Fig Trees & Fire Wood

Fig Trees & Firewood Part 1

Series Intro Video

“I’m not a real financial advisor” Video

Series Slide

Me: It’s silly, I know for a 45 yr old man to get into cartoons but I love that movie. As a man on mission, it really speaks to me. It speaks to me because as I reach the peak ages of my life, I realize I don’t have time for foolishness and I don’t have the energy for fake people.

We: Have you ever met someone who pretended to be someone or something they’re not? Maybe you found out a so-called friend had been sabotaging your reputation. We call those frenemies.

Perhaps you dated someone and thought you were soulmates only to find out they run the same game on every person who smiles in their direction.

Ever been lied to, deceived, or tricked by someone who claimed to be something they aren’t? Have you ever went for the gold only to find out it’s just glitter?

I know that I have. And according to Mark, even Jesus was once deceived by his very own creation. It’s hard to believe that Jesus ever had a bad day. Of course, the cross was a really bad day, and so was the day his friend Lazarus died. But in the end, both of them were resurrected so… I guess both of those days turned out alright. We’ll talk about that in a few weeks.

Today I want to talk to you about a day that Jesus got hungry and, as far as I can tell, his hungry turned to hangry and on that particular day, it never got better. The text tells us right here in Mark 11

Mark 11:12

Mark 11:12 NIV

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

(Jesus was a real person with a real body that felt real things)

Mark 11:13-14

Mark 11:13–14 NIV

13 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. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

And then he just walked away. Now, I’ve read this passage a hundred times and I’ve struggled to understand why Jesus would curse a tree for doing what it’s supposed to do. Because according to Mark, “it was not the season for figs”.

So I did a little bit of research here and I want to share that with you because it’s important for context. Keep in mind, this is happening in early Spring. We know this because it’s only a few days before Jesus was crucified.

If you were to go back a few verses, you would see the details of what we call the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday. It was the day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem and everyone threw down their coats and palm branches shouting

Mark 11:9-10 “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

And this is ironic because not even a week would pass between the day of his celebration to the day of his crucifixion. But in the meantime, Jesus was hungry. And he came across a fig tree that had flowered, but had no fruit.

“The common fig tree generally bears two crops of fruit, the first appearing in spring on new shoots that grew since winter. The second crop develops in late summer or early fall, from flowers that bloomed in spring on old wood from the previous season. The first crop usually is smaller, acid-flavored and not edible. The second crop is the tree's main, edible crop, which should be allowed to ripen on the tree before picking.” Source: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fig-trees-blossom-76766.html

And so when Mark says in verse 13 that “it was not the season for figs” he means it was not time for the second crop. But Jesus was hungry… now. So the first crop would have to do.(Mangos, bananas, and avacados) Just like you, Jesus was ready to eat whatever crop was available. But the first crop, which should have been available, the first crop that most would consider useless and not ready, the first crop that Jesus had need for had not come either.

The fig tree LOOKED THE PART, but it failed to BE THE PART.

And that is what frustrated Jesus. That is what frustrates you. That people came into your life who looked like, or acted like they were there to help you, but in actuality they couldn’t or maybe they wouldn’t.

Your father wasn’t really a father to you. Your teacher never actually taught you, they only taught the material. Your boyfriend or girlfriend didn’t know how to be a friend and you didn’t know that until you reached out to them and found out that they were just as empty as your proverbial stomach. In essence, the relationship was fruitless.

And that’s when you walked away. Maybe you’re more like Jesus than you thought. Because just like you, Jesus is not interested in fruitless relationships. Just like you, Jesus doesn’t have time for phonies or frauds. Just like you, Jesus is on mission and although he spends a lot of time and energy pouring out, every now and again, he needs to be poured into. Just… like… you!

So what does Jesus do when he looks to his very own creation for fruit, only to find that it has not produced any? He curses it and walks away. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want this to be the story of my life.

I don’t want to live an entire lifetime fruitless. I don’t want it to be said of me that every time Jesus needed me, I had nothing to offer him. It’s not enough for me to just look the part of a Christian. I want to be a Christian.

It’s not enough to just claim to be a disciple. I want to make disciples. I want to do what God created me to do and that is to reproduce after my own kind. And as your pastor, that’s what I want for you. It’s not about growing a big church. It’s about growing big people who have faith in a big God. The kind of faith that shows. The kind that bears fruit.

As we continue reading the chapter we find that Jesus, after cursing the tree, went into town, entered the temple and found a bunch of fake preachers who looked the part having fake church. He checked them too, just like he did the fig tree.

Mark 11:15-22

Mark 11:15–22 (NIV)

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,

16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.

21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

That’s a magnificent statement because if it isn’t obvious, Jesus was teaching his disciples that

Faith produces fruit when your faith is rooted in God.

Faith in anything else is as good as dead.

And that is what I want to talk to you about next week as we go into part 2 of Fig Trees & Firewood.

But before we go, I want to talk to those of you here today who may not know where to start as it relates to having faith in God. It starts with believing that He actually exists and understanding that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

You should know that he’s closer than you think. In fact, he’s knocking at the door of your heart...