6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' 8 He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" Luke 13:6-9 (NRSV)

A fig tree, I have read, would normally take three years to reach maturity. The owner of the vineyard would know that if it was not bearing by the third year, it would not likely bear fruit at all. The fig tree in Jesus’ parable, however was given a second chance. For many of us it has been quite a long time since we were called by God to affirm our Baptism and bear the fruits of faith.

If a young person, at age 13 or 14 is expected to attend Sunday school, put their dollar in the collection plate, read the Bible and pray, what does God expect of older people? If our neighbor, who has little material wealth yet manages to contribute significantly of their time and talent in the Lord’s service, what should be expected of the more prosperous among us?

God expects us to give in direct proportion to what we have been given.

Isn’t it true that if each of us were put in the position of the fig tree that our lives would be in immediate danger? Praise God that we have been given a little more time. It is Jesus’ way to give people chance after chance to bear the fruits of faithfulness. Our God is infinitely kind to the man who falls and rises again.

But the parable makes it quite clear that there will be a final chance for all of us. If we persist in refusing chance after chance to bear fruit, the day will come, not when God shuts us out, but when we, by deliberate choice have finally succeeded in shutting ourselves out.

During Lent, the church provides us an opportunity to examine ourselves to get ready for God’s salvation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here at First Lutheran we have two opportunities to do this on Wednesday at 12:00 noon and 7:00 o’clock in the evening. Please take advantage of this opportunity. A light meal is being served at 12:30 and 6:00.

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