Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree? | Mark 11:12-14 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

The Apostle Peter provided a summary of the miraculous

ministry of Jesus in one simple verse, and that verse really is

helpful as a synopsis of the substance of Christ,

unparalleled power touching the lives of needy, sin bound

people. It's found in Acts 1038, when

Peter stood before Cornelius and his household to proclaim the

gospel, and in that proclamation he included this description,

this report of the person of Jesus Christ, how God anointed

Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.

He went about doing good and healing all who are oppressed by

the devil, for God was with him. Now this would have been fresh

to the ears of these Gentiles, who were eager to know how it

was that they could be saved. But these words are a reminder

to us who know Christ, that the ministry of Jesus Christ,

particularly in his miraculous power and deliverance, whatever

he did with that Spirit anointed authority, was always, always,

always for the good to heal, to set free, to rescue, to make

whole, to revive. This is what Peter is indicating

and declaring. And the reason why I bring this

up to you is because we are about to read of a miracle that

does not fit Peter's description.

This particular act of God is easily one of the most

perplexing manifestations of divine power in all of Christ's

ministry, and there are a variety of reasons for its

perplexity, including this important feature.

This is the only miracle that Christ performs with the intent

to destroy. This unique act of God in the

Son of God, as we're about to discover, is not going to be to

restore, but to ruin. It's not going to be to bring

life, but death. It's not going to be a miracle

of mercy, but instead of miracle of judgement.

And if the outcome of the miracle is not bewildering

enough, the reasons for it are equally a challenge for many

students of the Bible. Why did Jesus do this?

How could Jesus do this? And so our time together will be

spent answering this question. Why did Jesus Christ curse a fig

tree? And that may not seem

immediately relevant to you, but shouldn't you be intrigued to

know the lesson behind this miracle that is in a category of

its own? What does God want to say If the

only time with his power he brought judgement in his first

admin advent? What is he trying to convey?

Why only that time? What does that say about his

character, his heart? And that's what we're going to

discover by the grace of God. And the way that's going to

unfold before us is very simple. We're going to look at three

things. The first thing is the timing of

this miracle. The second thing will be the

predicament of this miracle. And lastly, the message of this

miracle. So meet me in Mark, Chapter 11.

Mark 11 · chapter mention

Beginning in verse 12, we only have two verses for our time

together, but very important ones nonetheless, Mark 11, verse

Mark 11:12

12 reads. On the following day, when they

came from Bethany, he was hungry, and seeing in the

distance a fig, tree and leaf, he went to see if he could find

anything on it. When he came to it, he found

nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

And he said to it, may no one ever eat fruit from you again.

And his disciples heard it. Verse 12, the timing of this

miracle. This is only mentioned in one

other place in the four gospels, and it's in Matthew's account

and in Matthew 21, verse 18 we learned that this was in the

Matthew 21:18

morning, and this was in the morning while Jesus was making

his way toward the city of Jerusalem.

Now according to Mark 11, we read verse 12, but look at verse

1111, eleven. We learned that after Jesus

entered with jubilance into the holy city around him, the

excitement and the thrill, he had come into the temple.

And then we read here in the second part, when he had looked

around at everything as it was already late, he went out to

Bethany with the 12. Now, it's very likely that Jesus

went to Bethany because that was the village of a special family

to him, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Not explicitly stated, but it could very well be that they

hosted Jesus and the disciples that evening.

But here's the opening verse for us.

The Lord Jesus Christ early in the day, with holy ambition,

making his way to fulfill the Father's will for that day.

A simple and yet profound picture of Christ on the move

yet again, but not just on the move.

He is perfectly In Sync and in step with the Father's schedule

for his life. And there's another simple yet

profound detail that Mark includes here in verse 12.

Not only was it Jesus making his way towards the city of

Jerusalem to fulfill a very important thing, 3 words.

Words that you're familiar with, maybe.

Words that you're actually experiencing while I'm

preaching. He was hungry.

