Introduction:
*How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years.
*Which country manufactures Panama hats? Equador.
*From what animal do we get cat gut? From sheep/horses.
*In which month do Russians celebrate the October
Revolution. November!
Transition:
Have you ever notice that some things are not what they may appear to be?
Mark 11:7-11 "And they brought the colt to Jesus, and
cast their garments on him; and He
sat upon him. And many spread their
garments in the way: and others cut
down branches off the trees, and
strawed them in the way. And they that
went before and they that followed,
cried, saying Hosanna; Blessed is He
that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Blessed be the kingdom of our father
David,that cometh in the name of the
Lord: Hosanna in the highest. And
Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into
the temple: and when he had looked
around about upon all things, and now
the eventide was come, he went out unto
Bethany with the twelve."
Sermon:
*The temple is the very center of Jewish national and
religious life.
*The temple is the logical place for Messiah-King to
be crowned.
*The temple is the place where Jesus’ authority should
first be recognized.
*The temple is the place from which the official call
should go out to men to accept His sovereignty.
*The temple is the place where there should be
fruitfulness. Is everyone with me so far?
John Mark suggests something that will haunt the Jewish nation for years to come. But, not just them alone! There is a message found between the lines of this passage that reaches down throughout the ages, down to our time. Listen closely brothers and sisters.
*After Jesus’ marvelous triumphant entry through the
gates of Jerusalem, there was silence in the temple!
*After the cries of "hosanna in the highest" that rang
loudly from cobblestone streets, there was silence in
the temple.
*After the sounds of music and the casting of shadows
of the dancng against the city walls, there was
silence in the temple.
The temple, the church is the very place where Christ as the Son of God should be recognized. But, on that day; I will tell you there were no welcoming party in the temple.
*There were no banners stretched out against those
white marble walls declaring "Welcome Our Lord, and
Our King!"
*There were no bands playing "Joy To the World, the
King has come."
*There were no balloons, or cake.
*Where Fruitfulness should have be seen, there was
only silence in the temple.
Scripture tells us that after that glorious parade of affirmation, Jesus went into the temple and look all about. One must wonder where were the Scribes? Where were the teachers of the law? Where were the Jewish leaders?
I suspect they were arguing over the finer points of the law. I hath to ask, are you real in your spiritual walk, or are you a phoney? Do you walk the talk?
In other words...
*Do you sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer", but remain
content with 5 minutes prayers.
*Do you sing "Onward Christian Soldiers", but wait to
be drafted into His service.
*Do you sing "I love to tell the story", and never
mention it at all.
*Do you sing "We’re Marching to Zion", but gripe about
going to prayer meeting.
*Do you sing "The Whole Wide World for Jesus", and
never invite our neighbor.
*Do you sing "Amazing Grace", but have doubts about
salvation.
O friends, if you are a living, walking, talking Christian who lives life as a sham, then Jesus has a solemn message for you today. John Mark writes his gospel in chronological order. So, Mark tells us that after Jesus’ visit to the temple, He goes back to Bethany. I want you to notice what happens next.
Mark 11:12-14 "And on the morrow, when they were
come from Bethany, he was hungry:
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. And Jesus
answered and said unto it, No man
eat fruit of thee hereafter for
ever. And his disciples heard it."
The journey by foot from Bethany to Jerusalem took about 55 minutes. The gospel of Mark tells us that on this journey Jesus saw a fig tree standing upon a hill a far off. A tree with it’s branches and broad green leaves calling out to weary hungry travelers of it’s ludicrous fruit. Jesus approaches that desirable tree, but examining it’s branches, found it to be fruitless. But, the gospel writer was quick to point out that "the time of figs was not yet."
That is so unlike the character of Jesus, to curse a seemly innocent tree!
*Luke 9:56 Jesus’ work is not to destroy, but to save.
*Micah 7:18 God delighteth in mercy.
*Ezekiel 33:11 God says, "I have no peasure in death"
*Isaiah 28:21 Destruction and denunciation of
judgment is a strange work to God.
So why would He curse a seemly innocent tree? What point was Jesus trying to make with His disciples at the expense of a fruitless tree? Is there a message found within these Holy pages that speaks to us today? What lesson must be learned?
Unfortunately, the King James Version doesn’t capture the full meaning found within this passage. Rich nuances and shades of meaning of the original language of Greek is sometimes lost in the translation. May I read that same passage using another translation: The Amplified Bible?
Mark 11:13 "And seeing in the distance a fig tree
[covered] with leaves, He went to see if
He could find any [fruit] on [for in the
Fig tree the fruit appears at the same
time as the leaves]. But when He came up
to it, He found nothing but leaves, for
the fig season had not yet come."
You see brothers & sisters, it is the nature of the fig tree that before the leaves open, the growing fruit appears. This fig tree the very one that sat on a hill flaunting it’s pretentious green leaves in the very face of Christ was deceptive.
