Theme: Search of God
Text: Matthew 21:18-20
Introduction: The three notable events of this chapter are the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem City, Cleansing of the temple, and the curse and withering of the fig tree. These are series of miracles and climax of judgment before the crucifixion. Jesus, Messiah of Peace, reached Gentiles, and reformation begins at the temple, and the entire blasting of the Jewish pride and power has been pictured through cursing and withering of the fig tree (Whedon). The narratives exhibit the plan of Christ. Day after day he went to and from Jerusalem: in the evening he went to Bethany or some part of the Mount of Olives, and there abode all night, and returned in the daytime to Jerusalem, and taught in the temple; for it does not appear that he was one night in Jerusalem, before the night of the Passover (John Gill). Matthew combines two-morning walks, Monday and Tuesday, of Jesus from Bethany to Jerusalem (Schaff Popular). Monday was hungry and cursed, which was witnessed and remembered by Peter on Tuesday. Through these events, I would like to share with you three spiritual lessons:
Jesus comes to us early in the morning
Jesus expects from us the fruitful life
Jesus teaches us to pray with faith
1. Jesus comes to us Early in the Morning (Matthew 21:18)
Early in the morning – implies the daybreak, around 5 am. It is the time for the breakfast of a Jew (Ellicott). Early refers to the last or fourth watch of the day. Matthew writes Jesus was hungry. It was a clear description of the humanity of Christ. This verse casts doubt on the supposition that Jesus was staying in the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. If he could have stayed, he would have had breakfast there before departing to the city. The inference was that He might have remained all night in prayer at some remote recess in the vicinity of Bethany as it was his custom. It could have happened and nestled into a tiny depression on the slopes of the Mount of Olives (Coffman).
The curse of the fig tree had happened on a Monday morning, before going to Jerusalem and before the cleansing of the temple. But the effect was beheld by Peter and others on Tuesday, and a lesson was given to them about prayer with faith when Jesus was visiting Jerusalem for the third time (Mark 11:12-13, 19, 20-21) (Pulpit).
Application:
Jesus loves to come to us early in the day and seeks with the hunger of fellowship, love, and truth. Jesus seeks fellowship. He seeks prayers, and He seeks our cooperation. God blesses us to have a blessed and successful day ahead. He wishes for a greener life. Bible has many examples of early morning expectations of God. He is the morning star of David to all (Revelation 22:16). The same morning star rises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19). David says, In the morning you hear my voice, I lay my requests and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3). God told his servants to come to him early in the morning. Many servants of God stood before God early in the morning to know the plan of God for the day ahead of them – Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Samuel, and many others. The promise is that those who seek him early find him (Proverbs 8:17).
2. Jesus expects from us the fruitful life (Matthew 21:19)
Found nothing except leaves: Jesus was hungry, and so he went to the fig tree looking for fruits to satisfy his hunger. But the fig tree had many leaves but not even a single fruit. It is a representation of the life of the Jewish nation. “If the fig tree with its fair promise of leaves and its barrenness of fruit was the Jewish nation, it's withering under his malediction(curse) was the perdition of the Jewish state and system” (Whedon). This may suggest therefore that here Jesus is depicted as not only feeling for food but also as being hungry to discover righteousness in Israel. He wants to find figs (Peter Pett). The sin of hypocrites, unfruitful professors, vain followers normally seek alive but are dead in deeds. They would not bring forth the fruits of righteousness and justness (Benson). Christ looks for the power of religion in those who profess it, and the savor of it from those that have the show of it. His just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds leaves only. (Matthew Henry). Jesus came to seek and save the Lost. He searches everyone. He expects, looks up for the betterment of the followers of Christ. His hunger made him glorify the power of God and teach a lesson to his disciples (Calvin).
“This hunger, though real and pressing, was mysterious, and affords an opportunity of giving instruction both to the Jews and to his disciples. By the fig-tree, was represented the Jewish synagogue; the hunger of Christ was a figure of his extreme desire of finding it productive of good works, (and there is no time nor season when the servants of God can be excused from bringing for good works) answerable to the pains of cultivation he had taken for more than three years. The leaves were their pompous show of exterior service, the barren foliage of legal rite, void of the internal spirit and good works, the only valuable produce of the tree. By the withering of the tree after Christ's imprecation, the reprobation and utter barrenness of the synagogue are represented (George Haydock Catholic Commentary).
3. Jesus teaches us to pray with faith (Matthew 21:21-22)
Jesus taught prayer through practice. Jesus was praying in a certain place. Something motivated the disciples to come closer to the Lord. They could have astonished, amazed, and desired to pray like Jesus. Disciples learned many things from the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. Only one area they could not put into practice was prayer life. Jesus, again and again, spoke about prayer and its vitality. Disciples had seen the power of prayer – by casting out demons, by preaching the word, by healing the sick people, and now the curse the fig tree.
Franck DeCensom one of the contributors to the CBN.com says Jesus’ prayer life reveals that Jesus was ‘having an advanced intimate relationship with the Father and also having a friendship with God’ (John 8:16, 16:32, 8:28-29). His ministry for 24 hrs a day, seven days a week did not prevent him to spend time in prayer, he engaged himself in conversation with Father and with the Spirit (Luke 5:15-16). Jesus prayed alone (Luke 5:14). Jesus used to pray long prayers as well as short prayers. He prayed early morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, and at nights too. Jesus often withdrew for prayers (Luke 5:16). Jesus spent the whole night in prayer (Luke 3:21, 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28, 10:21-22, 11:1, 22:41-4, 23:46).
Jesus authoritatively spoke on the matters of Prayer and its result. He had experienced the power of prayer and its effects daily. Prayer can’t be a rite but it’s a righteous act of the saints. God loves the simple, humble prayers than anything else. Prayerful men and women can shake the world and can do anything and everything.
