WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:04.080 Together and we're entering into oh I'm sorry, I did this. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:08.160 I promised myself I wouldn't do this, but I did this. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.720 And they're leaving me this time. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:18.000 Eager I yeah. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.679 I sat there, the last thing I said to myself was, Don't forget the song. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:23.600 Let's do it. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:25.440 Let's we can do it. 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:27.440 Jinn hasn't left me. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:31.120 The Jinns haven't left me. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:32.399 Uh-oh. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:37.359 I don't know who the fool was who trying to make you forget to sing that song. 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.439 Anyway, let's go to Matthew chapter 21. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:42.960 Matthew 21. 00:00:43.840 --> 00:00:50.159 We're working ourselves deeper into the final week of Jesus Christ here on earth in his ministry. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:01:02.560 As we come into this a little more deeply, we come to a passage of Scripture that just seems a little, well, strange on the surface. 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.599 Begins in verse 18 of Matthew 21. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:10.480 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:19.439 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves, and he said to it, May no fruit ever come from you again. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.840 At once the fig tree withered. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:27.840 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, How did the fig tree wither so quickly? 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:39.439 Jesus answered them, Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will be done. 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:44.319 And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:51.439 So Jesus has come to Jerusalem, and we saw his grand entry a couple weeks ago. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:53.599 We saw him in the temple last week. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:58.239 And here we have him coming back into Jerusalem. 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:02.959 The verse before that we looked at in verse 17 says he went out of the city to Bethany. 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:12.719 So he's coming from Bethany back to Jerusalem and probably would have passed through the little village of Bethphage, which he would have done as we looked at a couple weeks ago. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:21.759 Verse 1 mentions him coming through there as he embarked on that day to Jerusalem riding on the full of a donkey. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:32.719 You might remember a couple weeks ago that I mentioned that the little village of Bethphage is a Greek transliteration of an Aramaic name for the place of unripe figs, right? 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:42.639 So it's not just a little ironic that here, early morning, Jesus is hungry and comes across a lone fig tree. 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:50.000 The appearance of the leaves on that fig tree brings some hope that it's carrying some sweet early figs. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:55.840 But as promising as it looks, the leaves are un the tree's unproductive, there's no figs on it at all. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:02.400 And Jesus makes this pronouncement may no fruit ever come from you again, and immediately it withers. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:10.400 You know, we read this passage of scripture and we're kind of jolted by this raw display of power. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:15.599 And what appears to be a display of power simply for destructive purposes. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:20.080 It seems completely out of character of Jesus. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:27.280 We read of his power a lot in the Gospel of Matthew, but it's his power to heal, his power to save, his power to deliver. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.840 We have people who are deaf who can hear, blind who can see, who are lame who can walk. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:37.120 We don't see him sort of cursing whole things and making them wither away. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:43.520 Jesus uses his power to heal, not to destroy, but here he does. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:52.960 And it appears to be almost like a sullen, vindictive response to, you know, not getting some food from a tree expected to have for breakfast. 00:03:53.919 --> 00:04:13.599 And that puzzlement is compounded when we, like the disciples, are sort of curious as to what's going on, and Jesus makes a more, even more mysterious statement about God affirming the disciples' faith-filled prayer that even if they ask for a mountain to be thrown into the sea, it will be. 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.600 What is all of this about? 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:20.560 What is this passage teaching us? 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:22.560 What can we learn from it? 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:36.720 Well, this is one of those passages in Scripture that's easy to look at on the surface and misunderstand and misconstrue and misappropriate and can take you into all kinds of bizarre places. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:48.480 A lot of people will take this passage and tell you that you know it's all about the amount of faith that you have and that you need to sort of cast out of your soul any kind of doubting whatsoever. 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:51.279 And then you can have pretty much anything you want. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:54.959 Just name it and believe, and it's yours. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:11.680 This is not a recipe for us walking around like Bruce Nolan, Jim Carey's uh character, and Bruce Almighty, and just kind of going zap, zap, zap, zap. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:13.600 That's what I want. 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:14.319 Zap. