God expects fruit

Jesus hopes to find fruit in the life of his people. If he doesn't find it, judgment follows.

Then Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, 'For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?'
But the worker answered him, 'Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. Then if it bears fruit next year, very well, but if not, you can cut it down.'"
Luke 13:9-12 NET

The Lord is patient, as the parable teaches, but the main theme is imminent judgment. God is patient, but his patience has a limit. Jesus told this story against Israel, which would be rejected as God's people. The nation failed to do his work. It was being given one last chance to change.

The same principle applies to the church and to Christians. If we fail to do his will on earth and to do his work, he will cut us off.

Will the patience of God result in our repentance, or will we continue to be unproductive?
 

The Invitation (not the post-sermon invitation) « weylan words

you must R.S.V.P. In the parable, Jesus said about those invited, “But they paid no attention and went off…” (v. 5). The height of ingratitude! A king’s invitation should not fall on deaf ears. When God invites, it demands proper response. After all, the invitation also brings obligation. “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
via wdeaver.wordpress.com

Weylan draws great lessons from the parable of the king who throws a wedding feast for his son, in Matt. 22. God's invitation differs from the one we extend, to "drop in sometime." It has a time, place, and address, because full preparations have been made. Don't stand him up!