PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 21:18-22
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“May you never bear fruit again!” (Matthew 21:19)
There are two connected yet unrelated lessons in this reading.
Jesus is teaching His disciples about God’s judgment against fruitless Israel.
Having turned tables in the temple, the fig tree is an object lesson (Jeremiah 8:13)
But the disciples don’t ask about this lesson, they ask about how Jesus did it.
Which leads to the second lesson: with faith, you can do amazing things for God!
We can bear much fruit (good deeds) for God if we trust in Him for His help.
It is as we invest ourselves in God’s kingdom agenda that we can find God’s support.
We must focus on God’s kingdom purpose, trusting God to provide all we need to succeed.
We can’t curse fig trees or move mountains because it suits us or is what we want.
Jesus’s mission is to seek and save the lost, and is prepared to die for that cause.
We have this same mission, to bring God’s love, joy and peace to a desperate world.
God – not faith or prayer – is the authority and power that stands behind us.
God wants kingdom fruit (results) from us, and He will back us to make it happen.
The fig tree reminds us what happens if we don’t produce kingdom fruit (John 15:1-8).
PRAYER
Lord, if I am not producing kingdom fruit, it is not because Your power is lacking. Remind me of my God-potential for good in this world, and help me translate my faith into action!
I’m not here for show – God has placed me here for a purpose – His purposes. Therefore, I need to bear fruit whether it’s in season or out of season. I am useless for the Kingdom if I’m just nice and healthy looking on the outside but not bearing purpose. Jesus was disappointed and cursed the tree because it was not able to provide fruit when He had need. He was going to the temple – a place where people could meet God and lay out their needs before God and expect His provision – but it also became an empty show with all kinds of business activity – but how much of it’s real intended purpose was really going on there – that is what made Jesus so angry. The disciples could come back the next day an see the dead tree and learn that without Jesus’ purpose – what are we good for? Do I disappoint Jesus by not caring and responding to the needs that I am presented?
Good fruit.
That is what the Lord expects of me. To produce good fruit. And that means I am alive in Him.
Those who do not produce good fruit are dead or unresponsive or unfaithful to His Word.
I need to be nourished each day anew by His Word and rooted in the love of Christ. I am His and He is mine and His banner over me is love – the love I must share in word and deed.
For the fruit of all creation,
thanks be to God;
for the gifts of every nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.