Is Your Life Barren?

I was reading Luke 13 this morning, when the Holy Spirit really began to speak to me about being the Church being barren of fruit. Read it along with me. Luke 13:1-9, "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3“I tell you, no; 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 sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5"I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” 6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.7 “Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8“But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

The people that were questioning Jesus were trying to make themselves look better than others, possibly because the others were suffering at the hands of the enemy. Be that as it may, Jesus saw through their "posing" and exposed the truth they needed to repent...to turn away from their sin, or else they too will suffer certain death and misery. Jesus didn't leave there, but went on to explain to them (they that seemed to be righteous) that there was no evidence of whose they were (The Fig tree is supposed to produce figs). Could we, as the church, be the barren fruit tree? Jesus told us that He indeed is the vine and we are the branches. The vine brings life to the branches, but the branches should be producing fruit...shouldn't they? The church building and denominations are not the church, we who are persuaded and convinced that Jesus is the Son of God are the church. Those who have adopted the Christian Religion and are living good lives are not the church, their posers. If your not born-again, your not of the tree of Life, but of death. So, if we are of the tree of Life and we are the branches, should we not produce fruit...evidence of whose tree we belong to? Going to church and reading our Bibles and paying our tithes are not fruit, they are the components that make up the branch. When we believe our lives should have changed and caused us to 1)Not neglect the assembly of believers; 2) having Fellowship with Him and 3) Support the community by giving of our tithes and offerings to help the poor, the orphan, the widow and to the preaching of the word.

So where is the fruit of the tree of Life? If it is not present, do we blame the vine? Absolutely not, the Vine is what brings life to the branches. So the question is, are the branches allowing Life to flow out from them? As a Pastor of a small community church, I am really desiring that not only the church people have fruit, but that I as well have fruit, so that the community knows that we are His disciples. When we, as believers, think of fruit we tend to think of the 9 fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). This fruit is not something that we need to pray to receive but are evidence that there is Life flowing in the branch. Church, where is the fruit? We spend our time here on earth criticizing one another, judging one another, developing our own heretical theories on what God is like and what God will tolerate. We are defeated in health issues, employment barricades, family problems and social explosions, all the while leaving Jesus out of the picture. All the while forgetting He died to take away our sin, to forgive us and yes even cleanse us from all sin. If we have no thought of growing fruit in our lives, then maybe we need to realize 1 of 2 things. The Holy Spirit is waiting and wanting to deal with our issues or He is preparing to cut you off. Pray it's not the latter. Remember Jesus' words in Matt 10:38, " And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."

Brothers and sisters in Christ, don't think for a minute that just because you believe in Jesus, that your eternity is secure. You must be persuaded and convinced. This persuasion is what causes men to repent and be baptized and turn from our wicked ways. Paul tells us that "Faith without works is dead". True faith in Him brings new Life and changes you. Pray that the unproductive branches in your life, either grows fruit or is cut away so that life can begin again. How will your family or community know that your His disciples without demonstrating your love for them? Don't be barren! Be fruitful and multiply!