Fruitful Or Fruitless

Introduction:

*How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years.

*Which country manufactures Panama hats? Equador.

*From what animal do we get cat gut? From sheep/horses.

*In which month do Russians celebrate the October

Revolution. November!

Transition:

Have you ever notice that some things are not what they may appear to be?

Mark 11:7-11 "And they brought the colt to Jesus, and

cast their garments on him; and He

sat upon him. And many spread their

garments in the way: and others cut

down branches off the trees, and

strawed them in the way. And they that

went before and they that followed,

cried, saying Hosanna; Blessed is He

that cometh in the name of the Lord:

Blessed be the kingdom of our father

David,that cometh in the name of the

Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And

Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into

the temple: and when he had looked

around about upon all things, and now

the eventide was come, he went out unto

Bethany with the twelve."

Sermon:

*The temple is the very center of Jewish national and

religious life.

*The temple is the logical place for Messiah-King to

be crowned.

*The temple is the place where Jesus’ authority should

first be recognized.

*The temple is the place from which the official call

should go out to men to accept His sovereignty.

*The temple is the place where there should be

fruitfulness. Is everyone with me so far?

John Mark suggests something that will haunt the Jewish nation for years to come. But, not just them alone! There is a message found between the lines of this passage that reaches down throughout the ages, down to our time. Listen closely brothers and sisters.

*After Jesus’ marvelous triumphant entry through the

gates of Jerusalem, there was silence in the temple!

*After the cries of "hosanna in the highest" that rang

loudly from cobblestone streets, there was silence in

the temple.

*After the sounds of music and the casting of shadows

of the dancng against the city walls, there was

silence in the temple.

The temple, the church is the very place where Christ as the Son of God should be recognized. But, on that day; I will tell you there were no welcoming party in the temple.

*There were no banners stretched out against those

white marble walls declaring "Welcome Our Lord, and

Our King!"

*There were no bands playing "Joy To the World, the

King has come."

*There were no balloons, or cake.

*Where Fruitfulness should have be seen, there was

only silence in the temple.

Scripture tells us that after that glorious parade of affirmation, Jesus went into the temple and look all about. One must wonder where were the Scribes? Where were the teachers of the law? Where were the Jewish leaders?

I suspect they were arguing over the finer points of the law. I hath to ask, are you real in your spiritual walk, or are you a phoney? Do you walk the talk?

In other words...

*Do you sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer", but remain

content with 5 minutes prayers.

*Do you sing "Onward Christian Soldiers", but wait to

be drafted into His service.

*Do you sing "I love to tell the story", and never

mention it at all.

*Do you sing "We’re Marching to Zion", but gripe about

going to prayer meeting.

*Do you sing "The Whole Wide World for Jesus", and

never invite our neighbor.

*Do you sing "Amazing Grace", but have doubts about

salvation.

O friends, if you are a living, walking, talking Christian who lives life as a sham, then Jesus has a solemn message for you today. John Mark writes his gospel in chronological order. So, Mark tells us that after Jesus’ visit to the temple, He goes back to Bethany. I want you to notice what happens next.

Mark 11:12-14 "And on the morrow, when they were

come from Bethany, he was hungry:

and seeing a fig tree afar off

having leaves, he came, if haply

he might find any thing thereon:

and when he came to it, he found

nothing but leaves; for the time

of figs was not yet. And Jesus

answered and said unto it, No man

eat fruit of thee hereafter for

ever. And his disciples heard it."

The journey by foot from Bethany to Jerusalem took about 55 minutes. The gospel of Mark tells us that on this journey Jesus saw a fig tree standing upon a hill a far off. A tree with it’s branches and broad green leaves calling out to weary hungry travelers of it’s ludicrous fruit. Jesus approaches that desirable tree, but examining it’s branches, found it to be fruitless. But, the gospel writer was quick to point out that "the time of figs was not yet."

That is so unlike the character of Jesus, to curse a seemly innocent tree!