Planted on Sacred Ground

Well, there is a commission given to pastors and teachers, and that is to prepare the people for Christ's coming. And so we will continue in that purpose and to that end today. If you like titles, our title for today is Planted on Sacred Ground. Planted on Sacred Ground. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to open them once again, and we're going to turn to Luke chapter 13 verses 6 through 9. Luke 13 verses 6 through 9 as we come to a parable today, a parable told by Jesus Christ here. And in coming to this parable, what we discover is that in a remarkable way, it deals with the major themes of Christ's return, the return of Jesus Christ. This parable deals with themes we will see of repentance and mercy, themes of judgment, and now is the time for those called by God. So there is urgency, but in the end we're going to see that there is an overarching theme of hope. Hope. So let's turn to this particular story and see the incredible implications it has on us as we prepare for Christ's return. Here it is, Luke 13 verses 6 through 9.

Luke records that he, Jesus Christ, also spoke this parable. Jesus says, 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 or good. But if not, after that you can cut it down. I'll stop there. In coming to parables, particularly, one of the essential factors to consider is, it could be summarized with one word, and that is context. Context is so important. Context is so important when you come into any parts of the Bible, but particularly important when you come to a story like this, a parable, and you come upon verse 6, 7, 8, 9, and without the control of the Bible and without the control of context, you know, sometimes we can be at risk of coming to all kinds of conclusions and maybe erroneous conclusions.

But with a quick glance at the surrounding context, what the reader soon discovers is that the emphasis was on the urgent need for repentance and mercy in light of the prospect of judgment. That's the context. That's the emphasis here. An urgent need for repentance and mercy in light of the prospect of impending judgment. And we only need to discover this emphasis by looking at the five verses that precede this parable.

Let's allow your eyes to go up here for a moment. Let's read the first five verses that lead into this parable. Luke records that there was a group gathered there who inquired of Jesus. Let's read this. Luke 13. Let's read verses 1 through 5. Luke records, there were present at that season some who told him, Jesus, about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, Do you suppose these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things?

I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Verse 4. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Shilom fell and killed them. Do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. So this is the context that leads into this parable of the barren fig tree.

And so these listeners were coming to Jesus, they were inquiring, they wanted an explanation, they wanted an interpretation of the dreadful destruction of the Galileans. Jesus answered him and gave him another instance of a dreadful destruction of those to whom this tower fell upon. And Jesus challenges the listeners in light of these calamities. Don't so much try to figure out how religious they were.

Don't try to figure out their spiritual condition, he says. But instead, bring your attention on to the personal implications that need to be faced. You know, I'm guilty of this. We all hear a sermon, and sometimes immediately someone else comes to mind, you know, ooh, I'm glad the minister's speaking on this, because so-and-so who's five rows up and three to the left, you know, they really need to hear this, you know, they need to hear this. And, you know, those who were with Jesus at this time, they would have been tempted to regard others as more deserving of God's judgment than themselves.

And Jesus says, well, listen, the fact is, you have not perished. And it's not on the account of your goodness. It's only on the account of God's mercy. And the reason you're here to speak, to hear me speak, Jesus says, is not that you're better than the Galileans. It's not that you're better than those people that the tower fell upon. It's solely because of God's goodness to you, that He's allowed you one more opportunity in order that you might hear what I have to say, Jesus says. And unless you repent, you too will perish. And let me tell you a story, He says. Let me tell you the story of a barren big tree.

So what I'd like to do this morning in preparation of the return of Jesus Christ, in preparation of a impending Judgment Day, is to search the depths of this parable. And to help myself, or to help all of us, I'd like to organize our thoughts into three sections. We're first going to look at the illustration. We're going to consider this illustration here, and then consider the explanation, and then we'll finish up hopefully with the application. So illustration, explanation, and application. First, to illustration here. You know, the listeners at this time, they would have almost immediately identified with what Jesus was saying here. Some of you might identify, most in the 21st century might need a little bit of context here, a little background, given this illustration here. There was a man who had a fig tree planted in a vineyard. And it's a pretty, it's a pretty interesting journey in the research of this. It was not unusual to, for a fig tree to be planted in vineyards. Not unusual at all. In fact, a vineyard, of course, would be considered a choice location. The vineyard at this time would have been precious ground, if you will. In other words, the vineyard was prepared and cultivated as such that many considered it sacred ground, sacred ground. And they treated these trees with such special care. And they were held in such high value. According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, in these locations, these favored locations of the vineyard, a ripe fruit from the fig tree would actually hang for up to 10 months out of the year. And there were only about two barren months. Those barren months would have been around April or May. They anticipate, or they assume, the first of the three crops would arrive the first figs at the end of June. It's reported. So there's three crops, the first figs to ripen at the end of June. Some came earlier, but most at the end of June. A second crop would be primarily those which would be used and dried and imported and placed into delicatessens. Those ripened in August. A third crop came in September. Generally, that third crop was rather small, but that crop would hang around all the way through winter.

