Churches

Good day dear hearts, I love you. In the final week before His crucifixion, Jesus performed one of the most surprising miracles recorded in Scripture. He healed the sick, raised the dead and calmed storms, but only once did He destroy something. Matthew tells us that Jesus approached a fig tree full of leaves, found no fruit and declared, “May you never bear fruit again.” The tree withered, Matthew 21:18-19. To modern readers, this moment may seem abrupt or even harsh. But the withered fig tree is not about horticulture. It is a living parable, one that speaks powerfully to our spiritual condition today. From a distance, the fig tree looked healthy. Its leaves promised life and nourishment. But when Jesus came close, He found nothing. No figs. No fruit. Only the appearance of vitality.

In Scripture, the fig tree often symbolizes Israel’s spiritual condition. The prophets used it to describe a nation that looked religious on the outside but lacked righteousness on the inside. By the time Jesus entered Jerusalem, the temple was bustling with activity, sacrifices and rituals. There were plenty of “leaves,” but little genuine repentance or faith. Jesus used the fig tree to expose a timeless truth, God is not impressed by outward appearance. He looks for inward fruit. The fig tree warns us about the danger of having leaves without fruit, religious appearance without spiritual substance. Jesus confronted this same issue in the Pharisees, who looked righteous but were inwardly corrupt, in Matthew 23:25. Paul later described people who have “a form of godliness but deny its power,” 2 Timothy 3:5. Today, spiritual pretense can take many forms: church attendance without repentance; Christian vocabulary without Christian character; worship music without worshipful hearts; Bibles in our homes but not in our habits. Social media spirituality without sacrificial obedience. It is possible to look spiritually alive while being spiritually barren. The withered tree reminds us that God sees past the leaves.

Jesus does not ask for perfection, He asks for fruit. Scripture describes several kinds. Repentance. John the Baptist said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance,” Matthew 3:8. Character. Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23. Obedience. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” John 14:15. Good works. We are created for them, Ephesians 2:10. Witness. Jesus calls us to be His witnesses, Acts 1:8. Perseverance. Faith that endures is fruit that lasts, Luke 21:19. These are not leaves. They are visible, nourishing and life-giving. The most sobering part of the story is this, Jesus came close to the tree. From a distance, it looked fine. But Jesus does not evaluate from afar. He examines the heart. He still does. He comes close to our motives, our private lives, our habits, our relationships and our secret places. And He asks the same question He asked of the fig tree, is there fruit? Not, is there activity? Is there noise? Is there motion? But, is there fruit? Jesus’ curse on the fig tree symbolizes judgment on fruitless religion. But it also serves as a warning for us. Fruitlessness is not neutral. It leads to spiritual dryness, vulnerability and emptiness. Yet the story is not only about judgment. It is also about invitation. Jesus immediately used the moment to teach His disciples about faith, “If you have faith and do not doubt… even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen,” Matthew 21:21.

The withered fig tree speaks directly to our modern world. We live in a culture full of leaves busyness, appearance, tradition and comfort. But none of these guarantee fruit. Activity is not spirituality. Motion is not obedience. Tradition is not transformation. Jesus calls us to something deeper, a life rooted in Him. He said, “Abide in Me, and you will bear much fruit,” John 15:5. Fruit does not come from trying harder, it comes from staying closer. If your life feels barren, Jesus can restore it. If your faith feels dry, He can water it. If your prayer life feels empty, He can revive it. The same Lord who withered one tree restores countless hearts.

One day, Jesus will come close to each of us. He will look beneath the leaves. He will look for fruit, not the fruit of perfection, but the fruit of repentance, obedience, love and faith. The withered fig tree warns us, do not settle for leaves. It invites us to bear fruit that lasts. And it reminds us Jesus Himself will help us produce it. God Bless.

Lord, we pray for the people in our community and all their needs. Some deal with sickness, financial, job or relational issues. We pray you touch and heal the broken. Father, we pray for an industry to come to town and revive us economically. Amen.

The complimentary Community Dinners are back! Saturday, August 15 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at 1361 Main Street, Susquehanna. We’re grilling burgers and hot dogs with corn on the cob. Pastor Vince, 570-853-3988.