Untitled Sermon (4)

Mark 11:12–14 KJV 1900

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

History informs us that the industry of artificial flora and foliage is not a modern development. Undoubtedly the advances in technology and and manufacturing have led to a more realistic product, but the process is nothing new. For hundreds of years various civilizations have set upon crafting plants and flowers that appear authentic but in reality are not.

These artificial arrangements have been crafted and formed from a variety of resources. The ancient Chinese opted for silk and race paper while the Romans adapted a method of making extremely intricate and realistic-looking flowers out of wax. Other cultures and societies have drawn from an even further assortment of materials, including glass, painted linen, gold, sliver, silk, ribbons attached to wire, feathers, plastic, and more.

Today, the artificial plant and flower business is a multi-billion dollar industry built upon the values of convenience and perfected pretence.

More than Just leaves

In the book of Mark Chapter 11, we find that as Jesus and his disciples return from Bethany into Jerusalem…Jesus is hungry.

The bible tells us in vs. 13 that Jesus sees a fig tree from far…and the bible tells us that there is a certain quality about this fig tree that draws the attention of Jesus...

IT HAS LEAVES

and the fact that this fig tree possesses leaves, draws the attention and the attendance of Jesus. However, while it is the leaves that draw his attention, it is not leaves that he hopes find…he hopes to find the presence of fruit.

The Bible says…that Jesus came, IF haply he might find any thing thereon:

There are theologies out there that preach the doctrine of predestination…that before you are even born your salvation is already decided…your fruitfulness is already decided…Making you and I little more than robots with no power of choice and no will of our own.

But the principle of the fig tree is relevant to our lives…What Jesus does for us is the same thing he did for that fig tree…he provides us the resources and the opportunity to produce fruit…but what you produce is your choice and what I produce is my choice!

In Matthew 3:8 Jesus speaks of fruit worthy of repentence

In Galatians 5, Paul writes about the fruit of the spirit

I believe that just as he did when he left Bethany and saw this fig tree…Jesus is approaching our lives looking to see if there is any fruit being produced...

As Jesus approaches, mark 11 vs. 13 tells us that he found nothing but leaves.

There was no fruit to be found…nothing but leaves....

Now…for this point to make any sense within the context of Marks writing, and for it to have any application within the context of our living…we need to understand the tree that Jesus approached.

The specific type of tree that is indigenous to the territory of Jerusalem is the Ficus Carica (Fi-Cuss Care-ick-uh), and it is known for one unique and distinctive quality…In most trees, the growth of the leaves comes before the fruit…but in the Ficus Carica, the fruit precedes the leaves.

In other words, the presence of leaves promises the presence of fruit.

Yet the closer that Jesus gets to the tree, the more apparent it becomes that there is no fruit…just leaves!

What caused Jesus to curse the fig tree wasn’t merely its barren branches but that it gave the appearance of abundance while in truth, it was utterly barren.

Jesus cursed the fig tree, not merely for its barren branches but because of the sin of pretence…for appearing to be something that, a closer investigation, reveals that, I am not!!

Living Hope Church…Guest that might be with us today…we are in a fruit revealing season! The branches are being pushed to the side and true purpose is being revealed!

I say that purpose is being revealed…because when Jesus approached the fig tree…he came looking for…not pears, peaches or plums…he came looking for a fig…because that is the purpose of a fig tree…to produce figs...

Is your purpose being produced? Its easy to hide behind the leaves of pretence, while never producing the fruit of purpose…but its fruit revealing season!

In this season…what is on my branches…is it:

Hope or dismay?

Peace or anxiety?

Joy or distress?

Trust or worry?

Fear or faith!

I know when there is no crisis…and we aren’t having to huddle in our homes and shelter in our cars…its easy to have green leaves that look like peace is present…look like hope is strong…look like joy abound…To look like we have strong faith...

Its easy in January, to declare as a church that this year is going to be about my city…but now that coronavirus comes…it becomes all about me…my survival…That is nothing but leaves! Now is the time that we need to activate our faith…our hope…our love…our reach into our community!

