Fig Bar Redemption
(Sermon at Sage Granada Park United Methodist Church: 3/23/2019)
Texts:Isaiah 55:1-9; Luke 13:1-9
The Shawshank Redemption
In the 1994 movie, The Shawshank Redemption, a banker, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), was sentenced to Shawshank state penitentiary for murdering his wife and her lover. He struggles to survive in jail and to prove his innocence. Eventually his knowledge as a banker proves useful as he helps fellow inmates, prison guards and even the warden on money matters. He befriends Red (Morgan Freeman) who manages to get him a rock hammer. Over time, Andy finds proof of his innocence and as well as evidence of the warden’s money laundering schemes. He escapes with both through a hole he had slowly chiseled from his cell and turned over his evidence setting things right. He had managed redeemed himself. God is in the business of redeeming people.
The Fig Bar Redemption
During the summer months, my father practically lived out of his car, crisscrossing the Sierra Nevada taking pictures at summer camps. One of my siblings or myself usually traveled with him, and we kept certain snacks in the car. One of my favorite was fig bars- Fig Newtons to be exact. Often after the end of a season I would find fig bars stashed in various places in the car – smooshed under the camera gear, or ground with the dirt under the car seats. But I could always find some bars safely squirreled away. Whenever I found a stash I could safely redeem them, right into my mouth. Look, if it was good three months prior, it must still be good. So, are you too far past the expiration date, or is there still time for the fig bar redemption?
My grandfather raised figs back in the 1930s. The venture didn’t last very long. I heard several stories – that the railroad took back the lease or that the ground was too hardpan, and so the figs trees couldn’t thrive. To produce well, fig trees need good drainage. Whatever happened I recall my mother telling me ruefully how they uprooted from Orosi when she was 14 and moved to the big town of Dinuba.
Fig Tree Redeemed
The story that Jesus told about the fig tree is a variation on similar middle east stories. Commentator Alan Culpepper (The New Interpreter’s Bible, IX, 271) tells of an Armenian story in which the fig fruit ripened, but fell into the river. The lord of the tree came to cut it down, but the tree itself said: “Leave me in this place that in the next year I may bear fruit.” The lord of the tree responded: “Up to his day hast thou been to me useless, and in the future that wilt not be useless.” It was cut down.
In Jesus’ story the fig tree was also useless, but the gardener interceded: “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.” The fig tree was given a reprieve, one more year to prove itself.
How about you? Are you feel like you’re under judgment? God offers grace. Another year to produce fruits worthy of repentance.
The Logic of Judgment
You know when people feel guilty or under judgment. They start making excuses or pointing the finger at other people. Remember that when you point one finger, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. I suspect that we live in an age of increasing repressed guilt. So much hostility. We live according to the logic of judgment. Guilt festers in a culture of fear.
Political rumbling continues as New Zealanders are grieving the loss of family and friends in last week’s terrible shooting of two Mosques in Christchurch. Last week’s untimely comments by an Australian senator rightly drew criticism. Fraser Anning was even egged a couple days ago. He blamed the shooting on immigration policies that allowed Muslims into the country. In effect, if you were shot by a crazed terrorist, it must have been your fault. There is a problem with the logic that victims of crime are to blame for their murders. Like saying that those who died at Auschwitz or Treblinka should be faulted for the rise of Nazism, or that rape victims are to be blamed for the perversion of their assailants.
Similar logic in Jesus’ day. People had reported to Jesus about two violent incidents. Those Galileans must have been terrible sinners for their blood to be mixed with the sacrifice. In another case some people were killed when a tower fell on them. In a worldview in which God controls our destinies and sinners are judged for their sin, it is easy to make assumptions that bad things only happen to bad people. Those victims of calamities must have been especially bad sinners. And conversely, if nothing bad has happened to you, it proves your righteousness. I think it is very dangerous to draw such conclusions. Jesus did not draw such conclusions. “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” No. In fact, he pointed out that the rains falls on the just and the unjust alike.
