So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down! Why does it waste the soil?’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?And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?
3 sermons cite this verse
This is the word of God You may be seated Monsignor Oscar Romero stood as I stood today and many pastors and priests stood behind the altar of March of 1980. As he was preparing to offer his gift to his congregation a long gunman stood at the back of the chapel in San Salvador, fired a single shot, ripped through the body of Monsignor Romero. He fell to the ground, bled over the altar as he offered his gifts before his congregation. He died in the service of worship. He was an activist for the rights of those that were marginalized and oppressed. People depended upon him and now he lay dead and like his Lord had spilled his blood in the sacrifice of service. It was that kind of day when these Galileans reported what had taken place in Jerusalem. A similar situation where lives had been given in the service of God, offering their sacrifices to God. the only problem is is that when something like that happens it must be the result of something wrong that has been done jesus counted their statement by telling them of a story of a tower that had fallen over in a nearby town it was a recent event that was fresh on the memory of the people similar to the day that some of us awakened to the news when the champagne towers failed in South Florida and over a hundred residents died because of the negligence of management to give attention to the foundation that had weakened and the building had crumbled. The question then became …
Write down point number one today. Fruit follows repentance. Man, do I love this. What Jesus is trying to teach us. He's not trying to teach us about fruit. He's trying to teach us about root. See, most of us, we get so caught up in the fruit of things that you miss out on the root of things. He tells a story. He says, this guy was walking by. First year, he's like, wow, that's weird. Got no fruit. Second year, he walks by. He's like, wow, interesting. A tree, no fruit. Third year, he walks by. He said, man, I've been walking by this tree for three years. And for three years, I see no fruit. He said, cut down the tree and get rid of this thing. It's bearing no fruit. The master, the landowner says, hold on. Hold up. I get it. No fruit. Give me one year. You know what this is representation of? God is trying to teach us about how patient and merciful God really is. …
As long as you live in sin you do but cumber the ground, you are wholly unprofitable, and live in vain. He that refuses to live to the dory of God, does not answer the end of his creation, and for what should he live? God made men to serve him; to this end he gave them life; and if there will not devote their lives to this end, how just would it be in God if he should refuse to continue their lives any longer! He has planted you in his vineyard, to bear fruit; and if you bring forth no fruit, why should he continue you any longer? how just would it be in him to cut you down! As long as you live, many of the blessings of God are spent upon you from day to day; you devour the fruits of the earth and consume much of its fatness and sweetness; and all to no purpose, but to keep you alive to sin against God, and spend all in wickedness. The whole creation does as it were groan with you; the sun rises and sets to give you light, the clouds pour down rain upon you, and the earth brings forth her fruits, and labours from year to year to supply you; and you in the mean time do not answer the end of Him who has created all things. How just therefore would it be if God should soon cut you oft, and take you away, and deliver the earth from this burden, that the creation may no longer groan with you, and cast you out as an abominable branch! Luke xiii. 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?” John xv. 2 and 6. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” …