Verse 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.
What did the fig tree ever do to Jesus?This is a weird story. Jesus never performs a miracle for his own sake. He doesn't turn stone to bread when he is hungry and he doesn't save himself from the cross... so why does he curse the fig tree? It doesn't make sense.This must be a parable which is lived out.
From a distance Jesus can see leaves on the tree, but when he gets to the tree there is no fruit. Because there is no fruit, because the tree is not what it appeared to be (leaves no fruit) Jesus curses the tree.
In Matthew 7 Jesus says that "by their fruit you will recognize them."Those Jesus came to save appear to be holy, they are a tree with leaves, but in reality they are more concerned with their power and status than they are with what God is doing, they bear no fruit.
They were so blinded by their own selfish desires that they could not see God standing in front of them... that is their curse. Instead, they treat Jesus like an enemy and nail him to a tree.
As Christians, the most inportant thing we can do is be who we say we are. Ghandi once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians, your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
What good is having a Jesus fish on the back of your car if you cut people and give them the finger? What good is reading the bible if you ignore what it says? What good is a tree without fruit?
Lord, help us to bear fruit, help us to be the people you have called us to be. Amen.
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