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:16.800 It's not that. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:26.800 There's something very significant being said here in the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry that we need to take note of. 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:34.800 And it's hard for us to catch it if we don't understand what's going on in this passage of Scripture. 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:38.639 So this morning I want to unpack it and then apply it. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.800 And we're going to look in two major headings. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:46.319 We're going to look at some preliminary things that we have to look at, give us some insight in these preliminary details. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.040 And then we're going to look at its prophetic intent. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.759 What is it actually saying to us? 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.120 Well, first of all, some preliminary insight. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.879 The first thing we run across here are figs. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:00.800 A lot of discussion about figs here. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.439 The lone fig tree, Jesus wants to eat some figs. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:05.920 There's no figs on the tree, even though there's leaves. 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.040 What he wants, he thought he could get some food there, but he can't. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:10.560 What's going on here? 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.360 Well, there's a couple things we need to know about fig trees. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:15.439 First of all, the season of figs. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:17.680 This is Passover time in Jerusalem. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:20.639 So we're talking, you know, March, April time. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:26.160 And fig trees in that climate are just beginning to come into leaf. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:29.040 They're not yet a full leaving. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:31.920 It's early spring still. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:37.839 But once the leaves are fully developed, then people would be used to seeing fruit on them. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:42.160 And normally figs can be picked from about mid-May onward. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:47.920 But it's not unheard of for a fig tree to sort of produce fruit early. 00:06:48.079 --> 00:07:05.279 In fact, one early authority on the life in Palestine by the name of Bishop took a photograph on April 16th, 1936, with a tree of figs, full enough for people to gather and to eat. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:11.519 So it's not unheard of that it's it's possible for a tree to bear edible figs at this time. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:13.759 But look at verse 19. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:18.639 Matthew draws our attention to the leaves. 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:22.639 Found nothing on it except leaves. 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:33.519 The reason he does this is because most fig trees begin to produce their fruit before they begin to produce their leaves. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:44.480 And so you could expect if there's leaves, there's likely to be fruit, especially if the leaves are fully developed, like this tree is. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:54.319 So this tree stands out as one that looks like it's going to be productive. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:08:01.120 When you look at it at first glance, with its fullness of leaves, you think there's gotta be some fruit on there. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:07.040 But as they look closer, they realize that it's barren. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:22.800 One person said that because fig trees develop their fruit first and then their leaves, you see a tree with just leaves, it's never going to bear fruit for the rest of the season. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:29.040 So here's the takeaway from just understanding this little detail about figs. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:36.240 This tree offers the promise of satisfaction without the fulfillment. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:45.679 From first glance, it looks great, but upon closer inspection, it's completely barren. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:50.080 That's the first thing we notice here. 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:53.360 But there's something else to know about figs. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:02.960 A lot of us grew up like I did, and the only thing I knew about figs was uh getting a fig newton out of the out of the cupboard and and having one. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:09.840 I didn't know what a fig tree looked like, I didn't know what a fig looked like, I just knew what a fig newton looked like. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:17.120 And I began to be acquainted with figs as I got older, and there's a fig tree actually on our property right in front of the white building. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:23.759 And just a few months ago I went looking for the rest of the figs that were still there and ate a few of them. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:27.120 So if you were hoping to get some, I got there first. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:43.200 Figs were one of the one of the most popular domesticated plants in the land of Israel, grown for its fruit, but also grown because it's got large leaves for its shade. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:56.720 And because it was fruitful and it could give you some respite from the heat of the sun, it becomes a symbol in the scriptures of God's covenant relationship with his people. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:10.159 God is portrayed in Hosea chapter 9 and verse 10 as looking on the ancestors of Israel, and he says this: he said, I looked upon them as seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:28.080 He looked at Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and he saw in them a development of a nation, the development of a nation whose name would have the name of God upon it, the development of a people who would glorify him from whom all the nations would come. