Style vs. Substance

Covering Up Flaws

We are masters at covering flaws.

Making things look better than they really are.

Texture on walls

House in Minot had a chocolate brown bathtub in the guest bathroom. Solid, one piece.

The only way to get it out was by cutting a large hole in the wall and into our kitchen.

I had a lot of help from friends. I am not handy!

Tools, remodeling not my thing.

We hired one friend who did the primary remodeling. Replaced the fixtures.

Me, and a group of other friends did the finishing work; the patching, texturing, and painting.

This was the 1990’s when texture on walls was THE thing.

I was so thankful for texture!

We had this huge hole into our kitchen where everyone who came to our house sat and visited.

I replaced the sheetrock. Taped, mudded, sanded, and finished.

When I was done, it was so bad it looked like I hadn’t even started.

The

You could clearly see the tape over scars where we had replaced the sheetrock.

But, no worries!. A friend had a texturing gun. We blew texture all over the wall, big globs. Knocked it down w/ a trowel. Looked like stucco.

By the time we were done you couldn’t tell that the wall had ever been patched.

I painted it. It was beautiful. No scars. No marks. It all blended together.

Now that texture is out and smooth walls are in I’m done. I’m hiring out any finishing work that has to be done.

HD TV

Local TV newscasters, sports commentators, talk-show hosts hated High Definition TV when it first came out.

Old TVs were just fuzzy enough that you couldn’t see their skin, hair, and make-up all that clearly.

But, w/ HD, you see everything.

These aren’t flaws. Just signs of aging.

But, our society is stuck on looking 25 and we see these things as “flaws” and pay big money to cover them up.

We hide things well.

A little texture on a wall.

A little make up, comb over, hair color, vertical stripes.

There is a lot of money spent in industries that help us hide what we perceive as flaws; real or imagined.

Heaven forbid that anyone come along and peak behind the curtain.

Church style

Christians get caught up in it, too.

Dress up, go to church, smile. Give all appearances that of a perfect life. After all, that’s why Jesus came, right?

We do church style well!

Just need to look around and see how others look. Listen to how others talk. Do the same.

The question is, “Is there any substance?”

Substance is faith.

Substance is a close, personal relationship w/ Jesus.

We can texture it, paint it, color it, dress it in stripes, and whatever else gives it modern church style.

But Jesus cares about substance.

We may look great from a distance or on an old TV.

Jesus looks at us up close and personal.

And we need to take seriously His instruction that substance matters more than style.

Substance, faith and a personal relationship w/ Jesus matter so much more than style.

How do we know? Miracle #33.

The fig tree. And if all we have is style then we need to heed the warning here.

2 passages. ; ; .

We’re spending most of our time in Mark.

Context

Passion week

It’s Monday in Jerusalem. This is the day after Palm Sunday when He rode into town.

This is the week He’s going to die. He had already been rejected by Israel as their Messiah.

Now they are about to act on their complete rejection. Friday afternoon He’ll be dead.

Cleaning out the temple, again

He’s on His way to the temple.

He announced His arrival 3 years earlier by chasing the corrupt businesses out of the temple courts.

Made a lot of people mad, esp the temple leaders.

This was a major source of income as they gouged the pilgrims who came to make their sac.

It made Jesus mad, too.

My Father’s House is t/b a house of prayer.

There was no prayer. There was no convo w/ God. B/C their was no faith nor a personal rel. w/ God.

Over the 3 years, it had happened again.

Corruption took over the courtyard taking advantage of poor pilgrims.

Jesus was questioned, by what authority do you do this?!

This time He didn’t answer the question. He knew it was pointless.

Parables

The tenants who killed the owner’s son when he came to collect his earnings.

Give to Caesar what his name is on. Give to God what His name is on.

Destruction of the temple and end time instruction.

In fact, much of his instruction is about heaven, the kingdom, and what to expect regarding His return.

Along the way to the temple, Jesus was hungry, there was a fig tree that looked like it should be loaded w/ figs.

It wasn’t. And, this is what happened.

Cause (12-13)

Mark 11:12–13 NIV

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.

Mark 11:

The situation

It’s early Monday morning. They spent the night in Bethany at Lazarus, Mary, and Martha’s house.

He had ridden into town the day before then left for Bethany for the night. He’s on the way back now headed for the temple.

Jesus is hungry. He sees a fig tree in full foliage. It looks like it should be loaded w/ fruit. A tree w/ healthy leaves like that should have hundreds of figs hidden underneath.

Fig trees

Fig trees were planted all over the area along the roads.

It was bel’d the dust from the road facilitated their growth.

They grew well in the climate and produced a lot of fruit year-round.

Unlike the apple trees in MP, the figs were free t/b picked by travelers along their journey.

They were common property for any traveler who became hungry along the way.

The rich green foliage on the tree that Jesus saw was a sign of great promise of the fruit that would await Him underneath the leaves.

It was time for the Passover. Late March, early April.

The fig tress produced crops of small edible buds in early March followed by the appearance of large green leaves toward the end of the month.

These small buds were common food for local peasants and travelers.

Eventually, these buds dropped off when the normal corp of figs formed and ripened in late May and June, the fig season.

This is why Mark said it was not the season for figs, but Jesus would have expected fruit anyway.

So, it was reasonable for Jesus, shortly before the Passover, to expect to find something edible on that fig tree even though it was not the season for figs.

In fact, the fruit from the previous season would last on the branches until the next crop of buds came up so it would be expected to find something to eat on a fig tree year-round.

So, b/c there were no buds when Jesus looked it would indicate there would be no fruit developing on the tree at any time.

Though Jesus knew what He was about to find, the mouths of those traveling w/ Him must have begun watering looking forward to the tart fruit from the tree they saw in the distance.