That may not seem mysterious to you, that may not seem profound

to you, but it is when you contemplate who it's connected

to. He was hungry.

Who was hungry? The creator of everything.

The Sustainer and the supervisor of every molecule in the

universe. The one who in the beginning

created a world that would sprout vegetation and raise up

plants, yielding seeds and providing different bushes and

landscapes that would give out food for us.

Such is the one we are told was hungry, such as the one in this

historical portrait who is walking and enduring A grumbling

belly, a growling stomach. The more you think about it, the

more profound it really is, the more you actually meditate.

You realize this is incredible. He's sustaining himself, Christ

and entering into this world tasted much suffering in order

to secure our salvation, and that suffering includes the

pains of hunger and understanding Jesus.

Being hungry here is not just helpful for us to set up what's

about to take place. It is helpful for us to prepare

and to know how to experience him today saying what do you,

what do you mean he tasted what it's like to be hungry, he

shared in so many levels of pain and affliction.

And the reason why that should not just inform you but

encourage you is because the one that you serve, the one that you

call upon, the one that you depend on every single day,

listens not just with his ears, but with his heart.

He gets it. He understands, he shared in our

experiences. He knows what it's like to go

about life day by day, week after week, month after month,

year after year, and to experience the challenges or the

demands that each moment asks for.

And so when I come to this Christ and I describe to him my

weak condition or my deficiencies, I'm not coming to

one who lacks sympathy, but who can with a heart filled with

compassion. Listen.

He gets it. He understands.

Here's what I'm trying to tell you.

Under this category, this heading of this message, you

don't serve an insensitive savior.

It's not like we're coming to this cosmic being who's so full

of power. We acknowledge that, and we try

to convince him with our begging if he's willing to just hand out

something to give us a little bit more fuel for life.

His heart is swollen with compassion.

He knows he can empathize and relate to what it is that we are

enduring, truly human, yet without sin.

This is the one that shepherds me.

This is the one who guides you. This is the one who invites you

to lock your door, Go into that room by yourself, sit at his

feet and commune with. And he is sitting at the other

side of that table with eyes and ears and a heart that is

connected to your experience. And so I see something about the

timing of this miracle that says something about the character of

my God. But that's not the main heading,

because we have to get to what this is really about, the

predicament of the miracle. That's verse 13.

Let's read again. And seeing in the distance of

fig tree and leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on

it. When he came to it, he found

nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

So here's Christ now in his true humanity, seeing a fig tree on

his journey and making his way to it to find what?

Breakfast. Breakfast.

The King of heaven needs breakfast.

And you know what he doesn't do? He doesn't, in his grand palace,

summon his servants to prepare something that he's never had

before. He does not even make his

disciples come up with a menu because he's a little bit picky

with his appetite to put something together before he

goes into the temple to deal with the false religious system

of his time. You know what this king does

with contentment and humility? I'll tell you what he does.

He is glad to pick a few fruits and eat it in the shade of a

tree. What am I trying to paint for

you? The absolute humility and just

how attractive Jesus Christ is. The maker of heaven and earth is

happy to stand in the shade and nibble on some fruit to calm his

stomach so that he can serve his father.

I'm sorry, I can't help but move from that scene, but we have to.

He comes to this tree and the Holy Spirit makes very

descriptive comments about this one verse and we have to

consider them first. It says here that he saw in the

distance a fig tree in leaf. That's important.

He wasn't close. He was far.

That says something about this tree.

It was advertising itself in a certain way.

Hey, there's a life here. There's vitality here.

And so even from a distance, you can tell this isn't a tree

suffering in life, suffering to exist.

This is a tree that seems to be promising something promising,

sustenance, promising, some content.

And that's not the only thing, though it appeared strong,

though it appeared promising. The second thing here is how the

Lord, on approaching this tree, looks through it and discovers

that it was nothing but leaves. That's very important.

That's very important when you understand what a fig tree does.

A fig tree often will produce fruit at one stage before it

presents its leaves. And so this was not a tree that

presents its leaves, indicating to you, hey, fruit is coming.

