Sermon by Felicity Thompson, Seminarian, 3/23/2025
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Awaken me to myself and others
This poem captures the essence of our gospel reading. “The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree”, by 19th century poet Christina Rossett.
A barren fig - tree stood,
No blossom, fruit, nor leaf;
The Master sought for good,
But found instead but grief.
“Cut down, why cumbereth it
The ground where it doth grow?”
The Gardener pleaded yet:
“Lord, let it stay
“One year, until I dig
About its withering root;
If yet it fail, O Lord,
Then let it perish mute.”
[Playfully say ] (Now I want you to keep that poem in your parking lot because we will come back to it.)
Our passage from Luke 13:1-9 presents two interconnected teachings: a call to repentance and a parable about patience and judgment. Today’s gospel reading is about: repentance, grace, and transformation!
The Call to Repentance is found in (vv. 1-5).
Jesus responds to reports of Pilate’s brutality and a tragic accident with a surprising turn: instead of speculating on the victims' guilt, he warns everyone of the urgent need to repent.
Do you ever feel like your illness or a bad thing that happened to you is because of something you did wrong? When you hear that someone has a serious illness or a terrible accident, do you ever wonder if it's because of a sin they or their family member committed? This question is asking whether people sometimes believe that suffering—like illness, negative outcomes, or accidents—happens as a direct punishment for sin. It reflects a common way of thinking found in some religious traditions, where people assume that bad things happen because of wrongdoing.
However, Jesus challenges this idea in the Gospels (such as in John 9:1-3 and our gospel reading for today, Luke 13:1-5). He teaches that suffering is not always a result of sin but is part of the human experience.
Jesus is a risk manager. Instead of blaming people for their hardships, Jesus calls everyone to turn back to God and trust in His mercy and grace.
In the very next verse, we read The Parable of the Fig Tree (vv. 6-9)
The parable shifts the focus to divine patience and accountability. The fig tree, often a symbol of Israel (or a believer), has not borne fruit, meaning it has not fulfilled its purpose. The vineyard owner (perhaps representing God) wants to remove it, but the gardener (symbolizing Christ or divine mercy) pleads for one more year—offering cultivation, care, and nourishment before final judgment.
In the time Jesus walked this Earth, the fig tree held symbolic and practical significance. The fig tree was a common and valuable tree in ancient Northeast Africa and surrounding areas known today as the Middle East. It is still a common and valuable tree because it represents prosperity, security and God’s blessing. In Jewish scripture, the fig tree indicated a healthy and thriving relationship with God, while a barren or withered fig tree signified judgment, unfaithfulness, or a call to repent.
In everyday life, fig trees provided food and shade, making them a powerful metaphor for sustenance and provision from God. So, when Jesus used the fig tree in parables, such as in Luke 13:6-9, or cursed a barren fig tree in Mark 11:12-14, He was drawing on the society’s well-known associations to illustrate the urgent need for spiritual growth and faithfulness. The unfruitful fig tree represented individuals - or even the nation - who failed to bear the “fruit” of righteousness, justice, and repentance.
Do you hear that theme? REPENTANCE, GRACE, TRANSFORMATION!
The fig tree’s symbolism still speaks powerfully to the church today. Just as the fig tree in Jesus’ time represented Israel’s spiritual health, it can now be seen as a reflection of the church’s faithfulness and mission. A church that bears fruit - I mean, showing love, justice, and repentance - demonstrates a living faith rooted in God’s will. However, a church that is stagnant, unresponsive to injustice, or focused only on self-preservation risks becoming like the barren fig tree, failing to fulfill its calling.
Jesus’ parable reminds us that while God is patient, there is an expectation of growth and transformation. The church is given time and grace, but it must respond by producing fruit that reflects God’s love and justice in the world. This challenges us to ask: Are we truly living out the Gospel, or are we simply occupying space without impact? The parable calls us to renewal, encouraging us to cultivate a faith that is active, compassionate, and engaged in the work of God’s kingdom.
I hear it again, REPENTANCE, GRACE, TRANSFORMATION!
One of Martin Luther King’s most powerful references to the fig tree comes from his sermon “A Knock at Midnight”. It is relevant today. In the sermon, he warns against a church that fails to bear fruit: “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.”