The rich green foliage promised something to satisfy their hunger pangs.

But, what they found was nothing but leaves. In that fig tree so advantageously situated, so abundant in promise, yet fruitless.

Again, tons of leaves. Great style. But, no substance.

Jesus saw an exact illustration of Israel in the tree.

And, He had a message to the nation that had been chosen by God, so advantageously placed near to God, abundant in promise, yet also fruitless.

And, this is what the Nation had to look forward to.

Curse (14)

Mark 11:14 NIV

Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

Just like Israel

Israel was that fig tree. All style and no substance.

The sap was circulating, the leaves made a fair show, but completely fruitless underneath.

This is a true illustration of a hypocrite. Actors playing roles, wearing masks and costumes, pretending t/b something they are not.

Veneers. Texture. Paint. Make-up. Comb-overs.

And external semblance unrelated to internal substance.

If the tree had been fruitful the previous year there would still have been some of the fruit left from last year hidden under the broad leaves.

And if it were to be fruitful this year the buds would have appeared with the leaves.

But on this tree, just as Israel, there was neither any promise for the future nor any gleanings from the past.

Just ‘hangry’?

My grand daughter gets hangry.

I don’t know where she gets it.

But, when she’s hungry and food isn’t rapidly appearing before her face, she let’s us hear it.

Jesus cursed the tree.

It was a dramatic prophetic sign of God’s impending judgment on Israel.

This was not an “hangry” reaction just b/c He was hungry and found no food.

The promising but unproductive fig tree symbolized Israel’s spiritual fruitlessness despite divine favor and impressive outward appearances.

They did religion well.

By this time they were far more concerned w/ their outward appearance by the keeping of their traditions than the inward faithful obedience of a personal relationship w/ God.

They did religion well. They did relationships poor.

They were covered w/ style. They covered up their lack of substance.

Jesus is serious about the 2 Great commandments and the Great Commission.

Israel had been given both. And, when Jesus showed up on the scene they did neither.

As a result, he dealt w/ the tree the way He’s going to deal w/ Israel. He cursed the tree.

And, when Jesus curses something, this is what happens.

Consequence (20-21)

Mark 11:20–21 NIV

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Like every miracle except one, the effects were complete and immediate.

The lone exception was the only 2-stage miracle.

Typically, it takes time for a tree to wither and die. Maybe it drops leaves and the disease spreads from the tips to the trunk.

Maybe it rots from the inside out.

In this case, the roots died and it spread to the limbs.

Nourishment comes up from the roots. Water and minerals are sucked up into the tree.

Jesus cut off the life from the tree.

This is the only miracle where the subject died. In every other case the subject was restored to life.

Th

Anybody who was paying attention could not miss the message of the judgment of the fruitless fig tree just as they will not mis the judgment of the fruitless Nation.

From a distance it looked wonderful; like watching talk show hosts on an old TV.

But, upon closer inspection, there was no fruit. There was none from the previous season nor any developing for the current season. Nothing under the leaves, on the branches, or on the ground.

In fact, it had been a while. There was no evidence that there had been any fruit for a long time.

Jesus got up close and personal. He lifted a leaf. Got under the texture, under the make-up, straight to the heart.

B/C there was only style and no substance He cursed the tree.

This was a clear message to Israel.

It was just a few days until they put Him to death and the fate of Israel was certain.

Throughout His ministry He had warned the Jews of the consequences of disbelief.

Their rejection of Him was the fruit of their lack of faith.

Now, they have a clear picture of what awaits them when He returns.

“Just wait till your Father gets home!”

For a long time there had been no fruit. No faith. No relationship. They had been only concerned w/ appearances, not their heart condition.

Jesus was about to put His interaction w/ them on hold while He builds His church. When He returns, Israel will be dealt w/ like the fig tree.

Watch out.

We need to take note and take seriously Jesus’ command of substance over style.

Jesus said, “Many call me Lord. But, I don’t know you.”

A number of church-goers are going t/b surprised that their reservation in heaven was never made.

Substance over style.

Faith over appearance.

Relationships over religious practices.

It’s okay to look good. Just make sure your heart looks good to God first.

Applications

Heed the warning

To whom much is given much is expected.

We American Christians have been blessed simply by being born here and having access to so much.

God expects us to use what He has given us for His purposes.

God inspects what He expects.

He’s going to pull back your leaves to see what’s there.

Fruit

Fruit is evidence of faith.

And, this fruit feeds people.

Investing in the lives of the people around you, leading them closer to Jesus, is what Jesus is looking for.

Our mission: Leading the people closest to us closer to Jesus.

You may surrounded by people who don’t believe. You can still lead them closer to Jesus even if they never come to faith.

And, remember, results are up to God. Our job is to share what Jesus has given us w/ the ppl around us.

If you have faith, there will be fruit.

There doesn’t have to be a lot. There just needs t/b fruit.

Substance over style

It’s okay to look good. Just make sure your heart looks good to God before you make sure you look good to other ppl.

Faith is substance.

Belief. Trust. Confidence in God.

It starts our young and weak. But will grow old and strong.

God values substance. He saves b/c of substance. He tolerates our style.

Oh that we would see ourselves as God sees us.

We can texture, paint, color, dress in stripes, and whatever else gives us modern church style.

But Jesus cares about substance.

We may look great from a distance or on an old TV.

Jesus looks at us up close and personal. He gets under our leaves and thru the veneer.

Substance, faith and a personal relationship w/ Jesus matter so much more than style.

Communion

Remember that Jesus came to save us. He’s returning to take us to heaven.

For those who valued style over substance, remember what Jesus has shown that it will cost you.