we can find that we die and are ushered into God’s judgment hall. So the message of the last paragraph of chapter 12 holds good today: make the effort to get right with an offended God.

‘Pardon from an offended God, pardon for sins of deepest dye…’

Such pardon is available to anyone and everyone who will turn to Jesus in repentant faith.

 Luke 12:54-59: ‘…try hard to be reconciled…'(please click here)

As an example of being able to read the signs of the times, Jesus talks about the person who does everything he can to reconcile with his enemy before the case comes to court. He knows that if he ends up in front of the Judge the outlook may not be good. He can read the ‘writing on the wall’ and what he sees there in bold print makes him want to act decisively, in order to stave off dire consequences.

‘You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don’t tell me you can’t tell a change in the season, the God-season we’re in right now. You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense, the kind you’d use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you’d probably go to jail and pay every last penny of the fine. That’s the kind of decision I’m asking you to make’ (56-59) The Message.

Jesus was calling people to reconcile with God before it was too late. Jesus came to say that this is possible and to make it possible by His death on the cross.

By the way though, do you need to ‘try hard’ to mend some broken fences? Is there someone you need to get right with? Determine to act today before the situation spirals out of control and ends up somewhere you may regret. Not only should we keep ‘short accounts’ with God, but also with one another. Don’t let a ‘root of bitterness’ grow up. That’s one poisonous plant. If some word of forgiveness needs to be spoken, get on with it in ‘the living years’.

Selwyn Hughes told the story of a man who was wounded and bitter. He became more and more sick, and eventually he died. His doctor said that, although it couldn’t be written on his death certificate, he died of ‘an undrained grudge’.

Prayer: Lord, you know I have been hurt, but help me to let it go, for Jesus’ sake, and by His grace.