The logic of grace
Jesus’ operated by the logic of grace. He was not bound by the logic of judgment. Like the gardener: Give it another year while I cultivate the soil and then make your judgement. Not cheap grace that Dietrich Bonhoeffer criticized. In cheap grace, no one is responsible. No one needs to do anything.
There are no righteous causes to fight for. Jesus still affirmed our accountability and God’s judgment.
But Jesus turned the blame game around to become opportunity for transformation. “I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” (Luke 13:3). “All have sinned…” Examine yourself, your own sin and make use of the present opportunity to repent, to be transformed.
Isaiah said, “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). We, you and I, have been given a reprieve, and a second chance. What will you do with it?
Learning from the fig tree
Brothers and sisters, think of this year as the year of the fig tree. We have envisioned our selves as a light on a hill for our neighborhoods. What do we need to do to become that lighthouse?
Consider a couple tips from the fig tree. The gardener promised to cultivate the soil for the intervening year. Soil is a medium of growth, the infrastructure. If the soil is the wrong condition it won’t receive any nutrients and the water will just run off. So it is with our spiritual life. God graciously gives the growth, but soil quality makes a difference. John Wesley encouraged using the means of grace, the spiritual practices, including regular gathering or worship, for small groups, prayer and reflection, the personal devotional practices. I like Saturday’s devotion by Ernest Tom. He was clearly energized by last year’s Christmas caroling at Atherton. Don’t neglect meeting together; don’t neglect doing acts of kindness, mercy and justice.
Another thing about fig trees. You can take cuttings from old fig trees and start new plants. Churches have a life cycle and they need to start something new or get rejuvenated periodically, lest they die. You may believe that we’re dying. But we’re not dying – we are at a transition point. Our Annual Conference theme this year is “I see a new church.”
Look at the insert. If there is some service you’ve been interested, please mark it. If you’re ready to take the next step, check that line. I want you – I want all of us to get ready for the next stage that God is going to take us on. But we need to be ready. Let each of us also look for opportunities to plant seeds of hope….
Do you think you’re too far past the expiration date, or is there still time for redemption? Let’s do it.
Texts:Isaiah 55:1-9; Luke 13:1-9
The Shawshank Redemption
In the 1994 movie, The Shawshank Redemption, a banker, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), was sentenced to Shawshank state penitentiary for murdering his wife and her lover. He struggles to survive in jail and to prove his innocence. Eventually his knowledge as a banker proves useful as he helps fellow inmates, prison guards and even the warden on money matters. He befriends Red (Morgan Freeman) who manages to get him a rock hammer. Over time, Andy finds proof of his innocence and as well as evidence of the warden’s money laundering schemes. He escapes with both through a hole he had slowly chiseled from his cell and turned over his evidence setting things right. He had managed redeemed himself. God is in the business of redeeming people.
The Fig Bar Redemption
During the summer months, my father practically lived out of his car, crisscrossing the Sierra Nevada taking pictures at summer camps. One of my siblings or myself usually traveled with him, and we kept certain snacks in the car. One of my favorite was fig bars- Fig Newtons to be exact. Often after the end of a season I would find fig bars stashed in various places in the car – smooshed under the camera gear, or ground with the dirt under the car seats. But I could always find some bars safely squirreled away. Whenever I found a stash I could safely redeem them, right into my mouth. Look, if it was good three months prior, it must still be good. So, are you too far past the expiration date, or is there still time for the fig bar redemption?
My grandfather raised figs back in the 1930s. The venture didn’t last very long. I heard several stories – that the railroad took back the lease or that the ground was too hardpan, and so the figs trees couldn’t thrive. To produce well, fig trees need good drainage. Whatever happened I recall my mother telling me ruefully how they uprooted from Orosi when she was 14 and moved to the big town of Dinuba.
Fig Tree Redeemed
The story that Jesus told about the fig tree is a variation on similar middle east stories. Commentator Alan Culpepper (The New Interpreter’s Bible, IX, 271) tells of an Armenian story in which the fig fruit ripened, but fell into the river. The lord of the tree came to cut it down, but the tree itself said: “Leave me in this place that in the next year I may bear fruit.” The lord of the tree responded: “Up to his day hast thou been to me useless, and in the future that wilt not be useless.” It was cut down.
