Monday, March 29 - devotional

Matt 21:18-22

18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree , but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."NIV

I remember hearing this story for the first time and being totally confused. Why did Jesus hate this one tree out of all the trees? Was this a point where Jesus just kind of looses it and takes it out on a defenseless fig tree? What really is the point of including this in the story? As a child I just didn't get it.

OK, as an adult, I'm not convinced I completely get it, either. So let's see if we can figure this out with the Holy Spirit's help.

It seems that Jesus is hungry and notices a fig tree. Now, it seems that figs in Israel have 2 seasons for bearing fruit. The best one is in the Fall, but in the early Spring small, less tasty fruit appear right before the leaves appear. Most people avoid these bitter "pre-fruit" figs, but when you're hungry... Also, if there is no "pre-fruit" there will be no full fruit later. That's just the way it works.

So, Jesus sees leaves in the spring and goes to see if there is any "promise fruit" on the fig tree. He is disappointed. What happens next is the confusing thing. Jesus curses the fruit tree and it withers- from the roots up! Jesus takes a fruit tree that wasn't going to bear fruit that season and say- if there is no fruit now, there is never going to be fruit.

The point? I believe the point is cautionary to the Jewish leaders of His day as well as all of us today. Jesus is always talking about bearing fruit. In John 15 He talks about the imperative of bearing much fruit. It's what we are "in the vine" to do. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were not bearing fruit- they were starving the vine with rules and regulations (religion) that they themselves could not follow. But what about us, today? What kind of fruit are we bearing. Perhaps we should hear the words of Jesus as we prepare for Easter.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit , while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will 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 a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit ; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit , showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:1-8 NIV

Oh, and don't forget the object lesson of the fig tree. I'm sure the disciples never did.