Fruit in God’s vineyard

Fruit in God’s vineyard.

Yesterday we went to the next summer month – August – it smelled a bit ending summer, although we are really only halfway there. In our home, looking for textbooks for children, you have to slowly prepare for the new school year. In the fields, in the gardens, a time of plenty. The harvest is in full, combine harvesters in the fields and everywhere, instead of the grains yellowed by their maturity, there are stubble fields and soon tractors will enter the field to perform stubble cultivation. Later varieties of cherries ripen in the orchards and various types of plums appear. There are tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and lots of vegetables in the gardens, which we eat with joy, because they are, speaking the modern language, on-line.

In general, it is a time to harvest, use what has been worked on over the past months, and even years. We are working towards the goal of the cultivation, to obtain crops that serve our families for life. They are downright indispensable. It is a pity that many people today do not know how to grow fruit and vegetables, because it is a very good lesson, especially for Christians. The Lord Jesus repeatedly used pictures related to trees, fields, etc. to illustrate the truths of the Kingdom of God.

I have always been intrigued by two stories , one in The Arch. 13: 6-9 and the second of Mar. 12/11-14 similar to Matt. 21, 18-19. Of course, let us not forget about the crowning discourse of the Lord Jesus concerning the vine and the vine, recorded in J. 15.1-16 – we will also refer to this wonderful story.

So my question was why there was a fig tree in the vineyard, the vineyard is a vineyard. After all, a ficus is a different plant, it is a tree, a big tree that bears big fruit. The leaves of this tree served Eve and Adam to cover himself. Fruits like our pears, or bigger, are sweet and juicy. The farmer should focus on the vineyard, perhaps this fig tree served the people working in the vineyard for cooling, it gave shade, they probably ate their lunch, rested when the heat did not allow them to work. Does the host not want too much, so that apart from the fact that there is a fig tree, it still bears fruit? Well, the second dramatic scene, shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus approaches the fig tree and looks for fruit, although it was not time for figs yet, but he does not find them, so he curses the tree and it withers.

Both of these cases show the Lord’s determination to expect fruit, otherwise the trees should fill what they were planted for, they were not only ornamental shrubs, but to give what they were created for. I would also probably be annoyed if, for example, tomatoes that my wife bought and put into pots did not want to bear fruit. And so the youngest daughter waters them every day, picks up twigs and plucks tiny, ripe tomatoes which she distributes among the household members. She is so proud because it is her breeding, which she grows with her mother. And so everyone is happy, because the cultivated bush gives fruit, tasty and systematically.

I have been looking for answers for many years. I have read Bibles in this direction, scientific books about fig trees, grapevines, history books, nature books, etc. I have listened and read many sermons on this subject. The best item so far on the topic of fruiting and the Lord’s vineyard by. me is the position of Bruce Wilkinson – Secrets of the vine. It is true that it is quite old, but it is a comprehensive position that takes us into the world of fruiting. A book and lectures recorded in the studio are available – I am providing a link to the video and book – http://www.cefpress.pl/?p=productsMore&iProduct=266&sName=Tajemnice-krzewu-winnego.-Bruce-Wilkinson; video, are 8 lectures, perfect for a homegroup, as they are episodes of approx. 30 minutes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOj264d72fY

My research into fig trees was crowned with the following physical and spiritual conclusions.

Fig tree in the vineyard , of course the expectations for it were low, the main purpose of the cultivation was grapes, this tree may have remained after the former cultivation, precisely for the purpose of protection from the sun and a nourishment of the grape pickers. They were able to eat good fruit, which was refreshing and rich in nutrients. As we know from grapes, it’s a lot of juice and, after drying, sweet raisins. You cannot eat too much of it, rather, grape juice is used for drinking and processing into wine. The host, looking for fruit on the tree, was irritated mainly by the fact that these small vines bear all their power, and this tree is “lazy”, as if he did not understand that there is something more involved, not only growing to look nice and talk to himself , I exist for myself and this is my goal – to enjoy myself and my beauty, but you can say, as in my previous article, this tree missed the purpose for which it was created.

Such a tree is you and me. Each of us is unique and is treated exceptionally by the Lord, individually. Our worries, problems are important to the Lord, but focusing too much on ourselves is selfishness, it is self-centeredness. There may even be narcissism, I live to be alright, oh how many times I hear that. I live for myself, possibly for a wife and child, or for two children. Everything planned by me, and everything will be good for me. Materialism, which developed into consumerism, killed in us perhaps the need to seek God’s will, to bear fruit in His vineyard. We may look beautiful, but when we reach among the leaves to look for the fruit, there is nothing there, because all the juices were consumed by the tree itself.

