Steward Leadership - Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

     This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

In this new year, I have begun a new series on the subject of steward leadership. One author defines a

steward as “someone who manages resources belonging to another person in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.” In our context, we are managing resources provided by the Lord for our Village Church Planting work.

Our text for today’s podcast is Luke 13:6-9.

Then he [Jesus] told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.  So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next

year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

As I began to study this parable, the first thing I asked myself was “how many years does it take for a fig tree

to bear fruit?” That seems like a reasonable question, so I did a quick online search and found several sites

that said a fig tree bears fruit in 3 to 4 years. Of course! Would not the Creator of the universe know this? (see Colossians 1:16)

My point here is that “the man” in our parable – who represents God – expects that we bear fruit in the

anticipated season. So it is with us; He expects us – and our ministry - to bear fruit when we have reached a

level of maturity where fruit is expected.

Consider the conditions in which the fig tree existed. It was planted in the rich soil of the vineyard. Sun and rain were present. After the third year, the caretaker of the vineyard dug up the soil surrounding the tree and fertilized it well. The tree enjoyed all the conditions necessary to produce fruit.

Here are the key lessons from this parable.

 God expects fruit in due season; He has provided all that is needed for fruit to be produced.

 His patience and grace grant more time to produce, and He treats us in a similar way.

 Ultimately, there is accountability for the absence of fruit.

I close with this reminder from 2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

In our next episode, we will continue our study of steward leadership. This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters and leaders.