The Gospel Truth – The Curse
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The Curse
In the gospel of Mark 11:12-14 it says that as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road.
It is said that this happened early in the spring when leaves were beginning to bud.
The figs normally grow as the leaves fill out, but this tree, though full of leaves, had no figs.
The tree looked promising but offered no fruit.
Jesus went over to see if there were any figs on it, but there were only leaves.
Then he said to it, ‘May you never bear fruit again!’
And immediately the fig tree withered up.
The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, ‘How did the fig tree wither so quickly?’
Then Jesus told them, “I assure you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more.”
“You can even say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea, and it will happen.”
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
This story about the fig tree and its lack of fruit symbolizes the nation of Israel and its faith.
When Jesus cursed the fig tree, He symbolically placed a curse on Israel.
Due to its lack of fruit, the Lord cursed the fig tree and it withered.
Cursing the fig tree was Jesus’s way of saying that the whole nation had become spiritually barren.
They had the form of religion.
In other words, they only talked about religion.
We as people in this world have become like Israel, spiritually barren.
We have the ability to produce fruit, but we only produce leaves.
Jesus cursed the fig tree because of its refusal to bear fruit, and in so doing, He makes it clear; that He expects we as His people to bear fruit as well.
Just as Jesus was disappointed with the fig tree, He is disappointed with his people in this world.
Paul defines “good fruit” in his letters to the Galatians and the Philippians: “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.
I must say to all of us today that if we abide in the Lord and the Lord abide in us, we will bear fruit.
And when we bear fruit, the Lord will see our fruits and not just leaves.
