Shepherd of the Springs
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

          . . . Sir, let it alone this year also, until I have dug 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. (vss. 8-9)

           When pastors become disheartened by what they believe is flagging zeal for good works in the Christian life of faith, they are often tempted to think that this may be symptomatic of having neglected exhorting their members to do them in their preaching. And to remedy this perceived deficiency, parishioners may get a strident sermon series scolding them and exhorting to repent, recommit, and get busy. Now, it is true . . . . The sin of misplaced priorities may well befall the people of God - even we here this evening - where service to the neighbors that the Lord has given to us is neglected in favor of our own self-serving projects. It is perhaps easy for us baby-boomers to exhibit this problem, since our generation was largely raised on the understanding that we are the most important persons to arrive here in human history.  Be that as it may, the problem of flagging vocational zeal to serve Christ in the neighbor’s needs, can be real and Jesus addresses it in the parable of the fig tree.

           On the basis of how the parable understands the problem and solution to the sin of misplaced priorities, let us reflect some this evening on our own walk of faith as we continue to prepare for the passion and cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our presupposition is this: since the gospel of prosperity is a false gospel and has nothing to do with the real Jesus, those who are dedicated to laboring first and foremost for their own benefit have little interest in what our Lord would accomplish for us on the cross. And we must also remember that to understand the parables of our Lord correctly, we must bring the right stuff to them - the right stuff of a right understanding of the problem of sin and the radical nature of grace. Anything less will distort what Jesus is trying to teach in his storied riddles. 

           Notice the presupposition of the vinedresser concerning the barren fig tree, for it is the basis of his reason not to have it cut down. The tree is alive . . . but, it is barren because it is sick and in need of some high powered nourishment. If it were dead, or should it die up the way . . . He would agree that cutting it down would be the appropriate response. He therefore recommends some tilling around the trunk and the application of some fertilizer. Notice his rationale. If the fig tree can be nursed back to health, it will be productive. It will bear fruit if it is alive and healthy because that is just how God has made fig trees to be and do. If it will not respond over time to good nourishment . . . it would be because it has died and therefore it ought to be cut down as dead wood taking up unnecessary space in the vineyard. 

          Let us see if we can draw the proper understanding here for the problem of the sin of misplaced priorities among the membership in the Christian churches. - where labor is lacking or it just goes on for the benefit of the self and not the neighbor. How can this happen? By analogy, there would seem to be two possibilities. One possibility is that the church member is dead wood . . . that is, the person is on the rolls but no longer has life in Christ. The second possibility - and that which would parallel the vinedresser’s estimation of the barren fig tree - the member is spiritually sick - lacking proper spiritual care and nourishment. As it would not be an effective strategy to hold motivational seminars for the fig tree to become productive, so also it is misplaced zeal to expect church members to overcome the sin of self-indulgence and misplaced priorities by commanding them to get busy doing good works.  These are symptoms of a faith life that is sick and anemic. It is the product of a lack of good spiritual feeding on the Gospel either because of a lack of Word and Sacrament . . . or a lack of appetite to receive the gifts of the Gospel that are offered there. 

           Perhaps, this Lenten Season, as we are reflecting on our own sinfulness and our own need for a Savior from sin . . .we may see the sin of self-indulgence and misplaced priorities in our own lives. These are common problems that can plague us all because of a me first commitment of the old sinful self in all of us. God’s prescription to improve our health and renewed zeal to serve Christ in our vocations - and get off our own fat-relentless egos - is first to do some tilling around the base of our hearts with his Law. The blade of his Law wants us to understand that sick trees and sick children of God can die from a lack of proper nutrition. The sin of self-indulgence and dedicated self-service can blunt our appetite for the Gospel and our desire regularly be where it is served. It is the Lord’s desire that it be your desire to have a generous amount of the saving gifts of Christ - the spiritual manure, as it were, that can make you hungry and enthused to follow the Lord to His cross and not to miss any blessing that He would have for you there.

           And about your good works - your love of God and service to your neighbor? These will just come naturally as a result of greater nourishment, greater health and growth. You will just do as you are . . .sons and daughters of God . . .living and laboring in His Kingdom, privileged to be fruitful . . . to be of some earthly good to others, and to be good to yourself in the process . . . after all . . . it will relieve you from the tiring preoccupation with yourself. . . . a nice byproduct of living in the crucified Christ.

           In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. A-men.