DAYTONA BEACH (FBW)—Swinging again and again with his club, an amateur golfer whacked at an ant hill as he continually missed the ball, in the process killing thousands of ants, Frank Page told messengers and guests at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting in Daytona Beach Nov. 12.

Finally, there were only two ants remaining, said Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C.

"C'mon, we've got to get out of here," Page said one ant told the other. "If we don't get on the ball, we're gonna die."

Likening Southern Baptists to the ants, Page said there were strong spiritual connections to that story.

Jesus "kinda sorta" tells Christians to "get on the ball" in Luke 13:1-9 by sharing the parable of the fig tree, Page said.

The fig tree did nothing wrong-it did nothing at all-failing to bear fruit and fulfill its purpose, Page said. Because it was useless, the tree's owner was going to cut it down.

Jesus put the story of the fig tree into a historical context with two events, Page said.

The people gathered around Jesus had asked if two groups of people-Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices and 18 people in Siloam that a tower fell upon and killed-were more sinful than other people to suffer so, Page said.

Jesus replied that those people were no more sinful than anyone else, and that if the people listening to Him did not repent, they, too, would "perish," Page said.

Jesus then told the parable of the fig tree, which, placed in this historical context, begins to "unravel a false perception" and teach a "powerful truth," Page said.

Where there is much suffering, there is not necessarily much sin, Page said, referencing Job and the friends who accused Job of sin because of the tragedies that beset him.

"Sometimes we do suffer because of our sin," Page said, referring to a man Jesus told to go and sin no more or else something bad would happen to him.

Jesus also taught that sometimes people suffer because they are do­ing right, Page said, quoting from the book of Matthew in which Jesus tells his followers that the persecuted and reviled are blessed.

"There is a sin that's worse than doing that which is wrong," Page said. "If you study the parables of Jesus you will see the greatest condemnation came to those who did nothing rather than those who committed some egregious wrongdoing."

The parable of the fig tree illustrates the sinfulness of uselessness, Page said.

• The fig tree was planted where it was planted for a reason, Page said.

"God had it there for a purpose," Page said. "And I hope you recognize your purpose in the Kingdom of God. That God has you where He has you for a reason and that He wants to use you for a cause."

• The tree was planted to bear fruit, Page said. Likewise God has planted churches, individuals, and Florida Baptists where He has planted them to bear fruit.

"You did not choose me, I chose you to bear fruit that will last for all eternity," Page quoted Jesus in John 15:16. "We substitute many activities for that which God has called us to do. He has made clear that we are to win the lost for Christ. He has made clear that we're here to minister to the saints. Are we doing what He has called us to do?"

Page asked for prayer in his position as SBC president.

"What God has given me the opportunity to do is to bear forth fruit in a way that I never imagined," Page said, telling attendees that he is able to speak with every 2008 presidential candidate. "In every instance, I will talk to them about the Lord Jesus."

• The fig tree failed-guilty of uselessness, Page said. The vineyard owner came for three years looking for fruit and found none.

"Many of us are not bearing the fruit we ought," Page said. "There are thousands upon the rolls of Florida Baptist churches who have moved into a state of uselessness...What an appalling waste.... I believe [that] to Jesus, the crime of all crimes was the crime of uselessness."

• The tree was not just useless, it became a hindrance, using up space and nutrients another fruit-producing tree could have used, Page said.

"How many believers do we know [who] have moved into uselessness and quickly have become negative toward the church and toward the ministry?" Page asked. "If you want to find something wrong with the church, you don't have to look far. We are sinful people trying to find and serve a sinless God."

Many church members cast aspersions on the church to justify their uselessness, Page said.

Telling the story of a woman who was upset by a revival preacher's emphasis on verbally sharing Christ, Page said that woman grew convicted and shared the Gospel with a co-worker and the co-worker became a believer.

"Some of us in this room are one tragedy away of coming right where that victory is," Page said.

• There is a reality of judgment and a reality of grace, Page said.

The vineyard owner had come to find fruit and found none, telling the vineyard laborer to cut the tree down, Page said.

"We deserve to be cut down and cast out," Page said. "The only reason this judgment was not meted out immediately and God's judgment is not meted out immediately is not because of His weakness, but because of His mercy."

• The vineyard worker asked the master to give the tree another year, allowing the laborer to fertilize the soil and work with the tree.

"While we all deserve the judgment of being cut down and cast out, there is a vineyard worker and He is seated at the right hand of God the Father and His name is Jesus ... and He says, 'God let me give Florida Baptists one more chance.'"

Closing with the story of a sailing vessel that had been delayed in its passage, Page told how the sailors were out of drinking water when another ship came near. Begging the ship for water, the sailors were puzzled when on each request the other ship signaled them to let down their bucket.

Finally lowering their bucket into the ocean, the sailors found it was filled with fresh water, Page said. The sailors hadn't known they were near the coast of South America where the powerful Amazon River dumps fresh water into the ocean.

"How many churches, how many families, how many lives are dying right now surrounded by the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus?" Page asked. "Let down your buckets Florida Baptists. Let down your buckets and receive the grace and mercy and forgiveness and the second chance that God wants you to have so that you can bear forth the fruit that He wants you to bear forth."