No, those leaves are there declaring, hey, there's some

stuff still here and there will be fruit to come.

So these leaves are saying, hey, someone's home.

There are some things here that you can take advantage of and

the scriptures are very clear, especially in the Hebrew

scriptures about this development.

How before the natural normal crops arrive you can have edible

but immature figs present even before the leaves show up.

So let's go to a couple because listen, people have great

challenge in understanding this text.

They they think it's out of character of Christ.

They think it's he was in a bad mood.

There are people who find trouble with this particular

miracle. So we need to we need to wire

ourselves. Well, look here in Isaiah 28

Isaiah 28:4

verse 4, we can believe we can begin actually in verse three of

Isaiah 24. Here's one example for us.

Isaiah 28, verse three reads. The proud crown of the drunkards

of Ephraim will be trodden under foot, and the fading flower of

its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the rich valley,

will be like a first ripe fig before the summer.

When someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in

his hand. Do you see that the first ripe

fig before the summer? There are stages here to how

this fruit develops. And obviously this first ripe

fig could be eaten even before the summer time.

When is the time where the the normal crops, the harvest

arrives? We'll go to Hosea, another

prophet. Hosea Chapter 9 and verse 10.

Hosea 9 · chapter mention

Hosea 910. Like grapes in the wilderness, I

found Israel like the first fruit on the fig tree.

In its first season I saw your father's, but they came to bell

peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame and became

detestable like the thing they loved.

Notice again the first fruit on the fig tree, again indicating

that there are stages to how this fruit produces.

And if you have any doubt, I spoke to one of our elders who's

an expert with figs. He has fig trees, so this is how

it works, this is how it functions.

And understanding that simple truth, the truth that even the

Bible sheds light on, helps us clarify what many are confused

about with this Texan mark. Because again, Jesus comes to

this tree. He looks to the leaves, but then

Mark says. But he found nothing since it

was not the season for figs, right?

It was not the summertime when again the expected normal crops

and its maturity would present itself.

But that does not negate the reality of the first ripe figs

that are there even at times before the leaves appear.

When did this miracle occur? The last week of Jesus life on

earth? What feast was about to be

celebrated? Passover.

When is Passover celebrated? Spring.

So everything fits the chronology, what scripture says,

even what science has to say. But even if you did not get that

extensive explanation and you read these verses at face value,

it still makes sense. Think about it.

It was not the season for figs. OK, but what's happening here?

You have a tree that has leaves and seems to present itself in a

way as though it does have figs. In other words, hey, I have

fruit here. So in reality, if you just

again, you just dismiss all that was just said and you take it at

face value. What you have here is a tree

making an unusual proclamation about itself.

It's not the season of figs, but here's a tree was saying I got

some figs. So what do we say about this

tree? It's lying.

What do you say about this tree? It's making claims, but the

profession is not met with substance.

This is what Jesus perceives and understands and helps us

understand the message of the miracle.

So Christ here and realizing that there is nothing but

leaves. And in verse 14 he said to it,

may no one ever eat fruit from you again.

Jesus was not upset because he was hungry and this tree didn't

meet his needs. Jesus, primarily in righteous

indignation, was upset because this tree was deceptive.

That's the idea. And this pronouncement, this

judgement, seems severe. But let us never forget, the

Creator of all things has every right to exercise judgement

against His creation. And there's nothing here of

cursing right? Where do we get the idea of

cursing? Well, it's when you read verse

21 and Peter remembered and said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig

tree that you cursed has withered.

And when you read verse 20, you notice how significant this

judgment was. As they passed by in the

morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

This was permanent judgment. This would cancel its potential

in the days to come. This is serious.

And that is precisely what this miracle is about.

It's not about Jesus on the morning wanting food and didn't

get it, so he exercised his power to express his

frustration. This is a parabolic lesson.

This is Jesus using and performing a miracle to teach

something to his disciples. So what do you mean, What does

disciples have to do with it? Look back at Mark 11 verse 14.

