[At the beginning of the
service Rev Stegen asked his son-in-law, Arthur Schmunk, to give his testimony, because it
is exactly 10 years ago, to the day, that he came to the Lord.
Arthur, husband of Dorothea, told how he had been lost in sin, deep into alcohol and drugs
until the Lord Jesus saved him and set him free, 10 years ago, at the last service of the
year, in the auditorium, where Rev Stegen had preached.]
Lk 13: 7 - 9:
"A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit
on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For
three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any.
Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it
alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears
fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' " (NIV)
This parable speaks of the work of God, the owner of the vineyard.
He has planted the fig tree - He has breathed life into you, showed His love and
tenderness in caring for you till this day. The Father, who owns you, has planted you to
bear fruit. It is just as we've heard in the testimony by Arthur who has testified how he
was fruitless, in his sins, and without hope, until Christ intervened.
Christ is the vine dresser, the One who says: Let me fertilize
this plant and do everything I can do for this person. Jesus died for you. He intercedes
for you.
Use this very hour to get right with God. Our Lord has done
everything to redeem you and bring you to heaven. If you refuse Him, and you don't bear
fruit, then the awful judgement of "then cut it down" will apply to you, in
everylasting torment. Remember, hell was not created for you but for the devil and his
angels. But if you insist on being fused with the devil then you have to suffer his
punishment.
However deep in sin you may have fallen, as we have heard in the
testimony, God can turn you around if you respond to Him and repent. Then you can be a
fruit-bearer in this coming year.
