Think about where you were one year ago today. Consider where you were financially, physically, and spiritually. Consider where you were in your relationships with your family, friends, and neighbors. Has there been significant change in your life over the past year. Some of you may say, "No, there really has not been a financial, physical, or spiritual change for me in the last year. Things are pretty much the same." Others may feel like their world has been turned upside down. A physical ailment may have affected your life in some way. Your bank account may have gone considerably up or down in the last year. Spiritually you may have lapsed or been granted a stronger faith.

I love to think about the change in my life this last year. There is so much that is different. I have moved to a new city. I am serving at a different place in a different ministry here at St. Stephen. I got engaged to a wonderful woman. I have dogs now. There has been a great deal of change in my life this last year, but one thing has not changed. And it did not change for any of you sitting here tonight either. We have all been blessed with another year of God's grace. This evening as we look at the year 2002 in light of Jesus' parable in Luke, we will realize that God's grace is undeserved by us. Yet we know for sure that God's grace is given through Jesus to us. And because of that God's grace moves us to bear fruit in our lives.

As we look at this parable we must identify whom the characters in the parable represent. The owner of the vineyard is God. The man who took care of the vineyard is Jesus. Some interpret the fig tree to be the nation of Israel. However we can also conclude that we, as individuals, could be that fig tree.

The parable tells us that the owner of the fig tree went to look for fruit on the tree. The Greek word here denotes that the owner continually went and looked for fruit. This was not just a rash decision that he made out of anger. The owner showed patience and hopeful expectation that the tree would bear fruit. In the same way, God does not want anyone to perish. And so he is patient and gives us all a time of grace. Do we deserve this time of grace? Absolutely not. Because what does God find when he comes and inspects us? He tells us that we should be perfect. We should be sinless. We should be full of fruit. Do we meet the owner's standard? No, we amount to nothing but dead wood.

And we know what happens to dead wood. The owner has to make a judgment call. When the owner has carefully considered the options, he justly determines to "Cut it down!" God's wrath is just. If there is no fruit, then there is no life. God can end our time of grace whenever he chooses. So when the owner comes to inspect you and levy judgment upon, what do you want God to see?

But before we get sad and depressed because we know that God should end his grace in our lives, our caretaker steps in. Jesus, our mediator, speaks up in our defense. Listen to the last two verses of the lesson again. "'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'" Jesus pleads for us before the owner. He intervenes in the nick of time and saves us.

Not only does he want more time for us, but also he has promised to do the work for us. And we know that his work is what really makes the difference. Jesus did the work by being born in the flesh on the first Christmas. Jesus did the work by living exactly according to the will of God. Jesus did the work by giving up his life for ours. When the Son of God crushed the serpent's head, the work was done. We, as trees in God's garden, are saved from the Almighty's Axe and snatched out of the fire that would have consumed us. It is Jesus who did the work. It is only Jesus. Let us never forget it. Jesus stepped in and did the work in order that we might be given God's grace.

And Jesus continues to tend to us. For God has sent the Holy Spirit to create faith in hearts. We, as God's trees, are being tended to and cultivated. We are being dug around and fertilized with God's strengthening word. We are being nourished continually in our faith. Because of this tender love and attention that the caretaker provides, we will bear fruit as Christians. Jesus did the work on the cross and continues to bless us in order that we might grow and bear fruit.

So why did God grant this grace to us this? Why did Jesus step in and intercede with the Almighty vineyard owner. He pours this grace into our lives in order that grace would move us to bear fruit. God wants to see fruit in our lives. The Bible tells us that fruits of faith are to the soul as breathing is to the body. If the body is not breathing, it is dead. If we are not producing fruit, our faith is dead. And so God, out of love, wants us to produce fruits of faith. These fruits give evidence that we are spiritually alive.

But before we get into how we are able to bear fruit in our lives, I would like to consider our motivation again. Look at what God has done in our lives. He has purified us from our sins through Christ. He has given us a new life in our baptisms. He has changed our hearts with his Word. He holds us in the palm of his hand and protects us with his angels.

Let us also look at this last year. Consider all the undeserved blessings he has freely given us: families, friends, clothing, food, government, schools, and love. All of us have enjoyed these blessings over the past year. All of us have been given so much from the hand of God.

Let us also consider what he has promised to give us in the future. Jesus tells us in the Bible that we should not worry about things in this world because he will give us everything that we need. He will give us the strength to get through health problems. He will put food on our tables. He will give us the love of our families and friends to bring us through tough times. He has promised all these earthly blessings.

He has also promised us our ultimate spiritual blessing, eternal life. We have the confidence that our Savior, Jesus Christ, will come to take us to our eternal rest as he has taken so many to their eternal rest before us. All these blessings are from God's grace. He has given the past year of grace and we are headed into another year of God's grace.

And so let us be motivated by this grace to bear fruit. Let our hearts be filled with thankfulness and our heads, hands, and feet be moved to bear fruit. God's grace has been extended to you. Your time of grace is there for you to use in service to the Lord.

It is popular this day to solidify your New Year's resolutions. I have a few resolutions for all of us to consider. The first resolution: Study God's Word. Read your Bible cover to cover. Bring your family together and have daily devotions. Bring your children and grandchildren to Sunday school and while they are there, go to Bible class. That is how the caretaker feeds the tree. Jesus uses God's Word to motivate us to bear fruit.

Resolution number two: Spread the Word. Tell people about the grace that God gives us. Don't let yourself make excuses. Just do it. Talk about Jesus. Join the Evangelism Committee. We can add more chairs for those meetings. If God's grace moves you to want to spread the Gospel, but you feel you don't know how, come talk to Pastor Keller or me. There are plenty of people right here in Lenawee County who need the Gospel.

And resolution number three: Serve joyfully! Whatever the gifts are that God has given you, use them to serve with joy. Later the council will be installed for the New Year. In this group of men are many diverse talents. I am confident they will serve joyfully, with the help of God. Maybe your talent is to give these men encouragement as they lead. Maybe it is supporting the church with your offerings. Maybe it is teaching. Maybe it is being a good Christian example to others. Whatever it is, serve joyfully in 2003. For we have been given another year of God's grace. AMEN!