Mark 11:14

And he said to it, may no one ever eat fruit from you again.

And his disciples heard it. His disciples were to listen,

perceive and register what this is all about and in reality.

When you consider Mark's authorship inspired by the Holy

Spirit and you look at where he places the story, you will not

only see the brilliance of the mind of God, you also will have

clarity on what this message behind this miracle is all

about. Let me ask you this question You

don't have to answer out loud. In fact, please don't.

What happened right before Jesus did this and what happens right

after he does it? Let's read again verse 13, mark

11/13 and seeing in the distance of fig, tree and leaf, he went

to see if he could find anything on it.

When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was

not the season for figs. Here's the question now, is this

the only instance in this context where Jesus examined

something? And is this the only instance in

this context where Jesus realizes that there is a veneer

of fruitfulness, but when the veil was removed, in reality

there was a decorative deception instead of true substance?

You don't have to guess. Look at the last verse we read

last in last week's sermon, verse 11 once more, and he

entered Jerusalem and went into the temple.

And when he had looked around at everything as it was already

late, he went out to Bethany with the 12.

And then now we have the story of Jesus going to Bethany and he

goes to Jerusalem again. He sees this fig tree and it

seems to have fruit, but looking into it only leaves cutscene

verse 15. And they came to Jerusalem, and

he entered the temple, and began to drive out those who sold and

those who bought in the temple. And he overturned the tables of

the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the

temple. And he was teaching them, and

saying to them, it is it not written.

My house shall be called a House of prayer for all the nations,

But you have made it into a den of robbers.

Do we see where Mark places the story?

It is in between Jesus's examination and his disciplinary

verdict against the temple and the spiritual condition of the

nation of Israel. Like the fig tree, the nation of

Israel boasted of having what others did not have, a covenant,

a roster of prophets, a special connection to the true God,

which included a temple with a history of God's glory in it.

And within that system, in that temple, you had this eloquent

and elaborate array of priests and robes and sacrifices and

ceremonies and readings and confessions.

But in reality it was nothing but leaves.

And like the fig tree, the temple and the religion of the

nation was all show, and it lacks substance.

There was no true worship. There was no true repentance.

There was no true righteousness. There was no true devotion.

There was no fruit from a distance, a beautiful structure

unlike anything they've ever seen.

Herod really contributed to the beautifying of this place.

But when you went in, it was empty and bare.

So you see the fate of this fig tree.

It is meant to prepare you and I and point us to the fate of the

temple destruction down to its roots.

And that judgment begins here with Jesus cleansing the temple,

Though he did it before, but it would know its ultimate

fulfillment in about four decades when the Romans would

come surrounded and destroyed in 70 AD.

Do you see the message of the miracle now?

This fig tree speaks of the fruitlessness and the false

presentation of a bankrupt nation who claimed to have true

religion. And this is not the first time

Jesus uses a fig tree as a parable and as a metaphor for

the people of Israel. I want you to see this just so

we can confirm this point and have no shadow of a doubt that

this is what this means. It's another gospel.

In Luke 13 and verse 5. Jesus looks to a Jewish crowd

and he says something that you don't hear often these days.

Repent, he says in Luke 13 verse five.

No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you all will likewise

perish. And he told this parable, a man

had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking

fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser,

look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig

tree, and I found none. Cut it down.

Why should it use up the ground? And he answered them, Sir, let

it alone this year also until I dig around it and put on manure.

Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good.

But if not, you can cut it down. What's the connection?

He's looking at this generation of Israelites and he says, you

repent you, you think you're not sinners.

We're a devastating thing can happen to you.

No, you need to be ready for whatever comes your way.

And then He provides this parable to depict, yes, the

nation of Israel, who were not bearing fruit, and even during

Jesus three years, who did not acknowledge him as the Messiah,

who did not submit themselves, who do not see him as the

fulfillment of what they claim to believe in for centuries.

And in this parable we see the patience of God, do we not?