But again, the listeners understood this. And so for Jesus to say, there was a man who had a fig tree planted in the vineyard. They would know that that fig tree, as valued as it was, as cultivated on this in such a favored place, it would be the kind of tree that would produce and bring forth a tremendous amount of crop of figs throughout the year.

And so there's kind of a drama to it all, a drama, that when Jesus says the man went back three years looking for fruit and found none. It would have been one thing if the man went in maybe around those those two months and, you know, didn't discover figs, but it's quite another thing for this man to go year one, no crop, no fruit. Year two, no fruit. And it would appear that year three was going to be the same. Particularly, fig trees were said to have fully matured after three years. So if it hadn't produced fruit by that three years, it was just a lost cause by any estimation.

And that is, of course, what the man says here, who took care of the vineyard. And he was really justified in saying this. I've come for three years looking for fruit and I haven't found any. There at the end of verse seven, cut it down. You know, it's a lost cause. Why should it be here using up such valuable soil? So the tree was fruitless, taking up valuable space, using up the ground, causing the soil around it to deteriorate.

Now, we don't get to the application, to the personal application of our lives until point three, but I'll give you a hint here. Fruitless, taking up space, causing the soil around it to deteriorate.

You know, could we say this is a description or likened to the individual planted in God's sacred ground of his church and year after year remain unrepentant and therefore unconverted? But we'll think on that a little bit, but continuing in this illustration, of course it was forbidden to destroy a fruit-bearing fig tree, but it was clearly within the lines of duty to cut down a barren fig tree after three years. You know, the barren fig tree, there must be a decision made. The barren fig tree must be judged. There must be a judgment given to this tree, a decision to cut it down, remove it from the vineyard.

But, remarkably, we see mercy on the tree. The intervention comes there in verse eight. Verse eight, well says the man, the vine dresser, the keeper, perhaps we could leave it alone one more year. I'll dig around it. I'll fertilize it, and if it bears good fruit, that's good. That's well.

So, the barrenness of the tree in this illustration, we have the mercy of the gardener.

Give it one more year.

Someone may say, you know, you have to be kidding. If there hasn't been fruit after three years, I don't think there's going to come any of any now. And again, if we jump forward to application just for a moment, you know, the kind of judgment where people say, you know, they haven't come to faith. How many years has it been that he hasn't changed his life? You know, I think it's, I think he's a hopeless cause. Or I think, honestly, I think she should just remove herself. How many sermons has she been the recipient of? And obviously, there's no change in her lifestyle. Take them off the list, you know. No, says the gardener. Let's go one more time. I'll dig around it. I'll fertilize it. Let's just see. So the barrenness of the tree in the illustration, the mercy of the gardener. But you could say in this illustration, ultimately, there is the finality of judgment. If it doesn't produce fruit after this one more go, well, we'll cut it down. So the warning, the pending judgment. You know, judgment is certain. Trumpets will sound one day. The judgment will be announced. Patience and grace toward the repentant is great. We'll go one more year. But there is a judgment coming. So that's the illustration. On to the explanation. The explanation. Now, I'm sure those who were listening to this, they perhaps would have made eye contact with one another, particularly those who had been following Jesus Christ for some time. And there would have been an acknowledgement that this is something that they have heard before. Jesus Christ was actually echoing a messenger in a previous famous sermon, we could say, a sermon given in a desert by one named John the Baptist. Perhaps there would have been those nudging each other. It sounds like John, you remember that. And they really couldn't forget that sermon. You remember how John began that sermon. You brood of vipers who warned you to flee the coming judgment. This parable echoes John's message. And let's just see that. If you'll keep your marker here. Let's turn over to that sermon. It's found in Luke 3 verse 7 through 9. So not too far to travel. Luke 3 verse 7 through 9. Every time I read this passage from John the Baptist, I'm always so tempted to start a sermon this way. But I always think better of it. But this no doubt would have echoed in the ears those here in Jesus Christ's words in that parable. Luke 3 verse 7. Then he, this is John the Baptist, said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come. Verse 8 and 9. Here it is.

Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Let's stop there. So you can see why this would have echoed in some of their ears. Produce fruit keeping with repentance. Change. You have one more year. I have one more year to produce fruit of repentance. Where are we? How far have we, how much fruit of repentance have we produced since last fall holy days? We had one more year then, by God's mercy. We'll have one more year to come. Are we producing tangible, visible fruit of change? Whether it be in our physical actions, whether it be in our motives, whether it be in our words, whether it be in our thoughts, what is it? Whatever you do, whatever I do, don't even let any hint of our lineage to come into the picture. I was born in the church, a worldwide church of God. My dad was a local elder. Do I have any sense that I belong in this vineyard? I belong here. It's my right.

