WEBVTT 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:12.720 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:23.679 Matthew chapter twenty-one. 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:38.640 Do we want to hear God's word speak to us and fill the earth with his glory, even if it's hard to hear? 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:47.039 Even if it's painful, even if it's not something that we enjoy hearing. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:01:02.079 That's one of the benefits, I think, of preaching through a book of the Bible, going just section by section, because I would want to avoid the passage before us this morning because it's difficult. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:03.600 It's hard. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:09.359 It's not something that is easy to preach or even easy to hear. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:17.920 But you know that we do this, and so if I skip a passage, I will hear about it and have to do it anyway. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:19.680 So we have to face it. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:28.400 We'll face it together this morning and see what God has to say to us for Matthew chapter 1, 21, beginning in verse 18. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:39.359 Matthew 21, verse 18, it says, In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, and so that helps us remember that we've got some context here. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:48.799 This is after the triumphal entry, Jesus has ridden a donkey down into the city of Jerusalem to the loud shouts of people welcoming him as their king. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:55.040 He's gone out of the city, returning to Bethany, to the home of Lazarus. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:02.799 And now he has come back into the city and cleansed the temple and has returned back. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:09.280 And now he's coming back again on Tuesday morning of the week that he will hang on the cross. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:11.439 Early in the morning. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:16.000 As he's returning to the city, he became hungry. 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:24.639 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:33.360 And he said to it, May no fruit come from you to eternity. 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:38.240 And the fig tree withered at once. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:46.400 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree wither at once? 00:02:47.280 --> 00:03:02.000 And Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:08.000 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith. 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:09.599 Amen. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:19.919 I was about eight years old when my instruction in working with wood began. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:36.879 If memory serves me well, and there's no guarantee of that, if memory serves me well, my first project with my dad was a small bookshelf made from three wood blocks, small wood blocks, about this tall and about that wide. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:42.479 And they were all connected with two or three dowels, I can't remember. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:48.479 And there were two blocks on the end of those dowels and one block in the middle that slid along the dowels. 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:54.719 My dad cut the blocks and he cut the dowels all to the right length. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:58.960 And my job was to sand the wood blocks. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.759 And then my dad helped me put them together. 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:09.360 I remember this because it shaped how I work with wood, even to this day. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:13.039 My dad handed me a sanding block. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:19.920 It had some sandpaper on it, and he told me to sand the three wood blocks while he worked on something else. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:27.199 I sanded them probably in the course of about 30 seconds and announced I was done. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:40.399 And he came over and looked at the blocks and then crushed my pride by telling me that my work was not done. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:46.639 Because there were still marks left on the wood from the saw blade cutting the pieces of wood. 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:51.360 Those marks cut across the grain of the wood. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:05:01.120 And he told me that once we stained those pieces of wood and varnished them, those marks across the grain would stand out even more. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:04.319 Well, I didn't care. 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:09.120 But he told me I had to put some elbow grease into it. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:10.879 I didn't know what that meant. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:16.160 I had to put some elbow grease into it and sand those marks out of the wood. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:22.879 And, you know, to be frank, I didn't like doing wood projects with my dad that much. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:26.800 Because I knew he would always come and inspect my work. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:31.519 And there would be something about it that wasn't quite up to spec. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:40.079 I knew that he saw those little details that made extra work for me. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:41.680 And I didn't care. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:43.199 So what was the big deal about it? 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.480 I didn't mind cross-cut marks on my bookshelf, my finished project. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:49.920 So why should he? 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:58.720 Somewhere around 10 years later, I began to see that he was right. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:00.639 He was right. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:10.639 Those little marks cutting across the grain seemed insignificant at the moment, but they were much worse when the project was complete. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:26.560 And after all of the effort of cutting the pieces to the right size and sanding them and gluing them together and staining them and varnishing them, I no longer wanted to see those little marks standing out on my bookshelf. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:30.879 I realized that, okay, dad was right. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:34.879 And I began to trust him. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:43.600 Our relationship with our Father in heaven can sometimes be similar. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:54.399 You see, I think my dad felt the result of my project was in some way a reflection of him. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:58.240 He was the one teaching me. 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:02.399 He was the one showing me what to do and how to do it. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:18.079 And if my project showed that the cut marks on the end grain were not sanded properly, it somehow reflected his teaching, his expectations, and even his own work because he was a carpenter. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.680 And he made part of his living from carpentry. