The destructive miracle of Jesus

“‘Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.’ And His disciples heard it.” Mark 11:14

Jesus curses a fig tree in the gospel of Mark, causing it to wither and die. It is the only miracle throughout His ministry that is destructive. The fig tree gave all appearances that it had fruit beneath its big green leaves on its broad, sturdy branches. Yet this passage of scripture also tells us that “it was not the season for figs.” Why was Jesus so quick to destroy what He created? Throughout scripture the fig tree is a reference to the nation Israel.

In Mark 11, Jesus had just entered Jerusalem to the cheers of “Hosanna!” by the multitudes that saw Him as their new ruling authority. However, instead of coming in on a fiery stallion like a real king, He shows up on a baby donkey. The religious leaders, in all of their churchy splendor, did not like this image of their king.  Luke 19:41 says that Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He made this paradoxical “triumphal” entry. By all appearances the multitudes were ready for Jesus entry but within a week He knew, just like the fig tree, they would prove “it was not the season.”

Jesus’ first stop in the city was the temple for inspection. The religious leaders had one job: to make God accessible to believers. Not liking what He saw, Jesus tossed the tables and drove them out. In the interim, Jesus encountered the fig tree with leaves a-splendor and not one piece of fruit to be found. The tree had one job: to produce figs.

The church leaders of that time were painting a picture of God that was not only inaccurate, but destructive to anyone desiring to seek Him. I believe Jesus wept as He looked upon Jerusalem for at least two reasons. First, He realized most Jews would reject Him prior to His death and resurrection. Secondly, He realized that the entire nation of Israel, because of their rejection of Him, would for the next many hundreds of years be the target of many nations intent on their destruction.

The fig tree Jesus cursed was dead the next day, never to bear fruit again. On that fateful day as Jesus wept over the city of David, the nation Israel, in a manner of speaking, was cursed as well. Displaced as a nation for over two thousand years, to this day they continue to struggle to maintain their heritage while an angry, anti-Jewish world surrounds them and calls for their destruction.

This real-life analogy was for the benefit of Jesus’ disciples (which includes you and me). Faithful believer in Christ, you have one job: love God. How? Fear Him. Diligently seek Him. Know His word. What happens to those who don’t produce fruit? I cannot bear the thought.

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Pursuing the heart of God

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1Sam 16:7b

We know from David’s story that he was not without sin, however his heart was always open toward God. David meditated on God and all His ways. The depth of his devotion to God is on display in so many of the Psalms. Besides the Psalms he authored, much of the Old Testament has David’s story in it. The apostle Paul tells us that it is through David’s example we get see what a man after God’s heart looks like. How does a Christian today dare to pursue the heart of God? Let us look at aspects of David’s life as a human example:

-Be humble
David’s humble beginnings as the youngest of his family and lowly shepherd boy is intentionally well documented. God consistently uses the least of this world to confound those who are looking at outward appearances. When it came to acknowledging God as his Lord, David shined. In Psalm 8, he says “what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” When he was anointed as the future king he remained a humble servant of the current king, Saul. He never assumed the throne until it was time, even when so many people in his life were telling him to hurry the process along. David humbly deferred to God’s leading.

-Be fearful
David recognized God’s sovereignty. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it, for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalm 24:1) Although David sometimes made sinful choices, he always expressed sincere repentance when God exposed them. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it was through David’s bad choices, his wisdom grew, thus his fear of God grew. We will make sinful choices; God expects us to make them. He loves it when we don’t repeat them.

-Be fearless
This is the kind of king, warrior and leader God wanted; the kind that would go after Goliath with just a sling and five smooth stones. Hebrews 11:6 tells us “without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” How can a believer today express such fearlessness? It begins with seeking God diligently—desiring to know Him as much is humanly possible. Being fearless requires complete faith that God is who Scripture says He is. Without that faith you cannot please Him.

-Be obedient
From childhood, David was obedient; even when it went against conventional wisdom. David obediently carried out his runt-of-the-family job of shepherd. In a Cinderella-esque scene, David was not even invited to the family meeting when Samuel came to anoint the new king! Samuel anointed David as king. But young David remained obedient to his tasks: his shepherding, his harp playing. Even as Saul, the current king, descended into mental depravity, David remained an obedient, faithful servant, not just to man, but to the one true God.

Regardless of your task and regardless of its outcome, can you remain obedient to God? It is not obedience to man that should drive our desire to excel. If your efforts to get along in this world result in frustration and discouragement, you might consider the possibility that your obedience is misdirected. God is not impressed with what’s on the outside; He is searching the intent of men’s hearts.

By the end of David’s life, his heart was so aligned with God’s that he had no enemies. As a result, during his son Solomon’s entire 40-year reign as king there was continuous peace. The last recorded prayer of David is recorded in 1 Chronicles 29:10-15. It is perfect example of a man’s heart that is pursuing God’s, not put on for the show, but with honest sincerity. Let us humbly and fearfully pursue God with our whole hearts--fearless and unashamed.

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"Bibles? We Don't Need No Steenkin' Bibles!"

