FIG TREE CURSED
Matthew 21:18-20
Introduction: This parable stays alone in the midst of the thirty-seven miracles of Christ as recorded in the Bible. We know that John 21:25 tells us that if all that if all that Jesus had done would have been written down, the world could not contain all the books. So we know that Christ did more than thirty-seven miracles.
The reason why this miracle stands alone is it is the only one recorded of a destructive nature. Critics of Christ point to this miracle and try to criticize Christ saying He acted impulsive and showed impatience when He cursed this tree. They overlook several key facts.
1. They are acknowledging that He had the power to wither the tree. In their acknowledgement, they actually caused us to look up to Him and His power.
2. Every action of Christ was deliberate. He never acted out of impulse. That would have made been Him weak, out of control and very much a sinful human.
3. All His action set forth as an example or a truth that we must learn. As like the other messages I have preached on Bible Miracles A-Z, I will do my best to show practical applications to vital Christian living.
I. THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST
Nothing disgraces the character of Christ. Malachi 3:6 tells us “”For I am the Lord, I change not.” The writer of Hebrews echoes this call with these words ”Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) If nothing disgraced Him in eternity past, surely nothing could disgraced Him on this day either.
A. Character of Christ as seen in His judgments
Isaiah 28:21
“For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.”
Brother Forester said that judgment is God’s strange work; He loves to bless.
Through all the Gospels, one theme seems to run true. He was moved with compassion or He was showing mercy. He showed mercy upon the demons when He allowed them to enter the swine. But He was showing compassion upon the man who they lived in previously. He knew this man’s life. It had been one of pain, peril and perverseness. He had compassion when the man came to Him and wanted help. We do not why he was infested with demons but at least he came to the right source for deliverance. (I will go in more detail on this man next week.)
He is showing mercy and compassion in that He chose a soulless tree to execute His judgment. He had all right to judgment upon people many times. He had done so in Luke 9 when the Samaritan people refused to allow Him in their village.
This miracle was performed that man might not lose sight of His judicial character. One day, He will be the judge of all. Many have lose sight of this very fact. This includes believers. They have forgotten that they will one day they will stand before Him. It will not be the question of salvation. It will be to answer for their life since they were saved. One of the key areas will be in the area of faithfulness.
2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
The words that I believe most people would like to hear and this includes myself are the words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25 and verse 21 which says “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Some people and in fact most of humanity will stand before Him at the Great White Throne Judgment. Let me read a passage that pertains to this. Since this is not my topic (Great White Throne Judgment), I will let the scriptures speak for themselves. Revelation 20:10-15
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
B. Character of Christ as seen in Him humanity
Vs. 18
“He hungered”
His miracles always showed His two natures- His humanity and His deity. You could see this when He was asleep in the boat when the storm overcame them. He is awaken by the fearful disciples. He stood up and rebuked the winds and waves. The wind was silent. The waves left likened unto a whipped puppy dog with his tail between his legs. Is it any wonder that the disciples said in the fear of the Lord! Mark 4:41
“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
You can see this perfectly illustrated at the grave of Lazarus. We see those precious words recorded in John 11:35 “Jesus wept.” He is touched the feelings of our infirmities yet without sin. He did not weep because He was powerless over the situation. Raising Lazarus was no great feat for Him. He created man. He knew what man was without the breath of life. He created the smell of death. When He called Lazarus to come forth, Lazarus did just that. The two-fold testimony of Christ is seen over and over all.
Why did He choose the fig tree? He could have chosen another tree but they were not fruit trees. An oak, a cedar or a palm would not have taken care of his present problem. He was hungry. Our Lord was at a tree that was advertising that it had what would take care of His hunger.
C. Character of Christ as seen in His disappointment
Mark 11:13
“And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.”
The word “haply” does not mean happily. It means to draw a conclusion. Here was a perfectly healthy looking as a true fruit tree with its leaves. This means when a fig tree has leaves on it which shelters the ripe fruit from direct sunlight, there must be fruit.
