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Good morning, Saints, and greetings from Crean Lutheran High School in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
I pray you’re having a peace-filled, restful, and safe Labor Day weekend with family and friends. It is hard to believe how quickly this fall has raced into our lives; we’ve already completed three weeks of school this academic year.
This year marks our seventeenth academic year. I find it amazing how quickly time flies, but even more unbelievable is how obviously the Lord continues to bless our ministry and each one of us daily. Often, I am asked what the “secret sauce” has been to make Crean Lutheran High School such a special place. There are, of course, many things that have been paramount to success.
For example, the world-class, dedicated Christian faculty and staff who love Jesus, love our students, and love what they do; they’re also very good at what they do. Or, perhaps, being good stewards with the many blessings the Lord has given us. Certainly, striving to follow Jesus’ example and God’s Word as we integrate it into our daily walk is critical. Most of all, I think it is recognizing that He created us for His own purpose and giving credit where credit is due - to Him! To Him for all that we are, all that we have, and all that we will ever have - eternal life through His love, grace, mercy, and the sacrifice of His very own Son, Jesus Christ, as we continue to Proclaim Him!
It is a blessing and most humbling to think about a Creator who created us for His purpose. We are blessed to be a blessing for Him and for others. In today’s scripture, Jesus guides us to think about this in His earthly story, which has a heavenly meaning for us. Often, in the Bible, trees represent man or mankind. In Jesus’ time, He may have been referring to the nation of Israel and to each of us regarding our souls. God is the owner of the vineyard and all in it. We are a tree in God’s vineyard [the world] that He planted. In this parable, Jesus describes a fig tree and one that’s not bearing fruit.
The overarching context of Jesus telling this parable is to answer the questions posed to Him when Galileans were killed by Pilate, likely for not following Roman law, and when another group in Siloam was killed by an accident (a tower falling earlier, verse 4). Sounds a bit like the chaotic world we live in today? He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No I tell you; but unless you repent, you will likewise perish” Luke 13. Here, Jesus reminds us that repentance is required for forgiveness and eternal life.
God did not create/plant us for ourselves. He created us for His purposes. “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10. We are created in His image to bear fruit, fruit for the benefit of building God’s Kingdom and for others to be fed and nourished that they too may be saved. The fig tree does not eat its own figs, and we are not created to serve ourselves.
By God’s grace, Saints, He continues to be patient with you and me, feeding and encouraging us. When by our sin and self-centeredness, we should be pulled up and weeded out, yet Jesus (the vinedresser) gently digs up around us a bit, stirring up the soil. He feeds us, nourishes us [sometimes manure], provides living water, and allows us to continue growing. It’s a good reminder when, because of sinful nature, we aren’t bearing fruit (like the fruitless fig tree) and feel like Jesus is stirring up the soil around us, maybe even dumping a little manure on us. He is not punishing us; instead, He is encouraging us, feeding us, and shaping our faith so that we can continue to bear fruit for His purposes. Why do I think the Lord continues to bless Crean Lutheran High School? Simply because we exist for Him and are blessed to bear fruit in the name of Jesus! Amen!
We Pray. Lord, thank You for planting us, stirring up the soil around us, and nourishing us to bear witness for Jesus. Please help us to continue to bear fruit in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
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