We must understand that when we hear God's Word we must humble ourselves and remember that He is God and we are not. We must receive His Word by faith and we must not permit our sinful flesh to distort His truth into what sinful man fancies.
This is the last sermon in this series. We consider now what signs there might be visible in a person which would indicate that they are not only a Barren Tree, a fruitless professor, but that God's axe has either fallen or is raised and poised to cut such a tree down in a moment.
We now turn to the example of Esau who was cut down as a barren tree, though he still lived in this present world.
We consider Cain and Ishmael as examples of Barren Trees who were cut down even though they still lived in this world.
The Lord will ultimately cut down the fruitless fig tree which, in spite of all efforts of Christ to bring about repentance, will be cut down and cast into hell.
The Lord's great mercy and patience with the Barren Fig Tree is demonstrated in several ways in this parable. His patience is great, but it is not infinite. Persisted in, unrepentance will always end in His wrath.
The ministry of the local church must have the preaching and teaching of God's Word at its center. This will feed and sanctify genuine, fruitful believers in God's vineyard, and it will repel the barren trees.
Sin is utterly sinful because, for one reason, it is like a rat working destruction in the darkness. If left to its own, unrepented of, it will work death eternally.
Pride is a rotten fruit that is inevitably found on the barren fig tree.
Where the fruit of love is, the fruit of thankfulness to God will necessarily come forth as well.
