Tag Archives: Fruitfulness

An Occasion for Germination

Posted on by

“For they all contributed out of their abundance but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:4 ESV1

Read Mark 12:41-44 & Luke 21:1-4

During my life, I have never lived more than twenty miles North or South of the Western half of the Wisconsin-Illinois state line. It is a land of bright, green grass and dark, rich soil. In the warmer months, this area looks like God spread a monochromatic, patchwork quilt, stitched in forest green and tied in barn red, over the rolling hills. It is a land meant for growing things. I live in the country and if I look out any of the windows in my house, I can see flourishing fields.

Last Fall, my husband purchased a roto-tiller to pull behind his tractor. I watched him work up four separate areas in our lawn to prepare them for planting grass. It was beautiful, the way that roto-tiller worked up the ground. It broke up the soil into pea-sized or smaller chunks, evened out the dirt, and made these little tracks to collect the seeds and the water. My husband sowed grass seed in each of those areas. And every day, I watered those sections, dreaming about how beautiful our lawn was going to look when Spring came.

When Spring arrived, three of those sections had green, grass shoots appearing. But the fourth area produced only weeds. Even though that fourth section was given the same treatment as the other three, the seed in that place, for whatever reason, didn’t germinate.

Continue reading →

Unfruitful or Fruitful Pursuits

Posted on by

“‘If it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’” Luke 13:9 ESV1

Read Luke 13:1-9

Where I live, Autumn quickly approaches. Crops ripen in the fields. Apple trees burst with fruit. Bright orange pumpkins dot the landscape. Farmers gear up to bring in the harvest. Children anticipate corn mazes, costumes, and candy. Adults look forward to sipping warm apple cider and pumpkin lattes while consuming fresh apple donuts. Everyone is abuzz with the talk of cooler weather and the soon-to-be changing color of the leaves. In my area, this time of year often brings with it a sense of peace and thankfulness for God’s provision.

When Jesus walked the Earth, He had a time when the changing of seasons and the hope of an abundant harvest were on His mind. Though it was Spring physically at this time in Jesus’ earthly life, spiritually speaking, Autumn approached as Jesus went along a specific road to a particular task. The harvest about which Jesus was thinking was not yet observable to the human eye. The awesome change about to take place was not apparent to the untuned heart. But what would soon happen would be the most significant change the world had ever experienced and the most momentous harvest of history was soon to begin.

Continue reading →

Soil Conditions

Posted on by

[Jesus] was teaching them many things in parables, and in His teaching, He said to them: “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.” Mark 4:2-3 ESV1

Read Matthew 13:1-9 & 18-23, Mark 4:1-9 & 13-20 & Luke 8:4-15

I wouldn’t consider myself an expert by any means, but I do know quite a bit about crop production. I grew up on a farm. In college, I worked at an agronomic company helping develop corn hybrids. I live in a rural area; fields can be viewed by looking out any window of my home. I know how crops are planted. I understand how they are protected from pests, weed infestations, and unsuitable weather conditions. I am acquainted with how crops are harvested and how they are stored. And I am aware of several uses for the common crops grown in my area.

Jesus’ audience was undoubtedly familiar with the agriculture of their area. Because Jesus often used as teaching illustrations what was around Him and those He taught—this was especially true when He taught in parables—Jesus used the subject of planting seeds to teach a spiritual lesson. The hope was that His followers would gain greater understanding by taking the initiative to make the segue between the physical and what it represented in the spiritual realm.

Continue reading →

A Child of God

Posted on by

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume 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.”                Matthew 3:8-9 ESV1

Read Matthew 3:1-12

In the time in which Jesus walked the Earth there were groups of very religious people who were absolutely sure that they, above others, were right with God. They studied the Scriptures, followed very high standards of holiness, and taught others to do the same. Two of these religious groups were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Shortly before Jesus began His earthly ministry, his close relative, John the Baptist, was preparing the way for Jesus by preaching, “‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 3:2). A great number of people from the region believed John’s message. “[They] were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:6). Presumably, because they were serious about matters of faith, “many Pharisees and Sadducees [were also] coming to [John’s] baptism, [and] he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come’” (Matthew 3:7)? Why was John so rude to those wanting to do the right thing?

Continue reading →