Passage: Mark 11:12-13, 20-33
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+11%3A12-13%2C+20-33&version=NIV)
There's two parts to this day: the Questioning of Jesus' Authority and Finding the Withered Fig Tree.
Jesus' Authority Questioned
I love this part of the story of Jesus. I love watching him dodge every trap people set for him, and respond perfectly to every question. Jesus knew that the priests and teachers of the law would not believe the truth about him. He knew who they truly were, and therefore he knew their motives. Yet by the same token, they refused to see who he was, and so would never know what motivated him and gave him his authority.
Jesus' authority was absolute, because he'd been given the authority of God (Matthew 28:18).
As God, he was (and is):
- In direct command of all of Creation. That is where his miracles came from. They stemmed from his absolute right to correct what was broken in the world.
- The source of the Law. That is where his teachings came from. He was telling people the heart behind the words, and the motives behind the requirements.
- The embodiment of Love. That is where his lifestyle came from. His love perfectly fulfilled the Law, and was his greatest motivation for submitting himself to the cross. He loved God perfectly, he loved people perfectly, and he loved his enemies perfectly.
Once we realize who Jesus is, we know exactly where his authority comes from. And as the supreme commander of Creation, he was also able to perform this interesting miracle--one that brought death instead of life:
Finding the Withered Fig Tree
On day 2, Jesus curses a fig tree. Then on day 3, the fig tree is found to be withered from the roots. Its very life was sucked dry when God's sustenance was removed.
When I read this story, my first thought is "How unfair! It wasn't the tree's fault that it wasn't the season for bearing figs." And yet, in the light of knowing Jesus' authority, I can see something interesting. The fig tree had been created by God and sustained by him for one purpose: so it could bear fruit to feed the hungry. Jesus' curse was justified by the fact that the tree had failed its purpose. It did not deserve to live any longer.
I also think the miracle itself is interesting. God had been sustaining the life of that tree for years. Yet as soon as Jesus spoke against it, removing its source of life, it died. There was no hope of revival, because even the roots were withered.
If you compare this story with our lives, it's sad to think that Jesus may approach one of his trees to find fruit, and yet only find leaves. If we look at it that way, this story is also a warning. Jesus will look for fruit, and it may not be when we are prepared to give it to him. If that is the case, what was the point of living? Bearing fruit was the only function of that fig tree, and it is also what God expects of us in this life.
So how do we make sure that our fruit is always in season when he comes looking for it?
"On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month."
~Revelation 22:2
The life of the fig tree came from God, and in the same way, so did its fruit. Our source of life is the same.
"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 15:5
The way a tree bears fruit is by finding and remaining in a source of life. For most, the source of life is a combination of sun, water, and oxygen. For us, it is a combination of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We must be connected in order to stay alive, and we must remain connected in order to produce life.
But what fruit are we to bear? There's three answers I have:
- The Fruit of the Spirit. "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22) When the Holy Spirit is invited to remain in us, with nothing getting in his way or holding him back, this is the fruit that is naturally produced in our lives.
- The Gifts of the Spirit. "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) "But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying... they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”( 1 Corinthians 14:24-25). Fruit is evidence of having a healthy relationship with the source of life. If you are connected to the Spirit, the evidence will be there, and it will be a witness of God's greatness to the world.
- Finding the Lost. "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives." (Proverbs 11:30) The harvest that God longs for the most is the harvest of souls. He wants his banquet hall to be full to bursting! And he has given us the great privilege, and also the great responsibility, to be used by him in reaching this goal.
I know you likely knew all this already. But let me remind you again that we are here to renew our walk with God, which sometimes means being reminded of the basics of our faith: God wants a relationship with people, and he wants to use people to reach people.
Right Response
This is what I challenge you to do today:
- Acknowledge Jesus' authority in your life. Acknowledge the source of that authority. Do not question what Jesus is or isn't allowed to do. Just rest in the fact that whatever he does, it will be for your good. He wants what is best for you, and so will always act in that interest.
- Examine your life for fruit. Are you seeing the fruit of the Spirit being shown in your heart and in your actions? Are you seeing yourself being used by the Spirit to impact those around you?
- Assure your connection to the Tree of Life, whose fruit is never out of season. If you see fruit missing, ask God why. His perspective is better than ours. He is the gardener who is tending you, so he will know why you aren't producing fruit correctly. Make sure you heed the instructions that Jesus gave his disciples before his Ascension: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." (Acts 1:4) Do not try to do what God has called you to workout him! It just won't work.
Important note: trees grow slowly! Don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself to those around you. If a tree is planted a couple years before another, of course it is going to show more fruit at first (and will continue to if they persist in their walk with God correctly). Focus on what God has for you. He knows what he's doing, he knows where you are, and he knows when you will be ready. I want you to speak to him and find out if he is convicting you, or if you are under attack by guilt. If your conviction comes from looking at your own life ("I don't see what God wants to see in my life, according to God's Word"), you are being convicted by God through his Spirit and his Word. But if you're conviction is coming from looking at someone else's life ("I don't see in my life what I see in theirs"), you are being attached by guilt and need to fix your eyes on God, so that you can see your life through his eyes. There is a difference between guilt and conviction, and the only way to know what you are feeling for sure is to ask.
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