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:28.240 Carpenter can't teach his own son to do carpentry work, then what does that say about his work? 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.079 He never said that to me. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:35.279 But I did feel as though my dad had high expectations, and there was a reason for it. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.480 Now there are similarities between my story and God's story with his people. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.680 They're not identical, but there are similarities. 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:52.160 You see, from the very beginning, God said that human beings, men and women, were created in his image. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:54.959 That is, they reflected his glory. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:08:02.639 They reflected that he is the creator, that he is the king, that he is powerful, that he is kind, that he is good. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:09.439 That's why sin was and is such a horror, because it in no way reflects who God is. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:18.319 All throughout Scripture, God expects his people to mirror his relationship with them. 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:35.679 God's care, God's provision, and his blessing on his people are so magnificent that his people should almost automatically show their trust in him to the rest of the world. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:42.080 Of course, we know that there is a sad part to that story, don't we? 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.480 Sin seeks to steal God's glory when it enters the human heart. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:59.679 It often does that by thinking that all of the good that we have is from our own effort rather than God's provision and God's blessing. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:13.519 I think that the projects that I do are all because of the effort and the hard work and the time that I put into them, not from the kind, good intention of my father to show me, here's how you do it, son. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:19.360 So we steal the glory from our Father. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:28.399 One of the many pictures of God's blessing and care for his people in the Bible is, of all things, a fig tree. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:31.360 It's all throughout the Bible. 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:44.639 And in the same way, when God disciplines the sinful unfaithfulness of his people, it often comes through an illustration of a fig tree. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:54.399 So on the one hand, fig trees are an example in the Bible of God's goodness and his kindness of providing for his people. 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:06.399 At the same time, fig trees in the Bible can be an example of God's discipline and judgment of the unfaithfulness of his people. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.240 Let me show you what I mean. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:10.159 Deuteronomy chapter 8. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:11:03.120 We aren't here yet in our reading of Deuteronomy, but Deuteronomy chapter 8, beginning in verse 7, it says, For Yahweh your God, this is speaking of Israel, Yahweh your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs flowing out in the valleys and the hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees, and pomegranates, and a land of olives and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper, and you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land that He has given you. 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.799 You see how that's an image of blessing, of provision? 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:17.200 God says, You are my people, I've made you and I've called you to be my own, I brought you out of the land of Egypt, and my fig trees are an example of my blessing. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:22.240 You're not going to ever hunger under my provision. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:31.759 Now the opposite of that is also true in Psalm 105, recounting Israel's disobedience. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:37.759 It says that God struck down their vines and their fig trees. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:42.159 And he shattered the trees of their country. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.879 Now, this is an astounding statement. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:52.879 It's an astounding statement because of how God reacts and treats his own creation. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.519 Because God isn't indifferent to his creation. 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:08.399 He doesn't treat people so highly that he just disregards trees. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:21.679 For example, when Israel came into Egypt and they were conquering the land, God said, Go up into one city and surround it and take it, but make sure that you don't cut down the trees around the city, because what have the trees done to you? 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:25.919 God values his creation. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:30.159 He does treat trees differently than human beings. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:37.679 But when God Himself will strike down his creation, that is a sign of his blessing. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:40.240 It says something. 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:49.919 It says something about who God is, it says something about what people are doing, and it says something about the relationship between God and His people. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:56.320 You see, fig trees were a common metaphor for fruitfulness and faithfulness. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:01.360 They even became a metaphor for God's people. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:07.919 If they faithfully followed the Lord, they were like a fruitful fig tree. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:12.960 But if they were unfaithful, they were like a tree with no figs. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.080 Here's an example from the prophet Jeremiah. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:17.679 Jeremiah chapter 8. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:26.320 God says, When I would gather my people, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:31.679 Even the leaves are withered, he says here, and what I gave them has passed away from them. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:47.519 God says, I would love to gather my people together in faithfulness and in provision and prosperity, but when I come to my people, there's no faithfulness, there's only unfaithfulness, imaged in this picture by no figs on the fig tree. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:14:00.559 So it should be no surprise to us that Jesus now uses a fig tree as a parable, as a living parable. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:25.600 And since we now know how the fig tree was thought of in ancient times, we know that Jesus is probably going to have something to say about provision, blessing, faithfulness, or unfaithfulness, discipline, and even judgment. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:27.679 Let's look at the fig tree. 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:29.200 Matthew 21. 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:32.480 They returned to the city, and Jesus became hungry. 