THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 11:12-14
“Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.” (Mark 11:13)
Jesus’ action seems harsh, since “it was not the season for figs.” (v.14)
Apparently fig trees in Israel do produce fruit out of their normal season.
A fig tree in leaf, even out of season, was promising.
Until you got up close, until you looked within its branches.
Was Jesus just ‘hangry’, or was more going on in this incident.
In context, Jesus was welcomed by the crowds to Jerusalem but angered by the temple-keepers.
In other words, appearances are deceiving; Jerusalem is not a home-coming for the messiah.
They’ve got the foliage but not the fruit; the love of God and people are not on their branches.
What Jesus does here makes more sense as a parable, an object lesson.
Similar parables are found in Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 24, Luke 13:6-9, John 15:1-8.
The repeated message is that God is very frustrated and angry when we do not show love.
When we are full of pride, greed, lust, selfishness, cruelty, hate, impatience, deception.
Our present life is our opportunity to choose what fruit we will grow.
And the day is coming when Jesus will say ‘enough, you’ve made your decision, be fruitless!’
That day is coming… but now is the day for repentance, to choose good fruit.
When Jesus sees me from a distance, He may see leaves…
But what will He see if He looks into my life, my branches, my heart?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, my life is meant to be FILLED with kindness, compassion, generosity, etc. May this be my passion, may this be my addiction, may this be what I aim for more than anything else!
Sorry for the absence. No internet and after today – I will be in Nicaragua with CFGB and no internet for two weeks. I’ll be back.
Observations/Application
Fruit and hunger.
And the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . .
And these were lacking. Christ Jesus was hungry for them from His people. He did not find these from His temple worshippers. That too was a barren place.
A fig tree was food for the people. Nourishment. Evidence of growth. Purposeful. Doing what a fig tree was supposed to be doing. Growing figs.
And I?
What is my fruit? Am I too barren? Am I producing what Christ made me for – His fruit?
Help me each day Lord to be the person I need to be – the person of Jesus – a Christ follower bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit of the spirit is not a coconut
The fruit of the spirit is not a coconut
If you want to be a coconut, you might as well hear it; you can’t be a fruit of the spirit.
‘Cause the fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.