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LUKE’S GOSPEL…FRUIT! – 36

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“Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus spoke this parable in the context of the report about Pilate’s heinous cruelty to the worshippers he had killed. What did a fruitless fruit tree have to do with their report about Pilate’s behaviour? Was He addressing the wrong attitude of those who told Him about the incident? What was it in their hearts that He was exposing?

Fruit! God is looking for fruit… but…Why did Jesus specify, in His story, that the fruitless tree was a fig tree? Did it really matter what kind of tree was about to be cut down because it bore no figs?

Yes, it does! The Holy Spirit, the author of God’s Word, sometimes used trees as symbols of Israel, for example, the vine and the fig tree. Jesus’ examples were never random. Is it not significant that the first mention of the fig tree is in Genesis 3? 

The guilty pair tried to hide their nakedness from God by using fig leaves as covering! On one occasion, Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree which immediately died, to the surprise of His disciples. Was He illustrating that His people, Israel, the fig tree, were fruitless in their pursuit of acceptance with God by their futile self-efforts, and in danger of judgment?

Israel’s leaders, the learned ones, were equally fruitless because of their hypocrisy. Their outward “holiness” hid their wicked and greedy hearts. The Father searched in vain for fruit that would reveal the nature of the tree but there was nothing on them but leaves, the useless outer covering that hid nothing. 

So, in Jesus’ parable, a fruitless fig tree was of no value in His garden. It was occupying space, using up water and nutrients, and giving nothing back in return. Even in these circumstances, there was a touch of mercy. The gardener requested one more season. “Let’s give the tree another year. I’ll do my best to see that it bears fruit.” 

Isn’t that just like the Lord! In His mercy, He provides every opportunity for fruitless, guilty people to repent, to reign to Him and His way! Note that Jesus was speaking to His own people…the fig tree…Israel. However, even for them, there was a cut-off point when God’s mercy towards these unrepentant people would come to an end. His justice, like His mercy, must be fully met since He is God. 

israel’s guilt was at its greatest because they had failed to recognise that God had come in person to rescue them from their self-imposed doom, and to re- establish His reign on earth. 

They had refused to acknowledge that Jesus was God or to submit to His authority. They stood on the brink of being cut down. His compassion for His people led Him to lament their fate, recorded in this very same chapter…

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The tragedy of Israel was that they refused to heed Jesus’ warning. Despite His words, despite the delay in His judgment, they killed Him for telling them the truth. The old “fig tree” was indeed cut down but…from the stump came another tree, a new tree, a race of Jew and Gentile, supernaturally born of God and blended together to become God’s true “fig tree”. 

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ…He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit…And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬, ‭17‬-‭18‬, ‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The old fig tree, with its fruitless efforts at self-righteousness, had to give way to a new “tree”, a race made up of Jew and Gentile who would bear the fruit that He desired through its union with Jesus. 

In John 15, Jesus changed the metaphor. The vine, another symbol of Israel, depicts a union between vine and branches so intimate that the life of the vine, flowing into the branches, produces the fruit of the vine. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener…Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, we must ask ourselves…”Am I a fruitless fig tree ready to be cut down, or a branch in the vine that bears the fruit of the vine?” Am I an active part of the fig tree, made up of Jew and Gentile, that bears witness to the nature of the tree?

Jesus said…

“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be continued…

MARK’S GOSPEL…THE POWER OF WORDS – 28

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Mark 11:12-14, 20-23 NIV

“The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 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. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it…In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”

‭‭

What puzzling behaviour! What had the fig tree done to deserve being cursed? In the course of nature, it was not the time for fruit, so why destroy it for that?

Jesus had other ideas. Always alert to opportunities to teach His followers spiritual truth, He did a symbolic act as a visual aid for them to remember. 

The first mention of the fig in Scripture was in Genesis…after Adam and Eve’s defection. They tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, but they could not hide their sin from God.

So, not only was the effort of Adam and Eve to cover their sin with fig leaves futile, but the story of the whole nation of Israel was also that of a barren fig tree. 

“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As a healthy fig tree, God had expected Israel to bear the luscious fruit of obedience to His covenant but, instead, their “fruit” was disobedience and idolatry. 

Therefore, just as the fig tree Jesus cursed was barren, so, the first pairs’ self-effort to cover their unrighteousness was useless and Israel’s disobedience left them spiritually barren. 

In a vivid demonstration in nature, Jesus showed His disciples the fate of those who bore no fruit for God. Israel’s religion bore no righteousness and must die. 

 We must understand Jesus’ next words in the context of His action. 

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬

The disciples were astonished that Jesus’ words had produced such a radical result. Not only had the tree died at His word, but it had died so quickly. Overnight, it had dried up from the roots!

