Fig Trees And Phonies
Mark 11:11-26
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.
12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry.
13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.
Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;
16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”
18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.
20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”
22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.
23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.
25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
26 [“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]
In the film The Matrix, we are taken to the year 2199. The world has been taken over and is being run by AI: artificial intelligence. Harvested humans live in a computer generated dream world of artificial reality, never understanding that they are captives of an evil empire. But there are a few people still connected enough to reality who discover the Matrix. What they see is that there are two worlds now. One is evil, and it depends on control and deception. It is an unreal world. The other is the real world, even though it would not be seen as such by those caught up in the Matrix. There is a great deal of religious symbolism in the film, and it picks up on the biblical theme of the kingdom of God and its opposition to the kingdom of evil. In the movie, Morpheus tries to explain the Matrix and says to Neo: “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?”
In the same way, we live in the real world while so many around us are living in a world of deception. Unable to wake from the dream, they only know what they see. They have never known anything different. Our responsibility is to never forget which is the real world and which is fantasy. We are also responsible for rescuing as many as possible of those who are trapped in the Matrix. We live in parallel kingdoms — the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world — and the reality is that we are in one or the other, there is nothing in between. The wheat and weeds are growing together, and will be together, until the end when the chaff is gathered to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the Father’s barn (Matthew 13:30). Appearances can be deceiving.
Our day is no different from Jesus' day. In Jesus' time, the religious establishment had become no more than a shadow of what used to be the reality of a life with God. Now it was devoid of power. It had become barren and without fruit. It only appeared to live externally. Through ceremony and pomp and outward show, it still gave the appearance of true faith. But inside, there was nothing real. Our text today is the account of Jesus confronting that religious establishment and judging it for what it was. We see Jesus cursing a fig tree and cleansing the Temple because of fruitlessness and phony appearances. He came to a place where faith should have been found, and found instead lifeless ritual, devoid of God's power. They were just going through the motions.
It occurs to me that we can find ourselves there as well. It is so easy to be lulled to sleep by outward appearances and to take them as reality. Rather, we must recognize the danger of phony, fruitless religion, refusing to be deceived by appearances; but instead, cultivating the faith in Jesus we so desperately need. We must look deeper than the outward.
Is there more than merely an appearance of Christianity about us? Is there real substance to our lives as believers? Is there real fruitfulness for Jesus Christ? As we look at our text, may God grant us the ability to more clearly see and to cultivate faith in Jesus alone. As we look at our text, notice the dramatic implications of each action Jesus takes as He curses the tree, cleanses the Temple, and challenges each of us.
"And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry. And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And He answered and said to it, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again!' And His disciples were listening." (vv. 12-14)
We notice, in the preceding verse, verse 11, that the night before, Jesus entered Jerusalem, came into the Temple and took a good, long look around. Then He returned to Bethany. I'm sure His heart was grieved over what He saw. The Temple was now in a shameful condition. It was filled with moneychangers and animal sellers; people taking the holy place of God and making a market out of it. But it was late. What He would do would have to wait for the next day.
The next morning, on the way in, Jesus spotted a fig tree. Now, fig trees were very common sights in that part of the country, but this was not just an ordinary fig tree. You see, this fig tree stood out. Our text tells us that it was not yet the time for figs. Fig season was yet about five weeks away. But while that was so, this tree was different. It was clothed with luxuriant foliage. That is what caught Jesus' eye. And because it was in full leaf, Jesus thought that there might be figs on it. It held the promise for a meal of figs.
You must understand that figs begin to appear on the fig tree before the leaves. That is why this fig tree held so much promise. It appeared like it was a vital, vibrant tree -- that somehow because of its strength it had matured quicker, and so had borne an early crop of figs.
But when Jesus looked at this tree, He saw that it was barren. There were no figs at all - nothing but leaves. It was fruitless. It only looked good. It held a promise for figs, but the promise was unfulfilled. It was fruitless and phony. It appeared to be something it wasn't.
Now, Jesus had more in mind than simply a meal of figs. When He saw the fig tree was fruitless, He decided to make it an example. His disciples were standing there, no doubt, wondering what the Lord would do. And so, Jesus decided to make this fig tree an illustration, an object lesson for the disciples. With that in mind, Jesus cursed the tree. He said, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." Now, He cursed the tree not because He was angry; but for the disciples' sake. Along with the vine, the fig tree in Scripture is a symbol of Israel. Israel had become barren like this fig tree, fruitless in her vain attempts at the worship of God. They had forgotten what true religion was all about, that it was a relationship with a living God. They were not like the peoples surrounding them. They did not worship gods of wood and stone and gold. They worshipped a living God, but they had forgotten that their worship was more than an outward ceremony.
