Luke 13:6-9 Our Lord's Gardener

Luke 13:6-9 “And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"”

Jesus loved to pull parables from nature. He truly appreciated and loved the handiwork of God! He pulled from nature because it was common to the people he spoke to. They knew it well and He could impart truths to them in this manner. The problem, then, for us is that we have not the knowledge or experience with nature and the references to it that the first century Jews had. We have little understanding and so we must dig and learn.

The gentle fig tree, ubiquitous around the world for its fruits, its shade, and its references in literature and culture abounds freely in the middle east. The fruit could be eaten or preserved, the seeds could be turned into oil, and the sap is turned into latex. The fig is used to relieve sore throats, or in poultices which help stunt the growth of tumours. The leaf can be used to help control diabetes and calcifications of the liver and kidneys. This plant was one of the “go-to” plants for it had something for everyone. The fig tree also began producing fruit its very first year, and would have two crops each year.

Now then, knowing a little bit more about the fig tree, can we see how a farmer would not want an unproductive tree taking the space that could be used to start a new tree?

Serving God, we often times can find ourselves in the position of the gardener, the vinedresser. The master will come to us and say, “This plant is not producing how I want it to. I would like you to remove it and start again!” We, who seek after and know the heart and desire of the master, our Lord sometimes must stand up and be contrary, we must push for another chance. Abraham bargained with the Lord for the lives of the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33). He knew God and he walked with God. He knew that God desired each person to freely come to Him, and so for the sake of His nephew and for the sake of the lives of the people in Sodom that they might have some few more years to repent, Abraham said “Wait Lord!” and convinced the Lord to leave them be if there were but ten righteous people there. Moses as well argued with the Lord for the sake of the people. The Lord was about to destroy the nation of Israel after the golden calf and start anew with Moses, but Moses said “Wait Lord!” and convinced the Lord to hold off. (Exodus 32:9-14) and again after the rebellion of Korah, the Lord was wrathful with His people and sent a plague to kill them, and Moses stood up and said “Wait Lord” and sent Aaron to make atonement.(Numbers 16:45-48)

Like Abraham, like Moses, we - who are the vinedressers of the Lord, preparing and tending His garden here in this world – must sometimes say “Wait! Lord! Let me try once more! Maybe through further effort we may revive this instead of starting new!” Did you know that this pleases the Lord? Yes it does! He loves it when we seek after His heart so much that we are willing to desire differently than what He has said! It is so easy to accede and say “You are the Lord, your word is my command,” and obey unhesitatingly – and yes, there is a time for this as well. Yet, we must be willing to pursue the Glory of God so much that we disagree. However, we must seek His glory and not our own in this. That is part of what intercession is, saying “No, Lord, Wait! Let me try, please Lord! Let me pray for them and fertilize them with Your word, let me tend them and guard them and then if there is no result from my efforts, then, dearest Lord, have thine own way. First let me try!

There are people with whom we must try anew. They may be believers who show no fruit and we must make the effort to aid them in their growth. They may be non-believers who are dead set against the Lord and we must tend and nurture them, let them see the glory, the mercy, the gentleness, and the Love of our Lord in our own lives.

Perhaps we find ourselves having to intercede for a workplace, for a job site, for a boss, for a friend, for an enemy, for a leader, for a follower, for a family member, even sometime ourselves. We must be willing to say “Wait Lord, please, once more let me try!”

God has called us to minister to those around us, to be His gardeners in this world which He made. We need to truly make every effort to care for His garden and every single flower and seed in it.

Go work in My vineyard,” there’s plenty to do;
The harvest is great and the lab’rers are few;
There’s weeding and fencing, and clearing of roots,
And plowing, and sowing, and gath’ring of fruits.
There are foxes to take, there are wolves to destroy,
All ages and ranks I can fully employ;
I’ve sheep to be tended, and lambs to be fed;
The lost must be gathered, the weary ones led.

Go work, go work, go work in My vineyard; there’s plenty to do;
Go work, go work, the harvest is great, and the lab’rers are few.