“Why are you so surprised?” Jesus responded. “Don’t you understand the power of words?” In context, Jesus’ words to the tree had produced death. Their words, spoken in faith, could also produce miraculous results. Look at the scope of believing prayer…if anyone says…whatever you ask for… can prayer be more all-encompassing than that?

Now, before we go off at a tangent by speaking words that fall outside the context of Biblical prayer, we must understand that prayer has definite and specific boundaries, which we can glean from many other parts of Scripture. 

…”In my Name”…”according to His will”…”in the Spirit”…are some protections, as well as the motives and attitudes prescribed in the Word. However, in this context, the prerequisite is “faith in God”.  These three words open up a whole new window on prayer too big to deal with here.

However, to summarise, words spoken from God’s mouth, under God’s authority, have the power to achieve what God says. 

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Believing prayer, then, is not merely about blurting out anything that comes to mind. Believing prayer is about speaking what God has already spoken. These words carry the weight of His authority, if we speak them from hearts that are fully submitted to Him. God acts when we relay to earth what has been spoken in heaven.

HABAKKUK’S DILEMMA RESOLVED – 7

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Habakkuk 1:1-4NLT
[1] This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
[2] “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. [3] Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. [4] The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.”

In the interval, the prophet speaks to God and God speaks to the prophet.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT
[17]”Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, [18] yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! [19] The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments).

What a transformation! What happened to change Habakkuk from a miserable, lamenting, complaining prophet into a dancing, singing, joyful worshipper?

REVELATION!

Habakkuk started his journey at the bottom of his mountain. From his vantage point, he could see nothing but rocks, cliffs, and impossible terrain to climb. With his limited understanding, he could see no solution to his problem. Like any mountain he was trying to climb, the peak was covered in the mist and clouds of doubt and fear. How would he ever navigate the mess his beloved country was in?

How similar is our situation in our beloved land! God’s people look around at the devastation we are facing and wonder, “How will we ever climb this mountain?” We see nothing but problems, difficulties, and impossible situations created by the people who govern us and who are bent on dragging us to destruction. Where is God in all this? Has He washed His hands of us?

Unlike Habakkuk’s people in Judah, South Africans cannot claim a covenant relationship with God. Yet, within the population of this country, there is a people in covenant with God. Those who are in Christ by faith are part of the great kingdom of God over which Jesus rules in justice, righteousness, and peace.

When God crowned His Son king over the earth, He gave Him this promise,

Psalms 2:6-8 NLT
[6] “For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” [7] The king proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my son. Today I have become your Father. [8] Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.”

So, the nations of the earth DO belong to Jesus. Despite their rebellion, and that includes South Africa,

1 Corinthians 15:25 NLT
[25]”… Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet.”

South Africa, then, although not in covenant with God as a nation, belongs to Jesus by right of the Father’s decree. Jesus rules over this land as the Father’s coronation gift. This means that He is at work in South Africa to bring the nation under His authority.

What we see now is our view from the bottom of the mountain. Like Habakkuk, our perspective is limited and incomplete. We will only be able to understand what God is doing in our country from the top of the mountain by faith, from which we have a panoramic view of what God has done and is doing in all the nations.

Let’s examine what the prophet learned that changed his attitude to God and to the situation in his land.

First, Habakkuk learned that God responds to humility and honesty. He had a problem and he wasn’t afraid to voice it. He genuinely wanted to know why God was doing nothing about the terrible things that His people were doing.

God is never offended by honest questions as long as we approach Him with reverence and awe. He is our Father but He is also the Most High God.

Second, Habakkuk learned that God never forces His will on anyone. He gave us free will. He wants us to choose Him and His way by the way He applies discipline to guide us towards the truth.

God’s people refused to obey His Word, so He put pressure on them by allowing the Babylonian invasion and exile to teach them to obey Him through the consequences of their disobedience.

In this way, God’s people made their own choice to abandon their idols and turn back to Him, at least for a while.

Third, Habakkuk learned that God is holy, sovereign, and all powerful over the nations. He used the Babylonians to punish and train His people but He also held them accountable for their wickedness.God judged Babylon for their idolatry. They were puffed up with their own achievements and worshipped the gods to whom they attributed their success.

Fourth, Habakkuk learned that God is concerned as much with individuals as He is with nations. He gave the prophet instructions to write a timeless principle on tablets of clay that could be taken everywhere for people to read.

“The proud are puffed up but those who are righteous will live by their faithfulness.”

Every individual chooses his path in life and is accountable to God for his choices. No one escapes His scrutiny.

Revelation 20:11-12 NIV
[11] “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”

Fifth, Habakkuk learned that what God had done in the past to save His people from their enemies was the reason he could trust Him to save them from Babylon. They had to endure the punishment of exile in Babylon but God would intervene again. Israel’s history was a promise of God’s faithfulness to His Word.

