Hungry for God: Fruit Comes by Faith

“On the following day, when they came from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He could find anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And His disciples heard it.”

—Mark 11:12-14

Following Jesus means faith in action. Our faith must overflow in action if it is to be real. On the first day of Jesus’ last week on earth, He went to a fig tree to get fruit, but there was nothing on it, so He cursed it, saying, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And the next morning, the tree was completely withered, to the astonishment of the disciples. Jesus, always the teacher, uses the withered tree as a lesson on prayer, saying:

“Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses”—Mark 11:22-25.

Prayer is not the only lesson of the withered fig tree; there is much more. Jesus came as the suffering servant, and came to fulfill the purpose of the nation of Israel which was to be a blessing to all nations—but Israel failed in her responsibility. Therefore God rejected His favored people and Jesus’ action upon the fig tree is symbolic of God’s action toward Israel. Since they failed to provide fruit, God judged them accordingly.

What are we to make of Jesus with the fig tree? That we must take heed, as Paul said:

“Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, ‘Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.’ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you”—Romans 11:13-21.

If God would not spare His chosen people, will He spare us if we are not living according to His Word? God desires that we live according to His Word, loving Him with all of heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then loving our neighbor as ourselves. To love God is to love others and give ourselves in service, showing who Jesus is through our lives.

Can Jesus be seen in you? Is your faith resulting in fruitfulness? If not, then be warned. Do that which God delights in for His glory and your joy. Amen.