Mountain-Moving Faith Series

However, beyond that specific application to Israel, there is also a powerful personal Application: Outward activities (leaves) are worthless unless my life reflects Jesus (fruit).

A fig leaf represents self-righteousness. When Adam and Eve sinned and realized they were naked, they tried to cover their shame with fig leaves. We always visit a large fig tree in Israel (different from our fig bushes in the U.S.), and I talk about the leaves. On one trip a lady was blushing as she looked at a fig leaf. She said, “I always thought they were larger!” Well, Adam and Eve probably wove a lot of them together. But this covering wasn’t adequate, so God covered them with animal skins. The first death in the Garden of Eden was to cover the shame of Adam and Eve. We don’t know what kind of animal died, but don’t be surprised to get to heaven and learn it was a lamb.

Leaves represent religious appearance and activity. Many professing Christians have an abundance of leaves, but no fruit. What is fruit? Fruit is the outward expression of an inner nature. When you see an apple hanging on a tree you know it’s an apple tree; the fruit reveals the nature of the tree. And the fruit of a Christian is the life of Jesus revealed in your life. The fruit of a Christian includes those nine character qualities mentioned in Galatians 5:22, which are printed above the doors entering the Worship Center here. But also the fruit of a Christian is another Christian. If I plant an apple seed, I’ll get another apple tree with apples on it. Have you ever been responsible for another person becoming a follower of Jesus? The key to a fruitful life is found in John 15. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5, 8)

I can’t produce fruit any more than a branch from an apple tree thrown on the ground can produce apples. I can only bear fruit that the vine or trunk sends my way. As my friend Ron Dunn used to say, “We’re just a fruit rack where Jesus can display His life.” My job is not to try to be good and imitate Jesus. My daily job is to stay firmly connected to the Vine, Jesus. As I do that, His life-giving sap (the Holy Spirit) flows into my life and the result is the life of Jesus seen in me.

2. THE MOBILE MOUNTAIN: A parable about faith

As in the case of the withered fig tree, there was a literal application of the words of Jesus. Notice Jesus said the disciples could speak to “THIS mountain and it would be thrown into the sea.” Jesus was walking down the Mount of Olives when He said this. The prophet Zechariah predicted when Jesus returns for the final climatic battle for Jerusalem that the Mount of Olives will split in two sections, with one half of the mountain moving north and the other half moving south. (Zechariah 14:4). That’s what I call a mountain-moving experience!