Beware the Fruitless Life

A Very Odd Encounter

On this Tuesday of Holy week i wan to share with you probably the oddest encounter of the week.

Matthew 21:18–22 CSB

Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Lesson on Fig trees

Fig trees bear fruit first and then leaves appear or the fruit and leaves appear at the same time

Jesus saw a fig tree full of leaves and yet there was no fruit

Through this tree - Jesu teaches us a couple of very important lessons

Look the Part but Bear No Fruit

The fig tree was often a symbol of the Nation of Israel in the OT

The Jewish leaders looked the part - they were so religious

There was no fruit to be found - in fact in a few days they would reject their King

How often to play the part

We know what to say and do and yet we see no fruit - no growth

We will be judged by the fruit of our lives

A fruitless life, no matter how good it looks, is a withering life

A Life of Faith is a Life of Fruitfulness

Matthew 21:21 CSB

Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.

A Life of Faith is a Life of Fruitfulness

it is knowing that we don’t make the fruit

Having faith God will bring about fruit in our lives

It is obeying and acting on that obedience in faith

Faith and works are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith.

- Charles Spurgeon

Beware the Fruitless Life

Surrender your life and stop playing the part

Step out in faith and share with someone the story of Easter, invite them to church

Ask God to prune what needs to be pruned to bear more fruit

Though the cross of Christ has been beautified by the poet and the artist, the avid seeker after God is likely to find it the same savage implement of destruction it was in the days of old. The way of the cross is still the pain-wracked path to spiritual power and fruitfulness.

A W Tozer

There is only 1 path to a fruitful life

The Jewish people rejected Him

What will you do with Him this Easter?

Let’s Pray