push buttons or turn keys. And presently the fig tree withered away. And Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. Jesus and the Withered Fig Tree (Part 1): Introducing Markan Sandwiches November 15, 2020 No Comments. Lastly, when you have made this confession, and the good Lord has heard you, there is one emblem in Scripture I should like you to copy. I fear He’ll find a Church that sees no cross to carry and no flesh to We ask and we believe. THIS is a miracle and a parable. Nothing but leaves means nothing but lies. God. Jesus always goes to the heart because I can pray this way and believe Jesus sees a “fig tree afar off”. city is teeming with people. life. The fig tree that You cursed has withered.’ Let’s remember the context in which these events occurred. Being reminded, Peter said to him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which you cursed has withered.” And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:20–22) Look again at the last four words in that passage. He saw a fig tree in the … more, more of what I want.” Those by Martin G. Collins Forerunner, "Bible Study," November-December 2015. The first Adam came to the fig tree for leaves, but the Second Adam looks for figs. Betty’s one of the faculty that would strand us on the side of the road. Then there came a change over the tree. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have figs! missed. No axe was lifted; no fire was kindled; a word did it, and the tree withered from the root. What if we should turn out to be contending for a faith in which we have no share? We believe that the Holy Spirit is greater than man’s spirit, and that our Lord and Master was a better judge of what is right and good than any of us can be. Again, the judgments of God were at the gates of the guilty city. How deep he is in theological speculation! The Withered Fig Tree. According to Mark, our Lord saw this tree “afar off.” The other trees were not in leaf, and consequently, when he began to go up the hill toward Jerusalem, he saw this one tree quite a long way before he reached it. Better that the axe clear away every vestige of the tree than that it stand out against the sky an open lie, a mockery, a delusion. tasty figs there, the little bitty figs that I can munch on the way” and He As I have told you, the rule is, first the fig, and afterwards the fig leaves; but we have seen persons who make a profession before they have produced the slightest fruit to justify it. Let’s not miss. This tree has borne no fruit, it shall never bear fruit. fig tree that’s not producing figs in season? It brings words of life, it brings words of examination, a call of What does He say to Peter when Peter is marveling at the fig tree? childlike. He likely spends the night at the home of his friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. That praise is Certain men and women seem far in advance of those round about them, and astonish us by their special virtues. Yes, but it was a freak of nature, and not a healthy result of true growth. In preparing the sermon, I have had great searchings of heart, and I pray that the hearing of it may produce the same results. They far excel their fellow-men. Jesus Curses a Fig Tree (Matthew 21:18-22) 18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. season for figs. Whatever terrible aspect this parable-miracle may have, it bears upon many of us. It is an awful fate. our denomination, in our money. This is the evil of the whole matter; for it makes their spiritual failure to be known by so many, and their sin brings all the greater dishonour upon the name of the Lord, whom they profess to serve. When he speaks or acts, we are like Moses at the bush, and feel that we stand on holy ground. hungry. He will not quite them. This miracle, which can also be classified as a parable, is recorded in more detail in Mark than in Matthew. This is the moment for a people to own their Messiah. And seeing in the Jesus’ miracle involving the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-24) is the only one in which He brings judgment by a miracle.All the other miracles are acts of goodness and mercy. What did he give himself for but that he might sanctify unto himself a people zealous for good works? He is. See these green fruits, which look like peaches. I would lay great stress upon the remark that this is a parable; for, if you do not look upon it in that light, you may misunderstand it. says will come to pass, it will be done for him. are working with him and working with him and working with him and they can find that simple. Should it not affect full many of you in the same manner? All the verdure of green leaf to him without fruit is but so much deceit. If we remain unconverted, of what use can it be to have our name written among the godly? crucify. Religion without holiness is the light which comes from rotten wood— the phosphorescence of decay: I speak dread words, but how can I speak less dreadfully than I do? The reception given him in Jerusalem was full of promise, but it would come to nothing. We ask and expect and begin to go. Nations may be adorned with all the leafage of civilization, and art, and progress, and religion; but if there be no inner life of godliness, and no fruit unto righteousness, they will stand for a while, and then wither away. Don't let your faith dry up; let your faith move moutains. If I profess to defend the doctrines of grace, and yet am not assured of the truth of them, is not that a lie? So, when the ungodly man, who has exhibited a flourishing profession, is allowed to fade away in his ways, some moral effect is produced upon others: they are compelled to see the peril of an unsound profession; and if they are wise, they will no longer be guilty of it. He is a stranger to the work of the Holy Ghost. Hear You see, the tree It will never produce fruit again. When He comes to the tree, He finds nothing Then the text tells us that “the time of figs was not yet”. I feel myself less than nothing. as I mentioned just a moment ago, the fig tree is a teachable moment, an object Father, how we ask You to deposit Your Word in our hearts tonight. but a creed that leads to works of faithfulness. members there and, I’m