Jesus’ parable of the fig tree teaches that when we see the right signs in the tree we should expect figs. When the season is right, and the leaves are full; when the tree is healthy, it’s time for the harvest. The generation which sees the signs that He had just described should be assured that the end is at hand. ”Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” This is the parable of the fig tree.
But we have in our text another fig tree – and another parable – of sorts. Like the Old Testament prophets who, at the command of God, became living parables, here we have another living and dying parable. But the lessons between the first fig tree parable and the second are somewhat different. What are the lessons that we have here?
Well, first there is the lesson of PURPOSE.
Why did God create? I don’t have a specific answer, but if I had to guess, I’d say that it was to bring glory to Himself. Why did God create MAN? It was for the same purpose as creation generally. Adam was commissioned to tend the garden of God; to make sure that God’s ficus tree produced figs. Have you ever wondered exactly what Adam’s duties were since there were no weeds and everything was in perfection? Maybe it was to keep all the prosperous plants separate. Maybe it was to carry off all the abundant produce. Was there any other reason for God’s creation of man? What about to have fellowship with him in the cool of the evening? Perhaps it was to give the Lord someone to graciously save. And why did God create fruit trees; grape vines and root vegetables? I suppose that some plants were created for nothing but their beauty, and perhaps some for their scent. But the fig tree was created to produce figs, and the orange tree was created to grow oranges.. Fruits and vegetables were ordained to meet the needs of mankind. In feeding humanity they were fulfilling their divine destiny. Then later when God permitted us to kill and eat meat, the purpose of the cow, the sheep and the deer became apparent as well.
Several thousand years after that, along comes the Son of Man – and He is hungry. He and the disciples spent the night in Bethany – a night about which we have no information whatsoever. Was it at Lazarus’ house, or was it some other place? Why was the Lord hungry? Wasn’t this a proper bed and breakfast? Where were Mary and Martha? Or was it that the Lord spent the early hours that day in prayer and fasting, skipping the breakfast that His disciples enjoyed? Who can say for sure? A few hours later, coming down the slope of Olivet, He saw what appeared to be an healthy fig tree. The leaves declared that there should have been that sweet, energy-filled fruit on its branches. But it was barren. It failed in its purpose.
A few minutes ago, I said that Matthew 24 was Jesus’ parable of the fig tree. But actually, there is another which also might be called “the parable of the fig tree.” I could have said that Luke 13 is THE fig tree parable. “He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” The Lord doesn’t specifically explain or apply this parable, but the point is quite obvious – fruit. Fig trees, like grape vines, were created by Jehovah to bear fruit for man’s enjoyment and sustenance. Similarly, Israel was created as a nation to glorify the God who saved her from Egypt – but she was barren. Generally speaking, all creation, including the children of Adam, have been put on this earth to serve God. Not to do so, is to forsake our purpose for existence. And for the Lord to re-create someone – when the Lord calls and redeems someone, calling him “His son” – even more than fig trees and grape vines – Jehovah expects to find fruit in us.
There is a quote in today’s bulletin by the missionary J. Hudson Taylor – “As our Heavenly Father makes many a flower to bloom unseen in the lonely desert, let us do all that we can do, as under God’s eye, though no other eye ever take note of it.” If I didn’t think that there was merit to the quote, I wouldn’t have put it in the bulletin. But a corollary to that thought might be that we often best glorify God by serving the rest of creation. For the most part the fig tree provides nourishment and enjoyment to man – not God. I’ve never read that Christ ate carrots or potatoes; nevertheless those veggies were created to serve us. And like vegetables, we too can glorify the Lord by serving others – by loving, tending, feeding, evangelizing and teaching our friends, loved ones and neighbors. In addition to songs of adoration and praise, we serve God by serving others. It is our purpose – the reason for our existence.
A second lesson here is highlighted by the leaves – HYPOCRISY.
Laying aside our Lord’s omniscience for a moment – if He were nothing but a man like ourselves – If Jesus was walking down that hill and saw an old, diseased, dried up, relic of a fig tree, He wouldn’t have expected to find fruit on it. But this particular tree was not a dead or even a dying hulk of a tree. It was green and healthy. If it hadn’t promised fruit, would the Lord have cursed it when there was no fruit? I think not. The world may say that it hates hypocrisy, but it usually says that hypocritically. The world only hates YOUR hypocrisy, while it glories in its own. On the other hand, the Lord truly does hate hypocrisy. Nearly a dozen times in Matthew 23, Jesus says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” In Matthew 6 Christ could have been talking about fig trees, when He said, “When thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” This fig tree sounded a trumpet – declaring its heritage, vitality and prosperity, but its praise was pointless, because it bore no fruit. In yet another of Jesus’ parables, He describes a wicked servant and then concludes with the words, “cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Where do hypocrites belong? – where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Christ Jesus speaks more about hypocrisy than anyone else in the Bible, but James, Peter and Job condemn it just as clearly as Christ. Was Job correct in his assessment when he said that no hypocrite will come peaceable before the Lord?
