25 Oct 2014 - living the truth in love

We are the fig tree that is slow to bear fruit. Jesus is the gardener that cultivates the ground and fertilizes it so that "it may bear fruit in the future". He doesn't want to see us cut down. There is an urgency to this because "if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!" It isn't only the especially bad that need to worry about this. We all have this same call. No matter how much time each of us has we are the same in that it is a limited amount. We don't want to perish like the people at the Siloam or the Galileans that Herod kills. We may meet tragedy as they do. But we should meet it with hearts that are ready, hearts that have repented. We need to grow into fig trees that bear fruit.

until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood
to the extent of the full stature of Christ,

If we allow ourselves to be "tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming" this might not happen.

With have to be firmly rooted in the truth. Then, "living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head". And since he is the vine and we are the branches we can't bear fruit in any other way (cf. Joh. 15:5).

Jesus himself tends the soil in which we grow.   He "gave gifts" to ensure that his fig trees are able to bear fruit. What are these gifts? He "gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers". These facets of his Church ensure we have access to truth in our soil. The truth makes us strong, so that we aren't blown about by winds of teaching arising from human trickery. We can then bear the fruit we are meant to bear. And what is this fruit? It equips us "for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ". It empowers us to walk in unity with each other, a union that has its source in Jesus himself.

We are called to take advantage of all Jesus does to give us his truth. It is the truth which sets us free (cf. Joh. 8:32). Jesus himself is this truth (cf. Joh. 14:6). If we feel blown too and fro this morning it may be strange doctrine that is causing it. We may be foregoing the truth which can make us strong. This makes us vulnerable. So let's go to the place where the soil is tended by the master gardener. Let us grow, relying on the gifts he gives.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.