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:37.279 Seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.639 And he says to it, May no fruit ever come from you again. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:44.080 And the fig tree withered at once. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.320 So let's look at the fig tree. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.320 What do we see about this fig tree? 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:56.480 Well, I notice as we look at these first couple of verses here that it teaches us a lot about who Jesus is. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:05.600 Matthew is giving us an indication, just a couple of insights here at the beginning of this section about the Lord Jesus himself. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:07.360 So what is it that we see? 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:13.519 Well, I think we see here that there are two elements to Jesus on display. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:15.919 The first thing is his humanity. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.279 How do we see his humanity? 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:22.080 He was hungry. 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.679 Have any of you eaten breakfast this morning? 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:27.840 You got hungry. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:30.159 Or maybe you just knew I will get hungry. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:35.279 My stomach will growl in church in the pew and that will embarrass me, so I have to eat breakfast. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.360 Jesus is on his way to the city and he eats. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.759 Well, he doesn't eat, maybe, or he has not eaten in a long time. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.120 Those details we don't know. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:47.600 Has he gone the morning without breakfast? 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:48.879 We don't know. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:53.519 Has he eaten too long early in the morning and now he's hungry again? 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.200 We don't know those issues. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:16:01.440 All we know is that Jesus is hungry, and that demonstrates his humanity. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:04.000 We see this all throughout the scriptures, right? 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:07.679 He had a human body that developed and grew. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:09.840 Here he was hungry. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.159 In John 19, he became thirsty. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:14.240 John 4, he grew tired. 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:16.639 John 11, he he wept. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:23.519 But that is not all that Matthew shows us. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:29.759 Matthew shows us that here is someone who speaks words. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.440 And creation comes apart. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.240 That's not a mere human being. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:44.399 This is not a horticulturist that knows how to undo a tree. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.759 John tells us that Jesus existed in eternity past. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:54.639 Matthew 16, we see that Jesus is omniscient. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:17:04.319 We have seen his omnipotence, his power over the wind and the waves, his his ability to speak to creation, and it responds immediately. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:08.319 We've seen his power over the spirit world. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:14.079 Here we see his power to destroy a tree. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:16.720 So we see both sides of Jesus. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.759 We see his humanity and we see his deity. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:31.599 He has the humanity to become hungry, to desire food, and in his deity, he has the power to destroy a tree only by words. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:49.920 This shows us that Jesus is a faithful son of God with the authority to speak to the unfaithfulness, to the children of God. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:52.319 What? 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.200 Really? 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.079 Yeah. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:58.079 Let's look at Jesus' expectation of the fig tree. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:02.720 This is early in the morning, so we're not given too many details. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:04.640 We don't know how early. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.000 We just know it's early. 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:09.680 We don't know if Jesus skipped breakfast, if there was no breakfast available. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:22.160 But whatever the case, somewhere along the one and a half mile trek from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus became hungry, and there were no convenience stores by the road, no gas stations to stop and get a bite. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.160 Only a single fig tree. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:32.480 Matthew tells us that Jesus went and he searched the tree, but found only leaves. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:34.079 Only leaves. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:42.240 But there's a reason for that. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:48.559 And the reason also helps us understand Jesus' expectations and what's going on in this passage. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:55.599 You see, figs were, they still are, a primary source of food in regions of the Middle East. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:00.240 And because they were common, folks were familiar with the patterns of fig trees. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:05.920 Specifically, fig trees generally produce two crops in a year. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:11.519 This is the early crop beginning in March and early April. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:14.240 This is the Passover season. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:30.000 Beginning in March, the first crop of fruit begins to develop on the stems of the tree, on the branches of the tree, and that fruit begins to develop before the leaves come out. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:37.119 Early fruit starts to grow on the tree before there are any leaves. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:41.359 It grows, it begins to develop. 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:44.400 In late May, the leaves come out. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:52.960 And as those leaves come out, that fruit begins to ripen, and that first crop is eaten then and picked and eaten in June. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:58.319 But it's still edible before it ripens. 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:08.160 In fact, there is a specific name for this bitter, unripened fruit that is still used today in the Arab world. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:20.559 But this bitter fruit is still, even today, often consumed by poor people or by those who are desperately hungry. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:23.039 It's edible, it's just bitter. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:35.039 So when Jesus sees this fig tree in full leaf from a distance, he rightly expects there are going to be some figs growing on the tree. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:40.400 If there are leaves, that early fruit has already started to grow. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.599 It's probably still bitter. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.039 It's not June yet. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:48.240 But he can go and he can eat some of that bitter fruit and fill his hungry stomach. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:51.759 That's a natural common expectation. 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:55.279 There should be some fruit on the tree since it is in full leaf. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.519 But there is no fruit. 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.440 Since there are leaves, but no fruit. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:05.119 That tells us that the tree will remain barren. 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:11.200 There's no fruit, and will be no fruit on this tree. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:13.279 Jesus condemns the tree. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.599 It withers and dies in a very short amount of time. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:22.559 And that seems, at least, best case scenario, odd to our sensibilities. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.240 Some have even called Jesus petulant here. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:35.599 Sort of throwing a tantrum because he's a young, impatient human being throwing a fit after not getting what he desires. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:40.640 But think about this from Jesus' perspective for a minute. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:45.200 Two days ago. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:51.599 In fulfillment of scripture, he has ridden into the city of Jerusalem on a young donkey. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:54.000 As Israel's king. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:58.000 He is the divine king. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.519 He is the righteous king. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.079 He is the one the book of Colossians tells us holds all things together by his own power. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:14.240 The crowds and the children proclaimed his majesty. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:25.039 Even more, it says that he is the one who prepared in eternity past praise to be given to him from children in the temple. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:35.200 So when the Messiah is present, Jesus says the stones would cry out if the people did not. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:38.319 Even nursing babies give praise to God. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:46.240 So why then was a fig tree not prepared to provide fruit when its creator was present? 00:22:49.279 --> 00:23:00.640 If even infants are prepared to give praise, then why was a fig tree not prepared to feed its maker? 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:06.160 Let's give some personification to the tree for a moment. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.599 What an opportunity. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:14.000 All the other fig trees would be jealous of this one. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:21.759 This fig tree, I have the privilege to feed my maker during his time in the flesh. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.400 What fig tree wouldn't want that privilege? 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:33.039 Wouldn't you do anything to be ready for that moment, to be prepared with fruit for the one who made you for this moment? 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:39.759 Oh, but Matthew has already prepared us for this, hasn't he? 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:51.599 If you remember back to Matthew chapter 3, the leaders and the rulers of Israel were told, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:59.039 Telling us if there is no fruit, there's not bound to be much repentance. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:02.640 And if there's no repentance, then there's not much fruit. 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:09.599 Two verses later, Matthew recorded, even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:15.759 Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.599 Oh, and it gets worse. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:19.279 Matthew chapter 7. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:22.319 You will recognize them by their fruits. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:24.319 Are grapes gathered from thornbushes? 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:24.880 No. 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:27.920 Are figs gathered from thistles? 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:28.559 No. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:36.000 So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:40.880 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:45.039 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown to the fire. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:52.720 Are we at all surprised then that Jesus curses a fig tree that should be bearing fruit, but is not? 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:56.720 We shouldn't be, should we? 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:17.200 If we're seeing all that Matthew's putting together, we begin to see that the cursing of the tree was an acted parable of discipline, maybe even of judgment, on God's people for not bearing fruit. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.440 But the passage doesn't end there. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.720 We still have three verses. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.759 So let's look at the disciples for a moment. 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:29.359 Seeing the fig tree, let's look at the disciples. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.119 When the disciples saw it, they marveled. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:42.000 It's a word that's often used of unbelievers in the book of Matthew, looking at the miracles of Jesus and not understanding it. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:49.200 So here in this moment, Matthew's saying, we were like people who don't get things. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:54.960 We were followers, disciples of Jesus, and then in this moment we didn't see what we were supposed to be seeing. 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:58.160 And they said, How did the fig tree wither at once? 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:09.200 And Jesus said, Well, truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:12.880 Notice that Jesus didn't say, You will do this. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:15.440 He says, if you were to do this. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.279 We'll get to that in a moment. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:27.440 But let's notice first that the disciples weren't concerned about what Jesus meant by this parable. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:33.200 They didn't ask a question about Jesus, what's the deal with this? 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.599 What are you trying to tell us? 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:41.440 Instead, they simply wanted to know, how did you do that? 