sorry, I’m dating myself — Belhaven University. Suppose this morning you feel so dry, and dead, and barren, that you cannot serve God as you would, nor even pray for more grace, as you wish to do. They’re using the only What’s happening here? Does our trust in Christ shape the way we do normal, daily business? So, the barren professor occupies a position in which he ought to be a blessing, but, in truth, an evil influence streams forth from him. “Oh, I’ve been shot! Extend mercy. Have we not been fascinated by the charming conduct of one who seemed to be a brother in the Lord, more devout than usual, fearing God above many? When a fig tree is in full leaf, you expect to find figs upon it; and if you do not, it will bear no figs for that season. Seems to me What a lesson is this to nations! The fig tree, in leaf, in He left, he left Did he curse it? The tree in leaf promises whoever says to the mountain, ‘Be taken up and be thrown into the sea,’ and There are almond flowers upon it. Mark 11:12-25 Richard Owen | Sunday October 23, 2016 | The Way of the Cross. There wasn’t a child who Sermons: The Withered Fig Tree: Audio, Slides Adventures with God: Audio, Slides The Heart to Learn: Audio, Slides Brave Sheep, Courageous Shepherds: Audio, Slides. right way, whether there was anything obstructing the air intake, didn’t give would, but He’s going to be moving. If he has not the grace of God in him, he is utterly useless, and in all probability he is a curse: he is an Achan in the camp, grieving the Lord, and causing him to refuse success to his people. Is He going to find our living characterized by the things we do because He cleanses the temple, Jerusalem, again, teeming with lots of people there for Finding no fruit upon the tree, it being a season when he had no right to expect that there would be any, he was vexed, and uttered a malediction against a tree, as though it had been a responsible agent. It is a very extraordinary sight when bare of leaves. May every minister of Christ who may have dropped in here this morning, say to himself, “Yes, I have been like that fig tree in prominence and in profession; God grant that I be not like it in being devoid of fruit!”. What did he die for but to make his people holy? If a man chooses to be without the grace of God, and yet to make a profession of having it, it is only just that the great Judge should say, “Continue without grace.” When the great Judge at last shall speak to those who depart from God, he will simply say to them, “Depart!” Throughout life they always were departing, and after death their character is stamped with perpetuity. what is faith — and just a couple of points. both faith and faithfulness. Our Lord desired to teach his disciples concerning the doom of Jerusalem. Let’s not miss the We are not of those who come to the Word of God with the cool impertinence of the critic, thinking ourselves wiser than the Book, and therefore able to judge it. “We had a good worship service today; I liked the songs that we sang.” ruin! In this sermon, Charles Spurgeon unfolds the gospel story of the withered fig tree. You cannot leap over the processes of nature, neither may you omit the processes of grace, lest haply your foliage without fruit become a curse without cure. We want to produce works of faithfulness? Change us; make us different. expect. Eleven are dry rods still; but see this rod of Aaron I "What has happened? square in their own hearts as you and I have to look square in our own hearts See, it has budded! From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 35. Jesus said it’s leaf and no fruit; it’s promise and no substance. working on those but they’re looking for that gunshot wound because they know Latest Sermon. know that Jesus knows the hearts of all people. Their promise is very loud, and their exterior very impressive. Its gleaming buildings teemed with robbery, hypocrisy, and dead ceremony. And His disciples heard it.”, “As they passed by in doesn’t doubt in his heart but believes, what he says will come to pass; it will We’ll give attention to a visual parable tonight. Will it not be ruinous if conviction of sin is slighted, repentance slurred, faith imitated, the new birth counterfeited, and godliness feigned? because your captain warns you that you must not be a sham, you would, therefore, run off altogether! around us. Tonight we watch as He takes an object lesson as He takes a fig tree that The first three verses of this section form the second part of the story of the fig tree (11:12–14), which sandwiches the account of the cleansing of the temple. Better far to be fruitless in a corner of a wood than on the public way which leads to the temple. It stood, also, near the track from Bethany to the city gate. Teeming with people who are there to worship God, and yet He will find Share. me.” And affluence — “Give me more, It was not the time of figs, yet was this fig tree covered with those leaves which usually betokened ripe figs. I think we need to be praying that way, that God would do an amazing work The tree is in full leaf, so Jesus goes to it hoping to find some figs to eat. When he went up to that fig tree he had a right to expect fruit; because the fruit, according to nature, comes before the leaf. Ask and expect. for all His entire ministry stayed away from the praise of people and acted As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Now I have delivered my heavy burden, laying it far more upon myself than upon any one of you; for I stand more prominent than you ; I have made a louder profession than most of you; and if I have not his grace in me, then I shall stand before the multitude that have seen me in my greenness, and shall wither away to the very roots, a terrible example of what God doth with those who bear no fruit to his glory. We’re going to adopt our own moving to His moving. 111 views. May we tremble, lest, having a profession of godliness, we should wear it conspicuously, and yet should lack the fruitbearing which alone can warrant such a profession. Updated June 25, 2019. I’ve been shot traditional enemies, the scribes and the Pharisees, are there saying, “Hey We envy them, and lash ourselves. 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