Choose your Fruit? Good Or Bad? Cursed or Blessed? Jesus Curses the Fig Tree Because it didnt Bear Fruit Both the Gospels Matthew and Mark tells the following story of Jesus and His encounter with the fig tree: In the Morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs on it, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, May you never bear fruit again! And immediately the fig tree withered up. The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, How did the fig tree wither so quickly? Then Jesus told them, I assure you, if you have faith and dont doubt, you can do things Like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, May God lift you up and throw you into the sea, and it will happen. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer - Matthew 21:18-22 Although Jesus has not spoken to His disciples in the form of a parable, this story about the fig tree and its lack of fruit strikes at the Heart of the Gospel message. The Meaning of the Curse The disappointment of Jesus with the fig tree , At First glance, one might think Jesus is Merely upset with an actual tree that failed to feed Him when He was hungry. But the Fig tree and its Fruit play a Major role. They are symbols of the nation of Israel and its Faith. In Jeremiah 24, the people of Israel are compared to Figs, Both Good and Bad. When Jesus cursed the Fig tree, He symbolically placed a curse on Israel. The reason for the Curse is Straightforward. The fig tree (Israel) Failed to Bear Fruit (Faith), even though its leaves indicate it was in the season (the appointed time for the coming of the Messiah). Due to the lack of Fruit, the Fig Tree Withered. Likewise, Israels Lack of faith when Led by Messiah, eventual destruction at the Hands of the Romans in AD 70. What Is Good Fruit? Jesus cursed the Fig tree because of its Refusal to Bear Fruit, Same way He makes it clear that He expects His followers to Bear Fruit as well and not just any kind of Fruit, but, Especially, a Good Fruit. If Jesus expects us to Bear Good fruit, what is essential to Bare a Good Fruit What is good fruit? And how do we Bear it? Paul defines Good fruit in his letters to the Galatians and the Philippians: But when the Holy Spirit Controls our Lives, he will produce this kind of Fruit in us: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control - Galatians 5:22-23 This is the Fruit We should produce: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. Why? Because ultimately, the good fruit we bear comes from faith in Jesus May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God - Philippians 1:11. Good Fruit should never be confused with the worlds definition of Good Works. Good fruit is born in the heart and blossoms outward into the world. Its only motive is Jesus Christ. But Good works as defined by the World can have many Motives, sometimes even Evil Motives. Yet, no matter how justified we feel in our own eyes, God will always measure our Inner motives, never our Outward Deeds. Placing our Trust and Faith in Jesus Christ will Inevitably produce the Good Fruits , When we exhibit these Good fruits, the world will witness through our Lives the Glory that is Jesus Christ. Good Fruit vs. Bad Fruit To make sure were producing good fruit and not bad fruit, we need to know how to Differentiate Before He placed the curse on the Fig tree, Jesus warned His disciples to Beware of False prophets and teachers. In fact, He used fruit for identifying the Righteous from the evil, explaining that if a tree doesnt bear fruit, it will be chopped down and thrown into the fire: Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You dont pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cant produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cant produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced - Matthew 7:15-20. A good tree will bear good fruit, and a bad tree will produce rotten fruit. Therefore, you can always identify the righteous and the evil based on what they produce. Gods great commandment is to believe in the one He has sent. Those who do will bear good fruit as a result. This is because Jesus is the branch on which all good fruit grows, and His righteous branch cant help but bear good fruit. Long ago, the prophet Isaiah identified the Messiah as the branch of Jesse... Amen..
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 00:13:17 +0000
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