Perhaps, we can even take refuge under a tree like this in hot weather, but it’s like with people who have big words, big theories, but in practice they cannot apply anything because it would cost. Because it would mean that I would have to roll up my sleeves, waste time, money, etc. And it’s not better to be such a shadow tree? Ladies, another year, I’ll dig them up and fertilize them (with dung). Hmm, animal and human droppings as food for such a figured tree? What does that mean? This thought surely leads me to the stable in Bethlehem, that there is Jesus, that there is the Lord of the world. In order not to despise our stables. From these stables our Lord lifts this foul dung of sin during our lives and transforms us, if only we are born of His Spirit, He transforms us so that we no longer smell the stench, that our life begins to resemble a dwelling.

But this manure is needed, he is fertilizer, so that we will always know where the Lord brought us from, what we gained thanks to the new birth to the Kingdom of God, he also reminds us that our lives can still be polluted and they need to be cleaned and buried under the tree. Our old self, our old man must die. His death is a life for a new man who is able to bear fruit. It is only because Christ grows in us that this can be done by denying himself, his sinful desires, and selfish plans. By choosing ever anew the will of God revealed to us by the Father. The word addressed to you by the Lord becomes an inspiration for a determined life for God that bears good fruit.

As many people say, God’s will in my life what it is, and who would know it, probably like everyone else , to live godly, not to steal, not to kill, the Decalogue, etc. And that’s enough? Nothing to be wrong, such an attitude does not even mean a spiritual life, let alone bearing fruit. Going to Church meetings is not a fruit, praying is not a fruit, even going to a “basket” is not a fruit. It is only a religiosity that proves nothing but a cultural belonging to a Christian denomination. Fruiting is fulfilling God’s will, individually, accepting and fulfilling it. He does not prefer father, mother, brother, friends, children of grandchildren, but God. Take it and fill it.

Such an expressive example is probably the apostle Paul, we will say, we are not apostles, or maybe still? He had a position, he was a wealthy man, having the citizenship of Rome, which was an unheard of exception from birth. He was raised by the school of Gamaliel, the best teacher in Israel at the time, in the party of the Pharisees, people who actually exercised power. He was someone significant, he was also a persecutor of the Church, which he considered the most important goal in his life. It would have been the case, were it not for the meeting with Jesus, which changed his life forever. It’s not that fall from his horse, it’s not even that he was blind for three days. But it was the life that Jesus planted in his heart that changed him, that from a tree that did not bear fruit, it turned into a tree that was fruitful. However, he himself recognized that what was before the knowledge of Christ was this manure, as this manure. As a product of its animal nature that does not know God.

The importance of knowing Christ was for him incomparable with anything else. And God turned the skills, eloquence, wisdom into His goals, after all, He was preparing him for it, even though Paul had no idea about it. Changed Paweł, he hit the target. This hit gave his life meaning and a new dimension. He is so deeply rooted in God that his fruitful service continues to inspire us. He was not just an orator, but gave his life for others. How he had to work day and night not to be a burden to anyone, how to risk his life, there was always one thing with him, to fulfill the will of the Lord who called him. His tree was bearing a lot of fruit.

Jesus probably would not have come to him, and looking for fruit, he would not have cursed him, because the fruit was sprouting from the tree. This tree, although it was not the time for figs, should have at least fruit buds, flowers or small green “balls”. And there was nothing that Jesus would find on your tree? Could he take good fruit and feed on it, can other brothers and sisters do it, or is it just the wind blowing and the leaves rustling?

Consider dear brother, dear sister, what is it like in your life, or you don’t have to make your life for yourself ” dung ”and fertilize the soil, so that you start to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God, and not live for yourself? Perhaps you look nice, beautiful outfits, beautiful speech, but only speech. Because when you take off those robes, when you leave the place of the given authority, there is nothing left. Perhaps you prefer to be in a “temple” than to be a temple of God’s Spirit. It is not church walls that bear fruit, the Church are people reborn from God’s Spirit, the Church can be those who taste from your tree and get to know the Lord Jesus Christ and entrust their lives to Him, because your life no longer exists, but Christ lives in you .

Gal. 2:20 – “With Christ I am crucified, so no longer I live, but Christ lives in me, and my present life in the flesh is life in faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. “

Your Lord KJ.

Ps. to see the Polish text just click on the subtitles icon.

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