As you heard in our scripture reading Jesus cursed the fig tree *1st SLIDE and then the next day when they went by it again it was dead and withered away. It’s important to understand that this was a sign to the Jews that if they rejected Jesus as their King they would be cursed, of course they did reject Him and crucified Him!
But I believe there's another lesson in this miracle that we can learn from and apply to our own lives today.
Facts: I read some interesting facts about fig trees; fig trees bear fruit either before they get leaves or at the same time as they have their leaves. Like this. *2nd SLIDE So when Jesus saw this tree He saw leaves on it yet He knew that the fig trees were not yet in season for fruit. So, when He came to the tree and saw ‘Nothing But Leaves’ *3rd SLIDE and no fruit, He cursed it for a sign to the Jews and for us to signify that Jesus is looking for real fruit and not just for something that looks good or looks pretty to the eyes! He's looking for something real and genuine.
As a Christian the Bible says we are to bear fruit that means we are to produce results for the Lord Jesus Christ through our lives, through our witness, through our behavior and our actions, and through the way that we treat others. Jesus looks for the real thing! Not just something that looks good on the outside.
When Jesus looks & sees ‘Nothing but Leaves’ it may mean you are only…
I. Wearing A Disguise *4th SLIDE (trying to look like something we’re not). In October a lot of children dress up or wear a costume for Trick-or-Treat & pretend *5th SLIDE to be something they're not & go looking for candy.
But we should never pretend when it comes to our relationship with God! Matt. 7:22-23 says; *6th SLIDE "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
A. So many people in our world today try to appear to be religious or even call themselves Christians to make themselves feel better about their lifestyle and their sin.
But the fact is it is a fake covering to make others believe that they're something they're not! It's only a disguise.
2) They're trying to hide their sin and imperfection deceitfully! Do you remember what the Bible says Adam and Eve did when they sinned? That's right they sewed fig leaves together & hid & tried *7th SLIDE They wanted to pretend that nothing had changed. But God knew differently. He always knows!
B. God wants us to be real and honest with Him and not try to hide behind something *8th SLIDE Hebrews 10:22a "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” He's looking for honesty.
God already knows our heart and our motives; we cannot fool Him, so why do so many people try? It’s because they don’t understand the character of God. The Bible teaches us that He is All Knowing, All Powerful, and In All Places all the time*9th SLIDE!
So He wants us to open up and tell Him about our sins and fully trust in Him because He knows already.
When Jesus sees "Nothing but Leaves" in the life of a Christian it means we're…
II. Not Bearing Fruit *10th SLIDE If a person is truly saved and a child of God and will not bear fruit, then they are miss-using God's grace, and not truly abiding in Christ the way they should be. John 15:5 *11th SLIDE“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
So you see, Jesus wants you and I to make a difference in this world & to bear fruit for Him! If we don't we’re not pleasing Him.
1) He wants us to share the Gospel with others
2) He wants us to live godly lives in front of others as well so they can see Jesus in us. Matthew 5:16 *12th SLIDE "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Facts: It should be the desire of every true child of God to glorify and please Him
If you don’t have that desire then you're either not truly saved, or you are not right with God and you're in rebellion to His will for you.. Both of those are dangerous places to be or stay!
When Jesus saw this tree it reminded Him of Christians who simply refuse to bear fruit and it really disappointed Him!
1) So He cursed it! To make it an example to the Jews, and to show us how important it is to live for Him and share His love and truth with the world.
2) Jesus died on the cross for all people and He wants everyone to hear that Gospel and have the opportunity to be saved
Scripture: Il Peter 3:9 says *13th SLIDE "The Lord is…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Number 3 if we have "Nothing but Leaves" as a Christian we may have…
III. Misrepresenting The Savior *14th SLIDE Now, most Christian don’t intentionally set out to misrepresent God, or have bad testimony for Him. But, sometimes the way we live our lives becomes a stumbling block to those around us that are weaker Christians or maybe someone who doesn't know Jesus at all. I Corinthians 8:9 says; *15th SLIDE “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”
Think about this…Everything we do is either leading people closer to Christ or further away from the truth of His Word. *16th SLIDE Wow! What an awesome responsibility that is!
