Scripture: Matthew 21: 18-21
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Scripture Commentary: The fig tree is us.
As the fig tree wasn’t bearing fruit, so too are we if we are not living, talking and spreading the Word of Our Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not share our religion, it has no substance.
Just as the fig tree looked good from a distance but was fruitless on close examination, so the church looks today in some cases. This is the case if the congregants are not there to worship God sincerely.
Faith must bear fruit.
If we only appear to have faith without putting it to work in our lives, we are like the tree that withered and died because it bore no fruit. If we have faith, we can move mountains of lost sinners to the love of Jesus. This is what Jesus means by performing Christian love in His name.
What kinds of mountains do you face? As followers of Christ, God has given you authority. You can confidently speak and act on His behalf. He has authorized you. Are you exercising your authority?
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