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:42.159 And as covenant beneficiaries, the nation of Israel is also enjoying the prosperity of God giving him them their pro his promises and living a life of security. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:11:04.799 And during a high time of the history of Israel, during the Solomon's reign, in 1 Kings 4, it says, throughout Solomon's reign, Judah and Israel lived in safety from Dan to Beathsheba, from north to south, each person under his own vine and under his own fig tree. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.240 What does that tell us? 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:16.879 It tells us that at the most basic level, this fig tree is viewed as a wonderful part of a settled life. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:25.840 And to live your life under your fig tree, well, that means you get to live your life in joy and peace and safety and security. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:37.679 You're not you're not in the armory putting on your armament, you're not grabbing your weapons, you're sitting happily under your fig tree and enjoying a peaceful life. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:42.240 Moses told the people about to enter the promised land. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:12:03.840 He said, I'm bringing you to a good land, a land with streams, springs, and deep water sources flowing with valleys and hills, a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey, a land where you'll eat food without shortage, where you'll lack nothing. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:16.960 So this imagery of prosperity, this imagery of peace, this imagery of subtleness and satisfaction, Jesus comes upon a fig tree. 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:21.360 Now we need to turn to what the passage is driving at. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:23.279 It's prophetic intent. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:33.440 Because as strange as this account seems, Jesus is aligning his behavior with some of the actions of Old Testament prophets. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:47.120 The Old Testament prophets often did things that were very, very strange and odd in order to bring a more vivid focus upon what they were saying. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:13:02.080 And Jesus, out of the ordinary behavior here, is really sort of suggestive of those bizarre acts of the Old Testament prophets that were doing things also out of character to draw attention to their message. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:04.480 Ezekiel. 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:13.039 So I opened my mouth and he fed me the scroll. 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.440 I don't know, God ever tell you to eat your Bible? 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.919 He's never told me to eat it. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:23.759 Ezekiel's told to eat his Bible. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:25.200 Or Hosea. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:32.159 When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, he said to them this go and marry a woman of promiscuity and have children of promiscuity. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:33.279 Why? 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.480 Because there was a message in the marriage. 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:43.519 So there's a prophetic symbolic action happening here. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:50.639 And in this symbolic act, there's there's several different focal points that's meant to communicate here. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:54.799 And the first of all is the sign about Israel itself. 00:13:56.080 --> 00:14:11.600 The overtones of this fig tree that at first glance looks like it's going to be fruitful, but upon closer inspection is barren, is certainly indicative of the unfruitful nation of Israel. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:18.240 And its instant withering away is foreboding of its coming judgment. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:28.080 As I said a moment ago, Israel is a symbol, or the fig tree is a symbol of this covenant relationship of God with the people of Israel. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:35.200 God saw the ancestors of Israel and said they have a promise like the early figs. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:40.240 But Hosea 9:10 goes on. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:47.039 But they went to Baal Peor. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:53.759 They consecrated themselves to shame and became aborant like the thing they loved. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:08.159 Micah, another prophet, uses the fig tree as an emblem of the discouragement and disappointment of a nation turned to disobedience. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:10.320 Micah 7. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.879 How sad for me. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:25.600 I'm like one who, when the summer fruit has been gathered after the gleaning of the grape harvest, finds no grape cluster to eat, no early fig which I crave. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:29.039 Faithful people have vanished from the land. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:31.200 There's no one upright among the people. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.080 All of them wait in ambush to shed blood. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.919 They hunt each other with a net. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:45.679 The Lord feels the refusal of the nation of Israel just like a farmer who's invested all of his resources. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:16:03.840 He's taken his land, his money, his time, his energy in cultivating a harvest and gathering in that harvest, only to open up the store cupboards where that harvest ought to be, and seeing it completely empty. 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:09.039 He said, This is what it's like to be with you, Israel. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:16.080 That kind of rebellion will bring judgment upon itself. 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:23.759 And the prophets again look to the fig tree to talk about the impending judgment upon the people. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:27.759 Jeremiah chapter 8, verse 10. 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:33.200 From the prophets to the priest, everyone deals falsely. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:40.399 They've treated the brokenness of my people superficially, claiming peace, peace when there is no peace. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.679 Were they ashamed when they acted so detestably? 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:45.919 They weren't ashamed at all. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:49.279 They can no longer feel humiliation. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:54.240 Therefore they will fall among the fallen, and when I punish them, they will collapse, says the Lord. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:56.639 I will gather them and bring them to an end. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:58.559 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:06.880 There will be no grapes on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and even the leaf will wither. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:11.039 And whatever I've given them will be lost. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:24.079 So here we have a prophetic, symbolic action of Jesus out of the ordinary, because it's got a message to say about Israel. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:37.599 At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, John the Baptist, in introducing him, spoke to the Pharisees and spoke to the Sadducees, and he said, Bring forth fruit consistent with repentance. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:47.119 And he warned them that if they didn't do this, that the axe was already at the root of the tree. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:54.000 And every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:01.359 Jesus brings this emblem forward in Luke chapter 13. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:07.839 And he talks about a man that has a fig tree planted in his vineyard. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.759 And he came to look for fruit on that fig tree, but didn't find any. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:19.759 And he told his vineyard worker, Listen, for three years I've come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:20.799 Cut it down. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.119 Why should it even waste the soil? 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:28.480 And the vineyard worker said, Sir, leave it here this year also. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:33.359 Until I dig around it and I fertilize it, perhaps it'll produce fruit next year. 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.319 But if not, you can cut it down. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:47.279 That little parable, the landowner in has exhausted his patience, his generosity. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:55.200 The time has come when he comes to deservedly get the figs he should have off of his tree on his land. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:01.839 But that fig tree is going to be cut down and burnt. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:13.279 All of this is a warning, a warning of judgment that would come upon the hard-hearted if they refuse to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:27.680 And here at the very end of Jesus' ministry, there there comes this crucial moment in the divine timetable when Israel is again likened to a fig tree that is bearing no fruit. 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.240 Fruit that should be expected of it. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.599 The leaves are full. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:35.200 But it faces judgment. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:54.000 Well, that sermon in Jeremiah 7 goes on to speak of the impending judgment upon the people. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:20:09.920 And it says this in verse 20 The Lord will pour out his unburning his burning and unquenchable wrath on this place, on the people and animals, on the trees of the field, and on the produce of the land. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:21.359 And now here we are with Jesus presenting an image of impending destruction through the cursing of this fig tree. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:36.799 A fig tree that by every look of it ought to be bearing good fruit, ought to be a place of nourishment, ought to be a place of satisfaction, ought to be, but isn't. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.720 We'll come back to that in just a moment. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:47.519 But something else we learn here is not just a prophetic sign about Israel, but a prophetic sign about Jesus himself. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:21:09.200 As we've been going through the Gospel of Matthew together, Matthew has been helping us to understand who Jesus is: the son of Abraham, the son of David, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, fulfilling Old Testament expectations of great Old Testament roles and offices, prophet and priest and king. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:11.599 We've seen that all over the place. 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.160 In fact, all the Gospels do that. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:21.759 They talk about Jesus as our teacher, prophet, as our sin bearer, priest, as our ruler, king. 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:27.039 And all of these offices come together here in this one chapter. 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:32.880 We've had Jesus riding on the full of a donkey, offering himself as the king. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:40.480 We see him in the temple, declaring people clean and making them clean so they can worship, just like a priest. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:46.960 And now we have him here making a pronouncement against the nation of Israel, just like a prophet. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:58.319 Here in one quick swoop of a chapter, prophet, priest, and king are given to us immediately in three rapid succession stories. 00:21:59.119 --> 00:21:59.759 The entry. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:07.599 The cleansing, the cursing, king, priest, and prophet, Jesus. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:12.480 But he does so in such a strange way. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:20.880 He enters Jerusalem, yes, as a king, but he doesn't establish a monarchy. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:27.440 He goes to Jerusalem to bring peace between God and humanity. 