Illus: Talking with people about the Lord that I've worked with over the years, I have noticed a common theme. A lot of the people that I would talk to about the Lord with would say I tried church for a while but everyone there I knew that were Christians would act a certain way at church but lived the same way I do the rest of the week. So I soon gave up going to church because I saw no real difference between them or myself. How sad of a testimony that truly was. But do you realize what those coworkers of mine were actually saying to me? They were saying those people “They are "Nothing but Leaves" there’s no real difference between them or anyone else! That is a misrepresentation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1) How sad! This people may have never gone back to church again! They may never trusted Christ as their Savior and die and go to hell. I don’t know…
2) Simply because some of the people in churches are a poor testimony for Jesus Christ and it affected their opinion of God!
That is why your testimony is so very important! There is an old saying but it's very true; "You're the only Bible some people may ever read!” Think about that for a minute!
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Illus: I read a story the other day of a father who was going to the mall to shop for a new saw for his tool shop. He had his two kids with him, his little daughter Emily who was 8 years old, and her brother Tommy, his 5 year-old son. This particular mall had a petting zoo (this was years ago) *17th SLIDE as you entered. The kids could go to the petting zoo while the parents went shopping for what they needed and they could pick the children up when they were leaving. He handed Emily the money and started to walk on to the Sears tool dept., within a few moments though he realized that Emily was walking along beside him in the mall. He couldn't imagine why she wouldn't have stayed at the petting zoo with all the furry animals and with her brother Tommy. After a few moments he asked Emily why didn't you go to the petting zoo? Emily said Daddy there was only enough money for one of us to go so I gave my money to Tommy so he could go. You see they were a Christian family and their family motto was ‘Love is sacrifice in action’. It was a truth that Dad and Mom had been trying to instill in their children. Emily's dad had enough money to pay for her to go as well and he was very tempted to just give her the extra money and tell her to go, but instead of paying for her to go he allowed her to do the right thing and sacrifice her pleasure and enjoyment so that her brother could go. You see dad knew that the lesson she would learn was far more valuable than getting to spend a few minutes petting the animals. As they went back to pick up Tommy they sat and watched him for a few moments as he petted the animals, then Dad called him over & they went home. Emily learned that day what it meant to sacrifice in just a small way. Just thinking about the sacrifice Jesus made for us! Love is sacrifice in action. Jesus gave it all, it's the least we can do to live for Him.
1) You could be the one person God has placed in someone's life who can really make a difference and show them the love of Christ. That sacrificial love!
2) Jesus wants to find fruit not just leaves, this fruit we're talking about this morning is the evidence that something is real and alive and inside of you! That you're a new creature in Christ!
Lastly, if we have "Nothing but Leaves" as a Christian then we are…
IV. Putting Ourselves First *18th SLIDE I think with some Christians that are producing little fruit it’s because they are often only worrying about themselves! Instead of putting God first. That's called selfishness! *19th SLIDE That's when everything is about me! What’s in it for me!
A. You will never be truly happy or find God's purpose in your life until you learn to put Him first!
1) We live in a world where everything is about us and what we can get and what makes us happy and what makes us feel good!
2) The television and internet are consumed with it. Almost all products and brands are marked to us that way. It's as if we feel we deserve it or we got it coming to us! *20th SLIDE
B. But serving Jesus with a life that produces fruit only happens when we learn the principle Jesus showed us when He was here on earth. It's the only thing that brings us true J-O-Y! *21st SLIDE
1) Jesus first, others second, yourself last...lt sounds back words to us because everything we hear and see the world says the opposite! 2) But let me tell you first on the authority of God's Word but also by experience that God has it right! That is the only way to have true joy!
Conclusion: "It's the real Thing" Coca Cola Company *22nd SLIDE Coke came up with this slogan in 1940 to describe their soft drink They are the number one selling soda in the world. 4 out of 5 top selling sodas are made by Coca Cola Company! They have convinced the world that they are the ‘Real Thing’. But on a much more serious note I wonder this morning boys and girls are you Pretending to be something you're not? Are you Playing with God's grace, Are you Pushing others away with a bad testimony in your life and your actions? Are you only Pleasing yourself instead of having a genuine love in your heart for the lost and dying of this world? Remember Jesus is looking for the real thing...the true life, true fruit, true servants in obedience to Him! Which one are you? Are you a pretender with "Nothing but Leaves" or are you the "Real Thing"?
Invitation and prayer:
