Grow Your Faith through the Lord's Fig Tree Miracle
The Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 21:17-22
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared December 23, 2022)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 21:17, and we will focus on the Lord's fig tree miracle. This miracle is only found here and in Mark 11, and this miracle can surely help grow our faith in the Lord. That's great, because God wants our faith to grow.
*The Thessalonian Christians are a good example for us today, because in 2 Thessalonians 1: 2-3, Paul said this to the church: "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other."
*Church: Their faith was growing exceedingly, and God wants our faith to grow exceedingly too! Please think about this as we read Matthew 21:17-22.
MESSAGE:
*Christian: How much faith do you want? More, right? I want more faith in God, and any right thinking Christian would say the same thing. The good news is that God wants us to have more faith too.
*That's one of the main reasons why the Lord worked this miracle in Matthew 21. Jesus knew that He was about to go to the cross. He knew that those three days in the grave would be miserably long for His scattered followers. The Lord also knew that 40 days after He rose again from the dead He was going home to Heaven.
*Jesus knew that His disciples would need more faith for these times, so He wanted to grow their faith. And first, Jesus demonstrated His miraculous power to them again. Then He used this miracle to speak to His followers about faith. The Lord used this miracle to help grow their faith, and it can help grow our faith today.
1. FIRST: GROW YOUR FAITH ON THE LORD'S HUMILITY.
*In today's Scripture there is a tremendous example of the Lord's humility. It's the hunger that we see in vs. 17-18: "Then He (Jesus) left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there. Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry."
*It is an astounding thing that the God of all creation allowed Himself to be hungry. In Psalm 50:9-12 the LORD told His people: "I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness."
*It all belongs to God, and we have already seen Jesus feed thousands of people with next to nothing. The Lord has also provided every bite of food we have ever eaten. But here we see the Lord in hunger. And I want to remind you that Jesus was hungry for me, and He was hungry for you.
*John 19 tells us that one of the last things Jesus said on the cross was "I thirst." The great preacher Charles Spurgeon took note of that and asked, "Who was this that said, 'I Thirst?' It was the Lord who balanced the clouds and filled the channels of the mighty deep.
*He said, 'I thirst,' and yet in Him was a well of water springing up to eternal life! Yes, He who guided every river in its course and watered all the fields with grateful showers. He it was, the King of kings and Lord of lords, before whom hell trembles and the earth is filled with dismay. He whom heaven adores and all eternity worships. He it was who said, 'I thirst!'
*Matchless condescension! -- from the infinity of God to the weakness of a thirsty, dying man! -- And this was for you." (1)
*God humbled Himself to become a man like us. So in Philippians 2:5-11, the Apostle Paul later wrote:
5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6. who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7. but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2. GROW YOUR FAITH ON THE LORD'S HUMILITY. AND GROW YOUR FAITH ON THE LORD'S ABILITY.
*Verse 19 gives us a small sample of the Lord's infinite ability: "And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again.' And immediately the fig tree withered away."
*The disciples saw the Hand of God at work in a miraculous way. That fig tree completely withered away. And maybe we have never seen anything like that. But as Christians, we have certainly seen the Hand of God at work, even in miraculous ways.
*How many of you could raise your hand to say that you have definitely seen the Lord work in your life? Yes. We have seen the Hand of God at work many times. And Matthew 19:26 tells us that all things are possible with God.
*Author Squire Rushnell told about a late-40s couple who lived in McAllen, Texas, down on the border with Mexico. The story started with the diagnosis that David Espinoza would die within 3 years unless he had a heart transplant.
*In the spring of 2004, three cardiologists told David that his damaged heart was only working at ten percent capacity. David's wife Toni cried out to God to save her husband. But she had a terrible struggle with the fact that in order for David to live, -- somebody else would have to die. That's why Toni began to ask God for a miraculous healing.
*By early December both Toni and David were feeling a strange peace about it. But Toni wanted more assurance that God's miracle was on the way, so she prayed this very odd prayer: "Lord, I will know David's okay, if you make it snow on Christmas Day, in McAllen, Texas."
