"Life is like a Garden" **Sermon for 3 Lent C 3/23-25**

 

1-2 I’ll sing a ballad to the one I love,
    a love ballad about his vineyard:
The one I love had a vineyard,
    a fine, well-placed vineyard.
He hoed the soil and pulled the weeds,
    and planted the very best vines.
He built a lookout, built a winepress,
    a vineyard to be proud of.
He looked for a vintage yield of grapes,
    but for all his pains he got garbage grapes.

3-4 “Now listen to what I’m telling you,
    you who live in Jerusalem and Judah.
What do you think is going on
    between me and my vineyard?
Can you think of anything I could have done
    to my vineyard that I didn’t do?
When I expected good grapes,
    why did I get bitter grapes?

            Gardens and vineyards are a common image in the Bible.  In the prophets, God’s people are often described as a vineyard.  The prophet Isaiah, for example, carries the passage I just read (5:1-4; MSG).  God is usually the owner of the vineyard, by extension.  The prophets are the tenants or the field workers.

            This morning Jesus tells two very different stories.  One is about when bad things happen to good people.  The second is about a fig tree.  Yes, I know figs are not grapes.  The overall intent is the same, however.  Vineyard.  Fig tree.  Both are used to illustrate God’s people.

            So a fig tree is planted in a vineyard.  The owner of the Vineyard comes by once in a while to check on the fig tree’s progress.  Imagine the surprise when no fruit is found on the tree!  Now this has gone on for three very long years.  By now the owner expected there would be figs.

            Naturally, the owner is furious.  The investment has not given any returns.  In a fit of anger the owner tells the gardener to uproot the tree.  “Wait!” says the Gardener.  “Let’s give it one more year.  Then I’ll cut the tree down.”  Here, Jesus is the Gardener who asks for grace and mercy.

            We are not told what happens.  Once again, Jesus leaves us hanging.  What happens?  Does the fig tree get another chance?  Or is it torn up and tossed into the fire?  Jesus does not tell us the end result of the Gardener’s plea for mercy.  I think that’s because it is left up to us: do we bear fruit or not?

            In Bible study this past week, we saw video footage of the Garden of Gethsemane.  Gethsemane is filled with olive trees.  Once such tree is said to be 3,000 years old!  Debbie shared learning that olive trees are not planted for the immediate future.  No, olive trees are about the long term.

            One olive tree can take 100 years to bear any fruit!  When an olive tree is planted, the owner is thinking about three or even four generations down the line.  Olive trees are a long-term investment.  Again, I know we are talking about figs and not olives or grapes.

            I think the same principle applies, however.  You and I are called to bear fruit not for ourselves.  We are called to bear fruit for future generations.  So that our children and grandchildren will have faith.  So that together we are creating heaven on earth with deep roots like the 3,000 year old olive tree.

            What kind of fruit are we talking about?  Since you and I are not figs, grapes, or even olive trees.  Paul talks about the fruits of the Christian life in his letter to the Galatians.  The Galatians have serious issues.  False teachers were leading the community astray.  So Paul writes to help correct such false teachings.

            In Galatians chapter 5, Paul talks about what are NOT and what ARE the fruits of the Christian life.  These fruits should be evident in all who seek to follow Jesus.  The Apostle writes to them and to you and me (vs. 22-23b, CEV):

When the Holy Spirit controls our lives {the Spirit} will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

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