And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down. ~ Luke 13:6-9

Following after Jesus entails living completely devoted to him. We no longer hold onto our earthly treasures but wholly cling to him as our Lord and Master. Beside the Lord there is no other.

As we begin to walk alongside the Lord, yoked with him, we begin to do what he does. Jesus came proclaiming the gospel and demonstrating justice and mercy. Humbly submitting himself to the Father’s will, Jesus models the kingdom life; the fruitful life. Our lives will begin to take on the contours of Jesus life. Conversations with friends and neighbors become gospel-centered. Our eyes become open to the needs and concerns around us as compassion rises in our hearts and leads our limbs to reach out and serve. When we walk with Jesus we cannot but help take on his ministry and characteristics.

Fruit becomes the mark of true discipleship. This parable in Luke 13 has stumped me, frustrated me, and now it has humbled me. What’s Jesus saying? What does this have to do with me?

There were many who had followed after Jesus in his three year ministry, but had not quite yet taken on the kingdom life Jesus demonstrated. Many were enthralled with his teaching, some eager to see his miracles but not interested in deeper commitment; actually co-laboring with Jesus to bear fruit. So Jesus tells the parable saying that God, the Vineyard Owner, looks on this fruitless vine, the followers, and says: “I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?” The vinedresser, Jesus, reponds: “Sir, let alone this year also, until I did around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”

Jesus speaks as an advocate for his followers who have not yet taken on the fruitful kingdom life. Many have gotten into close proximity with Jesus and celebrated his claims, miracles and life, but have not yet fully partnered with his mission by submitting fully to him. So Jesus speaks in there defense and applies the needed nutrients in hopes that the disciple trusts in him to do the work of bearing fruit in their lives. He doesn’t say, “Okay, I bought you some more time get with it!” No. He begins the work of applying himself to the disciple in order bring about fruitfulness. Jesus knows that the disciple cannot bear fruit in and of himself but must fully rely on the vinedresser to create the conditions and apply the proper fertilizer to bring about a bountiful harvest. So Jesus gets to work on the tree!

In another place Jesus teaches the disciples how essential he is to their ability to bear fruit.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:4-5

Jesus is not only Lord and Master but he is our Advocate as well; He stands in our defense! But one of the glories of the gospel is that Jesus not only stands with us, but he begins to work with us so that we might bear more fruit in our lives. He never allows us to stay the same but calls us to either submit and obey or bear the consequence of ignoring God’s command to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Because of his grace and mercy toward me I am ready to listen and obey.

Is there evidence that I am fully submitted to Jesus? Am I trying to bear fruit apart from Jesus? As I consider the call of Jesus and the extent to which he bids me come, I am growing more and more in my desire to listen and obey. Lord may your word bring about the pleasing fruit the Father desires, but may it come from your Spirit and Word working in me.

What an extravagant claim! Jesus calls his disciples to look to God as Father and to see themselves as his heirs who will receive His kingdom. The offer would sound ludicrous to the ear of his disciples! God our Father? Heirs of the Kingdom? We know God as Lord and we are his servants, but such intimacy seems outlandish. But here it is in the Gospel according to Luke.

When our ideas of the Kingdom of God and His character get challenged we often revert to defense mode. Our deeply rooted sentiment often blinds us of the deep riches that are found in the gospel of the kingdom of God. Jesus confronts our preconceived notions of God and throws open the doors of His extravagant love and mercy toward sinners! What great grace the Father extends to all who by faith trust and follow Jesus. He considers us His sons and daughters and says, “You, my child, this all belongs to you! Share in my kingdom and find your joy!”

At once I sense this deep longing to run through the gates of such mercy and to fill the landscape of God’s kingdom with songs of adoration and praise! But not so fast. In order to enter into this kind of joy there must be a letting go. Forfeit, give up, and let go of your treasures. Enter empty handed. The kingdom of God cannot be possesed without a rejection of all that we hold dear on this earth. If we want the kingdom, it must be all we want. To try and hold onto the stuff of earth while reaching for the kingdom is only to hold the stuff of earth. But to loosen our grip on the temporary is to lay hold of the eternal. Jesus says to us:

I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on…Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. ~Luke 12:22;31

Jesus is intent on getting us to understand the value of knowing and trusting God as Father. He looks at his disciples…he looks at us and calls us to a radical response. His desire is that we see the beauty, majesty, and glory of the kingdom that he beckons us to radical surrender:

Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ~Luke 12:32-34

All of the kingdom is ours when the kingdom is all we want.