*Now in the middle of winter, "cold" weather in McAllen Texas is 70 degrees. And when Toni told several people close to her about her prayer, her friend Crawford Higgins gave this blunt reply: "Toni, if you're expecting it to snow here, where we've lived all our lives, and never seen snow. And specifically, on Christmas Day? -- You might as well start making the funeral arrangements."
*But Church: It did begin to snow that year, starting on Christmas Eve, around 11:30 that night. For the first time in recorded history, McAllen Texas had a white Christmas! It was their first measurable snow in 109 years.
*Three weeks later Toni and David drove back to Houston for tests at the DeBakey Institute. There, Dr. Guillermo Torre's jaw dropped in wonder at the report. "I can't explain this!" he said with surprise in his voice. "You're not sick anymore!" Praise the Lord! (2)
*Now, God doesn't always heal us like that, because this world is not our home. But we can be sure that every day He answers prayers in amazing ways, because all good things are possible with God.
3. GROW YOUR FAITH ON THE LORD'S ABILITY. AND GROW YOUR FAITH FOR THE LORD'S PRIORITY.
*What is the Lord's priority for our lives? This miracle reminds us that it's our fruitfulness, so again vs. 19 tells us that when Jesus saw a fig tree by the road, "He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again.' And immediately the fig tree withered away."
*What was the problem with the fig tree? -- NO FRUIT. And this was a most unusual miracle. It was the only judgment miracle Jesus ever worked during His 3-year ministry on earth. And there was important symbolism in this fig tree.
*John Phillips explained that the fig tree was one of the symbols of the nation of Israel. The withered fig tree represented Israel from the time the nation rejected Christ to the time when Israel as a nation will accept Christ. The cursing of the literal fig tree by Israel's rejected King was a symbolic act. It was a parable as well as a miracle. The symbolic cursing here in Matthew 21 was followed by the actual cursing of the nation that the fig tree symbolized. (3)
*This curse from the Lord is found in Matthew 23, where Jesus finished His righteous condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees with these words in vs. 33-39:
33. "Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
34. Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35. that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38. See! Your house is left to you desolate;
39. for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
*There was important symbolism in the miracle of the withered fig tree. And in this tree the Lord shows us the crucial importance of fruitfulness in our own lives.
*Just hours before the cross, Jesus spoke about this truth in John 15:1-8, where He said:
1. "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
*Christians: Our Lord and Savior wants us to be fruitful. This is Christ's great priority for our lives. And as we go through the New Testament, we can see at least four different kinds of good spiritual fruit.
[1] THE FIRST IS HOLINESS AND GOODNESS, THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST.
*Romans 6:22 tells Christians, "Now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance." And Ephesians 5:9 says, "The fruit of the Spirit is in all (that is, in all believers) goodness, righteousness and truth."
[2] THE SECOND KIND OF CHRISTIAN FRUIT IS OUR FINANCIAL GIVING.
*One great place to see this truth is in Romans 15. As Paul got near the end of this amazing letter, he spoke of the offering the Gentile churches had given for the poverty stricken Christians in Jerusalem. And in vs. 25-28, Paul said:
25. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.
26. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.
27. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.
28. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this FRUIT, I shall go by way of you to Spain.
*Years later, when Paul was in Rome, a prisoner in chains for the cause of Christ, he wrote to the Philippian Christians. And thanking them, Paul said this in Philippians 4:15-17:
15. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
16. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the FRUIT that abounds to your account.
*The Philippian Christians were the only ones who were able and willing to help Paul. Can you imagine that? Would we have been willing to help him back then? And who should we be helping today? The Lord will show us because He wants this kind of spiritual fruit to abound in our accounts.
[3] THE THIRD KIND OF CHRISTIAN FRUIT IS OUR HEARTFELT PRAISE TO GOD.
*Hebrews 13:15 says: "Therefore by Him (by Jesus) let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the FRUIT of our lips, giving thanks to His name." God wants all of us to be intentional about praising Him. Praise Him when you first get up in the morning. Praise Him in the shower. Praise Him on the way to work. Praise Him when you lay down at night.
*Praise the Lord! Praise Him because He is always worthy of our praise. And praise Him because it will cheer you up and ease your worries. Lift up a holy Hallelujah in your hearts right now. It will help put a smile on your face, and grow more spiritual fruit in your life.