00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:41.759 He comes into the temple to cleanse the temple, not to restore the institution of the priesthood, but to announce himself that he is the priest and he is the sacrifice who will bring everyone to God. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.160 And here he is pronouncing judgment on Israel. 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:51.680 But he's also making a comment about restoration and hope. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:59.599 You see, Jesus is more than just a warrior king to us. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:03.039 He's more than just a minister priest for us. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:06.720 He's more than just a spokesman of God for us. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:09.519 He's all of it and more. 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:16.000 And this passage of scripture is giving us a sign of who Jesus is. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:17.759 J. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:25.519 Packer put it this way: it is his glory given him by the Father to be in this way the all-sufficient Savior. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:36.960 We who believe are called to understand this and to show ourselves as people by obeying him as king and trusting him as our priest and learning from him as our prophet and teacher. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:43.599 To center on Jesus Christ in this way is the hallmark of authentic Christianity. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:59.039 There's another prophetic sign here, not just a sign about Israel and a sign about Jesus, but there's a prophetic statement here being made to the disciples themselves. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:04.799 Take a look at the passage again and just catch some of the feel of it. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:11.599 Early in the morning, returning to the city, hungry, seeing a lone fig tree. 00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:15.440 And then in verse 20, the disciples saw it and were amazed. 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:21.759 We don't hear words of crowds, we don't hear statements about chief priests and Pharisees and Sadducees. 00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:26.880 We just have an intimate conversation going on here. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:41.920 Jesus' last entry into Jerusalem was full of fanfare, people lining the streets and throwing their clothes down on the ground and waving tree branches and crying out, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna, the son of David. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.400 This isn't like that. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:47.119 This is very quiet. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:51.039 This is in the company of just a few people. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:56.720 It's a conversation, not a coronation. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:02.160 And Jesus is speaking with just his disciples. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:09.119 And they see what's going on and they're amazed and they're like, What's going on here? 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.160 What happened? 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:14.400 And they're asking more the why question than the what happened question. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:19.519 And Jesus stuns them with these words. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:26.480 But you'll also be able to do this. 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:29.039 And look what he says. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.240 He talks about moving a mountain. 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:34.880 Well, I mean, that's a general term, right? 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:37.759 Move mountains, you know, be able to perform the impossible. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.720 Jesus uses it that way back in chapter 17, but there's something different here. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:45.119 Take a look again. 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:56.480 Even if you tell this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will be done. 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:03.680 Jesus is not talking about metaphorically just moving mountains, accomplishing the impossible. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:08.000 He's pointing to one mountain. 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:12.079 He's pointing to a specific mountain. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:21.119 If you say to this mountain, is there something he's pointing to that means something here? 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.119 I think so. 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:30.480 Coming from Bethany, Jesus would have gone over the Mount of Olives. 00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:36.319 He would have come across it as he approached Jerusalem. 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:45.119 And so it's natural to assume that this mountain that he's talking about is the Mount of Olives. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:50.799 And he's talking about the removal of the Mount of Olives. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:54.960 There's only one reference in the Old Testament to the Mount of Olives. 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.079 Only one. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.200 And it's in Zechariah chapter 14. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:07.279 And in Zechariah 14 it says, On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:17.920 The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half of the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:26.720 And you will flee by my mountain valley, for the valley of the mountains will extend to the Azalv, and you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. 00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:32.079 Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with him. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:44.319 On that day, the Lord will become king over the whole earth, the Lord alone, and his name alone. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:52.480 Zechariah also talks about the Mount of Olives being split from east to west. 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.880 Well, if you go too far west, you're going into the sea. 