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
(Acts 6:7)

The commission given by Jesus was to “preach the good news to all creation.” In this passage from Acts 6 we see the diligence of the Apostles to carryout this work, even to the point of setting apart capable men to oversee the churches mercy ministry.

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
(Acts 6:3-4)

What focus and clarity of purpose. Our main mission is to preach the word of God! Without gospel declaration and witness, the service ministries of the Church is merely philanthropy! As the gospel bears fruit in the world, mercy ministry will grow. When the good news of the Kingdom of God is heard by the poor, oppressed, widows, and orphans there will be an overflow of service to one another. But all of this must flow out of a deep commitment to the proclamation of the gospel.

Mercy ministry is of great importance! The Old Testament is full of direct commands to meet the needs of those in our midst. To ignore the brokenness that surrounds us is obvious disobedience. But we must understand this simple truth: The heralding of the Gospel is what God uses to grow the church.

The church in Acts grew not because of their great programs, but their great message that gave birth to ministries of mercy.

Has you ministry of the Word given birth to Mercy Ministry?

Has you Mercy Ministry opened doors to more ministry of the Word?

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

(Joel 2:28-29)

Peter spoke these words from the prophet Joel in Acts 2 as he proclaimed the gospel on Pentecost. He shared that this prophecy was being fulfilled in their midst. The beauty is that God is continuing to do this very thing in our day! This promise is for us.

The declaration of the Lord to pour out his Spirit on all people is not only something that he has done and continues, but something we can ask for him to do. God’s word contained in scripture can and should direct our prayer lives. So according to this passage and our understanding of the Lord’s faithfulness to answer it, we can call on the Lord to flood our homes, churches, and communities with the outpouring of his Spirit.

By faith, we can ask the Lord to continue to pour out his Spirit, so that the Church will be empowered to bear witness to Jesus as Lord. O how we need the power today in our lives. Jesus said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Gospel proclamation comes by and through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need this power!

Jesus told the disciples to “wait for the gift my Father promised.”We must not be so consumed with the “getting ministry done” mindset that we forget to wait on the power to do so. The Spirit will not only empower our ministry, but guide and direct us!

Some might ask, “so what use is there in asking and waiting since the Spirit has come?” Without the power of the Spirit there is no fruitful ministry. We need the Spirit! Consider the disciples prayer n Acts 4: “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak you word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” What follows is of great importance for us to take hold of…”After they prayed, the place they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Lord, pour our your Spirit!

Have you asked the Lord to do this in your life, family, church and community?

Acts 4 and 5 demonstrate how he loves to answer this kind of faithful praying!!

Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
(Psalm 85:6)

The prayer of the psalmist has now become a prayer of the church. We enter into our sacred history to plead, as did the Sons of Korah in the days before the appearance of the Lord Jesus, for a movement of the Spirit of God.

We pray like this when we recognize that we have turned from the Lord to our own doing. O how easily we slip into thinking that our strength is sufficient. Our memories fail and our flesh deceives our spirits. Blessing and joy come from the Lord! The psalmist is calling out to the Lord for a revival of Truth…The Lord is our salvation! The Lord, he alone is our help and our hope! From the Lord comes steadfast love and peace.

When the people of God try to accomplish the mission of God apart from the Spirit of God, we become dry and corrupt. We begin to hope in man-made strategies, programs, and theories. Our time is spent stirring up new concepts and ideas to attract people to our services, forfeiting prayer for brainstorming, fasting for luncheons, Bible saturation for church growth webinars. The end result is helpless people tirelessly working in the power of the flesh.

Let us stop our striving in our own strength, but pray in the Spirit, with the Sons of Korah: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.”

Have you prayed for God to bring revival to your church? Please share what God is teaching you!