Presentation 36
Presentation 36
Introduction
A TV report introduced families who had purchased
holiday apartments in Spain! Responding to a hard sell,
they had cashed in their insurance policies, emptied their
bank accounts and made their purchase. But when they
went to visit their new home they discovered not only had
the building contractor not started building but he
retained their cash and the courts would do nothing to
help. They had become victims of 'Promise without
Performance.’ There is nothing more disillusioning but
this is common in every area of life. Our level of
investment is often proportionate to level of heartache
produced. However, the most dangerous scam we can fall
victim too is not one that affects our enjoyment of this life
but of life to come.
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False Claims
With this in mind we approach incident with the fig tree.
This incident has puzzled many people. It appears to be a
callous, spiteful, malicious action on the part of Jesus
towards a tree. Jesus did nothing without a reason and so
what caused him to act as he did towards the tree?
The story of the fig tree is interleaved with the narrative of
the temple cleansing. Both incidents are closely related. In
both cases, Jesus is clarifying his attitude towards a false
profession – it angers him. Why get so upset with this
tree? Unlike the majority of trees, the fig tree produces
leaves at the same time as it produces fruit. And the
presence of green foliage, which could be seen from a
distance became a signal, a promise, to those who ate its
fruit that the fruit was now ready.
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False Claims
The leaves were, if you like, the tree’s public
profession that it bore fruit for eating. The fig
tree in question professed what was clearly not
true. There were leaves but no fruit. Jesus'
reaction to this false claim was to speak a word
of judgement to the tree cf. v14.. It was
blighted not because of its unpleasant shape
but because of its fruitlessness.
The next day as the disciples passed by the
cursed fig tree. They found it withered from the
roots. Its false claims had been judged and the
words of judgement spoken by Jesus had been
fulfilled.
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Application Then And Now
Jesus engages in a prophetic parable. In the O.T. the fig
tree was a symbol of Israel. The nation had shown all the
outward signs of bearing fruit and was given every
incentive for doing so. She possessed God's covenants.
She had been entrusted with God's Word, including
God's moral law. She had been given a sacrificial system,
which pointed forward to a coming Saviour. There was a
great abundance of green leaves sprouting from Israel's
religious life. But those who approached her in their
spiritual hunger found no spiritual reality. She was guilty
of deception and therefore subject to judgement. The
withering judgement of God took place in 70 A.D. when
both the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed by the
Romans and the people were dispossessed.
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Application Then And Now
This application of this passage is illustrated in John
Bunyan's ‘Pilgrim's Progress’. Pilgrim's wife,
Christina, and her children are shown a strange tree
at Interpreter's house. Inside its trunk, the tree was
rotten to the core and yet leaves grew on its
branches. They want to learn its meaning and are
told, "the tree is like many which grow in the
garden of God, who with their mouth speak high of
God but in deed will do nothing for him." People
often say in defence of their behaviour, 'I haven't
done anyone any harm'. But a person doesn't need
to be openly wicked to fall under God's
condemnation. You simply have to do nothing, in
order to be barren, fruitless!
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Application Then And Now
We mustn't confuse 'doing' with church activism.
Our Christian profession and service can be a mere
external thing. We can bear the leaves of Church
membership, church attendance, of taking the
sacraments, we can even serve the church in some
capacity, sit on her committees, and be involved in
her government.
When God examines our lives his principal concern
is not with the leaves. He looks for fruit. He wants
evidence of the inward reality of our outward
profession. Jesus told his disciples that they would
be known by their fruit not by the outward leaves of
their profession and service.
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Application Then And Now
Do people see the fruit of God's Spirit in our lives? Do they find, ‘love joy and
peace, patience, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol’? This fruit can only be produced by God's indwelling Spirit. Are we all
leaves? Is there a spiritual dichotomy in our lives? Do we swear allegiance to one
set of principles and live by another? Do we extol self-control and practice selfindulgence. Do we proclaim brotherhood and harbour animosity and prejudice
towards our fellows? Do we attend worship services,
while reserving our true worship for the shrine of our
work, our hobbies, our pastimes? Have we made a
distressing gulf between the truths we say we hold
dear and the values we daily live by?
If you were arrested for being a Christian would
there be enough evidence to convict you?
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Application Then And Now
A fruitless person is not a failed Christian but a false one in other words, not a Christian at all! There is purpose in
the calling of God, 'I have chosen you that you might
bear fruit’, Jn. 15v16.
Jesus' treatment of the fig tree teaches us both how
seriously he views hypocrisy in the lives of those who
profess to belong to him, and also how much store he
places upon fruitfulness in the lives of his people.
This twofold subject hypocrisy and fruitfulness occupied
much of his teaching in his last week of ministry. This is
seen, not only in the parables he taught over this period,
but also in the instruction given privately to his disciples. cf
Jn. 15v1-8
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Application Then And Now
“The Christian should resemble a fruit
tree not a Christmas tree. For the gaudy
decorations of a Christmas tree are tied
on, whereas fruit grows on a fruit tree.
In other words Christian holiness is not
an artificial human accretion, but a
natural process of fruit bearing by the
power of the Holy Spirit.”
John Stott
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Application Then And Now
Why did Jesus give so much prominence to this
matter of fruitfulness during the last week of his
life? Let me suggest three reasons.
