Remember the fig tree that was cursed by Jesus? Well, the disciples and Jesus again passed by the tree and found it withered away to its roots. Good old Peter pointed out to Jesus what He had done as if Jesus wouldn't believe that His words would be so powerful.
It is as if Jesus replied to Peters' observation by saying:" You want to see power? I'll show you power! This is how you can have my power." It was then that Jesus spoke words that had the power of dying words, teaching words that simply spoke the message Jesus came to give.
"Have faith in God." Jesus spoke the most powerful of these words at the onset of this teaching moment. He is God! He is telling all of us to have faith in Him, trust and believe.
He then tells us that there will be challenges, like mountains, we need to overcome. They can be removed just like the fig tree dried up: Words, spoken in faith, believing in and trusting God will hold power to remove the obstacles to having faith in God.
Again, Jesus tells us that if we ask in prayer and believe we will have faith.
Finally, Jesus wraps it all up with forgiveness. He asks us to forgive anything and everything so that the Father will forgive us. This, too, takes faith.
Jesus teaches us that to find faith in God we must remove any obstacles by speaking our belief, praying and finally forgiving. What a beautiful lesson to learn under a cursed tree: Have faith in God.
God, You are the place where our faith begins and ends. It is taught at the foot of a tree You cursed for our sakes. I humbly thank You!
Showing posts with label fig tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fig tree. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Week to Live
What would you do if you had only a week to live?
In the gospel of Mark we are told that Jesus came to Jerusalem knowing He would die. He was celebrated as He rode in and went to the Temple. He simply looked around and then left to go to Bethany with His twelve closest friends.
The next day He left Bethany to return to Jerusalem and stopped at a fig tree because He was hungry. Because there were no fruit on the tree He cursed it.
This story seems so insignificant for someone who is about to die, but in Gods' way I am certain that this act was done with great emotion and authority. Jesus was in control of the situation. He had the power to make figs appear, but He didn't. Within this simple story can we see Jesus revealing a truth that He expects us to be what we were created to be, and to bear fruit in being? He was not pleased that His beloved creation was bound by sin. Sin had made a great divide between the creation and the creator.
Revelation 22:2-3 tells us that in the new Jerusalem the trees will bear fruit each month. Could it be that Jesus saw the real purpose for the fig tree? Did He look past this week and long for the fruit that would be available to Him whenever He wished?
When we enter Gods' Kingdom through baptism, we should begin to bear fruit that never goes through a season. So, shall we repent from saying that we are just going through a season? I think so. In heavens' economy our fruitfulness is eternal, not seasonal.
Father , You are the vine dresser. You prune and cut away that which does not bear fruit. You see potential in each of us, and yet we fail You. It hurts to be pruned, Lord, but You do it all in love and with great care for our best. I offer up my fruit for Your enjoyment.
In the gospel of Mark we are told that Jesus came to Jerusalem knowing He would die. He was celebrated as He rode in and went to the Temple. He simply looked around and then left to go to Bethany with His twelve closest friends.
The next day He left Bethany to return to Jerusalem and stopped at a fig tree because He was hungry. Because there were no fruit on the tree He cursed it.
This story seems so insignificant for someone who is about to die, but in Gods' way I am certain that this act was done with great emotion and authority. Jesus was in control of the situation. He had the power to make figs appear, but He didn't. Within this simple story can we see Jesus revealing a truth that He expects us to be what we were created to be, and to bear fruit in being? He was not pleased that His beloved creation was bound by sin. Sin had made a great divide between the creation and the creator.
Revelation 22:2-3 tells us that in the new Jerusalem the trees will bear fruit each month. Could it be that Jesus saw the real purpose for the fig tree? Did He look past this week and long for the fruit that would be available to Him whenever He wished?
When we enter Gods' Kingdom through baptism, we should begin to bear fruit that never goes through a season. So, shall we repent from saying that we are just going through a season? I think so. In heavens' economy our fruitfulness is eternal, not seasonal.
Father , You are the vine dresser. You prune and cut away that which does not bear fruit. You see potential in each of us, and yet we fail You. It hurts to be pruned, Lord, but You do it all in love and with great care for our best. I offer up my fruit for Your enjoyment.
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