In Jesus’ story the fig tree was also useless, but the gardener interceded: “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.” The fig tree was given a reprieve, one more year to prove itself.
How about you? Are you feel like you’re under judgment? God offers grace. Another year to produce fruits worthy of repentance.
The Logic of Judgment
You know when people feel guilty or under judgment. They start making excuses or pointing the finger at other people. Remember that when you point one finger, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. I suspect that we live in an age of increasing repressed guilt. So much hostility. We live according to the logic of judgment. Guilt festers in a culture of fear.
Political rumbling continues as New Zealanders are grieving the loss of family and friends in last week’s terrible shooting of two Mosques in Christchurch. Last week’s untimely comments by an Australian senator rightly drew criticism. Fraser Anning was even egged a couple days ago. He blamed the shooting on immigration policies that allowed Muslims into the country. In effect, if you were shot by a crazed terrorist, it must have been your fault. There is a problem with the logic that victims of crime are to blame for their murders. Like saying that those who died at Auschwitz or Treblinka should be faulted for the rise of Nazism, or that rape victims are to be blamed for the perversion of their assailants.
Similar logic in Jesus’ day. People had reported to Jesus about two violent incidents. Those Galileans must have been terrible sinners for their blood to be mixed with the sacrifice. In another case some people were killed when a tower fell on them. In a worldview in which God controls our destinies and sinners are judged for their sin, it is easy to make assumptions that bad things only happen to bad people. Those victims of calamities must have been especially bad sinners. And conversely, if nothing bad has happened to you, it proves your righteousness. I think it is very dangerous to draw such conclusions. Jesus did not draw such conclusions. “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” No. In fact, he pointed out that the rains falls on the just and the unjust alike.
The logic of grace
Jesus’ operated by the logic of grace. He was not bound by the logic of judgment. Like the gardener: Give it another year while I cultivate the soil and then make your judgement. Not cheap grace that Dietrich Bonhoeffer criticized. In cheap grace, no one is responsible. No one needs to do anything.
There are no righteous causes to fight for. Jesus still affirmed our accountability and God’s judgment.
But Jesus turned the blame game around to become opportunity for transformation. “I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” (Luke 13:3). “All have sinned…” Examine yourself, your own sin and make use of the present opportunity to repent, to be transformed.
Isaiah said, “Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). We, you and I, have been given a reprieve, and a second chance. What will you do with it?
Learning from the fig tree
Brothers and sisters, think of this year as the year of the fig tree. We have envisioned our selves as a light on a hill for our neighborhoods. What do we need to do to become that lighthouse?
Consider a couple tips from the fig tree. The gardener promised to cultivate the soil for the intervening year. Soil is a medium of growth, the infrastructure. If the soil is the wrong condition it won’t receive any nutrients and the water will just run off. So it is with our spiritual life. God graciously gives the growth, but soil quality makes a difference. John Wesley encouraged using the means of grace, the spiritual practices, including regular gathering or worship, for small groups, prayer and reflection, the personal devotional practices. I like Saturday’s devotion by Ernest Tom. He was clearly energized by last year’s Christmas caroling at Atherton. Don’t neglect meeting together; don’t neglect doing acts of kindness, mercy and justice.
Another thing about fig trees. You can take cuttings from old fig trees and start new plants. Churches have a life cycle and they need to start something new or get rejuvenated periodically, lest they die. You may believe that we’re dying. But we’re not dying – we are at a transition point. Our Annual Conference theme this year is “I see a new church.”
Look at the insert. If there is some service you’ve been interested, please mark it. If you’re ready to take the next step, check that line. I want you – I want all of us to get ready for the next stage that God is going to take us on. But we need to be ready. Let each of us also look for opportunities to plant seeds of hope….
Do you think you’re too far past the expiration date, or is there still time for redemption? Let’s do it.
Comments