Bearing fruit in every season

The fruitless fig tree

Matthew 21:18–21 NKJV

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament Chapter 21

I. Three Signs Concerning Israel (21:1–22)

A. Presentation of the King (vv. 1–11).

This was in fulfillment of Zech. 9:9. Matthew omitted “just and having salvation” when he quoted Zechariah, because Christ will not come with justice and salvation (victory) for Israel until He returns in Rev. 19:11–21, riding a white horse. John 12:17–18 indicates that many in the great crowd were there because of the raising of Lazarus. The crowd quoted Ps. 118:26 in its praises; later (v. 42) Christ would quote from that same psalm to refute the leaders. Note in v. 11 that the city called Him “the prophet” but not the King! Unfortunately, the Jews “did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:41–44, NKJV) and rejected their King.

B. Purifying of the temple (vv. 12–16).

Israel’s inward corruption is seen by the way the temple had become a house of merchandise. The first cleansing at the start of Christ’s ministry (John 2) did not last, for the leaders’ hearts were not changed. Christ quoted Isa. 56:7 and called the temple “My house” (v. 13), thus claiming to be God. He also referred to Jer. 7:11. Later, Christ would say, “Your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38; emphasis mine); for having rejected their King, Israel now had an empty temple. When accused by the leaders, Christ quoted Ps. 8:2, which is a messianic psalm (see Heb. 2:5–9) pointing to the time when Christ will reign on earth as the King.

C. Cursing the fig tree (vv. 17–22).

Matthew 24:32–33 and Luke 13:6–10 suggest that the fig tree pictures Israel. This tree had leaves but not fruit, picturing Israel with its outward “show of religion” but its fruitlessness. Luke 13:6–10 indicates that God gave Israel three years in which to bring forth fruit, but the nation failed. Christ uses the miracle as a lesson in faith, suggesting that it was Israel’s unbelief that brought about her judgment. How easy it is to have “a form of godliness” (2 Tim. 3:5) but never bear any fruit! Many counterfeit Christians will hear Christ’s “Depart from Me, you cursed” (Matt. 25:41) because they had “nothing … but leaves” (v. 19).

In these three signs, then, Christ reveals Israel’s spiritual blindness, her inward corruption, and her outward fruitlessness.

Matthew C. The King Acts out the Drama of the Fruitless Fig Tree (21:18–22)

SUPPORTING IDEA: Jesus will judge those who put on a show of worship and obedience while revealing their true character through a lack of spiritual fruit.

Matthew (C. The King Acts out the Drama of the Fruitless Fig Tree (21:18–22))

21:18–19. Jesus returned to Jerusalem. Along the way he became hungry. As was the right of any Jew or sojourning alien under Mosaic Law, Jesus decided to eat figs for breakfast when he saw a fig tree growing by the road. Jesus assumed the tree had fruit when he saw its leaves. But the leaves had sent a false message. There was no fruit. The tree’s promise was empty.In anger, Jesus cursed the tree, proclaiming that it would never bear fruit again. The tree obeyed the word of its Creator, and it withered immediately. We might wonder if the pressure was beginning to get to Jesus. He cursed an inanimate object (this is the only destructive miracle attributed to Jesus, unless we count the drowning of the pigs in 8:32). But that was not the case. The scene makes perfect sense and takes on great significance when we put it into its context.

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1. how is your fruit Looking

The New King James Version Chapter 15

15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

so what this is telling me is that i need to always be bearing fruit.

but what kind of fruit are we talking about here figs ,apples , oranges ?

nope fruits of the sprits

but what are those fruits

The New King James Version Chapter 5

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

2. does what your advertising match your product

With the fig tree, Jesus acted out a parable or “mini-drama” to illustrate the reality of Israel’s fruitlessness and its doom. Just as the leaves of the fig tree advertised fruit, so the Jewish leaders claimed to be fulfilling God’s purpose. However, the advertising was a lie. Under the “leaves” of their showy religion (6:1–18; 15:8–9) their hearts were barren and unbelieving. They had missed their opportunity to repent and to bear true fruit, and so the king pronounced their judgment. There would be no more opportunities for these hypocrites—they would never bear fruit but would die through the judgment of God.21:20–21.

your walk has always got to match your talk. the leaders of jesus day looked like they had had the right fruit but in fact they had missed is completely.

3. the is always something to learn in from Jesus life.

Jesus goes from curse an fig tree to teaching on faith

The disciples were amazed at seeing the fig tree wither before their eyes. Even at this stage of their training, they still were puzzled by Jesus’ power. They asked how the fig tree could have withered so quickly.

how can we do great things

any believer with true faith can do great things by drawing on the power of God. Faith is the basis for answered prayer (21:22).Jesus grabbed the disciples’ attention, alerting them to the importance of what he was about to say:

I tell you the truth. The necessary ingredient was faith (taking God at his word), which the disciples lacked.

Jesus clarified his meaning by mentioning the opposite of faith—doubt.

With that kind of faith, the disciples would be able to wither fig trees and more. Jesus and his disciples were probably crossing the Mount of Olives as they approached Jerusalem. Jesus probably pointed to the mount when he said this mountain, giving the disciples a visual image that illustrated the power of God available to the person with true faith (cf. “this mountain” in 17:20). The disciples could envision the Mount of Olives being lifted and cast into the sea at the word of a faith-filled believer.Jesus meant us to assume that mountain-moving faith should not be exercised in such frivolous ways as rearranging the earth.

In fact, faith cannot be exercised in any way except according to God’s will. It is not the faith which moves mountains, but the power of God in response to the expression of faith. True faith is always in keeping with God’s will and is based on intimacy with God and an understanding of his heart and will.21:22. Jesus’ closing comment reinforced the power of God in response to faith. Prayer is an expression of our powerlessness and dependence on God. The weaker we realize we are, the greater the working of God’s power through us (2 Cor. 12:7–10). The mature believer has strength that comes from God. The believer in humble dependence becomes a vessel for God’s power. A person who asks in accordance with God’s desire will have his requests granted.The faith Jesus implied here is an attitude of submission to his will, confidence in his wisdom, and assurance of his love. This is faith that the Father can take our requests and sort them out according to our best interest and his glory. With such an attitude, we will gradually grow to share the mind of Christ, to desire his desires and to ask for his requests.

Jesus will judge those who put on a show of worship and obedience while revealing their true character through a lack of spiritual fruit.