Turn or Burn – Or  – Get Planted and Grow Fruit! Luke 13:1-9

Introduction

Luke 13:1-9 ESV  There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  (2)  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  (3)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  (5)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”  (6)  And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  (7)  And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’  (8)  And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  (9)  Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

• Y’all we talk a lot about repentance in this church. You know why?
  • Because we are mean spirited, holier than though, judgmental Christians?
  • We talk a lot about repentance because the Bible talks a lot about repentance.
  • We preach often on repentance because Jesus preached often about repentance.
• And we talk a lot about bearing fruit. That is, having evidence of salvation through the things that are produced through our spiritual walks. Why?
  • Is it because we are work based Christians who think you must earn your way into heaven?
  • Of course not, salvation is through Christ alone. But none-the-less Jesus talks a lot about bearing fruit, so we talk a lot about bearing fruit.
• So, guess what we are going to talk about today? Repentance and Bearing Fruit.

SHOW TITLE SLIDE

• I couldn’t decide what to title this sermon because these two topics go hand in hand, so I just went with both titles… Turn or Burn, or, Get Planted and Grow Fruit!
• So let’s dive into this first part of the scripture and then we will dissect the second part. But first, let’s pray.

Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray

Point One: Repentance is for Everyone

Luke 13:1-5 ESV  There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  (2)  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  (3)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  (5)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

• Tragedy is not something new, church. There have been national tragedies ever since nations were a thing. And Irreal was not different.
  • So Jesus refers to two recent for the time national tragedies.
  • First we see that Pilate had ordered a group of Galileans to be massacred while they were offering sacrifices.
  • Second, there was a tower that collapsed killing 18 people. It was tragic.
  • We don’t have anymore details about these events, but what we do know is that the Jews rationalized these tragedies by suggesting that those who died must have been terrible sinners, and that’s why God allowed them to be killed.
• There is that age old question “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?”
  • The Jews answered this question by saying “Well those people must not have been good” Because surely God wouldn’t let bad things happen to good people like us! We are good, so we are alive, they are bad so they are dead.
• Of course they were wrong, but maybe not in the way you think. They were not wrong in suggesting that these people died because they were bad.
  • They were wrong in suggesting that they themselves are alive because they were good.

Luke 13:2-5 ESV  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  (3)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?  (5)  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

• Jesus says “Its not that they were bad and you are good, its that they were bad AND SO ARE YOU! You should be surprised that you are alive, not that they are dead! So you too must repent or you will likewise perish”.
  • JESUS IS SAYING TURN OR BURN!
• Because repent literally means “turn”, turn from your sins, turn from yourself, turn to Jesus.
  • And when Jesus says “Perish” He is not talking about the first death, but the second death which is hell fire.
  • Literally Jesus is saying “Unless you TURN from your sins, you will BURN in H-E-Double-Hokey-Sticks.
• Listen to me church, listen very closely. GOD DOESN’T LET BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. HE DOESN’T.
  • THERE WAS ONLY ONE TIME IN HISTORY WHERE GOD ALLOWED SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE GOOD… AND THAT PLACE WAS ON A CROSS IN A PLACE CALLED GOLGATHA, ON TOP OF A HILL NAMED CALVARY.
• The only time God allowed something bad to happen to someone good was when He allowed Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.
• How can you say that pastor… surely there are good people in the world? Not according to scripture… not according to Jesus.

Romans 3:9-12 ESV  What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,  (10)  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  (11)  no one understands; no one seeks for God.  (12)  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

• You see the gospel is this… EVERYONE SUCKS, NO ONE IS GOOD. BECAUSE YOU SUCK, DIE TO YOURSELF AND BE BORN AGAIN AS SOMETHING NEW AND GOOD IN CHRIST.
• But what about so and so… and surely God thinks this person is good… what about that person, or this hero, or that saint…
  • Nope, all sinners.

1 John 1:8-10 ESV  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

• If you think you are without sin, you may not even be saved! That’s what this verse says.
  • In fact, the understanding of just how bad you are is a fruit of salvation.
• The Apostle Paul wrote half of the new testament, and died preaching the Gospel to ceaser.
  • He was one of the most powerful men of Christianity, if not the most influential next to Christ Himself.
  • Paul even says “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” which means the more “Paul like” we become the more “Christ like” we become.
  • So, show of hands, and my hand is HIGH on this one… raise your hand if you would like to be one day as Righteous as Paul.
    • Good, me too! I strive to be like Paul! And Paul said this regarding his own sin.

