September 4, Labor Sunday, Sunday School Rally Day

Lesson: Matthew 21.18-22

Sermon Title: Poor Fig Tree

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INTRODUCTION:

  1. Helga and I were camping at Governor Dodge State Park.

    1. You could hear the thunder roll like the bass drum at a Blackhawk's football game.

      1. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom.

      2. We tuned to WRCO and listened to the reports of the storms that were producing the tornados.

    2. In Spring Green the sirens wailed out warning of potential danger.

      1. According to Police Chief Kevin Wilkins the system worked to perfection.

      2. This is the purpose of warning systems.

  2. For days, news and weather resources warned residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama of the impending hurricane.

    1. Evacuations orders were issued.

    2. Katrina roared ashore as a category 4.

    3. The storm surge was inexorable as it swept away the creations of nature and human hands.

    4. The levee was breached and New Orleans was 80% flooded.

    5. Property damage is unbelievable.

    6. The loss of life is unimaginable.

    7. For the most part, the system worked as well as could be expected.

    8. But this is the purpose of warning systems.

  3. I remember an old television program, "Lost In Space," that featured a robot.

    1. The robot had 3 primary directives:

      1. Preserve Robinson family

      2. Monitor Planetary environment

      3. Give sufficient WARNING!!! if danger is imminent

    2. I can still hear the low insistent mechanical voice of the robot calling, "Warning, warning, warning!"

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MAIN BODY:

  1. Jesus stands in front of a fig tree.

    1. Jesus also has a prime directive.

    2. You can discover it in the words of scripture.

    3. These are not in any particular order.

      1. Save Sinners

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the foremost, (1 Timothy 1:15, NRSVA).

      1. Abundant Life

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly, (John 10:10, NRSVA).

      1. Forgive Sins

Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, "Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"...But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the one who was paralyzed--"I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home," (Luke 5:21, 24, NRSVA).

      1. To Teach Us the Way of Truth and Life

for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes, (Matthew 7:29, NRSVA).

      1. To Give Us a True Picture and Concept of God.

Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? (John 14:8-9 NRSVA).

      1. To Make Provision for Us to Adopted into the Family of God

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God, (John 1.12-13, NRSV).

      1. To Demonstrate Mercy and Grace

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth, (John 1:14, NRSVA).

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--(Ephesians 2:4-5, NRSVA).

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  1. What does the "Poor Fig Tree," have to do with all this?

    1. Jesus is crying out "Warning, Warning, Warning"

    2. The cursing of the fig tree is an acted parable.

      1. The curse must be understood as a censure, ban, or anathema.

      2. What is being censured is the pretentiousness of the fig tree.

        1. It is not the time of figs.

        2. Yet the tree is in full leaf.

        3. Figs are produced by the fig tree before the leaves are full.

        4. This was a tree with promise, but no production.

    3. The tree may represent Israel.

      1. It's claims of relationship with God were hollow.

      2. They were like an old Easter Egg.

        1. Painted pretty on the outside.

        2. Spoiled rotten on the inside.

    4. The tree may represent the segments of the Christian community which have the proclamation without the power.

    5. The tree may represent the individual who makes a showy profession and who does nothing to fulfill the potential.

    6. All pretentiousness is condemned.

  2. There is another point that Jesus makes.

    1. In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

    2. Than Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."

      1. In Marks Gospel Jesus answers in this way:

Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours, (Mark 11.20-24, NRSV).

      1. The Matthew passage, the lesson for this morning puts it this way:

Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive," (Matthew 21:21-22, NRSVA).

    1. So the lesson is pretentiousness is the work of a doubter.

    2. We are not to doubt, but to have a confident faith that what Jesus is promising may be achieved in our own personal and corporate life.

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CONCLUSION

  1. This means that we stay the course.

    1. Regardless of the circumstances, we stay the course.

    2. Regardless of the conditions, we stay the course.

  2. I read of a notice that appeared in the window of a coat store in Nottingham, England: (1)

"We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of coal nationalization, coat rationing, government control and bad payers. We have been cussed and discussed, messed about, lied to, held up, robbed and swindled. The only reason we stay in business is to see what happens next."

    1. We do know, at least I hope we know, what comes next.

    2. It will be worth it all to see Jesus.

When We See Christ
Words and music by Esther Kerr Rusthoi

Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,
We're tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;
But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,
All tears forever over in God's eternal day.

Refrain
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,
We're tossed and driven on , no human help in sight;
But there is one in heav'n who knows our deepest care,
Let Jesus solve your problem - just go to Him in pray'r.

Refrain
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Life's day will soon be o'er, all storms forever past,
We'll cross the great divide, to glory, safe at last;
We'll share the joys of heav'n - a harp, a home, a crown,
The tempter will be banished, we'll lay our burden down.

Refrain
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Amen!!!

1. Unknown

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