Producing Fruit

INTRO

In chapter 13, we’ll look at cooperation within the kingdom of God.

TEACHING

Luke 13:6–9: In all of Jesus’ stories are kingdom principles. This one is no different. The fig tree is a fruit tree that has a maturing time when it puts all of its nutrients into growing the tree. Then the fruit should come. A fruit tree is supposed to bring benefit besides looking good. This passage suggests the tree should be producing fruit by the end of three years, or it may not have the nature of a fruit tree (v. 7). What is the significance of the three years? The three years possibly relate to Jesus’ ministry on earth, while the fig tree represents the Jewish people. Yet the gardener wanted to make an allowance for the fig tree for another year, and then consider it as a bad tree if it still produced no fruit (vv. 8–9).

What is the purpose of contrasting the Son of God and the Son of Man? Jesus laid aside His deity, His right to be God, knowing He is God and knowing who He is would not change. Jesus came into the environment of the earth, subjected Himself to be born of a woman, to grow up as a child, and to become the Son of Man. This gives us the understanding that Jesus had to learn to cooperate with the laws of nature in a world He created. Look at the things He spoke into existence, that were in the mind of God first. Who else would know what the fig tree was meant to represent? Jesus, walking on the earth, knew what creation was supposed to be and do, and He could explain that to His listeners.

Mark 11:12–24 is another passage about a barren fig tree. The raising of Lazarus from the dead happened only a few weeks before Jesus was arrested. People were going back and forth between Bethany and Jerusalem because things were happening in Bethany, in addition to the fact that Lazarus died. That’s why there were a lot of people present when Jesus arrived. When Jesus arrived, He raised Lazarus from the dead, announcing that He was the resurrection and the light. Then people began coming from Jerusalem, leaving the Passover feast, out to Bethany to see what Jesus had done. Jesus was also coming and going between Bethany and Jerusalem every day.

It was on one of those days He saw the fruit tree and was hungry. Jesus the Creator knew the natural order of what should happen––He knew He could expect fruit to be on the fig tree. In the natural order of nature in the kingdom, sin has destroyed it in the earth. God is eternal, spirit in man is eternal, life on earth is seasonal. The tree of life was created to constantly bear fruit in its season while in the spiritual kingdom, but the trees of earth have seasons of life and death. Jesus, who created all things, knew how He had created these things. So when the Spirit in Jesus saw the fallen nature of the tree, He cursed it, and it died from the root. He spoke that it was cut off from the nature of earth. Jesus was calling us into the conflict within the Scripture.

Luke 13:18–19: Jesus the Creator, the declarer of order, knows what He spoke into being and what it is capable of. I taught earlier this week about being a citizen and then an ambassador. If I’m truly looking at citizenship, I would look at this question, “What is the kingdom of God like, and what can I compare it to?” (v. 18). That includes, “What is it so that I can understand it?

Jesus said it was like a grain of mustard seed. Everything it needs, to become what it will become, is in its nature. The size of the mustard seed is very tiny, and it grows into a considerable size. But the size of the seed is not the issue. The Redwoods grow from seeds in pinecones. It’s in the nature of the seed. Inside the pinecone are thousands of seeds. A million redwood seeds weigh around eight pounds and can grow more than 300 feet tall. God is not limited by the size of the seed as to what He can imprint on it that will determine its outcome. There is an order and imprint inside that seed, and when it cooperates with the soil and the elements around it, it follows its nature to what it becomes. The kingdom of heaven is to look like its nature that comes from the Creator.

What does a Christian life look like in the tree Jesus cursed? A tree that has wonderful leaves but no fruit. Fruitfulness comes from the cooperation with the declared order of God. Therefore, there is something inside the believer that sprouts and becomes more than anything the believer would have known. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant the believer is because God’s imprint is already on that believer.

Luke 13:20–21: In making of bread, yeast is a very small part. You can’t see it make any difference while it is in the mixing, but the natural result of it will be watching the bread rise. There is a nature to the unseen that will greatly affect the seen if we will bring out its understanding. The kingdom has a natural response when encountered in the natural world. It’s about cooperation between the elements within the yeast and the environment it’s placed in.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD! Believe that He will do what He says for you and in you. We are designed to bear fruit. There is a maturing process of time, but there sure seems to be a testing period for fruitfulness.

Matthew 7:17-20: “In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.”

CLOSING

How can I become fruitful in my pursuit of who God is and what God wants me to be? If God can grow a redwood seed into a mighty tree, then surely, He can use every one of us to be great fruit bearers in the kingdom of God. John 15:8 says, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.”