John says, don't start with that Abraham. I'm Abraham's children's stuff.

Don't hang your hat on that background of who your family was. All that. I can make children out of the stones here in the desert. You know, God can.

You need to produce something. You're here on sacred ground.

The axe is already at the root of the tree. There, verse 9 again, even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, I tell you, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So you've been warned. I've been warned. This is it. This is the year. If there's any year, this is the year for we as a people, individually and collectively, to produce fruit of repentance.

You know, this is what John came preparing for Jesus Christ. It's what Jesus Christ says, repent, or you will perish. So the prospect of a judgment day is to bring us to repentance. As we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ, it is to bring us to repentance in light of his return. And this has been the message since the beginning. You know, those who were even more astute, or those who were paying attention as the prophets would be read in the synagogues, every Sabbath, they would have had further jogging of memory of this exact message. Let me show you this exact message from the prophet Isaiah. So if you'd like to turn over to Isaiah chapter 5, Isaiah 5 verses 1 through 7.

Here we find the same instruction, the same urging. This would have been read. This is from the prophets. It would have been read to them. It's read to us today and through the inspired Bible.

But Isaiah 5 verse 1 through 7, here it is. In my Bible, the title that I have is God's disappointing vineyard. Perhaps you have a title along that same line. Isaiah 5, let's read this together, verse 1 through 7. Now let me sing to my well beloved, we are God's beloved, a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard.

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 the midst and also made a winepress in it. So he expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.

Verse 3, and now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between me and my vineyard. Listen to this question, verse 4. What more could I have done to my vineyard that I have not done to it 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 up briars and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it. For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold oppression, for righteousness, but behold a cry for help. Stop there. So, the listeners would have remembered this. So, when Jesus turns to them and says, let me tell you a story about a man who planted a fig tree in a vineyard, the jigsaw, the pieces would have been coming together. He's speaking of us, he says. He's speaking directly to us. He's speaking to us who are planted in the sacred ground of his vineyard. We have had all the benefits of the prophets, all the wonder of God's electing love.

So, he has an absolute right to have the axe at the root, to us barren fig trees. God says, I brought you out of the bondage of Egypt. I redeemed you with an outstretched hand. Again, I gave you all the privileges, all the benefits. You are planted in the choices of locations, the sacred ground which I prepared for you. I came to my own first, the Jew, but then also to the Gentile. And despite the choice location, despite the privileges, despite the Old Testament warnings pointing you to a lamb who would be slaughtered for your sin, Jesus looks over Jerusalem and he says, you killed the prophets, you stoned those who I sent to you. Oh, how I have longed to gather you children as a hen gathers chicks under its wings, but you were not willing. You were not willing.

So you see what Jesus is saying, going back to Luke 13.

Going back to Luke 13. So when Jesus says, unless you repent, you also will perish. And all that happened to the Galileans, all that happened to those who were in the destruction of the tower, that was actually all precursors to what happened to Jerusalem. Roman soldiers came in upon Jerusalem. They crushed it. They besieged it with vindictive power. And those who had the benefits of such a choice location were scattered. The digging, the fertilizing, the digging and the fertilizing of Christ's crucifixion, the digging and fertilizing of the preaching of the apostles, the digging and the fertilizing of opening their eyes and ears, the digging and the fertilizing of the power of the Holy Spirit, given every opportunity to repent. He has a legitimate right to say, chop it down, but he says, no, one more time. One more time.

That's the explanation.

Now to application.

Of course, I think we could all make personal application at this point.

I think there may be two ways of application. Simple. Number one, this parable should provoke us to self-examination. It's that simple. We have said a number of things directly related to Israel itself, but the danger that Israel faced is not unique to Israel. Repentance is demanded of all God's people. Final judgment of the unrepentant is the warning. The fact is, you've been called, you've been placed, I have been placed on this most sacred ground.

This is a reprieve here, a postponement. But judgment is coming. There is a Judgment Day coming, a sound of a trumpet.

You know, I just think about us today. As we look around in the world, as we see the signs becoming greater and greater of Christ's return, the Bible has been open to us. We have had healed eyes and ears. We have been nurtured in the Word. We have an opportunity to be in His Church. The Bible teachings have been given to us. Great are our privileges and advantages. The Lord has a right to inquire. What we read in Isaiah, what could I have done more? What could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done to it?

Those words cry out to God's people today.

It's a dreadful thought, personally, and I know collectively, just to be the thought of simply occupying space in this vineyard on this sacred ground, instead of putting it to good use. A form of godliness. You know, I don't want a form of godliness, just a form. I don't want this just to be ritual. I want to be converted. I want to be changed, to become like Jesus Christ in preparation for His return. Because one of the most dreadful of all positions is the barren fig tree in the vineyard.