The word “hypocrite” is a transliteration from Greek, not a translation. It was a common word in Greek literature referring to an actor – an imitator – a professional deceiver. This tree tried to deceive its Creator, but it couldn’t get away with it. And it paid the ultimate price. Jesus said unto it, “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.”
How many people have been saved by the grace of God for the Lord’s glory and for the Lord’s service…. How many people have actually promised to serve the Lord at some point in their lives….. And how many people have broken their promise? Oh, perhaps they never intended to become hypocrites, but that is what they have become nevertheless. How many Christians have fruitless lives, because to one degree or another they are hypocrites? Humanly speaking, Christ saw the leaves and expected the fruit, but the tree lied.
The third lesson in this tree is a bit more positive – FAITH.
“And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Generally we don’t like to think about it, and we rarely verbalize it…. But the death of this tree was a minor miracle – it was a negative miracle. Sure all trees eventually die – some live long lives and others very short lives – by the will of God. But this tree was alive and healthy one moment and then in a matter of moments it was shriveled up and dead. The next day the disciples came by, and it looked like it had been dead for years. “Look at how quickly its life came to an end.”
What sort of things bring us into contact with the omnipresent God? That’s a silly question, but then again, not so silly. Apparently, hypocrisy brings us before the Lord, but the results are not good for us. Each and every sin is noted by God, and will eventually bring judgment. For the Christian those sins might first bring correction – chastisement – discipline. But let’s lay aside those negatives which bring the Lord’s attention.
There are a great many things which man might praise, but which the Lord doesn’t recognize. For example, Intellect is not necessarily an evil thing to possess and stimulate, but the Lord offers very little praise for brains. Talent is a good thing, but as gifts of God, if they are not used for the Lord, God is not impressed by talent the way that human beings might be. Just for fun, I looked up the name of one of my favorite baseball players the other day on the internet. At the bottom of the article there was a note which said that a few years ago, the players in major league baseball voted this man to be “the nicest player” in the league after Jim Thome. Even though he has been one of my favorites, he has the disgusting habit of chewing a huge wad of tobacco while he’s playing. It turns my stomach to watch him, and I am certainly not holy as the Lord is holy. I have no doubt that Jehovah takes no thought for the baseball players’ vote of “niceness.”
What does connect the Lord with the human aspect of His creation? Obviously, the Lord recognizes each part of the fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.” Faith especially brings us into contact with the omnipotence of the Almighty. “If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Let me go back to a thought that I shared with you this morning. Is it the size of our faith in Christ which saves us? Is it the strength of our faith? No. It is the grace of God which saves sinners, and by faith we understand and enjoy that salvation. So, if an aged theologian, after studying Christ and the Bible finally comes to understand saving grace, that man’s maturity may provide him with great faith. But on the other hand, a man wasted by drink and drugs may be introduced to Christ, and through his weak heart, weak understanding and self-destroyed live, his tiny faith may link him to the same Christ. Both will be equally saved, despite the differences in their lives and in their faith.
Similarly, it is not the strength of our faith which might enable us to move mountains and uproot fig trees. The miracle is performed by the omnipotent God, not by our impotent faith. And yet, there are multitudes of confused and self-centered “Christians,” who want to heal the sick, raise the dead and move mountains, going to the gymnasium of their religion trying to strengthen their faith to get the work done. But they should be entering the throne room of God, simply asking and trusting Him to bless. Why is it that WE are not moving mountains? There may be lots of reasons, but the primary one has nothing to do with the size of our faith. The primary reason is that it’s not the Lord’s will. And we aren’t connected to the Lord well enough to realize it. The kind of faith which we need – which the world needs to see in us – is the faith which lays everything before the Lord, saying, “I fully trust thy will, O Lord.”
Do you remember when Hezekiah received that hate letter full of threats from the king of Syria. Hezekiah simply went into the House of the Lord and he laid out that letter before God. His faith was tiny – minuscule – but it was doing the right thing by humbly coming to the Almighty. His request was that the mountain of the Syrian army be removed, and God did exactly that. The Syrians were driven by God back to their homes, never to be heard from again. But it was not the size or strength of Hezekiah’s faith – it was a tiny faith laying prostrate before the omnipotent God, asking for His will to be done.
“If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Can we love and trust God enough to leave all our mountains in His hands? Don’t beat up yourself because you’ve asked God to dry up that nasty locust tree in your yard, and it has not yet died. The fact is – it may not be the Lord’s will. We just need to learn to love, serve and trust God to do what is best in His omniscient sight.