It will be hard to reverse the march towards becoming an irrelevant social club; as evidenced by dwindling attendance in church, absent youth and collapsing ministries. You see, Rev. King used this image to highlight the need for immediate action in the struggle for civil rights. He echoes Jesus’ parable, urging the church to produce the “fruit” of justice, righteousness, and truth. Faith must lead to action, and justice cannot wait. He believed that a church - or a society - that remains silent in the face of injustice risks becoming like the withered fig tree that is present, but lifeless and ineffective.
REPENTANCE, GRACE, TRANSFORMATION!
You may ask, what does this have to do with Lent? The parable of the fig tree is deeply connected to the season of Lent. This is a time of repentance, reflection, and renewal. Just as the barren fig tree is given another chance to bear fruit, Lent offers us a season of grace - an opportunity to examine our lives, turn away from sin, and grow in faith.
Jesus warns that without repentance, we will perish like those who suffered in tragic events. Lent calls us to acknowledge our shortcomings, ask for God’s mercy, and move away from foolishness by changing our hearts and actions.
The vineyard owner who doesn’t tend to the plants is ready to cut down the fig tree, but the gardener who knows every plant pleads for more time and nurturing. This is a reflection of God’s patience with us. God gives us time to turn back, just as Lent provides a season for spiritual renewal.
The fig tree is expected to produce fruit, just as our faith should lead to outcomes of bearing fruit: actions of love, actions of justice and actions of compassion. Lent challenges us to examine how we are living out our faith and to commit to growth in holiness.
This parable reminds us that the time to make this change is not infinite. We are called to act now, not delay our repentance or spiritual growth. Lent is a time to intentionally cultivate our faith so that we may bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.
REPENTANCE, GRACE, TRANSFORMATION!
Father Chris, a couple of days ago, you helped us unpack this story during Bible Study. The crippled man at the pool of Bethesda had been waiting for healing for 38 years, believing he needed someone to help him into the stirred waters. Jesus saw him, asked if he wanted to be healed, and, instead of helping him into the pool, simply told him to get up, take his mat, and walk. In that moment, the man was restored, showing that true healing comes not from superstition or external circumstances but from encountering Christ himself.
So, let’s think about this: what “soil” needs tending in our hearts so that we can live more fully in Christ’s love?
In our current context, this passage speaks powerfully. We live in a world of violence, disasters, and injustice, yet Jesus warns against using suffering as a measure of divine punishment. Instead, he calls for deep self-examination and transformation. As followers of Christ, we must ask: Are we bearing fruit in the world? Are we cultivating spaces where others can grow? Are we heeding the call to repentance with urgency?
Justice cannot wait for the LGBTQIA+. Too many people still face theology that excludes or shames this community. We should make sure that our brothers and sisters are not just welcomed but truly affirmed, protected, and celebrated in our communities.
Today, justice cannot wait for gun violence prevention - too many lives are lost due to inaction. We must continue to work toward policies that protect communities from senseless tragedies.
We must not ignore or delay migrant and refugee rights. These are families, just like ours seeking safety and opportunity and they, just like us, deserve dignity, not rejection. The call to welcome the stranger is a biblical mandate.
How about climate justice? The earth is suffering and those most vulnerable, especially the poor, unhoused and marginalized are already feeling the worst effects. Responsible stewardship should not be delayed.
Some of us are tired and have been waiting for too long for racial and economic equality. We know about the systems that oppress communities of color and they must be dismantled. And dismantled today not tomorrow, dismantled now not later, dismantled forever and ever.
REPENTANCE, GRACE, TRANSFORMATION!
We are being challenged to move beyond complacency and toward active, fruitful discipleship, trusting in both God’s mercy and God’s justice. These are not just words; they are the rhythm of God's love, the heartbeat of the Gospel.
Repentance is our turning—turning away from what holds us back, and turning toward the God who never gives up on us.
Grace is the nourishment—the patient Gardener tending to us, pouring out mercy when we deserve judgment, offering us another chance when we’ve borne no fruit.
And transformation—oh, transformation!—is the promise. The fig tree does not stay barren. With time, with care, with God's unrelenting love, it flourishes.
The time is now. The invitation is before us. Repent. Receive grace. Be transformed. And bear fruit that feeds a world hungry for God.
So, again!
A fig tree stood with empty branches,
No blossoms, no fruit, no leaves.
The Master came, hoping for goodness,
But found only disappointment and grief.
"Cut it down," He said,
"Why should it take up space?"
But the Gardener pleaded,
"Lord, give it just a little more grace.
"Let me tend to its roots,
Give it care, water, and light.
If it still does not bear fruit,
Then, Lord, you may take it from sight."
Amen