It's using up the ground. It's soaking up all the other

nutrients. Let other trees benefit from

what is taking place on this field, and there's a delay,

which is a picture of God's patience for us when we have not

yet repented. Maybe you are here in this place

today, and you're like that tree.

You have heard enough of Jesus to make 1000 people come and get

saved, and you still have not allowed Him to change your

nature so that you can be the one who bears the fruit that

would bring him glory. And here you are, still with

service 2567 and you still haven't repented.

God is patient, but guess what? His patience is not permanent.

One more year, one more year, and then I'm going to cut down

this tree. Which again reminds us, yes, God

is gloriously slow to judge. We heard it from the opening

verses of the service, but there is an expiration date on it.

Fig tree depicting the nation of Israel.

The Old Testament also uses much imagery to describe the people

of God, including that of figs. Both positively.

You heard it from Isaiah. You heard it in Hosea, but also

with Jeremiah. You don't have to turn there.

But listen to this reference and this quotation in Jeremiah 2917.

Thus says the Lord of Hosts. Behold, I'm sending on them

sword, famine, and pestilence. And I will make them like vile

figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten.

I will make them like such figs. Another correlation, another

connection to what Jesus is doing with this tree in Mark

Mark 11 · chapter mention

Chapter 11. OK, let's not be mistaken here,

right? This is a clear illustration

about the condition of Israel then and what would come about?

The nation of Israel. But let us not be fooled.

This is something to say to those in the Church and

Christendom in 2024, verse 14. Remember, what do we hear?

The disciples heard it. I wonder what crossed through

their minds when they saw Jesus cursing this fig tree that had

no fruit. What past parables, what past

teachings rush through their minds as I saw now a physical

picture of fruitlessness and Jesus desire for fruit.

Now think about this, right? I mean, I'm going to go back to

what I said in the beginning for God to provide us this as the

only miracle where he and the person of Christ pronounces

judgment. He doesn't do that with his

power while on earth in any other in any other moment except

this one. What does that say about his

character? That's what I was thinking

about. Like for this to be the only

miracle of its kind. A miracle of judgement, a

miracle of destruction. What does that say about his

heart? I think it's clear the only

destructive miracle that Christ performed was against one thing.

One thing. Not prostitution, Not murder.

Not fraud, so to speak. The only destructive miracle

that Christ performed was against empty religion.

Says much, doesn't it? Here's I want to ask because

there's so many ways to apply this, and I believe with my

heart that this local church is a fragrant spiritual garden.

There is fruit here. I'm not talking about here.

I'm talking about there. Here, there's fruit.

But I don't know all of you and I have a duty.

I'm bound to this text to ask this question.

If the Lord Jesus on an individual basis, were to come

to you and comb through the leaves and examine through the

weekly church attendance and the brief Christian conversations

and the singing, when you're in the mood and even some level of

service, would he find fruit? If he were to just peel away the

surface and reach into the depths of that tree, the heart

of it, your heart? Would he find what He's looking

for in that heart? This is what Jesus is conveying.

This is what he is illustrating. Or, like the fig tree, is there

false advertisement going on? We see here that Jesus, you want

to know the message of this miracle.

Jesus is hungry for fruit, spiritual fruit.

Let's put the Lord aside, if I may say the soul respectfully.

If a person who like Jesus on this road to Jerusalem, who

knows you at a distance, right? Who doesn't really know you, but

knows you at a distance, and at a distance is convinced this is

a fruit bearing tree. I can see it.

Just a person. Not the all knowing one, not the

one who searches the hearts of all mankind.

Just a person. What would he discover if he got

closer and spent time with you beyond the two hours on a

Sunday? Followed you around throughout

the week. Sat with you long enough where

eventually you would, out of the abundance of your heart, speak.

What would he discover as he would follow?

What would he discover as he fellowship?

What would he discover in that time?

Would he find fruit or just leaves?

I remember the story a long time ago, early in ministry, nowhere

near here, so you don't have to figure it out.

