In reading through Luke this morning, I found two stories that I felt the Lord highlighted for me. One was found in Luke 13:6-8 GWT; Then Jesus used this illustration: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on the tree but didn’t find any.  He said to the gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up good soil?’ “The gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it stand for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.  Maybe next year it’ll have figs. But if not, then cut it down.’”

The other one found in Luke 14:16-23;  Jesus said to him, “A man gave a large banquet and invited many people. When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come! Everything is ready now.’ “Everyone asked to be excused. The first said to him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to see it. Please excuse me.’  Another said, ‘I bought five pairs of oxen, and I’m on my way to see how well they plow. Please excuse me.’  Still another said, ‘I recently got married, and that’s why I can’t come.’ “The servant went back to report this to his master. Then the master of the house became angry. He told his servant, ‘Run to every street and alley in the city! Bring back the poor, the handicapped, the blind, and the lame.’ “The servant said, ‘Sir, what you’ve ordered has been done. But there is still room for more people.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full.  I can guarantee that none of those invited earlier will taste any food at my banquet.’”

In the first story, I see a big and beautiful green tree in the garden. It wasn’t a maple or oak tree which is designed merely to give shade, it was a fig tree which was made to bear figs. When the owner came to the garden, he noticed that the tree wasn’t bearing and told the gardner to cut it down. That picture is one I see in the church today. So many Christians are faithful to come to church, hear the Word, get fat on the food prepared each week by pastors, yet they are not bearing fruit. They don’t give out of what’s been invested in them at work or at home. Many of them pull a switch as soon as they leave Gods house and become just like the world. They don’t want people to see them differently. They are unfruitful. Fruit bearing Christians put out fruit so that they can reproduce. This is why our hearts are challenged to do what God has created us for. It’s the Holy Spirit fertilizing our souls so that we may be found producing when the owner comes again.

The second story is also about the church. Jesus told us he has gone to prepare a place for us, His bride. When he invites us to come and we use excuses that we have other things to do, it angers him. So he invites those who are poor, sick and needy to come. He wants his house filled to celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb. If His own don’t have time to come, He will invite the criminals who long to be set free. They will be grateful for complete forgiveness and pardon. He will bring the sick and heal all their diseases. He will make the deaf to hear and the lame to walk. He will open blind eyes and cast out every demonic spirit of oppression and depression. Those new believers will surely make time to come to the marriage supper.

Sometimes we’re so busy working for the Lord that we don’t recognize that we’re not fruitful. God created us to bear fruit, to leave a legacy that continues on long after we leave this earth. Some of us are nut producing trees, produce good nuts! Nuts are a good form of protein, a needed supplement to our diet. Whatever your life has made you to be, seek to find good ways to reproduce that in others. Don’t try to be like someone else, be who God created you to be, but be fruitful and be ready. Someday we’ll all be inspected by the Father to see what our life has produced.