Habakkuk 3:2 NIV
[2] “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”

We can also trust God to help us on the strength of what He has done for us in the past. Every time God answers our prayers, He adds another rock to the strong foundation of our faith in Him.

Sixth, Habakkuk learned that God is greater and more powerful than all the forces of evil ranged against Him and His people. Despite the worst that ungodly people do, He will achieve His ultimate purpose. The knowledge of His glory WILL cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. The whole earth WILL stand before Him speechless because He is on His throne in His holy Temple, from which He reigns, and where He is worshipped.

Seventh, Habakkuk learned that he could rejoice in the Lord and trust Him for grace to overcome even if the whole world collapsed around Him. He could conquer the highest peaks through the strength of the Lord and the feet of a deer.

Habakkuk’s lament became a song of praise when he shifted his focus from his circumstances to the God who shaped his circumstances to reveal His glory.

God holds nations and individuals accountable according to the God/god they worship. Habakkuk’s song revealed that the Lord WAS indeed the object of his worship. In the end, the prophet’s interaction came down to one simple question, “Who do you worship?”

God is perfectly capable of taking care of His business with the nations. We can trust Him to carry out His plans to His final purpose of displaying His glory to everyone everywhere.

Our business is to trust Him and to nurture our fellowship with Him because, in the end, we cannot answer for anyone else. We are responsible and accountable to Him for ourselves alone.

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – THE LESSON OF THE FIG TREE

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THE LESSON OF THE FIG TREE

28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Mark 13:28-31

Awareness is a key thought throughout Scripture. Being aware enables a person to be alert and discerning in this war zone we live in. The enemy is relentless in his desire to deceive and the only protection we have is awareness of truth which the Holy Spirit constantly brings to our attention as the antidote to the devil’s lies.

Jesus called His disciples’ attention to the fig tree as an illustration of awareness. Just as the tiny green shoots on a fig tree are the sign of summer’s return, so there are signs of the nearness of Jesus’ return. Since He was responding to their two-layered question, i.e., the destruction of the temple – to which He had referred – and the end of time, His reply would take in both situations even though they would be separated by many centuries. As with many prophecies, there would be two-layered fulfillment, the latter being a mirror of the former.

Just as Jerusalem and the temple would be razed to the ground, so everything that does not belong to the truth will be destroyed at His coming. Jesus came to His own people, but they rejected Him and judgment finally fell on them and the city as a result. His message went out to the world but the world also refused Him and, consequently, judgement will fall on the world as well.

There is nothing one can do about natural disasters and wars between nations. One may be caught up in them; one may be able, to a certain extent, to escape them, but one can do nothing to stop them. However, there is something we can do about deception. If we fall for the lies, it is because we have not known the truth. We have the responsibility of soaking our minds in God’s Word which Jesus said is not perishable like the world around us. Knowing the truth is the only protection we have against deception because the truth in us is the Holy Spirit’s fuel that lights the way.

In this situation, I,e, the certainty of coming judgment, the truth we need to cling to is the promise of eternal life for those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that God raised Him from the dead.

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life John 5:24

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – BELIEVE AND FORGIVE

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BELIEVE AND FORGIVE

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. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:20-25

Were the disciples surprised to find the fig tree dead after Jesus’ words the day before? Of course, they were! As usual, Peter was the first one to open his mouth. “Look, Rabbi,” he burst out, “the tree you cursed is dead.”  Jesus’ response is typical. “What did you expect, Peter? When I speak, stuff happens. Now you can anticipate the same. Your words have just as much power as mine if you have confidence in God.”

He touched on the nerve centre of His life of the kingdom – a God-awareness so strong that the whole of life is lived in a faith-union with Him. Absolutely everything must flow out of this God-awareness so that even our words are energised by the power that flows out of this union. That was the secret of Jesus’ life as the Son of God which He was painstakingly trying to build into His disciples

God-awareness links us with the overriding characteristic of God’s nature in dealing with human beings – His generosity. This quality is the outflow of God’s love and is manifested primarily in the way He treats us as sons. God-awareness opens us to all of His resources. He freely releases whatever we need as we set our hearts on valuing and appreciating who He is. These resources are released through the spoken word just as He released power to bring the visible universe into being out of the invisible through His word.

The second evidence of His generosity is the way He deals with our sin – He freely forgives because He can. Jesus Himself saw to that. He took on Himself our un-payable debt, paid it in full, released us from its penalty and power and said, “Now go and do the same.” Operating from the same principle and in the same power we, as God’s sons, can expect the same results. It all flows from a God-awareness that allows us to live in the environment of God’s presence, bringing everything His presence embodies in the heavenly realm down here into the very domain of the enemy, allowing His people to exhibit the disposition of our Messiah in occupied territory.