A very, very, at that time at least ambitious zealous youth

group. And I was told at that time by

the leaders of that youth group. That youth group was very gifted

musically and they were very fond of some of these big names

and contemporary Christian music.

And they were able to get big names come to their retreat one

year and they were just stoked. They were so excited.

I can't believe we have these guys coming to our local church.

This is what the leaders are telling me and after the

professionalism and after the songs that they heard on the on

the radio or online that they downloaded and all the excited

they were able to. Specifically, the worship team

of that church spent time with these big names, and it didn't

take very long that during those times of fellowship, limited

fellowship from these big names came out questionable comments.

The leaders were saying, you know, these guys were telling

our youth kids about the parties that they go to, the vulgarity

that was coming out of their mouth.

It was like we were shocked to see that these people that we

looked up to, they looked and sounded so different because on

the stage there were leaves, but when you got closer, no fruit,

no fruit. One of my favorite examples of

this is found in Second Kings chapter four of a man named

Elijah, and I brought this as an example before, but repetition

doesn't hurt. And in Second Kings Chapter 4,

2 Kings 4 · chapter mention

verse eight, we read of Elijah, who also was on his own journey.

We're told here one day Elijah went to Shunham where a wealthy

woman lived who urged him to eat some food.

It's very Middle Eastern of her, so whenever he passed that way,

he would turn in there to eat food.

So you have this wealthy woman who knew of Elijah and he would

travel by her village and she would not let him go.

You have to try my food. I have the best I'm going to

start. I'm not going to start naming

dishes here. I have the best.

This I have the best. Who knows how she did?

I'm so sure it was a lovely invitation.

Lovely persuasion. Elijah, you have to eat with me.

Come spend time whenever you come by, know that there's an

open house for you, wonderful servant of God.

But it's verse nine that stands out to me.

After a few of these trips where Elijah would come by and spend

time with her and her husband, verse 9 says.

And she said to her husband, Behold, now I know that this is

a holy man of God who is continually passing our way.

I heard about Elijah, maybe heard some of his sermons, heard

about his miracles. But now after I sat with him and

he was here, apart from the stage, in my dining room, eating

with me, talking with me, Now I know in this context, in the

home, he's a man of God. Now I know Not only was she

hospitable, she was discerning. And here's the thing about

Elijah. The closer people got to him,

the more they were convinced he's the real deal.

Not leaves without fruit with this man leaves.

Oh yes, a public minister, a powerful man of God.

But when you got close, you can smell the fakes.

This is the real deal. Jesus was hungry and his

humanity. Jesus today longs for fruit.

He desires true spirituality, passion for conformity to

Christ's character, authentic worship, intimacy and prayer

service that is stimulated from a place of gratitude for the

grace of God. This is what he is looking for.

And this kind of a message may irk and disturb those who prize

the gospel of grace, who have surrendered their efforts, who

have abandoned their self righteousness, who have realized

that there is nothing they can do.

There's no amount of fruit, there's no amount of baskets,

there's no amount of fields of obedience that whatever satisfy

God's righteous demands, it's all by grace.

Yes. Amen.

Hallelujah. Can I ask you a question though?

Why did Jesus save you? Why did he shed his blood for

you? Why did he leave heaven come to

earth to redeem you? Let me borrow the words of Titus

214, and I encourage you to turn there with me as we are prepared

to close. Who gave himself for us to

redeem us from all lawlessness, and to purify, to purify for

himself a people for his own possession?

He could have stopped there. He doesn't, right?

Who are zealous for good works? We're talking about grace here.

We're talking about redemption here.

We're talking about mercy here. We're talking about gospel here.

And on this thought, Paul ends by saying, yeah, he did.

He did come and rescue and redeem and deliver.

For something that is people. Purified would be zealous.

You know what the word zealous is Burning for good works, Not

for salvation as a result of it. Not for grace.

Because you tasted grace. Maybe you're not convinced that

this is about grace. So let's rewind it verse 11.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for

all people. Now what does this grace do?

Verse 12, It trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly

passions. That's what true grace does.

