Based on Luke 13:6-9

MEMORY TEXT:  “Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation” (Exodus 15:13).

One of the advantages of living in a tropical climate is that we can grow a garden almost year round.  Unless we happen to have a killing frost, wintertime is a great time to work in the garden.  The weather is more pleasant, and there are fewer bugs to deal with.

Several years ago I bought a small grapefruit tree.  I wish we had bought a tree when we first moved to this house twenty-five years ago, because now it would be completely mature and would be bearing a full crop.  But my little grapefruit tree is growing nicely.  Every year we get a few more grapefruit than the year before.  I water it and keep the grass and weeds away from the roots.  I hope to harvest several dozen grapefruit this season when they ripen.

Jesus told a story about an unproductive fig tree to illustrate the mercy God had for the current generation of Israelites.  “The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them,” He said (Luke 9:56).  Again, “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).

Planted among grape vines in the vineyard of a certain man was a fig tree.  This tree had certain advantages over other trees on the man’s estate.  It was in the vineyard, which meant it was in better soil and would be better taken care of than other fig-trees.

The church of God is His vineyard, set apart from the other plants and fenced about (Isaiah 5:1-2).  You and I are fig-trees planted in this vineyard by our baptism.  One day the owner came looking for fruit but didn’t find any, even though he had reason to expect it.  Christ came into this world to His own--to the Jews--seeking fruit.  He has His eye on those who benefit from the gospel, to see whether they live up to it.  He looks for fruit.  Leaves will not do; blossoms will not do.  We must bear fruit.  We must exhibit good thoughts, words, and actions appropriate to the gospel that the Lord Jesus shares with us.