145-147. Repentance and Fruit

LINK: Luke 13:1-21

BACKGROUND

145. Jesus calls the people to repent: Luke 13:1-9

Jesus answered their political question with a question and some stories. Jesus' point here is that whether one is killed or not is no indication of a person's righteous standing before God. It is by God's grace that we live because we are all sinners and deserve death. None of us get out of here alive. Therefore, we need to repent and fall on His grace and mercy.

The parable of the fig trees illustrates that if the fruit does not come, judgment will eventually come. In the Old Testament, a fruitful tree often symbolized Godly living (Psalm 1, Jeremiah 17:7,8). Fruit must be present in a person's life. If there is no change, the person is judged. 

Leviticus 19:23-25 states that fruit was not eaten from a newly planted tree for three years and the fourth year's fruit was dedicated to the Lord. Therefore, there would be no harvest for five years, and this man had already waited for seven. It was time for fruit! But Jesus does not tell us the ending of the story. Perhaps He was counting on the choice of His listeners for that determination.

146. Jesus heals the crippled woman: Luke 13:10-17

This is the last time that Jesus taught in a synagogue in the gospel of Luke. The key word in this narrative is "hypocrites." The leaders would care for their animals on the Sabbath but not a crippled woman bound by Satan. Jesus humiliated them, but the people were delighted! 

147. Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God: Luke 13:18-21 

Matthew 13:31-33 and Mark 4:30-32 contain similar teachings to this given at another time and place.

Mustard seeds are not the smallest seeds in the world, but they were probably the smallest that the Jews would have sown at that time. From a small seed, the mustard plant grows to 12-15 feet! Believers in the kingdom would be small in the beginning but grow rapidly. Jesus began with 12 well-trained (but imperfect) disciples and later there were 500 believers (1 Corinthians 15:6). Then there were 3,000 at Pentecost (Acts 2).  Read Acts to read about spontaneous growth! Read Revelation 5:9 for where it is going!

Leaven is small and hidden, but it grows spontaneously also. In a recent post, you will recall that the "leaven of the Pharisees" was evil. Here it is a positive thing! (Some commentators disagree on this, but I disagree with them!)

REFLECTION

God is seeking fruit. He will accept no substitutes, and the time to repent is NOW. The next time you hear about a tragedy that claims many lives, ask yourself, “Am I just taking up space, or am I bearing fruit to God’s glory?” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Lk 13:1)

APPLICATION

Are you just taking up space, or are you bearing fruit for God's glory?"

Here is the result of a word study on "fruit." Pay particular attention to the five kinds of fruit at the end and evaluate your life using the list:

KARPOS (καρπός , (2590)), fruit, is used . . . (II) metaphorically, (a) of works or deeds, fruit being the visible expression of power working inwardly and invisibly, the character of the fruit being evidence of the character of the power producing it, Matt. 7:16. As the visible expressions of hidden lusts are the works of the flesh, so the invisible power of the Holy Spirit in those who are brought into living union with Christ (John 15:2-8, 16) produces “the fruit of the Spirit,” Gal. 5:22, the singular form suggesting the unity of the character of the Lord as reproduced in them, namely, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance,” all in contrast with the confused and often mutually antagonistic “works of the flesh.” So in Phil. 1:11 . . . “fruit of righteousness.” In Heb. 12:11, the fruit of righteousness is described as “peaceable fruit,” the outward effect of Divine chastening; “the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace,” Jas. 3:18, i.e., the seed contains the fruit; those who make peace, produce a harvest of righteousness; in Eph. 5:9, “the fruit of the light”. . . is seen in “goodness and righteousness and truth,” as the expression of the union of the Christian with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit); for God is good, Mark 10:18, the Son is “the righteous One,” Acts 7:52, the Spirit is “the Spirit of truth,” John 16:13;  (b) of advantage, profit, consisting (1) of converts as the result of evangelistic ministry, John 4:36; Rom. 1:13; Phil. 1:22; (2) of sanctification, through deliverance from a life of sin and through service to God, Rom. 6:22, in contrast to (3) the absence of anything regarded as advantageous as the result of former sins, ver. 21; (4) of the reward for ministration to servants of God, Phil. 4:17; (5) of the effect of making confession to God’s Name by the sacrifice of praise, Heb. 13:15. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament words, 2:133-134)

Try your own word study:

"How to Do a Greek Word Study" 

Since I wrote this post in 2010, there has been an explosion of online resources for word studies. So, do a Google search!

Also, Precept Austin has many word study resources in one spot.

PRAYER

Lord, draw us to You, a God of mercy and grace. Thank You for Your awesome forgiveness and for the blood of Jesus that makes us righteous. Search our hearts and help us to repent of any hurtful way in us. Lead us to bear fruit for Your glory. In Jesus' name, we pray, claiming His righteousness. Amen.