So anybody who's operating under a grace that quiets their

conscience and legitimizes their rebellion and disobedience and

worldliness hasn't drank from true grace, because this grace

trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions

and to the self controlled, upright and godly lives in the

present age. Now look at this.

Look what else this grace does. It causes us to wait for our

blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and

Savior Jesus Christ. And here it is who gave himself

for us to redeem us from all lawliness, some lawlessness.

The woman who was caught in adultery in Jesus, the only one

in that story who had the right to stone her, He was without

sin, cast the first stone. Who had the right to do that?

Christ. Everybody else was sinful.

The only one who had the right to cast the first stone was the

Son of God. And he didn't do it.

Instead, he puts his hand underneath that chin, lifts up

that face, and assures her that she's been forgiven.

Does the story end there, or does he Commission her with

this? Go now.

And what? Sin less, Sin no more.

And here's an infusion of my Holy Spirit.

And here is the library of my truth that has supernatural

power to do so, to live a life that says I renounce it, a

grace, that great hymn says grace that has taught my heart

to fear and the fears that it is also relieved.

And so we see here that this grace should produce in us

something new in terms of desire and pursuit.

I want to be adorned the way my Savior wants me to be adorned.

In other words, what Jesus is not looking for here is sinless

perfectionism. What Jesus is looking for here

is a nature that produces something as a result of its

nature. If we're still not convinced of

this, look at Titus 3 verse 8. The saying is trustworthy.

Titus 3:8

And I want you to insist on these things so that those who

have believed in God. Do we believe in God?

Yes. Is it by faith?

Yes. Is it by trusting in his

promise? Yes.

For those who have believed in God may be careful to devote

themselves to good works. These things are excellent and

profitable for all people. Here's how I'm ending.

Very simple. Strong.

Well, it's a it's a strong miracle.

It is not arrogant to answer this positively.

It is not arrogant for me to ask this question, for you to be

able to say Amen. Brother, keep preaching for me

to ask you. If Jesus the vine dresser, were

to come and look through and find fruit, would he be able to?

You know, it's not proud to say I believe he would, because I

know who I was and I know who I am today.

And that's not for me to boast, except in Christ.

I do not fear him. Not because I had a good few

months as a Christian, because down deep inside I know that

I've been changed. When you look at an apple tree,

an orange tree, whatever tree do you hear grunting while you walk

by those trees, it would be very strange.

You might have to go see a doctor if that was the case.

You don't hear trees screaming and pounding and exerting

strength to produce. No, no, no, They just do by

nature. And yes, how do you correlate

that with the commands to do good?

It's possible we can't take that analogy too far to disobey God,

even as a person who has known God and experienced his grace.

But oh, there's an ease and oh, there's a new change of

thinking. There's there's something that

happens. There's a shift.

Your appetite is different. Your longings, your desires,

your goals, your dreams have been altered.

Can you say yes to that? Or if Jesus were to examine,

would he find hollowness? Would he find barrenness?

Would he find spiritual nakedness?

And all that's there are leaves. Presentation show you convince

people at a distance, but when they get close, they go, Wait a

minute. If that's you today, God wants

to do a different miracle in you.

God doesn't want to curse you. God doesn't want to judge you.

God wants to deliver you and God wants to save you.

And God wants to renew you so that you can be the miracle of

grace and add it to his trophy case of marvelous mercy.

That's why I present this to you.

I want to ask the guy here today in the ServiceNow who can

confess. Look, I've been show.

I've been. I've been a show.

I fooled people long enough, but now I sense God pressing my

heart. Why don't you give up and know

the joys of what the gospel can do in your life and so renew you

that you wouldn't be able to recognize yourself leaving this

place and growing in him? And for the people who are a

tree that does bear fruit, rejoice in that miracle today.

Give God glory that he did do that in you and listen, He wants

to produce more fruit. Now this is how I was

challenged. I let me put it this way.

I did not read this and study this this week and feel

condemned. But I was challenged on the

bedrock of knowing that I've been saved by his love my Jesus.

