1stBBC
The fig tree
Mar 11:11-14 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. 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 fig tree and how Jesus moved against it, teaches us that:
1. leaves alone are not enough
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Mat 21:19 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.
Leaves with no fruits simply mean … lies
Loud, visible, active … people are showing leaves …. but what identify a tree is its fruits only.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
He is hungry … hungry for souls … for fruits … for repentance
Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 92:12-14 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
The bad things about the leaves too is that sometimes you can hide behind them.
Going to the temple and hide ….
Jer 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
Jer 7:9-11 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
A den is a place where robbers hide … they hide under the leaves.
Although it was not the season v.13 “for the time of figs was not yet” but still He required fruit … no specific season for spiritual fruits … expected throughout the whole year.
2. the problem is in the roots
Joh 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 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 can this happen?
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
At least to start with, you should be born again.
How does this happen?
1Pe 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word
Many mistaken a true conversion made by the word of God under the Holy spirit conviction with an emotional break down or an extreme excitement.
3. true fruits is what we are given to do
Not what we like or enjoy, but what he assigned to do.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Later when Peter reminded Jesus of what happened to that fig tree, He brought the subject of praying in faith!!
Mar 11:22-23 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
If you find no fruits, it is because you never asked for it in faith.
This is never a blank check as some may like to assume when they use it outside its context, but an explanation of the reason why fruits are not produced.
Those things that shall come to pass are only those ordained by Him. However, many times we ask out of the wrong motives but thank Him again for not answering that.
Pastor Tony Skaff
2006
