How Does Your (Spiritual) Garden Grow?
Do you seek the abundant life mentioned by Jesus in the Bible? Let’s take a few minutes and look in the Scriptures to find some clues as to Who is truly in charge of this thing called “Life”.
At the end, I’ll share another one of my featured songs, so I hope you’ll check it out via one of the links at the bottom and let me know your feedback.
Thinking He was the Gardener…
Ever wonder why Mary mistook Jesus for the “gardener” the morning He rose from the grave (John 20:15)?
Or … ever wonder why on earth Jesus would curse a fig tree that then would proceed to immediately shrivel up (Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:12-14, 20-21)?
Was He mad because He was hungry and didn’t get something to eat? Or was there way more to the story?
For now (at least) this episode is going to wrap up our recent mini series related to the Master Gardener.
The actual gardens in the area in which I live are putting out the last few beautiful flowers of the season, and seeds are being set, and the last fruits/veggies of the season are providing for the fall’s harvest.
In Season and Out
While we live on this earth, there are such seasons. There are Bible passages that speak of bearing fruit and being prepared “in season and out”.
Biblical prophets like Isaiah often use imagery of God’s vineyard and good vs. bad fruit, as in Isaiah 5:1-2:
“I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.”
Jesus also used such types of gardening imagery when He told this parable in Matthew 13:
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop–a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”
(Matthew 13:3b-9)
Remember when Jesus cursed that fig tree mentioned above? He was angry about something, but not the fact that He didn’t get any breakfast (well, not fully for that reason at least). You might think that any self-respecting fruit tree would know well enough to offer food to its Creator, whether or not it was the season for figs at the time. That looks like the point on the surface of the story. And part of the passage also deals with believing that our prayers will be answered.
More pointedly though, Jesus was heading to Jerusalem at the time, and was about to experience and expose the corruption of the religious leaders who didn’t even recognize Him at all, let alone honor Him. They actually ended up seeking to kill Him because He wouldn’t jump through their religious hoops.
Figuratively, if ANYONE should have been producing fruit for the Master Gardener, it should have been the leaders in Jerusalem. Yet they were as non-productive as the fig tree that only grew leaves, and were, in the end, as dry, brittle and lifeless as that tree after it had withered.
In Matthew 7:15-23, Jesus says this:
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
Even though those religious leaders wore the garments that set them apart, they were broken and defiled on the inside. They should have been producing fruit that would nourish God’s people, but they were just holding them to a dead set of rules. There was no spiritual “life” there, and Jesus saw it clearly. AND, He sees it clearly in our lives. Are our lives like the seeds that were planted in good soil above? Are we bearing fruit for the Master Gardener, whether it is the “season for figs” or not?
“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.’ And his disciples heard him say it.”
(Mark 11:12-14)
In the Psalms, when speaking of the one who walks in God’s ways, delighting in His Word, it says: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:3)
The True Vine
As Jesus was preparing His disciples for His final days on earth prior to being crucified, He said this:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:1-8) Then He proceeded to talk to them about loving each other in the same way that He loved them….
Bearing Fruit
In both the Old Testament (Ezekiel) and the New Testament (Revelation) there is beautiful imagery about bearing fruit at all times, due to the water of Life that flows from the Temple / Throne of God.
“He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.” (Ezekiel 47:6-7)
“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fall. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:12)
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2)
Surely, the true Master Gardener is the ultimate source of that River, alongside which we, His children are planted. His Life nourishes us, and produces within and through us His fruit of the Holy Spirit at all times.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
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(Galatians 5:22-23)
Perhaps Mary mistook the risen Jesus for “the gardener” because it was dark out being so early in the morning, or perhaps His robe hid him from her until He spoke her name. Or perhaps it’s because He IS the Gardener…. Perhaps all of the above.
Whatever the case, the One Who tends the garden of Life walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He walks with us now as well, and bids us to be planted and fruitful in His vineyard. He wants pure stock in His garden that will show forth His glory to a watching and weary world. May the seed that we sow be pure and true, taking root in hearts around the globe and producing good fruit for Him. May He find fruit in our lives whenever He walks by, hungry for some joy and nourishment, just like a perfect and luscious fig, regardless of what season it happens to be. The “season” in our current culture seems like a long, dry and barren winter. By Jesus’ grace, we can bear fruit even now.
Sound Doctrine
Paul built up Timothy (his assistant in ministry) in this way:
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:2-3)
Back in Jesus’ day, as well as now, there were and are plenty of teachers and leaders who will “say what their itching ears want to hear”.
Dear Jesus, please help us to stay close to You, be led by Your Holy Spirit and speak the Truth in love, by Your grace, for Your sake, and in Your name, that Your Garden will flourish with abundant Life.
I pray that Jesus has spoken a good word to your heart through these thoughts and scriptures.
I pray that he will cause His Word to be implanted in your heart like a pure and holy seed, that will grow abundantly in His true Vineyard, and that the resulting fruit will produce seed that will spread His good Word to those around you.
That, my friend, is abundant life, planted by His streams of living water, flourishing even in the dry and weary seasons of life.
The featured song for this episode is “Blossom” from the Fill This Temple CD. See below for a direct link to listen.
May He cause you to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus every day, in His kindness and mercy, and in His name. Amen.
Lisa Prokopowitz is a Christian Singer/Songwriter, Podcaster and Blogger who seeks to lift up the name of Jesus and draw hungry hearts unto Him.
This Blogpost is associated with a Podcast that can be found here:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shining-river9
Blossom is from the Fill This Temple CD and can be found at the following URL:
Addendum from 9/18/2024:
God’s mercy triumphs over His judgment, praise His holy name.
Just saw this beautiful passage at the end of Hosea.
That book is hard to read due to the profound judgment of God upon His continually wandering people.
After speaking of such things, it suddenly says this (which reminded me of this blog/podcast episode):
“I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:4-7 ESV)
He does that healing through Jesus.
God is still the same.
Our sinful, wandering hearts still deserve judgment.
If you have never submitted your heart to Jesus Christ and turned to Him, today is a good day to REPENT (turn around and go toward Him).
He is not willing that any should perish (see 2 Peter 3:9).
It’s our choice whether to follow Him or not.
If we don’t, we choose the judgment for our sin.
If we do follow Jesus, the passage above will be the result.
I pray that you choose Jesus….