No doubt, Jesus remembered what He had seen the night before in the Temple. Instead of being filled with worshippers, the Temple was now filled with robbers. What hypocrisy! What phoniness! What false piety! Israel had become barren, fruitless, only going through the motions.
A Cleansed Temple - The Downfall Of A False Piety
"And they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to cast out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, 'It is not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?" But you have made it a robbers' den.' And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for all the multitude was astonished at His teaching. (vv. 15-18)
So Jesus continued His journey into Jerusalem. By the time He reached the Temple, the decision had already been made. He knew what He was going to do. He entered the Temple and began immediately to drive out the den of thieves that had taken up residence there. This was God's holy place. What Jesus saw was a desecration of holy ground. And He wasn't going to sit idly by while it continued to happen. This was His Father's house. And they had turned this holy avenue to God into Wall Street.
When Solomon dedicated the Temple, almost one thousand years prior to this account, God's glory fell in power upon that place. Upon the dedication of the Temple, as the people prayed, the Shekinah glory of God descended in such awesome majesty that no one could even enter that holy Temple. God claimed that place for Himself. He received it as His house, and it would be forever a place where He would meet with His people.
Now there was a new Temple. But it was still God's house. Seven hundred fifty years before, on that very spot the Prophet Isaiah, in the year Uzziah died, was transported into the very presence of Almighty God. As he stood in that holy place, he saw the Lord high and lifted up. His glory filled the Temple. The train of his robe was like carpeting on the Temple floor. Above the majestic presence of the Lord, the burning seraphim were hovering. They were glorious six-winged creatures. With two they beat the air as they hovered above the Lord. And with the remaining wings they covered their faces and feet in humble recognition that they were in the presence of the awesome God of perfect holiness. As Isaiah watched, in stunned silence, they chanted to one another, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory." (Isaiah 6:3) As Isaiah looked on, the foundations of the Temple shook at the awesome majesty of God. The smoke of the incense filled the Temple. The holiness of God was as thick as the smoke. At one glimpse of that glory, Isaiah fell to his knees. And in humble confession cried out, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5) Isaiah was smitten with the awareness of his unholiness in the presence of the holy King. The awesome God was there. That was what kind of place the Temple was.
Now, instead of being inhabited by holy worshippers, it was filled with moneychangers, animal merchants. People used the outer courts of the Temple, the courts of the Gentiles, as a shortcut to the Mount of Olives. Jesus saw this desecration and could not contain Himself. John 2:17 records how the zeal of God's house would consume Jesus. And indeed it did. The man, Jesus, walked in to that place of merchandise and turned over the tables. He physically drove out the moneychangers. He drove forth those who were selling doves and other sacrificial animals. You could not pay the Temple tax, which was a half-shekel for every male over twenty years of age, with just any kind of money. It had to be paid in Temple coinage. Of course, there were those who would change your money for a price. They were supposedly doing you a service. And then there were those who would sell you animals that were guaranteed to be accepted as sacrifices. You recall, there could not be any animal offered that had a spot or blemish on it. These animals were not, by any stretch of the imagination spotless, but they were guaranteed to be accepted by the priests who, by the way, also ran the concessions. And for a profit, they would sell you an animal for your sacrifice. They were hypocrites, phonies, going through the ceremonies but not knowing God. And Jesus would not tolerate it. So He drove them out. They had made the holy place a common place. And so, Jesus violently expelled them. And in doing so, judged them as guilty.
In fact, He did to the Temple what He did to the fig tree. He judged it for what it was. And in doing so, rejected it and its offerings. It was supposed to be a house of prayer for all people. It was supposed to be a place to meet with God. That was why it was created. It was to be a place of worship, a place of communion, a holy place, a place of fellowship with the living God. God declared He would meet with His people there. But they were more interested in just going through the ceremony. They just wanted to get church done.
What we have here is also a dramatic statement about the importance of worship for us. God is after a seeking heart. He is more interested in communion than in ceremony. What He wants is for us to fellowship with Him, for us to touch Him through prayer, to commune with Him in worship, to fellowship with Him and serve Him with all of our hearts. Having church is not going through the motions. It is coming into a divine encounter with the living God, one which changes our lives.