Just as deceptive as those religous leaders standing in the temple teaching the laws of Moses, but not knowing the Law Giver Himself. They were corrupted by the love of the world and the greed of money. They boasted of their knowledge, but they were ignorant of the love of God and they were full of hypocrisy. Like the fig tree they spread their pretentious branches aloft, luxuriant in appearance, and beautiful to the eye, but they yielded "nothing but leaves."
Oh, what a magnificent temple, it’s sacred altars, its mitered priests, and impressive ceremonies. But in humility, in love, they were lacking. They were fruitless. Oh, these Israelites, these Jews were the apple of God’s eye. They were the sons and daughters of Abraham, they were God’s chosen people.
That day when Jesus look around the temple. He knew their hearts were barren, and fruitless. He knew that they had turned their backs to the truths presented to them by John the Baptist and all the former prophets of old. He knew that the Jewish nation had sealed it’s fate. So by cursing the fig tree Jesus presented to us a living parable.
But, what about today? Is it possible that we too with our impressive churches with their stained class windows, with their choirs, impressive ceremonies, boasting that they are the remnant, boasting that they are commandment keeping, yet upon inspection, they are pretentious no dfferent than a leafy fig tree that is barren. Jesus wants us to know there is no place for such a church in His Kingdom.
God Fordid, that there should be a church who places itself upon a hill waving it’s green leaves to travelers with promises of salvation. With promises of offering the bread of life to those who are hungry. Beckoning for people to come and drink from the fountain of life.
*But, instead found within it’s doors are people who
are critical.
*Found within it’s doors are people who are quick to
judge.
*Found within it’s doors are people who are
indifferent.
*Found within it’s doors are power struggles, and
people who have become self-righteous.
Jesus wants us to know there is no place for such a church in His kingdom. Scripture is clear my friends, that if you truly love the Lord, then it will be demonstrated in your life by fruits of forgiveness, by fruits of love. There will be a change in your behavior, there will be a change in your attitude, there will be a change in your heart to do good things. Oh, I know that we are not saved by our works, but our works are an evidence that we are saved. Are you listening?
When you come to know Jesus, when you see Him on the cross, and realize the cost, something happens inside. You begin to change your old ways. You become connected to the root of Jesus, you feed on His word, you drink from His fountain. The end result, you bear good fruit.
Some may say wait a minute pastor, that’s Old Testament stuff. That’s before the cross. We are New Testament people! We stand in the blood of Jesus.
2 Peter 2:20-21 "If after they have escaped the
pollution of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome,
the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning. For it had
been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness,
than after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them."
Matthew 24:13 "But, he that shall endure unto
the end, the same shall be saved."
Brothers & sisters this is not pastor DeWild speaking this is what the Bible teaches!
*You may be an ambassador to France, you may be a
heavyweight champion of the world, You might be a
socialite with a long string of pearls. But, if you
don’t bear fruit in your life, then you are a
phoney. You’re fruitless.
*You may be a state trooper, you might be a young
Turk. You may be the head of some TV network. But,
if you don’t bear fruit in your life, then you’re a
phoney. You’re fruitless.
*You may live in a mansion, or you might live in a
tent. You may own guns, and tanks, you might even
own a few banks, but if you don’t bear fruit in your
life, then you’re a phoney. You’re fruitless.
*You might like to wear cotton, you might like to wear
silk, you might like to eag vega, or drink soy milk.
But, if you don’t bear fruit in your life, then you
are a phoney.
*You might sleep on a floor, or in a King-size bed,
you might even be somebody’s landlord. But, if you
don’t bear fruit in your life, then you are a phoney.
You see when God plants and nourishes, He expects fruits. In other words, when you become a Christian, it should be demonstrated in your lives. Being fruitful means...
*You do all the good you can.
*By all the means you can.
*In all the ways you can.
*In all the places you can.
*At all the times you can.
*To all the people you can.
*For as long and ever as you can!
You see friends, the saints can not remain stasis quo. There must be character development in the community of saints. We are not preparing for death, we are preparing for translation. In other words,
as you allow Jesus to work in your life, something happens. The old self begin to fall away.
Beloved, the good news is that Jesus wants you to be...
*Genuine, not a counterfeit.
*He wants you to be real, not a phoney.
*He wants you to be authentic, not questionable.
*He wants you to be true, not false.
*He wants you to be fruitful, not fruitless.
Friends, God doesn’t need any phonies in the church. He doesn’t need any fake Christians. Time is much to short to play church. It’s time to get real for JESUS! And, we can begin with getting to know Jesus. I challenge you to spend time each day with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Allow Him to water you, feed you, anoint you, each day, that your life will not be pretentious, but a life abundant in fruit bearing.
