The Fruit of Life: A Reflection on Luke 13:1-9
- Pastor Jin
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
Sermon of Pastor Jin 3/23/2025
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s message centers on "The Fruit of Life." Imagine standing before God at the end of your journey—what would He see? An abundant harvest or a barren tree? Many of us strive for wealth, success, education, career advancements, and personal happiness. These are valuable pursuits, but are they the true fruit of life? These are temporary goals, mere fragments of a much larger picture.
What is the True Fruit of Life?
The essential question we must ask is: What is the fruit that God desires from us? In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches that bearing fruit is not easy. Through this reflection, let us explore what it means to bear good fruit and how we can live lives that are pleasing to God.
What is Good Fruit in God's Eyes?
Consider an apple tree or an orange tree. What is its fruit? We might assume that as long asfruit is present, it is good. But unless we taste it, can we truly know its quality? If the fruit remains on the tree until it rots, it serves no real purpose. Fruit is meant to be enjoyed, to provide nourishment, and to bring satisfaction to its master.
Proverbs 25:13 states, "A trustworthy messenger to those who send him is like the coolness of snow at harvest time; he refreshes the spirit of his masters." In other words, good fruit brings delight and refreshment to God.
The First Good Fruit: Faith
Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Faith is believing and trusting in God completely, even in uncertainty, just as our ancestors Abraham and Noah did. Their unwavering trust in God demonstrated the fruit of faith.
In Luke 13:1, we read about Galileans who were killed by Pilate while offering sacrifices. Scholars suggest these individuals were Zealots—Jewish revolutionaries opposing Roman rule. They rejected Jesus, failing to recognize Him as the Messiah. Their failure was not just political; they misunderstood God’s plan.
This raises a crucial question: Do you believe in Jesus? Do you trust Him fully? Faith in Christ is a vital fruit of life—one that pleases God and sustains us.
The Second Good Fruit: Love
Faith is foundational, but without love, it is incomplete. The second fruit God desires is love—self-giving, sacrificial love. Fruit must serve a purpose beyond itself; it must be offered to the master.
In verse 4, Jesus refers to those who perished when the Tower of Siloam collapsed. The Greek word ὀφειλέτης (opheiletes) means "debtor." Some accounts suggest Pilate illegally took temple funds to build this tower, and the workers who died knew of this injustice. In Jewish tradition, taking temple money was an offense requiring repayment to God. These men, however, had not repaid their debt.
We, too, are debtors to God. Jesus paid the ultimate price—His suffering and death on the cross. We cannot fully repay Him, but we can respond with obedience and love.
John 14:21 says, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me." Christ’s command? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-39). Love is a good fruit of life.
How Can We Bear Good Fruit?
1. Repentance from Lack of Faith
Mark 9:21-23 tells of a father seeking healing for his son:
"Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’ ‘From childhood,’ he answered… ‘But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’
‘If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'"
Faith leads to good fruit.
2. Repentance from Lack of Love
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 reminds us:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong… If I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."
Let us repent of our lack of faith and love so that we may bear good fruit—fruit that pleases the Lord.
What is the fruit of your life? Will it be faith? Will it be love? At the end of our journey, may we stand before God having borne fruit that brings Him joy. This week, examine your life—are you bearing fruit that pleases God? Strengthen your faith, deepen your love, and trust that God will bring forth a harvest in you.
Prayer for Bearing Good Fruit
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with open hearts, seeking Your wisdom and guidance. You are the vine, and we are the branches; apart from You, we can do nothing. Lord, we desire to bear good fruit—the fruit that pleases You and glorifies Your name.
Father, we confess that at times, we have pursued worldly success while neglecting the fruit of faith and love. Forgive us for our doubts and failures to trust in You. Strengthen our faith, Lord, that we may walk boldly in Your truth, believing in Your promises even in uncertainty.
Jesus, You showed us the greatest love by laying down Your life for us. Teach us to love as You love—to serve selflessly, to give without hesitation, to forgive as You have forgiven us. May our lives reflect Your sacrificial love in all that we do.
Holy Spirit, convict our hearts and lead us in repentance. Help us turn away from the things that hinder our faith and love. Renew us, Lord, that we may be transformed into Your image, bearing fruit that lasts. Let our lives be a testimony to Your goodness, drawing others into Your presence.
Lord, when we stand before You, may our fruit be pleasing in Your sight. May we hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Until that day, keep us steadfast in faith, abounding in love, and rooted in Your truth.
We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
