Luke 13:1-9, Psalm 63:1-8, and 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
When we purchase something, we have expectations about it. So here is my mobile phone. When I bought this, I expect it to be good at connecting calls with other people. In The Westminster Shorter Catechism, the first question is the most essential purpose of human beings. The Human’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy the Creator forever. When God created humans, the purpose was to make the world beautiful and bring glory to God. But what will the Creator think if humans do not live according to that purpose?
Now, let’s think about it from the perspective of a farmer. In Vancouver, I grew plants by sowing seeds in pots every year. I planted flowers one year, lettuce the following year, and tomatoes last year, but they did not bear fruit well. The tomatoes turned out the best, and I gave them as gifts to my neighbors when I moved to Red Deer. Of course, there is a reason why it does not bear fruit. It is because of the farmer who is not skilled. Honestly, I am clumsy at farming. However, as in Jesus’ parable today, he speaks of a fig tree that does not bear fruit.
First, it is the perspective of Jesus and the vineyard’s owner. There was a fig tree in front of my home. The tree produced fruit well without much care. However, fig trees are easy to grow, but they soon attract other insects once they bear fruit. So it gets easily damaged. So, once it bears fruit, it must be sold immediately. It grows exceptionally well in West Asia, such as Türkiye and Israel. Sometimes, Costco sells sun-dried figs, which are grown there.
Conversely, what about grapes? Grapes require a lot of care from farmers. Pests easily damage it. It spoils well and is greatly affected by temperature changes. So farmers need to fertilize and manage it well. Also, once the grapes bear fruit, they have a lot of uses. The fig tree can be used to make various products, including jam. It has good storage properties so that it can be moved across the country. Profitability is also good.
However, the fig tree has not produced fruit for three years. This isn’t common because fig trees usually bear fruit the year they are planted. However, even if the master waited three times, he could not see the figs. The vineyard owner may feel like he has wasted time and money. He may regret planting the vine there instead.
Second is the perspective of a vineyard manager. I presume that the vineyard manager is someone who the landowner trusts. So, I think the owner did not fire the person caring for the fig tree, which had not produced fruit for three years. He did his part. The point is that the vineyard was well managed. And he asks the owner, who criticized the fig tree again. 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
If he had been an unfaithful farmer, the owner would not have respected his words upon hearing this. However, what I want to pay attention is the heart of the vineyard farmer. ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.
Please give me one more chance. It sounds like a lawyer speaking in court. Give him one more opportunity. I will become his guardian and take good care of him.
Third is the fig tree’s perspective. Since Jesus spoke in parables, let us think we are a fig tree. Strangely enough, a fig tree was planted in the vineyard. The owner expected that he would be able to get the fruit quickly. But the fig tree feels unfair. ‘Everyone is a vine except me.’ We can think it may have been confused about its own identity. When a fig tree sees grape vines, it may mistakenly believe I am a vine. Why can’t I bear grapes? It may frustrate the tree. I’m healthier than the vines, so why aren’t the grapes growing? Maybe I will get cut off. The tree can feel anxious.
Today, I am giving a sermon in a different way than usual. I think of God, Jesus, and humans in the images of the vineyard owner, farmer, and fig tree. When we look at the vineyard owner, we can think of God being upset. God created humans and sent them to this earth because the Creator wanted them to be happy with him, but they did not live according to that purpose. Sometimes, he judged them by flooding through massive waters. They were kicked out of their homes, ruled by other countries, and had their freedom taken away. However, it does not meet God’s desires and expectations. However, at that very moment, Jesus, like a vineyard farmer, is positioned as a mediator between God and humans. He is trusted by God just as the vineyard owner trusts him. He does his best to serve humanity. It’s 100 percent dedication. And he says it to God. Please give them another chance.
Perhaps we humans are like the fig tree and do not even know what we did wrong. Someone can say it like this. “I just feel wronged. I just lived the way I was born.” Without knowing the purpose of being born on this earth, human beings can live in this world, looking for what they are comfortable with and like. People can just be happy and follow other people’s trends. For the sake of humankind, Jesus is taking steps toward the cross today, one step at a time. Like the farmer who does his best for his fig tree, we can see God’s plan for us here.
God expects us to bear the fruit of faith. The Creator expects us to bear the fruit of hope. The love of God expects us to bear the fruit of love. Now, we have been guaranteed another opportunity through Christ let us spread the gospel to people like the fig tree who have forgotten the purpose of living in this world. The end will be a happy ending that we can all enjoy together. Amen.