Slices
Prepare
‘This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples’ (John 15:8). Acknowledging your dependence on God, pray that you will bear fruit for God’s kingdom.
Bible passage
Jesus curses a fig-tree
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig-tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’ Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. ‘How did the fig-tree wither so quickly?’ they asked.
21 Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig-tree, but also you can say to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.’
The authority of Jesus questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you this authority?’
24 Jesus replied, ‘I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism – where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?’
They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will ask, “Then why didn’t you believe him?” 26 But if we say, “Of human origin”– we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’
27 So they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’
Then he said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Explore
Here again, we witness Jesus turning an everyday occurrence into a living parable. Jesus is hungry (v 18), but on closer inspection, the fig tree, full of hope, carries only leaves and no fruit. The disciples respond to the drama of the withered tree, but despite the intensifying tension between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, they completely miss his point. Jesus is attempting to communicate a growing despair about the corruption, hypocrisy and lack of integrity amongst the religious leaders. The disciples, seeped in Scripture, should understand that the fig tree represents Israel, and a fig tree without fruit is a nation that is spiritually barren.
As Jesus looks out over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, he speaks about throwing the mountain into the sea. Israel has reached the point of no return, and Jesus may be alluding here to the coming destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem. The false religion of the Jewish leaders is compared with the power of faith and answered prayer (v 22). It’s the difference between ritual and relationship. God yearns to be in relationship with us, being actively present in our lives and intimately involved with our deepest desires. God yearns to see the fruit of this relationship borne out in our lives.
Respond
‘Almighty God, help me to bear the fruit of love, mercy and grace, and share them willingly with others. Amen.’
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Jeremiah 27,28; John 11
Pray for Scripture Union
As SU relaunches the Mission Partnership Scheme to support Local Mission Partners, please pray that more missional projects will hear about the programme and its benefits and join the network, so that ever more children and young people get to encounter Jesus. (This week's prayers relate to this article.)
A child has started following Jesus. Help them keep growing.
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