I see my Jesus in these scriptures who has a desire.

You know what he desires? Fruit.

Fruit. To convince him that I'm worthy

to be his. No, I'm his.

That's it. It's done.

It's secure. I go to bed every night

rehearsing that truth that if I don't wake up for whatever

reason, I'm going to be in the presence of my Savior.

But, oh, he, He still longs for fruit as a new tree.

So, Lord, do more miracles than me and let me be what you want

me to be. Let that be the goal of my life.

That whether people from a distance or up close can testify

something happened to that guy and the only explanation is the

truth that he claims to believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth

resides within him. That's how you should be moved

by this message today. If my Savior is hungry, then may

he be fed by the work that he does in me and he'll do it.

So my invitation is 2 part here. Listen, I know what it's like to

have the leaves. I know what it's like.

I know what it's like, OK? It's such a terrible way to

live. It's such a misery to try to

convince people of something that you yourself know is not

true. Just so you can satisfy mommy

and Daddy and don't get in trouble with your relatives, the

people in your family that serve God.

Just so you can avoid those awkward conversations.

Just so you have enough of Jesus that when things get bad, you

can call upon him because you're somewhat still connected to him.

Like Peter in the final moments of Jesus following him at a

distance, not too close so that you get arrested with Jesus, but

not too far so that you cannot lose sight of Jesus leaves.

Aren't you tired of it? Like, aren't you tired of a life

where you don't know God's spirit, working in you in a way,

where you step beside yourself saying what's going on here?

Why am I convicted about the way I speak now?

Why am I now all of a sudden disturbed by how I've been

treating my spouse? Where is this coming from?

Why am I now all of a sudden hungry for this?

I want to eat this word. I want to spend time with the

Lord. I want to be around people who

also been changed. Don't you want that?

Ultimately, don't you want the Saviour, the Savior that I just

proclaimed to you to now write your name in the Lamb's book of

life? And not just for that future

appointment, but for for him to walk with you and every

appointment in life? Will that be the terrifying

doctor's report where you're sitting on that cold table and

he diagnosis you and you can be rushed with comfort knowing my

Savior's with me, with all the trials with your children, with

all the trials with your finances.

To know my Savior is with me. People don't like this stuff.

Don't tell people Jesus does something for your life.

But why not? He says.

I've come to name I have life and life more abundantly.

This is the Savior that I proclaimed to you, and I want

you to know him. I'm going to choose to stop now.

I think I said enough for the time being.

And now I invite you, whether you're a tree only with leaves,

to ask God to uproot that and to replace it with new life, or you

are a tree that's bearing fruit, and you are Glee to know that

your master longs for greater fruit and for you to say, Lord,

do it in me. I have No Fear of condemnation.

I know I'm new. But, oh God, in order to please

you out of great delight, do a miracle in me again and he'll do

it. Father, we thank you for this

time. We thank you for giving us

clarity with this miracle. Not merely do you have deeper

understanding of the word, but to know what it is that you

desire of us today. Thank you, Lord, that the

miracle of the gospel is that you change our nature, that with

faith you do something remarkable.

And many of us in here are confident that that happened to

them. And for those who are

questioning, not that this message, Lord, you know the

heart behind this message, to try to cause people to doubt.

But for those who genuinely only have leaves to see the

terrifying condition that is, and to look to the master who

provided this miracle to provide another one.

That they would know salvation. They would know forgiveness.

They would know the love of God for them.

Lord, you love the one even now who does not have fruit but only

leaves. And just like in Luke 13, you

wait and you wait and you wait until they would call upon you

so that they can know salvation. And so, Lord, let there be an

urgency by your spirit. Men cannot produce that urgency.

Lord, only you can do that. And we pray that you would.

In these difficult trying times where we feel like the clock is

ticking closer to midnight, may we not waste time to say, oh

God, we need you. We worship you today.

Thank you for this message. Thank you for the insight.

Thank you for showing us who you are.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Well, let's worship the King of

Glory.