Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance (Luke 13:6-9)

We must bear fruit in keeping with repentance. The main point of Luke 13 verses one through five is that we must repent. Jesus says, “You are looking at people who died in these tragedies and asking if they died because they are worse than everyone who lived. Instead, you should ask whether you have repented, because they perished physically, but if you don’t repent you are going to perish spiritually, or eternally.” Then Jesus adds to this in verses six through nine by talking about fruit, because if people have repented they will produce the fruit. John the Baptist said, “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8). Jesus and John put repenting and bearing fruit together because they go hand-in-hand. Usually when we think of repentance, we think only of stopping. We should also think of starting or producing fruit. This is known as putting off and putting on (Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIMk-VVWYSc We must bear fruit in keeping with repentance. When we think of repentance, we think only of stopping. We should also think of starting. Table of contentsFamily worship guide for Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance (Luke 13:6-9) Sermon notes for Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance (Luke 13:6-9)Lesson one: repentance involves stopping and starting.Lesson two: fruit is an evidence of genuine repentance.Lesson three: God is patient (part one) so we have time to repent and produce fruit.Lesson three: God is patient (part two) even when he knows people won’t repent. Family worship guide for Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance (Luke 13:6-9) Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: Luke 3:8, Ephesians 4:25-32, Colossians 3:5, 12—Why does repentance involves stopping and starting? Explain putting off and putting on. What are some examples of sins that aren’t listed in Scripture that you would stop, and what are the accompanying behaviors you would put on?Day 2: Luke 13:6-7, Matthew 13:23, Acts 26:20, Ephesians 5:8-9, Colossians 1:5-6, Hebrews 12:11—Explain the parable of the fig tree, what the different elements represent, and the main point(s). Discuss insincere temporary repentance and sincere lasting repentance. How can we tell the difference between the two? Why is fruit an evidence of genuine repentance?Day 3: Luke 13:8-9, Matthew 12:20, Leviticus 19:23-25, 2 Peter 3:9, paste that—Why is God patient with us? What happens if we don’t produce fruit, or another way to say it: what does it mean if a person doesn’t produce fruit? Why do you think God is patient with people even when he knows they won’t repent? Can you think of some other examples in Scripture of God being patient with people who did not repent? Sermon notes for Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance (Luke 13:6-9) The title of this morning’s sermon is, “Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance.” On Sunday mornings we’re working our way through Luke’s gospel verse by verse and we find ourselves at Luke 13 verses 6 through 9. Recently I shared with you that while I enjoy going verse by verse, because we look at verses in sections, it is easy to ignore what comes before or after those sections. In other words, it is easy to look at the verses out of context. With this morning’s verses it is particularly important to notice how they flow from verses one through five, which we looked at last week: "Are We Suffering for Sin?" The main point of verses one through five is that we must repent. Jesus says… “You are looking at the people who died in these two tragedies and you are wondering if they died because they are worse than everyone who lived. You are asking the wrong question. Instead, you should be asking whether you have repented, because they perished physically, but if you don’t repent you are going to perish spiritually, or eternally.” Now Jesus adds to this in verses six through nine by talking about fruit. The idea is if the Jews repented as Jesus commanded in verses three through five, they will produce the fruit discussed in verses six through nine. Let me remind you of something we have discussed before because it is one of the main points of these verses…and this brings us to lesson one… Lesson one: repentance involves stopping and starting. Do me a favor and briefly turn a few chapters to the left to Luke 3. Here’s the context. John the Baptist wasn’t performing Christian baptisms, or baptizing as we know it: to identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, because Jesus hadn’t died, been buried, or resurrected yet. Instead, he was performing baptisms of repentance. He was the forerunner preparing the way for people to receive the Messiah. He did that by preaching repentance, because the only way people would want Jesus to be their Savior was if they recognized their sinfulness and need to be saved. But John knew that many of the Jews were trusting in their descendancy from Abraham. In other words, they were trusting that just because they were descended from Abraham, or just because they were Jews, they didn’t need to repent. Look at verse eight to see what John said to them… Luke 3:8 BEAR FRUITS IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. (And notice this and the similarity to Jesus’s words in Luke 13…) Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” John told them to repent and bear fruit. He put these two together because they go hand-in-hand. This is important to notice, because usually when we think of repentance, we think only of stopping. We don’t also think of starting or producing fruit. The main reason we typically fail to repent is we try to stop without starting the accompanying action. In Scripture, what we should do, is known as putting off and putting on. The idea is when you stop something, you must start something else: fruit must accompany repentance. The clearest two passages discussing this are Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3. We have talked about this before, so let me go through this quickly. You don’t have to turn there, just let me read the verses and let them wash over you… Ephesians 4:25a Therefore, having put away falsehood, This is what you stop, and then this is what you start… Ephesians 4:25b let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. If you repent of lying the fruit you produce will be speaking truth. The next example… Ephesians 4:28a Let the thief no longer steal, This is what you stop, and this is what you start… Ephesians 4:28b but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Again, if you stop stealing you produce hard work and generosity. The next example… Ephesians 4:29a Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, This is what you stop, and this is what you start… Ephesians 4:29b but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Again, if you repent of corrupt talk, you speak grace to people. Tying it all together… Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Stop all of this and start all of this… Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Colossians 3 is the other account teaching this… Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  Stop all of this, and start all of this… Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Again, if you repented this is the fruit that will be produced. With this in mind please turn back to Luke 13 and look with me at verse 6… Luke 13:6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. The word parable is related to the word parallel, because a parable is a physical story put alongside a spiritual truth. It is an earthly account with a heavenly meaning. In this parable: The man represents GodThe fig tree represents the nation of Israel. The man looks for fruit on this fig tree but doesn’t find any, so look what he says to the vinedresser… Luke 13:7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ Some trees are for decorations, but you plant fig trees because you want figs. Smart farmers are not going to let a fig tree take up space in the orchard when it isn’t producing fruit. Not only does it waste space, if it is still growing it is taking up precious nutrients in the ground that could be going to other plants that are bearing fruit. If we understand the symbolism the point is straightforward: God has been looking for fruit from the nation of Israel. I might be wrong, but I’m guessing the man says that he has been looking for three years to correspond with the three years of Jesus’s ministry. Assuming that’s the case, if Jesus has been amidst the people teaching, performing miracles, fulfilling prophecies, and preaching repentance it is very reasonable that God would expect to see repentance that was followed by fruit. And this brings us to lesson two… Lesson two: fruit is an evidence of genuine repentance. I want you to think about two kinds of repentance: There’s insincere, temporary repentanceAnd there’s sincere, lasting repentance We have probably all seen insincere,