The Ember Saturday in September
Posted on September 20, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 13:6-17 (NKJV)
13:6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’”
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord then answered him and said, 5“Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Devotion
The parable begins with a man planting a fig tree in the hope of it producing figs. Although the keeper of the vineyard has shown great patience, there will finally come a time in which unfruitful trees will be cut down. Jesus has been preaching to His people for three years, and the reaction to His ministry has been mixed. At the end of today’s text, some “were put to shame,” while others rejoiced in His teaching.
After a long period of sickness, the bent-over woman is healed by Jesus. The reaction of the synagogue ruler presents us with a real-life example of a tree that refuses to produce fruit. Rather than be taught the way of God by the Savior of the world, the man’s only response is that Jesus’ miracle is to be considered forbidden Sabbath-day work. Jesus rightly calls him a hypocrite.
Colossians 1:5-6 says that “word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world…is bringing forth fruit.” We have received the true Christian teaching concerning repentance and faith in Christ. May that move us to bear abundant fruit. Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8).
Collect: We beseech Thee, O Lord, that our weakness may be upheld by Thy healing mercy, so that what of itself is falling into ruin may be restored by Thy clemency; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Almighty and Everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make us to love that which Thou dost command; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