1 Timothy 1:15 KJV  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

• Now if Paul says “I am chief among sinners” and I am striving to be as righteous as him… what does that make me?!
  • I will tell you what it makes me.
    • It makes me pathetic.
    • It makes me weak.
    • Not just a sinner, it means that I am a MONSTER OF INEQUITY.
    • If Paul is chief among sinners then I am a BEAST and a GLUTTON who devours and can’t get enough sin.
  • But praise God, because I AM NO LONGER MY OWN! I am a beast, but Christ in me is righteous.
  • Paul was chief among sinners, but Christ in Him was God glorified.
  • Praise God that my identity is not in me, it is in Christ!
  • I am so wicked that the only thing to do with me is to kill me, and that’s exactly what Jesus calls us to do.

Luke 9:23-24 ESV  And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  (24)  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

• Jesus says “Die to yourself daily! Take up your execution device, your cross, DAILY!
  • Because YOU SUCK! So kill you, and allow Christ to live instead of you! Christ in you and Christ through you.
  • Christ in me and Christ through me.
  • I am not talking about physical suicide, don’t get it twisted, I am talking about spiritual pruning. Killing the part of you, the flesh, that is so deep in sin. And doing it daily.
• And please don’t think for a moment that repentance is only a one time thing…
• We repent daily until Christ returns or calls us home.

Luke 13:3 ESV  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

• When Jesus said this he was talking to God’s people!
• Don’t forget the cautionary tail in Act’s 5 of Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck down and killed by God because of their sin!
• Well what am I supposed to do pastor, how am I supposed to live this out? Pray this prayer, pray it often, and pray it with integrity and passion.
  • “Jesus, let me decrease and you increase. I want less of me and more of you. I lay down my life, take it, and let all that is left of me be you.”

John 3:30 ESV  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

• If you pray that and mean it, God will begin to show you things to decrease in your life. Habbits, problems, sin.
  • And day by day you will start to look more like Him.
  • If you look at my life now compared to 5 years ago when we started this church, it is drastically different, drastically more holy.
  • But I still am no good, so I continue to pray “MORE OF YOU! LESS OF ME!” I continue to prune my life, die to myself.
  • And in 5 years I will be even holier. Every day growing toward Him, till one day He takes me home.
• That’s the Christian Life. Growing toward Christ, dying to ourselves. Repentance is for everyone.

Point Two: We MUST Bear Fruit

• Point two this morning is that we MUST bear fruit!

Luke 13:6-9 ESV  And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  (7)  And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’  (8)  And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  (9)  Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

• This point here is for the Christians in the room, the last point was for everyone, but this one is for the Saved.
  • If you are not a Christian, if you have not been born again and made new by Christ then this point is not for you, we will give you an opportunity to be saved, to be born again, at the end of service.
• Listen to me Christians, if you are not bearing fruit you are at risk of being cut down and thrown into the fire.
• As Christians we MUST BEAR FRUIT. It’s not an option.
  • Church goers don’t go to heaven, fruit producers do.
• You see church is not the fruit, church is the manure that surrounds you to help you bear fruit.
  • That’s right, I just said church is the manure, CLC is just a bunch of crap!
  • But it’s true, CLC exists to please God by worshiping Him, leading people to Him (I.E. Getting people planted) and helping them grow and bear fruit.
• What do I mean by bear fruit? I mean that your life should naturally produce things like love, and peace, and charity, and goodness, and mercy, and forgiveness, and kindness.
  • People should see Christ in you, not because YOU ARE PUTTING ON A SHOW, but because You have gotten out of the way and are letting Christ shine through you.

Galatians 5:22-24 ESV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (24)  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

• Look at that, fruit and repentance paired side by side in scripture yet again.
• Listen, your life should be producing these fruit naturally. You should be naturally producing love, and joy, and peace, and patience, and kindness, and goodness, and faithfulness, and gentleness, and self control.
• If you are missing the things in verses 22 and 23 here it is because you are failing at verse 24.
  • If you are not naturally producing the fruit in verses 22 and 23, the solution is to obey verse 24.

Galatians 5:24 ESV  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

• Less of me, more of you Jesus!
• HELP ME TO CRUICIFY MY FLESH JESUS!
• LESS OF ME MORE OF YOU!
• Church if you are not bearing fruit, then prune your tree, get planted and fertilized, and bear that fruit… lest after God’s patience has worn out you find yourself being chopped down and thrown out.
• …….
• How come Jesus hasn’t come back yet Pastor? He promised to come back soon, why has He not come back yet?
  • I will tell you why, because Jesus is patient. Yes God promised to return soon, and He is not slow to fulfill that promise… but He is patient.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.\

• He is giving you one more year to bear fruit.
  • He is giving you a little more manure…
  • He is giving you a little more time.
  • BEAR FRUIT CHURCH.
  • REPENT DAILY!
  • He is patient with you… but that patience will end.
  • BEAR FRUIT.
• LESS OF ME, MORE OF YOU!

Conclusion:

• Now I want to conclude by talking first to the unsaved, those who are not born again…
  • Gospel Call
• For the rest of us, if you are a member of CLC you are like a tree planted in the vineyard… you are blessed to be fertilized. Are you bearing fruit?
  • Altar call.