Title: Fig Tree Bronze
Contents
Title: Fig Tree Bronze
Bible: Mark 11:12-14, 20-25
2006.12.10.Afternoon
Cursed Fig Tree
Today's message is what happened during the last week before Jesus was crucified. It is exactly Monday morning, April 3, 30 AD.
1. The fig is a symbol.
1) He was referring to the Jews.
(Matthew 23:23) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay a tithe of mint, anise, and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law, righteousness, mercy, and spirit. You did.
2) The same is true for both the priests and the scribes, the Pharisees and the lawyers. Elders without deeds
3) Jesus' disciples who did not follow Jesus properly are like a fig tree without fruit.
2. Fig verse 13
Verse 13 says, “And he saw a fig tree with leaves from afar…” This fig tree is 1) a tree that has sufficient conditions to bear fruit.
(1 Peter 3:3-4) "Do not adorn your hair, wear gold, or wear beautiful clothes, not with outward appearances, but let the hidden ones be incorruptible of a meek and stable spirit, which is valuable in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:3-4) The apostle Peter taught the saints.
2) Saints without works In verse 13, it says, “When he went and looked, he found nothing but a leaf.” These words are a warning that shows the judgment on the conduct and life of our saints today. A fig tree without fruit is like a believer without works.
A leaf meets all the external conditions. Hypocrisy can deceive oneself or others, but cannot deceive the Lord. This saying "there was nothing but leaves" means that it looked nice from a distance, but when you got closer, it was not substantial and poor.
3. No time for figs-13
1) It is not a fruit that is produced according to the season, but a fruit that can be given when the Lord requires it.
Verse 13 says, “This is not the time for figs.” Then, did Jesus ask for the fruit when it was not yet? It cannot be a big question. The fig tree can proudly say, “It is out of time, and there is no fruit.” However, the fruit that our Lord requires is not the kind of fruit that naturally grows in season, but it requires the prepared fruit that the Lord can give whenever He seeks it.
2) In modern times, there are no fruits and only leaves are abundant.
The era we live in is called the last days. These last days are not the time of figs, but the time of leaves. As the leaves grow, the church and society outwardly grew prosperous with all kinds of injustice, sin, vanity, and honor, but in reality, there is no fruit that God is looking for. The Lord does not ask for the leaves, but for the fruit.
If we today follow the Lord's will and strive to bear the fruits we want to give to the Lord, God will give us abundant grace. However, they have no desire to bear fruit, and they covet only the ministry of the church, just as the disciples of Jesus greedy for each other's high positions.
3) The Lord never asked for fruit again
But in verse 14, it is written, “No man shall eat fruit from you from now on forever.” After this, Jesus is saying that he will not ask for fruit.
The time when God the Creator asks for anything from human beings is the happiest, highest glory, and greatest gift for humans. Do not miss this time, do not lose this opportunity, prepare in advance and wait and give when the Lord requires it, then that person's faith is eternal success and victory.
It's useless over time. In the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25, the five virgins went to buy oil after the bridegroom came, but could not participate in the feast. Opportunities and time given are so precious. What you can do in an hour now, you may not be able to do in 10 hours or a lifetime later.
Then, I hope that we will receive grace together while thinking about what kind of fruit the Lord requires.
1. The Fruit of Faith
Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him..."
Faith is the basis for our life of faith. It is like capital compared to a person doing business. The capital of faith must be sufficient.
Hebrews 11 records many people who lived by faith. Faith is the key to life and the key to blessing. Faith gives you power and works miracles.
2. Jesus demands the fruit of works.
(James 2:14-17) "My brethren, what profit is it if a person says he has faith and has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and has no daily bread, among you If anyone said to him, "Go in peace, keep warm, and fill yourself up, and do not give the body anything necessary for it, what profit does it have? Thus faith without works is dead in itself."
3. Jesus demands the fruit of love.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) “Love is patient, love is gentle, does not envy, love does not boast, is not arrogant, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices in iniquity therefore rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
4. Jesus demands the fruit of the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Conclusion: This is today's closing message.
Dear saints,
As I said at the outset, this era is an era when only leaves are luxuriant. In this age, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will become a saint who can respond to the Lord's demands by bearing a lot of good fruit that our Lord requires.
<Amen>