New Year's Eve

Luke 13:6–9 NIV84

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “ ‘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.’ ”

At the end of the year you may spend more time thinking about the past than, say, in the middle of the year or even nine months into the year. As the days until the end of the year become lesss and less, you wonder where they all went and think about what you have done or didn’t get to do this past year. For many of us it may very well be more of what we didn’t get to do that we normally did than the new and wonderful things we did this year. Perhaps this year more than any other in recent memory, we consider more the changes that have happened because it was not a normal year in many ways.

At church our worship, meeting, and class schedule was abruptly changed for the two months of the “Lock down”. And even though we were allowed to open up again, many congregations made adjustments to how they did and still are doing things. Several days ago was the annual Christmas Eve children’s service in many congregations which is traditionally the most well attended of worship services as the children of the congregation lead the people in worship and family, members, and friends turn out to enjoy watching their youthful joy even if they aren’t well trained professionals. Although some churches still did it the normal way, we are also aware that many children were prerecorded and those who attended worship that evening watched them on video instead of in person.

But changes didn’t happen just in churches. Schools, businesses, places of recreation, the elections, etc. (the list is almost too long) saw dramatic changes in the ways things are done.

But even among the changes, the end of the year remains a time to reflect and evaluate our performance and how we did things this past year. Such an evaluation of performance is nothing new to our culture or to our time. This short parable by Jesus about a fig tree planted in a vineyard speaks of evaluating performance.

The man went to look for fruit on it — but did not find any.

In fact, he had been looking for three years — with the same negative result.

This common example reminds us that there is someone who is watching us and who expects results. That person is God. “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no god.’” This passage means that there are those who don’t believe there is a God to whom we must give account. The Bible calls such a person a “fool”. The Bible is very clear that we are accountable to God.

John 15:12–17 (NIV): 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Romans 14:9–12 (NIV84): 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 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.

1 Peter 4:1–6 (NIV): 4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

Have you ever been held accountable for your actions?

In school homework is checked, students are tested, and assignments are graded.

Many places of employment have clear instructions about proper conduct and the consequences is someone is not following them.

In the church we are told that if someone sins, they are to be confronted.

We certainly must answer to those in authority.

In many ways we are indeed shown what the expectations are for us and we are held to those standards.

Overriding all of those to whom we are accountable is the Lord.

What does he see?

At the end of the year you may do a personal inventory of how well you have done. But in order for it to be accurate, you must use the correct standard.

Illustration. How do you know for sure that when you fill your gas tank on your vehicle that you really are putting in the amount that shows up on the pump? There should be a sticker that reports that the accuracy of the pump has been officially checked.

How do you know that you are measuring up to what God expects? His standard for us is the Ten Commandments — not the latest opinions and practices of our society which are not always morally ethical.

Whe we do that honestly, what do we see? Do we not see that the man in the parable discovered? We may not be completely fruitless, but we have not been as productive as God expects.

WARNING. Judgment may come.

PROMISE: God can give more time

2 Peter 3:8–13 (NIV84): 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Application.

Evaluate your life based on the LAW.

Repent of your sins trusting in God for forgiveness.

Use the time he grants you to pledge to do as he expects — be productive.