One More Year?!

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,

            Our 125^th kick off service is over.  Do you not wonder what the founding fathers would have thought about the service last Sunday?  Would they not be amazed at indoor plumbing?  What about the type of kitchen we have?  How about the technology in the school and even now the smart boards in the classrooms!  The first teacher could have never imagined that!  Maybe they would have been surprised that world even continued for 125 years.  What will it be like in the next 125 years?  I suppose we cannot dream or imagine what changes in the world and facilities will all be like.  Of course that depends on if Salem and the world have 125 more years.  What our text reminds us is that for the fruitless fig tree it had only one more year.  That made me think do we have one more year or what if God started figuring the one more year 363 days ago and we are almost at the end of our one more year.  So as we keep Jesus’ words before us, may we consider, One More Year?!

I.                    

One More Year - Expectations

Jesus is the one telling this parable of the fig tree to his disciples.  What I find very interesting is that in the parable that the one who planted the tree, went to look for fruit on it.  He had expectation from the tree in his garden.  Is that so unusual?  Does a gardener plant tomatoes and not expect to find tomatoes?  Does a farmer plant corn with no expectation of a harvest?  Does God give a person life and not expect some fruits from that person?  How much more does not the Lord expect something from those who have come to know Jesus!  What difference does Jesus make in a person’s life?  The Apostle James describes it this way, “faith without works is dead.”  If a person’s life does not reflect the Christian life, James wonders if a person is a Christian at all.  Figs are the fruit of the fig tree.  Good works are the result of a relationship with Jesus Christ.  God will judge the faith, the lives and the works of each person.  See, many might think they are Christians because they once were baptized, or once went to a church, only to be deluded that their faith is now dead.  See, some know the Bible words and answers, but there are no longer fruits of faith. 

There will come the time of accounting, when the gardener will want to cut down the tree.  (Rom 14:11-12 NIV)  It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" {12} So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. There is a final reckoning.  Paul also writes: (2 Cor 5:10 NIV)  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

God does have expectations from us each day of our lives.  He has expectations of husbands and wives, parents and children, teens and elderly, citizens and leaders, pastors and members.  In this year of our 125^th anniversary, the Lord does have expectations from all of us, fruits of faith.

As your pastor God expects some fruits from me.  (2 Tim 4:2 NIV)  Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. (1 Tim 4:16 NIV)  Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 

As members of the family of God shouldn’t we be different than the atheists in the world? Atheist don’t go to church, wouldn’t surprise the Lord, but should he not be expecting his people to worship him?  Atheists have no reason to go to communion, but wouldn’t the Lord expect his people to commune with him?  Atheists don’t teacher their children to pray or follow God’s commands, but shouldn’t the Lord expect Christian parents to teach by word and example?  Atheists don’t support the work of the Lord, shouldn’t Jesus expect his disciples to help his kingdom.

The command to cut it down, it is wasting space is a reminder that the grace of God though free is not cheap.  People who use the Lord and his kingdom will be held accountable.  When we hear the words, one more year, it can be pure law speaking, terrifying the heart.

II. One More Year  - Pure Grace

One more year is also a way that the Lord proclaims his grace, his loving patience. Now I grew up with my father having apple trees.  Last week when I went down to see him I asked him what kind of apples would he want?  I was planning to stop at an orchard.  Dad mentions about 6 different varieties which were his favorites.  When I brought him the apples I asked how the apples were at my brother’s house.   He said because of the dry year they were small, but he had managed to spray with poison after every rain so they were worm free.  I ask him, how were the apples out on the farm.  He said that they were all wormy because they were not cared for.  Jesus knew that each child of God would need constant care. 

'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. {9} If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"  One more year!  One more year of grace!  First of all how many years of grace can you count in your life?  (Psa 25:7 NIV)  Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. (Isa 46:4 NIV)  Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.  I find it interesting that there is no mention of the sins of old age.  Not that grey hairs keeps one from sinning, on the contrary.  But in the passing of time, each of us can look back and recognize the grace and patience of the Lord as we went through our teen years.  The Apostle Paul never forgot the grace of God in his own life, “(1 Cor 15:10 NIV)  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 

            There is the key to the fruits of faith.  We know that the Lord is looking for fruits of faith.  I think all of us would be quick to admit that we should be more fruitful.  But all too often we fail to realize how the Lord would accomplish that in our lives.  Jesus put it this way, (John 15:5 NIV)  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  Our staying connected with Jesus is found in the grace of God by the means of grace, word and sacrament.  The Gospel, the message of Christ crucified is the nutrition for the soul.  Cherish your baptism, enjoy communing with the Lord and (2 Pet 3:18 NIV)  Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

            What kinds of fruit does Jesus expect to pick?  (Gal 5:22-23 NIV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Jesus does really make a difference.  I love the passage, (Acts 4:13 NIV)  When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  I am the vine you are the branches. 

            How much time do we have?  One more year?  Part of a year?  Part of day?  What a joy to know that we have been with Jesus.  Amen.