Fruit (4-3-12)

Matthew 12:33 - "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit."

During the last week before the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, He would leave Jerusalem in the evenings and spend the night in a small town called Bethany. In the gospels we're given an interesting account of something that happened one morning as Jesus was heading back up to Jerusalem. Mark 11:12-14 says - "On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening." We're told in this passage that the fig tree was in leaf, but then we're told that it had only leaves. Generally, a fig tree will produce it's fruit before it grows leaves. This fig tree, from a distance, was thought to have fruit, but upon closer inspection it became obvious that it wasn't fruitful at all. Outwardly it looked convincing, but it had no fruit. Jesus often compared our lives with the fruitfulness of trees. He said in Matthew 17:16-20 - "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits." There are a lot of people who are just like that fig tree. They look good from a distance, but they have no fruit. The churches in this country are full of men and women like this. They come to church on Sunday, but on Monday through Saturday they are just like their unbelieving neighbors and co-workers. Twice in that portion from Matthew the Lord Jesus said "you will know them by their fruits." This is what separates us from the rest of the world. You'll notice that when the Lord Jesus came to that fig tree, it says "He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs." Jesus was looking for fruit out of season. Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 - "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." Jesus wants us to be ready to bear fruit in season and out of season. When we have planned and prepared to share the gospel or do some work of service for Christ, but also when we haven't planned anything and the opportunity presents itself to speak a word for Him. We're known by our fruit.

Mark 11:20-21 - "As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”"

Matthew 7:19 - "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."