Hence lays a great and mighty lesson. There is just one class of people in the entire world to which our Risen Lord is looking for fruit and that is saved people. He does not expect lost people to produce fruit. The one who cursed this fig tree gave these words in John 15:5 “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.”
How fruitless the professing church is today. It is both collectively and individually. After all, the church is made up of individuals as a collective body. We have appearance without substance. We look fruitful. Yet we have no substance. We see opinions without faith. We have regrets but not repentance. We have made resolutions but it produces no action. We pray to faithful yet we do not work to do so. This has lead to many people make reformation but no regeneration. These words that I have just given ought to smith our hearts with a great impact as we reflect upon this miracle.
II. THE COMPELLING OF CHRIST
One of the peculiarities of this tree is that the fruit comes before the leaves. No other fruit tree that I know does this. Apple, pear, or peach trees have their leaves come on first and then you see the flower and then the fruit thereon.
This tree was sick or it would have had fruit. If our church does not produce fruit, then it is sick. What a burden that should lay on our hearts!
When you review Christ’s mission statement in Luke 19:10 which says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” This should strike home in that it should be ours. Why do I say this? The answer is found in John 17:18. (“As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.”) When you couple these verses together, it will be considered to be ours too.
There are those who would deny this accusation and application. They try to say ‘We are fruitful’. This can be seen in the conversations of many pastors among themselves. It is found in the ABC’s conversations they have. What am I speaking?
Attendance
Buildings
Cash
I have witnessed this over and over again, time after time. When this becomes the focus of a ministry either consciously or subconsciously, you can usually know that there is a sick tree there also.
III. THE CURSE OF CHRIST
Vs. 19
“And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.”
Let me start this section by saying this. When we hear the word ”curse”, we think of calling someone something a bunch of four letters words. Knowing the character, conduct and conversations of Christ, this would never and I repeat emphatically, never occurred with our Saviour.
Look how fast the hand of judgment fell open. It happened immediately or as our text tells us “presently”.
Our Saviour issued warnings to the seven churches of Asia Minor in the Book of Revelation. We will only look at one of these warnings. Revelation 2:5
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
Here is some sad statistics from the Barna Research Group in regards to church attendance. 40% of American adults attend church in a typical weekend. (2000) From the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, church attendance was on a roller coaster ride. In 1986, 42% of adults attended a church service during a typical week in January. Attendance rose steadily, reaching a peak of 49% in 1991, before beginning a very slow but steady descent back to 40% in January 2000.
Think on this while we ponder those statistics. Think how few try to win folks to Christ. Is it any wonder that the church over all is sick! Little wonder that there are many churches are closing their doors. We are only one generation from extinction. All this occurring when the world is on fire.
The tree was anemic. It lacks fruit life. The soil may be poor or the tree may have been exposed to winds that were down conducive to fruit bearing. An unregenerated church membership can never produce newborn souls. This was one of the reasons that God leads Jonathan Edwards preach his famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of God”. It is a scientific fact and truth that only life can produce life. When a church is exposed to every wind of doctrine, then the ground becomes too poor to produce fruit. It may be the wind of worldliness and criticism that comes and the fruit bearing becomes negligible.
IV. THE CONSEQUENCE FROM CHRIST
Mark 11:21
“And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.”
Here the tree stood to behold by the countless folks who passed by. Here is the part of the lessons that we can from this miracle. Even though that was tragic, it is more tragic that there are countless churches all over the world that is closed. Even worse, there are church who look fruitful but when Christ inspects the fruit, it is not fruitful.
We need to fertilize the soil with the Word of God, watered with the tears of prayers. We must watch for those destructive winds of false doctrines. Many times our churches are like the Laodicean church when our Lord said it was wretched, miserable, blind, poor and naked and don’t even realize it.
Conclusion: One of the types that this fig tree represents is that the fig tree is Israel. John 1:11 tells us “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Then He turned His attention to the Gentiles. He wants them to be fruitful.
May we learn our lessons well as we ponder the lessons that can be seen in this miracle! May we return to our Lord’s missions statement and make it our own!