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.920 If you go too far east, you're going into the sea. 00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:06.240 And the reason for that removal is to open up an escape route. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:14.720 And the reason for that removal of the Mount of Olives is a sign of God's coming to deliver his people. 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:44.319 And if this is at all a connection to Zechariah chapter 14, which I think it is, but I'll leave room for doubt there, we're reading something prophetic about the nature and role of the apostles as they carry on the message of the kingdom of heaven after Jesus goes to heaven. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:54.559 So we have to ask ourselves, is this removal of the mountain meaning that they pray for the end time coming of the Son of Man? 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.920 Possibly. 00:28:56.319 --> 00:29:04.799 Does it the removal of the mountain speak more metaphorically of the message of deliverance, the gospel that they're to preach? 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:11.920 And open it up for the people a place of escape to achieve God's intended purposes before the end comes? 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:13.839 Possibly. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:43.440 But what it is definitely telling these disciples is that as they align themselves with God's purposes, be they purposes of judgment or salvation, the key point is to make sure you are a praying community and that you are a community zeroed in on the will of God and the program that God designs for this world. 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:50.799 This is not God saying, or Jesus saying, look, if you just have enough faith, you can have what you want. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:55.119 You want three Cadillacs in your garage, just pray over it. 00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:58.000 It's not saying that at all. 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:09.680 What it's talking about is the importance of the coming kingdom of heaven that will be a savor of life to some and a savor of death to others. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.880 And he's saying, your role is significantly placed. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:26.079 Because when you pray, our Lord, hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:37.039 When you're praying that God will act according to his good will and purposes through you, through you. 00:30:55.440 --> 00:31:09.839 And just as an aside, one of the images that talks about that reign of messianic rule is restored fig trees in Micah chapter 4. 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:16.400 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be established at the top of the mountains, will be raised above the hills. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.759 People will stream to it. 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:22.079 Many nations will come and say, Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:25.920 He will teach us his way so that we may walk in his paths. 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:34.000 And then it says, Each person will sit under his grape tree and under his fig tree, and there will be no one to frighten them. 00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:37.920 For the mouth of the Lord of armies is spoken. 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:41.359 There's two major lessons here for us. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:48.559 The first lesson is the lesson that Israel needed to hear this prophetic statement. 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:58.720 That question posed in the symbol, coming up to a fig tree. 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:02.240 It's got leaves, full leaves. 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:11.759 First glance, you think, I'm going to walk over there, I'm going to find some lunch, I'm going to find some breakfast, I'm going to find a snack, I'm going to find some satisfaction. 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:14.480 There's going to be fruit there to enjoy. 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:20.720 But upon closer examination, you realize it's all show and no go. 00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:28.319 It all looks good, but there's no substantive nourishment, no fruit about it at all. 00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:38.559 And the first question is this do we look like Christians but aren't? 00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:51.680 Do we have the show of substantive spirituality without the actual substance and fruit of true spirituality? 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:54.480 That's a serious question. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:33:06.400 Paul uses this fruit motif when he speaks about the works of the flesh are these and the fruit of the spirit is this. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:12.160 And he says you need to sort of do an evaluation of your life. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:15.519 He said, You know what the works of the flesh are. 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:22.319 And you know what the fruit of the spirit is? 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:33.839 The works of the flesh, sexual impurity, immorality, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery. 00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:37.440 And there'd be some folks going, well, not me. 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.400 Not me. 00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:41.119 Well, he's not done with the list yet, is he? 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:52.720 Hatred, strife, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy. 00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:57.359 It gets a little closer to home, doesn't it? 00:33:58.400 --> 00:34:00.319 Those are the works of the flesh. 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:10.480 Not not episodes of your life, but characteristic of your life. 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:17.519 Paul is saying you need to know that people that do such things will never inherit the kingdom of heaven. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:23.920 He said rather the fruit of the Spirit. 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:28.880 This is what should be characteristic, and is characteristic of a true believer. 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:37.840 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:46.320 Paul is saying, Hey fig tree, any fruit there? 