PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 11:12-19
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (Mark 11:17)
The cursing of the fig tree makes more sense as a parable.
Just before this Jesus arrives in Jerusalem with waving palm branches (fig tree in leaf).
Just after this Jesus comes to the temple, “a den of robbers” (no good fruit).
Now compare this story to Hosea 9, where Israel is judged as a fruitless fig tree.
Israel began as a fruitful vine or fig tree in the wilderness:
“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.” (Hosea 9:10)
But then they sink deep into corruption (Hosea 9:9), and stop producing good fruit.
They are “blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit.” (Hosea 9:16)
For Jesus, the temple is a fig tree in leaf, but without good fruit.
God’s house was meant to be soul food in the wilderness for the hungry nations.
Instead of giving life, they were robbing life – as Jesus was soon to experience.
“Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house.” (Hosea 9:15)
Are we as Jesus followers (God’s house) feeding hungry souls, or are we barren of grace?
PRAYER
Lord, waving leaves for you is not enough, you want good fruit. May those who meet me today ‘taste and see that you are good’.
“The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.” They had the wrong kind of fear. They felt threatened by Jesus – that he would upset their cozy status. Yet some did fear him the right way and seek him out and later turned to the Jesus way. Is Jesus a threat? Even to some He may be – especially when followers of Jesus are militant and judgmental. Is that the ‘fear’ we want to create for Jesus? I think not. How can we help people find that Jesus is a friend – and even more so – the saviour. O Lord help me be a good representative of you Lord Jesus!
We all need to bear good fruit. Our words and deeds need to be one, showing the love of Christ in our lives. As the fig tree is to produce fruit so are His people to bear good fruit. Our focus must be on what the Lord God has done for us and we need to live with the attitude of gratitude and not focus on my selfish desires. It has to be all for Jesus.
The fruit of the Spirit’s not a *banana.
The fruit of the Spirit’s not a banana.
If you want to be a banana you might as well hear it: You can’t be a fruit of the Spirit
Cause the Spirit is Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control