[4] THE FOURTH KIND OF FRUIT IS THE ONE WE THINK OF THE MOST, AND THAT IS REACHING MORE PEOPLE FOR JESUS CHRIST.
*It is spreading the good news of forgiveness and eternal life through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen to the Lord in John 4:35-36. There Jesus spoke to His disciples and asked:
35. "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36. And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers FRUIT for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together."
*Then in Romans 1:13 Paul said: "Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you." And why did Paul plan on going to Rome? He said, "that I might have some FRUIT among you also, just as among the other Gentiles."
*God wants all of us to have fruitful Christian lives, but that takes faith.
4. SO GROW YOUR FAITH FOR THE LORD'S PRIORITY. AND GROW YOUR FAITH ON THE LORD'S INTEGRITY.
*We can always trust in the Word of the Lord, even when He tells us things that seem too good to be true. Amazing things like we hear in vs. 20-22:
20. Now when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?''
21. So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.
22. And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.''
*Now we have to put these words in context. James 4:3 tells us: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." And in 1 John 5:13-15, the Apostle John said:
13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
*The Lord's words in vs. 21-22 are not a blank check to get any selfish thing we want. But Jesus did make an amazing promise to us here: "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.''
*Can God move a mountain? There is no doubt about it. And we can trust Him to do it at the right time in the right way. Leslie Flynn told a story of mountain moving faith at Grace Baptist Church. Grace is also called "The Church on the Mount." It was built in 1973 on top of Kingtown Mountain near Netcong, New Jersey.
*After the building was built, the church was notified by the Roxbury Planning Board that they would not grant permanent occupancy until there was sufficient parking in the back. The problem was a mountain where the second and third parking lots had to go. And the church could not afford the cost of removing all of that dirt.
*But the next Sunday morning in their old building on Maple Avenue, Pastor Crawford reminded the church of Christ's promise in Matthew 17:20. "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Then Pastor Crawford added, "If you believe that, come on Wednesday night to pray with me that God will move this mountain in back of our church."
*The next morning after the prayer meeting, the phone rang. It was the phone company. They were planning to build a new building just east of the church, and they needed fill dirt for a large swampy area. Could we sell them some dirt?
*Well of course! -- And the dirt at the church had just the right mixture of clay, sand, and rock they needed. In about a month the phone company had hauled away 40,000 square yards of dirt. They also paid the church, and leveled the ground for the required three parking lots. (4)
*Again, here in vs. 21 Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done."
*We must trust the Lord's integrity as He speaks to us. And we certainly can trust in the Lord's integrity, because He would never lie to us. In fact, Titus 1:2 tells us that God can not lie!
*Jesus Christ overflows with so much integrity that He could actually say, "I am the truth." In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
*And we can certainly trust in the word of the Lord, especially since He proved it by dying on the cross for us. We can certainly trust in the word of the Lord. And when we do, we will see amazing answers to our prayers.
CONCLUSION:
*For this great reason and many more, Jesus wants to grow our faith. So, grow your faith on the Lord's humility, His ability, and His integrity. But also grow your faith for the Lord's priority. -- Be fruitful for the Lord. Let's trust Him to help us. And if you have never trusted in our crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ, call on the Lord to save you right now, as we go back to God in prayer.
(1) Tom Carter, Spurgeon at His Best, (Baker Book House, 1988), page 306. Source:: The Last Seven Words of the Cross - FIFTH WORD FROM THE CROSS: "I THIRST" by Eric Ritz - John 19:28-29 - www.sermons.com
(2) When God Winks - Wink of the Week - The White Christmas Godwinks - http://www.whengodwinks.com/wow/wow_12232009.php
(3) EXPLORING THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "The Sign of the Fig" - Matthew 24:32-36 - Downloaded to "Bible Study 6" from Olive Tree Bible Software, Inc.
(4) KERUX ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION - ID Number: 12967 - SOURCE: Booklet: "1943-1973, From Maple Avenue To The Mount" - TITLE: Can Prayer Move Mountains? - AUTHOR: - DATE: 1973
