Luke 13:6-7
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
Luke 13:6-7
6 And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any].
7 So he said to the vinedresser, See here For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil(opportunity), intercept the sun, and take up room]?
What have You Produced
Church From A Business Prospective
Introduction
Question
New Years = New Beginnings = a new year full of new promises that we have made - the commitments we have made to be more fruitful than the year past.
At the end of the day - Can you deny the fact that God has been with you.
Then if you can’t deny that fact.
can you deny the fact that the covering whom God has place over your life has been:
1) Creative
2) Inspirational
3) Challenging
4) Encouraging
5) Honest
Then this parable will be easy to understand because the same frustrations God has year after year so does the average leader, trying to change the mindset of the people of God. Trying to get them from thinking that there is no business in the church and that it’s
ok for the body of christ to be unproductive year after year.
This parable refers to those chosen of their covering near him which gave them advantages for knowing and serving with him above any other people and they were privaledged to do so but it came with a price.
The price was:
1)Expectations
2)Evaluation
3)Connection
1) Expectations - The vinedresser has to comes to the tree every season with expectation of this tree producing an answerable return on his investment. Because the tree was planted and not potted that it would bring forth the expected fruit from that particular tree. Not apples, Not oranges, Not pears but figs because he understands that the fruit must bare the resemblance of what it is connected to. But he has to do as many leaders do,leave disappointed of his expectation; because the tree (people) had not produced what it was responsible for producing.
2)Evaluation
The text gives evidence that the vinedresser had been coming to the fig tree (people) for three years with exceptional expectations and now has to make an acessment of the tree and himself because he is the head responsible for the productivity of the tree and has to conclude his evaluation and is determined to stop maintaining this tree and cut it down. take your employer for example if you are taking out more than you are bringing in there has to be a conscious decision made whether or not you are can perform in the capacity recommended by that company and if not that particular person must find work reasonable suitable to level of growth.
3) Connection - So now he has to check the connection and because he can’t find anything wrong with the soil(opportunity). He see that the what he looks has no resemblance of him (He’s Productive) so he says Cut it Down because he had given the fig tree time & chance to produce what It was supposed to produce(Not Pears - Apples - Oranges) but figs.
He has to looks - I would assume that he says - This group of people has advantages
1)It’s In better soil = Opportunity
2)It has More care taken of it
3)More pain taken with it.
The church is the Vineyard, made separate from the common.
We are Fig Trees planted in the Vineyard by our Baptism.
Fruit = Suggests inheritance and inheritances are for Sons and Sons means the Inheritant one and the inheritant one is neither male nor female.
1)We have made promises to support with our time - Selfless time (Praying for others)
2)We have made promises to support with our talent - Rendering our Gifts for kingdom building
3) We have made promises to support with our treasure - Tithe (Giving of our tenth)
What can you say you have produced.
Thomas Palmer Says:
Tis a lesson we must heed, try and try again. If you don’t first succeed, try, try again.
Burned over fields, dry, seemingly worthless ground can turn green and yield beauty and give much life after the rain and spring sun shines.
ask yourself how much rain do you need - or - how much sunshine do you need to for you to bring about fruit.
What if I suggested to you that you would have to go through another season of rain on top of the one that you are going through now to make you produce.
It is time for triumph = Triumph Is just a big Try w/ a little Umph behind It.
What we need is the Umph of the Try and at this point as Sons and Daughters we are lacking the necessary Umph to give us the outcome that lines up with our potential.
1)We have potential but what we done different
2)We have potential but what have we produced
3) We have potential but what have you done for the team.
for years:
We’ve been challenged by the right source
We’ve been stretched by the right source
We’ve been connected to the right source
What have you produced
Wade Hughs of the Faith Assembly of God says:
Those that say it can’t be done are being passed up by those who are getting it done.
Whatever you want to go to God will pull you through If you can stand the pull.