First, is his loving concern to awaken the hypocrite
to the seriousness of his condition. The hypocrite is
invariably a self-deluded person. They see no
danger in their position. They are comfortable with
their external religion and with its’ associated
respectability. The punishment of the fig tree,
which failed to bear fruit was a permanent
reminder of this dangerous position.
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Application Then And Now
When we choose fruitlessness, while shunning the probing, questioning work of
God's Spirit who points out, 'you are all leaves', then there will come a day when
we will be confirmed in our choice to remain fruitless.
It is an awful prospect. It is a state of permanence,
which will not and which cannot be changed.
Our repeated actions in response to Christ
and his Word will settle our destiny
cf Rev. 22v11...
People will become permanently what they
have chosen to be. It is sheer folly to cling
to the hope which says, ‘I'll get around to
changing one day!’ Jesus longs to find fruit
in our lives now before it is too late!
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Application Then And Now
A second reason for majoring on hypocrisy and
fruitlessness is the great damage which it can do to the
cause of evangelism and to the witness of the church. The
biggest obstacle to the advance of the church is not to be
found in the lack of profession of belief in the hearts of
men and women on the outside but the false profession
of men and women inside it.
Do people approach us in the hope of finding some
spiritual refreshment but depart disappointed and
disillusioned? Do they come hungering after spiritual
reality and find only leaves? Nothing discourages a serious
enquirer after God as much as fruitlessness.
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Right Requests
The severity of Jesus’ judgement upon fruitlessness
had a shattering effect upon his disciples. They began
to panic and thought themselves incapable of living
fruitful lives. However, with remarkable pastoral
sensitivity Jesus dealt with their fear. cf. v22 'have faith
in God'. We are unable to produce the fruit that Jesus
is looking for. It is only through faith in Jesus that we
can become fruitful. This point Jesus would explain in
detail in Jn. 15v1-17. Here he reminds the disciples that
they are branches and he is the vine supplying all of
the fruit-producing nutrients they need. Their faith
union with him is of such great importance that he
says, 'without me you can do nothing'.
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Right Requests
Clearly, we can do a great deal without Jesus, but
whatever else we may do could not be described
as producing spiritual fruit. Without him we are
incapable of manufacturing christlikeness of
character.
It is worth noting that the N.T. makes it clear that
the gifts of the Spirit can be counterfeited but the
fruit of the Spirit is do distinctive, so bound up
with the believer’s union with Christ that it is the
one thing that can't be counterfeited. It can only
be produced in one way, as we abide or remain in
Christ and he abides and remains in us.[ Jn. 15v5]
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Right Requests
But what does it mean to ‘abide’ in Christ? There are
two Greek words that are used to describe staying
somewhere. One describes where you might stay
when you are on holiday. It is a temporary abode.
This word is used to describe a visit for a few days
made by your mother-in-law!
The second word describes a permanent residence.
Now if a furniture van stop outside of your door and
are greeted by the smiling face of your mother-inlaw you know that this time she has come to stay!
Hers is no fleeting visit. It bears all the hallmarks of
permanence!
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Right Requests
Now it is this second word that is used of our abiding
in Jesus and his abiding in us. We make him our
‘permanent residence’. We are to invite him to make
his permanent residence in our hearts. Then, and
only then, can fruit be produced. Oh it will appear to
be a costly process as he strips away the dead wood
in our lives and prunes back other parts. But all this
has a purpose in view. Fruit is produced,
christlikeness of character is formed.
This points to a third reason for Jesus teaching on this
subject at such great length - the Father is glorified.
When the family likeness begins to take shape in the
lives of believers, God is glorified. Jn.15v8
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Right Requests
Jesus is not changing the subject when he talks here in
Mark 11v23ff about a faith that removes mountains!
Jesus is still thinking of fruitfulness and of the obstacles
to fruitfulness which so often appear to us as
mountains in our lives. 'Ah', we say, ‘How can we make
any progress in Christian fruitfulness with these great
obstacles before me?' No matter how mountainous the
obstacle, God can remove it.
You say, 'I am addicted to drugs, to alcohol, to
pornographic literature, to gossip...’ Ask believingly!
Believe that God is more committed to producing
fruitfulness in your life than you will ever be. The
mountain will be removed.
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Right Requests
There is however, a conditional element
associated to our prayers and this is expressed in
v25... cf also Matt.6v14. Jesus is not saying that
we earn answers to prayer by forgiving others or
that we can earn forgiveness by forgiving others.
God's forgiveness and mercy are freely
bestowed.
However, if we are unwilling to demonstrate
love, mercy and forgiveness in our dealing with
others we have no right to assume that God will
be gracious to us when we ask for his help, mercy
and forgiveness.
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Conclusion
There is no prayer request that delights the heart of God
more than the one that asks to be made more like Jesus.
Some of our petitions may cause us to ask, ‘Is this really
in line with God’s will?’ But we need not have such
misgivings, when we ask for christlikeness of character.
We can be absolutely sure that God will grant such a
request for our faith is resting on the published will of
God that we bear fruit and become like his Son.
What verdict will we hear when we stand before Jesus’
court? Will he say, 'I have searched in vain and found
nothing but leaves?' Or, will he find fruit that brings
enrichment to your lives, blessing to others and great
glory to God?
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