A curse for fruitlessness

This week we will continue our mini-series that began with Clouds and wind, but no rain.  In the last two installments we have discovered that empty boastfulness (bloviation) and fruitlessness are often embodied by those who would be termed apostate.  We find that these people are not very fruitful in their Christian testimonies, yet seem to find ways to blend in seamlessly to the Body of Christ.  Jude, the younger brother of Jesus blew the whistle on them.  He used several instances of destructive forces of nature to compare them to.

We will focus on this week, the one where he likened them to unfruitful trees.  We know that Jesus spoke often of these types of things.  He used a very powerful object lesson, that is couched into one of our favorite instructional passages on prayer and faith.  The gospel of Mark relates it thus:

And on the next day, they going out of Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing a fig-tree with leaves afar off, He went to it, if perhaps He might find anything on it. And when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season of figs. And Jesus answered and said to it, No one shall eat fruit of you forever. And His disciples heard. (Mar 11:12-14a MKJV) 

We often look at this passage in light of His discourse on faith, and praying in faith. vv. 22-25, It is a very important, foundational principal.

It always sort of confused me about Jesus cursing that poor old tree.  We can reasonably assume that He was not one given to fits of temper, or pique.  Yet, He cursed the tree, seemingly for little reason.

Yet we know He never did or said anything without a purpose. This passage is a veritable gold mine of symbolism, but the underlying principal is God's disposition toward fruitlessness. Simply put, it is an accursed thing.

WOW! Is fruitlessness in the life of a believer akin to apostasy?  Judging by the Master's response to the fig tree, one would have to conclude that it is.

There is a curse associated with apostasy, and apostasy is accompanied by a fruitless, hypocritical life. Jesus berated the leaders of the day often and repeatedly for hypocrisy. Those who call themselves believers, and are not bearing fruit, are categorized with the apostate.

This is very, very unstable ground to find one's self in.  We don't want to find ourselves in that position.  Next week, we will look into the concept of fruitfulness in the life of a believer.  You won't want to miss that one.  

See you next week!