00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:47.920 Are you all leaf? 00:34:48.639 --> 00:34:50.480 All show, no go. 00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:53.760 But there's another lesson here. 00:34:56.480 --> 00:35:11.280 A lesson for us, just as I said, it's not about how much the disciples have to believe and how they have to sort of stifle the niggling thoughts of doubt in their head, and then they can get whatever they'd like. 00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:26.079 Jesus is making allusions to major epical events, the judgment of a nation, the protection of people at the coming of the Son of Man. 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:31.679 And he's saying, This applies to you, disciples. 00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:35.440 Remember your mission. 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:38.239 Remember your focus. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:40.880 Remember your message. 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:45.280 And don't try to accomplish it by your own abilities. 00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:52.559 Don't sort of gather your own inner resources and say, How can we make this happen? 00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:55.039 Go to prayer. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:08.800 Go to the Lord with your knees bent and your head down and your eyes closed and pray for God to accomplish his purposes as you pray. 00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:14.639 This is something our generation has lost. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:35.280 I go to pastors' conferences and you hear discussion about programs and methods, you get discussions about marketing techniques, you get ideas about how to have better lighting in your church and better sound in your church and better music that you got niche marketing concepts. 00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:37.679 And it just makes me want to wretch. 00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:39.440 Why? 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:46.159 Because our Lord is saying here, don't accomplish my purposes with your power. 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:50.239 Accomplish my purposes with my power. 00:36:50.559 --> 00:37:00.639 And when you align yourself with me, then you've aligned yourself to the greatest resources the universe has ever known. 00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:06.880 The God of heaven will hear and answer and work through you. 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:14.320 Even if it's a message of judgment or a message of deliverance, go prayerfully. 00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:19.119 Go focused on the priority of God, but go. 00:37:23.039 --> 00:37:26.639 This is why we talk about our prayer meetings on Wednesday nights. 00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:29.840 Come pray with us. 00:37:30.159 --> 00:37:30.480 No. 00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:34.719 How vital is our prayer? 00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:40.079 How vital is our corporate gatherings where we do nothing but pray. 00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:48.719 Someone asked Charles Spurgeon, what was the reason for all that was happening at the church of the Metropolitan Tabernacle? 00:37:48.960 --> 00:37:54.960 And the story goes that he he took the person down to a room and he said, This is where the people pray. 00:37:56.159 --> 00:38:01.440 He said, When I'm preaching, there are hundreds of people in here in this room praying while I'm preaching. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:03.599 This is where it comes from. 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:35.440 The Lord is teaching his disciples in a private conversation that they're going to be instruments of God in the kingdom of heaven, sometimes proclaiming words that will be pronouncements of judgment, and sometimes proclaiming words that will be as cataclysmic as the earth moving away to open up a place of deliverance. 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:49.599 But he said, remember to do it with me in view and pray to the God of heaven that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:52.480 May we never forget this lesson. 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:54.880 May we live in light of it. 00:38:55.199 --> 00:39:08.400 May we be known in our community as a people of prayer, and a people pursuing God, and a people willing to proclaim nothing but Him, just as the Apostle Paul said. 00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:10.000 Let's pray. 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:19.840 Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Word of God. 00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:32.079 We thank you for how it helps us understand it by the revelation given throughout it, the sense of Scripture speaking, its own interpretation. 00:39:33.119 --> 00:39:45.039 Lord, we pray that you'd help us to live our lives as believers, as the community of Christ, as his disciples, and wholly dependent upon you. 00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:53.039 Lord, you've given us everything that we need that pertains to life and to godliness through the knowledge of Him. 00:39:54.159 --> 00:40:11.199 Lord, help us to keep our eyes centered and focused on Him, to be people that show that by how we pray, by people that demonstrate that by how we lean on you and don't lean on our own understanding. 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:19.440 Lord, we pray that you might use us as your instruments to bring the nations into the obedience of Jesus Christ. 00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:34.559 Pray that you would help us to bring the message of Christ to others so that the nations might say to one another, let us come up to the place of God and let us learn from Him. 00:40:36.159 --> 00:41:00.559 Watch over us, Lord, as we extend the reach of the gospel into places like Indonesia, places like Central Asia, places like Eastern Europe, places like the Middle East, places like Africa, places all around the world where Jesus is not known. 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:05.119 And we, Lord, ask that you would be pleased to work through us. 00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:18.079 And may we truly see the mountain split and the place of escape be proclaimed as we wait for the day when the Lord will come and reign. 00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:20.239 And we ask this in his name. 00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.199 Amen.