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:46.559 Jesus, what wait a minute, what just happened here? 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:48.880 They're like little kids at a magic show. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:53.759 They're not thinking about Jesus' intentions, they're just fascinated at what he does. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:59.519 And we might think, well, come on, guys, you've been with Jesus for three years now. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:04.160 You ought to know this by now, but let's not get holier than thou on the disciples. 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:06.480 We would do the same thing. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:13.279 Our jaws would drop at the astonishing speed with which the tree wilted and died. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:20.319 Our heads would be flipping back and forth like a like a weather vein, trying to figure out what's going on. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:23.519 How did that happen? 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:33.200 But let's not forget that when Matthew wrote this down for the early church, he knew what Jesus meant. 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:36.559 In the moment, they didn't get it. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:41.759 But Matthew's now recording this later to say to the church, we now understand this. 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:43.200 We get it. 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.799 But initially they're saying, How did this happen? 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:54.559 Notice that Jesus' answer, though, it doesn't really answer the question. 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:58.640 He doesn't tell them this is how it happened. 00:27:58.960 --> 00:28:03.680 He doesn't say, Well, you know, I cut the bark off the tree and I put some bugs in there. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.680 No, he doesn't say that. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:09.200 They know what happened. 00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:12.480 The creator spoke. 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:15.839 And the creation responded. 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:29.759 In this moment, there's a nation of people that are called by the name of God, and the creator is speaking to them, and they're not responding. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:34.240 But in a moment, he speaks to a tree. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.960 And just like that, it responds. 00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:42.960 All of the U's in verses 21 and 22 are plural. 00:28:43.119 --> 00:28:45.440 Jesus is speaking to the group of disciples. 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:49.440 And he's not giving a horticulture lesson on the decay of trees. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:51.920 In fact, there's no direct answer to the question. 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:58.240 He simply doesn't tell them how the fig tree withered and died so quickly. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:29:00.640 Instead, he encourages them. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:12.400 Strange way to encourage, I guess, but he says if you have faith that does not doubt, you will be able to do even the greatest of things. 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:17.839 Don't get caught up in the cursing of the fig tree and the taking up of a mountain. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:20.799 Those are illustrations of the impossible. 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:22.640 It was a common thing at that time. 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:24.559 You can look in ancient Jewish literature. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:29.680 This moving this mountain was a common way of expressing doing the impossible. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:35.039 And this is almost identical to James's statement in James chapter 1, verse 6. 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:42.799 Let him ask in faith with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:51.359 Jesus says, the one who does not doubt, but instead has faith will do the impossible. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:58.240 Faith again is a prerequisite in verse 22, if you have faith. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:02.720 By the way, we see the fulfillment of this in the book of Acts. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:10.240 Where these very same disciples do the miraculous, they do impossible wonders by faith in Jesus. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:18.880 But we also need to notice the specific element here that this is connected to the will of God. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:30.640 This is a parallel to John chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, where Jesus said, Whatever you ask in my name, this will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:33.440 If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:39.039 So this isn't a flippant request that we think we want. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:44.000 Lord, please make my morning go smoother. 00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:47.920 Make everybody move faster so I can get to church on time. 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:57.440 This is a purposeful coming to the Father in prayer, desiring his will to be done. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:06.000 Whatever is requested according to the will of the Father will be granted, even if it seems impossible. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:09.599 That's what faith in Christ can accomplish. 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:13.839 That's the basis of the book of Acts, what follows this. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:19.119 That's the basis for the gospel progressing so rapidly in the first century. 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:24.480 There was reliance and trust and faith in Jesus that sustained that gospel effort. 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:26.880 They accomplished the impossible. 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:42.000 In one, Jesus displays divine power and authority over creation by judging a fruitless fig tree. 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:51.279 And in the next, Jesus declares that similar power is available to the disciples by faith through prayer. 00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:55.440 But how do those two go together? 00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:58.240 Or do they? 00:31:58.480 --> 00:31:59.200 Seems like they do. 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:02.480 They're one section here in Matthew's writing. 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:05.599 What part do they play in the book of Matthew? 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:09.839 Well, remember, this is the last week of Jesus' earthly life. 00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:14.240 In just a few days, he will be arrested. 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:19.599 He will be beaten, tried, and hung on a cross. 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:30.160 Those to whom he came will reject him and kill him. 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:34.720 Oh, by the way, have faith. 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:37.440 Because faith can do the impossible. 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:39.200 How do we connect those two? 