Let me state today…that however long this COVID-19 ordeal lasts…whatever the end result of it ends up being…The Kingdom of God…our community…our nation…our world is going to be looking for leaders that lead in FAITH! Not cower in fear!

Im not talking about being reckless and ignoring the guidelines that have been asked of us…I’m talking about once we get through all of this…We don’t need people that are cowering in fear and terror…we need people that let there faith move beyond a Sunday morning walk to an altar and extend to a daily walk of life!

Lord…don’t let it be said of my life that there is nothing but leaves!

Don’t let it be said of my relationship with you that I never moved beyond the pretence of faith…of hope…of joy…

LET THERE BE MORE THAN JUST LEAVES!

The time of the fig

I believe the key to the whole debacle that led to green leaves and barren branches is found in the concluding phrase of Mark 11 vs. 13...

For the time of the figs was NOT YET!

lives that are lived on NET YET time, will always be green leaves and barren branches.

Lives that every time they are asked if they are ready, there response is “not yet” will always be void of fruit!

When Walt Disney was planning Disneyland, he offered a friend the opportunity to buy up the scrubland surrounding the site, land that he knew would dramatically increase in value. The friend said he’d think about it. Because Disney needed an answer quickly, his friend lost the opportunity and tremendous wealth besides.

The danger in “not yet”.

some are here today, and time and time again, you have been provided opportunity to give your life to Jesus…but your reply is “not yet”.

You have been given ample opportunity to repent of your sin and turn from your transgressions, but your response has been “not yet”.

You have been provided opportunity to let go of the bitterness and unforgiveness that possesses your life…but your response has been “not yet”.

And within Christianity, the fake foliage business is booming…its a multi-billion dollar industry…people that wouldn’t miss church, clap hands, stomp feet, kneel at altars…but they are living on “not yet” time.

I think it is telling that the writer said the time of the figs was “not yet”. the time of the fruit was not yet...

it may look to everyone else around you that all is well....living your best life…doing your best thing…but you know that you have put a “not yet” on your purpose...

God is calling the church…its time to be more than just leaves!

This is our hour! This is our day! This is our moment!

One final point

The ficus carica has one other attribute that sets it apart from most other fruit trees. This particular fig tree has not one, not two, but three seasons of harvest…All of the fruit buds on the branches at the same time…but it grows, matures and ripens at three rates and three distinct times of harvest. First there is the early fig…after just a few weeks on the branch, the fruit if ready to eat in the early summer months…Then comes the fall fig…this fig takes several months to mature…usually by the end of the summer and the beginning of the fall, that fruit is ready to be plucked and eaten...

But then there is the third harvest…this one is called the untimely or the inconvenient fruit…This one stays on the branches through the cold nights of winter…its fruit maturing…through the wind and the rain…finally in early spring…right around the time that Jesus would have passed from Bethany into Jerusalem for the feast of passover…this fig…harvested in an inconvenient season, would have been on the branches...

I know right now it isn’t convenient to have faith!

I know it is easier to be paralyzed by fear!

I know its easier to trust CNN than it is to trust John 10:10

Its easier to rely on Fox than it is to trust in the lamb...

I know it isn’t convenient right now to sing !

I know its untimely right now to reach out to serve others around you!

I know its inconvenient to bless the Lord!

I know when we come out of this…its going to be easier to hold on to the symbols of fear and terror than it will be to embrace faith...

but…I want to be more than just leaves!

Luke 18:8 When the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Will he find faith!

Its not time for “not yet”! It’s not time for nothing but leaves!

Can I tell you what time it is?

Its the first two words of Hebrews chapter 11....NOW faith!

It’s not time for “not yet” faith!

It’s not time for NOW faith!

I know its untimely and its inconvenient…but its time for now faith!

Well…i’ll do it when the church doors open up again…NOTHING but leaves!

I’ll do it when pastor asks me to serve in a certain role or position…NOTHING but leaves!

I want to be more than just leaves!

I want to be fruitful!

I want to produce the purpose that he created me for!

I want to be a leader of faith in the midst of a world that is entombed in fear!