So, as we turn our attention on to the day of decision, a day of judgment, let us examine ourselves. Let us pray for fruit of repentance. You know, sometimes you have to pray for the desire to change. That's okay. Just even the desire. Sometimes we long, and for that old way of life, we've been living it for so long in certain areas. So, pray for the desire. Pray for the, that God would make it clear where we need to change. And then pray that He would give you the ability to change. So, pray for the desire. Pray for the clarity. Pray for the ability. The one thing is, and the promise through the Bible, is God always makes a way of escape for us, those to whom have His Holy Spirit. So, yes, we have the admonition, but we also have the ability within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is a wonderful God. He calls us to the change needed, but He gives us also the power to accomplish it.

So, this year, more than ever, apply yourself to self-examination, and let the fact that we're on sacred ground spur you. Secondly, I think, and lastly, I think this story, this parable, spurs us not only to self-examination, but it also spurs us to look outward to help others, number two, to help others that they might be saved from being cut down. This parable spurs us to help others that they might be saved from being cut down. Sir, the man says, one more year, one more year, intercedes on behalf of the fig tree.

So, I want us to be very intentional this next year. Let me ask you a series of questions. Are we genuinely interceding for the barren fig trees of those who are not with us anymore? Are we genuinely interceding for the barren fig trees of those who aren't with us anymore? Do we have a genuine, empathetic interest, in the way that we're going to be, and do we have a genuine, empathetic interest in the way that we're going to be? Do we have an interest so much so that it goes beyond prayers? This doesn't negate prayers. Start with prayers. That is our most powerful tool.

But I want us to roll our sleeves up, if you will. Seize the opportunity in casual conversation to convey to someone within your influence a loving, encouraging word to help bring them back to their calling.

You know, this parable says to me that it's one thing to intercede on their behalf, saying, let it alone for one more year. But you know, he doesn't stop there. He said, this is quite something else. To roll your sleeves up, dig around it, and fertilize it. Are you committed in this next year to fertilizing and digging around those so that they may become fruit-bearing children of God? You know, bring someone to mind right now. You know, bring it to your mind's eye. You know, is there a book and a prayer to send them? Is there a cup of coffee to invite them to? You know, and the means of the coffee is just, it's a way to wake them up, perhaps, to their opportunity that they have. To this calling, I like this man here. I like him. Sir, the man replied, leave it alone one more year. This is the kind of man, this kind of woman we want to be. Now, if you ask my wife, Jennifer, she will say, I'm going to be a woman. Now, if you ask my wife, Jennifer, she will say, as far as our gardens at home, she will say very quickly that in observing me, I like to chop everything down, okay? She will not let me alone with some hedge clippers, I tell you. I have a tendency to chop everything down. And if you ask me what I like in my garden, I will say concrete. And, you know, if you apply that spiritually, you know, sometimes I think I like neatness more than flowers. You know, neatness more than the work it takes to produce fruit-bearing vines, or fruit-bearing trees, or flowers. I have more of a desire for neatness, and so a tidiness, right? So let's apply this to us spiritually. We're all in this vineyard. It is sacred ground. But this is a working vineyard. We cannot desire neatness in this vineyard. It's going to get messy. Again, it's a working vineyard. And I don't have to say that twice, because many of us know it's a working vineyard. We are all in this together. We are working individually and looking to help each other be fruit-bearing big trees. And it can be difficult sometimes. And we can have conflicts with each other in that endeavor. That's okay. And we need to begin to look at those, that messiness, as opportunities. It's just opportunities. So whenever you have, and whenever we're working in this garden together, in this vineyard, if you will, and something messy occurs, I want you to step back from it and immediately bring to your mind that this is an opportunity. It's an opportunity for me. It's an opportunity for my brother or sister, for us to help each other come in on the other side of this with more fruit bearing. This is a working garden. This is a garden that you roll up your sleeves. This is a vineyard that we have been placed on in sacred ground here. You know, think of what your clothes look like after you've been working in the garden. They're very messy. Sometimes you have to take them off before you can go into the house, if you're like me. So think about it in terms of that way. That is a spiritual, healthy way to look at it. Do not value neatness over the value of work in this sacred vineyard. Don't value neatness. Value the work and just value the fact that you're even here, and I'm here, on this sacred ground. So let's allow this short parable to spur us to helping others bear fruit in this way.

Well, as we conclude, I can say that for our group here, I think I can confidently say that we give a collective thank you to God. We're just filled with gratefulness as we think about the return of Jesus Christ. Thankful that God the Father has dug around us through His Son Jesus Christ, cultivated us individually and collectively. And let's pray that this cultivation and this preparation is not just for one more year, but it is for up to the day until His Son returns. That is our desire. That's our prayer. And may we bear fruit in a greater way this year. May we be ready for the return of Jesus Christ, and never forget, may we never forget, the sacred ground in which we are planted.