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:45.279 I would suggest to you that a key part of connecting these is found in the prophet Micah. 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:49.519 Micah chapter 6, beginning in verse 9. 00:32:51.119 --> 00:32:52.880 Going to look at a large section of this. 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:54.160 If you want to turn there, you can. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:57.359 I've got it on the screen for you if you would rather look at that. 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:02.720 The voice of the Lord cries to the city. 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:09.599 And it's sound, wisdom to fear God's name, your name. 00:33:09.759 --> 00:33:11.200 So this is a prayer. 00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:17.200 God is speaking to the city of his people, and he says it's it's it's wise to listen. 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:20.160 Now notice the quotation marks. 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:21.759 Hear, listen. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.559 Hear about the rod. 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:27.759 That doesn't sound good. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:31.119 And of him who appointed it. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:38.160 Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked? 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:44.559 Can I forget the scant measure that is accursed? 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:51.519 Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:53.680 It's worse and worse, doesn't it? 00:33:53.920 --> 00:34:01.680 Your rich men are full of violence, your inhabitants speak lies, their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:09.920 Therefore, I strike you with a grievous blow, making you desolate because of your sins. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:14.239 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. 00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:21.760 There shall be hunger within you, you shall put away but not preserve, and what you preserve I will give to the sword. 00:34:21.920 --> 00:34:24.400 You shall sow, but not reap. 00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:29.519 You shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil. 00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:33.519 You shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. 00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:46.480 For you have kept the statutes of Omri and all the works of the house of Ahab, two of the worst kings in Israel's history, maybe the worst. 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:55.039 You have watched, walked in their councils, that I might make you a desolation. 00:34:57.840 --> 00:35:01.840 Not just that, but I may make your inhabitants a hissing. 00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:06.079 And so you shall bear the scorn of my people. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:14.320 Micah responds on behalf of God's people, saying, Uh-oh. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.840 Woe is me. 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:25.920 For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered and when the grapes have been gleaned. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:30.159 There's no cluster of grapes to eat. 00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:36.079 There's no first ripe fig that my soul desires. 00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:44.320 The godly has perished from the earth. 00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:46.880 There's no upright among mankind. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:52.079 They all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:55.679 Their hands are on what is evil to do it well. 00:35:56.559 --> 00:35:59.519 The prince and the judge, they ask for a bribe. 00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:06.719 And the great man utters the evil desire of his soul, and thus they weave it together. 00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.760 The best of them. 00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:12.400 The best of them is like a briar. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:14.239 And what have we already learned? 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:17.119 You don't get grapes from briars. 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:20.880 The most upright of them is a thorn hedge. 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:22.079 And what have we already learned? 00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:24.880 You don't get figs from thorn bushes. 00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:28.960 So what happens? 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.519 Oh, the day of your watchmen. 00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:35.280 The day of your punishment has come. 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:42.400 My dad would let me sand the pieces of my project. 00:36:43.360 --> 00:36:45.679 And I knew that he would check on my work. 00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:53.199 I knew his expectations, and I knew that he was trying to teach me how to work. 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:59.519 And I knew that he was trying to teach me how to work with wood, but sometimes I just didn't care. 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:03.360 I had a choice, though, right? 00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:04.719 To respond well. 00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:14.320 I had a choice to respond well by learning, by listening, by faithfully repeating what I was taught to do. 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:22.000 And if I wanted to show my dad that I was a faithful learner, I would put elbow grease into that sanding. 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:25.039 I would sand those blocks. 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:31.840 Too many times I showed my dad that I was not a faithful learner. 00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:39.920 Through the prophet Micah, God said his people were not showing that they were faithful children. 00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:44.719 They were not showing that they were faithful learners and faithful followers. 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:50.000 Instead, they were like fig trees with no figs. 00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:54.400 And as a result, a day of punishment would come. 00:37:55.519 --> 00:38:07.119 Now, in the next few sections of Matthew chapter 21, Jesus compares the leaders of Israel to children, to sons who say that, oh yeah, Dad, we're going to do what you tell us to do. 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:12.800 But they go out and don't do what Dad tells them to do. 00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:20.480 He compares them to tenants of a farm who refuse to give the fruit of the harvest to the owner. 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:27.599 And he compares them even further on as guests invited by the king to the wedding of his son, and they refuse to come. 00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:54.000 When we compare these things in this section before us this morning with things yet to come in the chapter, with the rejection of Jesus in the temple that occurred before this, we find that the Son of God came to Jerusalem and found a fruitless people, a fruitless faith, and the fig tree is a living parable of God's judgment against it in fulfillment of Micah's prophecy. 00:38:55.840 --> 00:38:58.079 Because there's been no heart change. 00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:01.519 There's no genuine faithfulness. 00:39:01.679 --> 00:39:07.840