Through true worship and service, our lives touch the lives of others. True worship and service are themselves living testimonies to the power of God. Is there more than an appearance of Christianity about us? Is there substance? Is there fruitfulness? By God's grace there can be.
A Challenging Teaching - The Dynamic Of A Faith Priority
"And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city. And as they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. And being reminded, Peter said to Him, 'Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.' And Jesus answered saying to them, 'Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.'" (vv. 19-26)
The next day, as they were passing the fig tree, the disciples saw that it had withered from the roots up. Peter commented about the withered fig tree. I'm sure he thought it had withered fairly quickly. To Peter's comment, Jesus gave a very surprising answer. He said, "Have faith in God."
That seems to me Jesus would have said something about the fig tree. Jesus was always giving surprising answers. Instead of commenting on the fig tree, He made a point about faith. He said, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and cast into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you."
What is Jesus getting at here? It seems as if, in response to Peter's comment, Jesus is giving a formula for moving mountains and cursing fig trees. But that is not the case at all. No, Jesus is not giving a formula for cursing fig trees. Rather, He is revealing the principle and priority of life. He is revealing to us the dynamic of a faith priority, the dynamic of a life of faith, so that we will not be cursed like that fig tree.
The lesson we have here is that faith is the priority of our lives. God is calling us to a relationship with Himself, to communion with Him, fellowship with Him, a life of prayer, a life of trust, a life of faith.
Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, we come to know God. Through daily communion with Him in prayer and reading His word, our faith is built and grows strong. As we daily follow Jesus, we come to trust Him more. As we grow in that trust and in the knowledge of His word, we come to know His will. And when we know His will, we do not doubt, but we are able to pray in power, knowing the Lord hears us. And when we know His will, we know that those things for which we pray will be done; perhaps not according to our timetable, but they will come to pass. This is what Jesus is getting at. We must not only live a life of faith, we must also live a life of forgiveness. Unforgiveness, which is based in pride, is certainly one mountain which needs to be moved out of the way. You see, unforgiveness, in itself, is a block to our receiving forgiveness. Verse 26 in our text is also found in the Lord's Prayer. He says, "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father, who is in heaven, forgive your transgressions." Unforgiveness blocks our relationship with God. God will not forgive us if we do not forgive others. Unforgiveness blocks our faith. It blocks our power in prayer. It starts a downward cycle in which we spiral further and further away from God. We choose not to forgive, and so we do not receive forgiveness. Sin comes between us and God. Our fellowship is broken. We become hard. We are even more unwilling to forgive. And so we are hardened in our sin. Down, down, down we go, until we are not able to recover. We grow cold, and our relationship with God becomes a lifeless religion. Instead of bearing fruit, we are barren and fruitless. We only seem alive because we go through the motions. But we are dead, sapped of all the vital dynamic of God. Unforgiveness is the enemy of faith.
But we can avoid lifeless, fruitless religion by cultivating a life of faith, by developing our relationship with Jesus, by rekindling our first love, by coming to Him in humble repentance, by being willing to forgive and receive His forgiveness. We can be made alive. This is why Jesus says, "Have faith in God." That's where it all begins. And really, that's where it all ends. In the final analysis, Jesus is really all we need, and He is exactly what we need. He is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem. In Him is life, and He imparts that life to us by faith. By faith, He enables us to live and to bear fruit, much fruit, fruit that remains.
When we only go through the motions, we're in grave danger. If we are not careful, we will be lulled to sleep. If we are not careful, we will begin to think that ceremony is a substitute for communion with God, that ritual is reality. We will become life the barren fig tree, luxurious but fruitless. We will become like the dead Temple worship, involved in ceremony but not with Jesus. We must recognize the danger of empty religion - of going through the motions.
The character of true Christianity is fruitfulness. True Christianity results in dynamic life. It is characterized by an inner love for the Lord Jesus, in which Jesus fills our life. A mark of true Christianity is that we press on in our walk with God, that we are never content to stay where we are, but that the fire of God burns in our bones. A true Christian loves Jesus passionately, and because he loves Jesus, he cares for those who are lost. Christianity that is alive is active. And we act because we care, because we love Jesus.
Let me ask you: Where are you in your relationship with God right now? Do you see the emptiness of religion without a vital faith relationship with Jesus? Is there more than an appearance of Christianity about you? Is there real substance to your walk with God? Is there real fruitfulness? Are you just going through the motions? Have you left your first love? If you've lost that fire, by God's grace He can rekindle it right now. While God judges phony religion, He receives with open arms those who come in humble surrender. Come to Christ and He will make you a fruitful tree, blessed by God.
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