A Day to Settle All Accounts

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

Mark 12:6–9

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This is the climax of the the Parable of the Vineyard which Jesus told to warn the Pharisees about their coming judgment. In the parable, a man plants a vineyard and rents it out to some tenant farmers. But every time he sends a servant to collect fruit from their harvest they beat or kill the servant. So finally, the owner sends his son thinking the tenant farmers will respect him. But, ‌‌the tenant farmers, hungry for power and ownership of the vineyard, kill the son and cast Him out of the vineyard.

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Of course, the son in the parable represents Jesus qnd this story proves to be prophetic. These same religious leaders to whom Jesus is telling this parable would very soon succeed in killing the Son by having Jesus crucified. So, this parable functions as a warning to the religious leaders who are plotting to kill Jesus. Just like the tenant farmers, they will soon face a day of reckoning. They will be judged.

‌‌And for us, this parable is a warning as well. We too will face a day of reckoning... a day when our account with the Master will be settled. And just like in the parable, on that day when the Master comes back to enter into judgment with us, two things will matter: 1) What have you done with His Son? 2) And did you produce good fruit?

‌‌First and foremost every single one of us will be judged by what we have done with Jesus. If you show the same dishonor and hatred for Jesus as the tenants in this story, if you rebel against Him, if you reject Jesus and tread the blood of Christ under your feet, then you should not expect to receive mercy on the day of reckoning. But if you believe the Son and bow your knee to Him and seek forgiveness for your many sins from Him and make Him Lord of your life… then you will be spared judgment. You will be shown mercy on the day of reckoning.

But there is one other thing that will matter on that day of reckoning and that is the fruit of your life. Don’t get me wrong. You will be saved or condemned to Hell based on what you did with Jesus alone. Your actions do not save you, but they do reveal the nature of your heart. And so when the day of reckoning comes, your fruit will be inspected to see if it proves your salvation or your sinfulness. And for the Christian, your fruit, how you lived your life, will also determine your rewards in Heaven.

‌‌Are you ready to settle your account with the Master? If the day of reckoning were to come today- are you confident that you have honored the Son and produced good fruit with your life? If not, there’s still time! Repent and come to Jesus today. If you aren't quite sure how to do that, then read more below...

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The Gospel in a nutshell: We are all sinners. Every one of us has rejected God's way and gone our own way. We have all rebelled against the one true King. Our sin deserves punishment. In fact, so great a sin against so great a God deserves Hell. But God, because of His great love for us, wanted to offer us forgiving grace. For God to be just, our sin had to be punished though. So God, in His wisdom, took the punishment for our sin on Himself in Jesus. Jesus died to pay the price for your sins and then rose from the dead beating the power of sin over you. He ascended into heaven to prepare a place for those who believe in Him. So that now those who place their faith in Him can be forgiven and spend eternity in Heaven with their Savior. If you would like to do that today, here is what you need to do.

• A- Admit that you are a sinner and in need of God's grace (Romans 3:10 and 3:23).
• B- Believe that Jesus is God's Son, that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin, and that He was raised from the dead (Romans 6:23 and 5:8).
• C- Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. Turn from sin (from living life your way) and commit to live your life for God (Romans 10:9).

Jesus & The Fig Tree

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

Mark 11:12–14

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Jesus isn't pitching a fit here; He's making a point. In the Old Testament fig trees and figs were sometimes used as a metaphor for Israel. Jesus was on His way to the temple to pass judgment on God’s people and their worship when He gets hungry. In the distance, He sees a fig tree (a symbol of God’s people) that has leaves on it. Now, it isn't the the season for figs yet, but by this time of the year this tree ought to have edible buds on it. Fig trees in first century Palestine produced these buds before they grew leaves and figs, and poor people often ate these buds.* But when Jesus goes over to the tree looking for this fruit, He finds that it has nothing to give Him. There is an appearance of fruit, but there is no fruit.

Now, Jesus could have said nothing. He could have simply walked away. But He knows that this fig tree is a perfect picture of God’s people at that moment in time. The Jewish religion had an impressive outward appearance, but no fruit. God’s people had become just like that fig tree. They had an appearance of righteousness from afar, but up close, you could see they were barren, fruitless, unproductive and displeasing to their God. So, Jesus chooses to curse the fig tree as a sign (as an acted-out parable) to show His disciples that God’s judgment was coming on His people.

In doing this, Jesus condemns all religion that is outward only. If you appear to be a Christian, if you appear to be godly, but it’s all just a big show, a charade, a mask that you use to fool people; then you need to know that you aren’t fooling Jesus and judgment is coming.

If Jesus were to come inspect your life today, would He find fruit or just leaves? Are you pretending to be something you aren’t. Are you just pretending to be a Christian.... pretending to love God... pretending to believe…pretending to live according to God’s commands. Maybe you thought God was far enough away that He couldn’t see the real you! Well, you’re wrong! Jesus sees you up close. And all your outward show of religion and godliness doesn’t fool Him. Jesus doesn’t judge by outward appearances. He looks at the heart, and He sees you for what you really are.

Take an honest look at your life today. If there's little to no fruit on the tree, then take this story to heart and start producing fruit in keeping with repentance.

* John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 157.

You Are Not Alone

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:4–6

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According to this Scripture, all Christians share at least these seven things in common. We have:

• one body (church)
• one Spirit
• one hope
• one Lord
• one faith
• one baptism
• one God and Father of all

It is these things, our common God, baptism, faith, Lord, hope, and especially the one Spirit that we all have living inside of us that makes us one body as a universal church regardless of age, nationality, gender, socioeconomic status, and even regardless of what time we lived in. 

All Christians across the globe and throughout time are connected by these seven things! They bond us together as more than just a group of like-minded people. They make us a family, the family of God.

I think it’s important that we remember that we are not alone as believers. It’s important that you remember this first of all for your own benefit. You have a family of God around you to help you. You don't have to do everything alone. Lean on the believers around. 

But it’s also important that you remember this secondarily for the benefit of others. You have other people in your church and in the wide world beyond that need you, that need your encouragement and your help and your support and your prayers.

Don’t forget that you are connected in a deep and spiritual way to all believers. You should have an affection for them and you should seek to help and support them and to carry their burdens when you have the chance. And you should look to them first when you are in need of support, help, prayers and encouragement. 

You are not alone.

He is Risen!

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Matthew 28:6

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On the first Easter morning the women came to the grave looking for a dead man, and the angel is only too happy to tell them that Jesus isn’t in the grave anymore. He is risen! Jesus had predicted it, and Jesus always keeps His word.

‌‌It occurs to me though that many Christians still look for Jesus in the grave. He’s not there anymore. Jesus isn’t on the cross and He isn’t in the grave. He’s on the throne, at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

But that is much less comfortable for us. You see, everyone likes a dead Savior. Everyone likes a man who loved you enough to die for your sins so you could be forgiven. That makes us feel all warm and cuddly. That doesn’t pose a threat to us or our lifestyles in any way. You know why? Because a dead Savior makes no demands of us…none that He can enforce anyway. He loves us. He dies for us. He forgives us. But He can’t command us....not if we leave Him in the tomb of our minds.

We are much more comfortable with Jesus on the cross or Jesus in the tomb than we are with Jesus on the throne. But the message of Easter is undeniable. He is risen! Jesus is alive and He has been appointed “the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4)

The Apostle Peter put it this way in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. He said, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:36)

Jesus is both our Savior (the one who forgives our sins) and our Lord (the one who commands our obedience). And He can’t be your Savior without being your Lord, because He is risen. He is alive, and He has plans for your life. Submit right now not to love a dead Savior, but to obey a risen Lord!