". . . that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this." 1 Thessalonians 3:3

Scripture has made it very clear that the single greatest evangelistic tool of all-time is persecution (See the entire book of Acts).

Americans have it easy, don't we? I recently was asked to drop off a friend's child at an elementary-aged Sunday school program. There were indoor slides, jungle gyms, wall-sized flat screens with video games going. There were basketball hoops, life-sized animal/dinosaur sculptures crawling out of walls and doorways. I asked the child I was with if he had his bible with him. He said they don't need bibles; they put the words on the big screen.

Polls about American Christians say that less than 16% read their bible every day (Gallup). . . Yes, I did say Christians. 22% of Christians in America do not read it at all. Another 30% read it once or twice a week (Barna) . . . must be self-proclaimed Christians. Gee, you think this might have something to do with the bible illiteracy that has come to be expected in our churches? (We don't need no steenkin' bible; they put the words up on the big screen).

American church congregations have come to think of our pastors as nothing more than another paid profession. If you need a doctor, you go to his office and pay for his services. If you need a mechanic, you go to his shop and pay for his services. If you need a pastor, you go to his building and pay for his services. And, by golly, if none of these professionals deliver the service you expect, you'll take your business elsewhere! The discouraging thing is that the pastors are buying into it.

 

 

It's no wonder why we have packs of pastors huddling together in leadership conferences trying to apply the correct business model to their "body of Christ!" It's no wonder our Sunday schools are filled with Disney theme-parks. People are paying good money for their children to have the most extreme youth group. It's no wonder that we have major, mega-churches tidily packaging up and marketing their multi-step approach to making your church just like theirs. It's no wonder that so many children's Sunday schools purchase pre-fabricated curricula (of course, every year in late Spring the three or four nationally marketed Vacation Bible School-themed banners decorate the front lawns of churches across the coutry like holy azaleas).

 

 

American church leaders will continue to be led around by economic-sustainability strategies, leadership-formation formulas and "seeker-sensitive" programming because we are soft. We are so soft that our aim is to grow our churches bigger in order to make our auditorium seat cushions even more comfortable (how else could we draw "seekers" in?). You see, we consider it persecution when some idiot puts a crucifix upside-down in a jar of urine and labels it art. Yet, early church leaders considered it a humble honor to be crucified upside down while preaching that Jesus Christ is Savior. We think it's persecution when they tell us we can't pray in school. Try walking outdoors in any communist or Muslim ruled country carrying a bible.

In China, to claim faith in Christ could get a person beaten to death. Crowds of faithful believers pack themselves into one-room underground churches in order to be together in fellowship. The risk they take just to own a bible could mean the death of them or their entire family. In China, and other countries where being a Christian is not tolerated, a believer's faith probably looks a bit more like a first century follower of Christ. Having the right amount of foam on their cappuccino is the least of their worries.

These faithful, sincere followers of Jesus Christ literally cling to their bibles because they understand what faith is: "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." As they cling to their bibles, they also cling to their heavenly hope, much like our early Christian leaders who, "all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Hebrews 11:13

 

 

I wonder how it will all shake out if this country ever experiences true persecution. As the authorities are dragging us out of church, will we cling to our cushioned seat while looking up at the big screen for the scripture reference? There are many who would be insulted by my writing this, but I sincerely fear for many people who are of the mind that playing evangelical church makes one a Christian. Well, how about this: if you are insulted by this, then you might want to start bringing your bible to church and reading it daily; in the meantime, surrender your life to Jesus Christ.

 

 

Paul wrote to the early church about being "appointed" to the persecution they were experiencing. By the faith the early church displayed through their persecution, we can have even greater confidence in the truths written within His word. Do you think Jesus expects the same of the Christians sitting in our congregations today? Oh, He knows His faithful followers. He knows those who would be "shaken by these afflictions." The question then falls to you (and me). If God "appointed" you to first-century-style persecution for your faith in Jesus Christ, would that faith "be shaken?"

 

 

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The Loneliness of "Posing"

"Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night." John 13:30

Oh, how dark that night must have been for Judas. Jesus honored Judas by serving him the sopped bread, even as Judas honored Satan by plotting Jesus' betrayal. And as he went out of that historical supper (alone) and into the night, it must have loomed especially dark, because from that point on, the darkness never left him.

I don't know all the details of the potential NFL strike. Football is a game grown men play, and have played since they were children. They have been blessed with skills and talents that set them apart from about 99.99 percent of the population. And because they are set apart, they are also given financial reward beyond imagination. So, I don't get the debate; call me simple minded.

This football example was not to make any political point. It's just that while reading Matthew's gospel, I was reminded of the God-given abilities Judas possessed: "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve are these: first, Simon . . . and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him." (Matt. 10:1-4)

Judas was one who had the power to heal, and cast out demons. He was set apart from 99.99 percent of the world's population to be selected for this inner circle of all history. An apostle's legacy was to last through eternity! In Judas' case, it would be a notorious one. Judas spoke four times in the gospels. Twice to selfishly lobby for money. Once to feign ignorance ("Is it I?"). And his last words recorded were accompanied with a kiss of betrayal: a betrayal of "convenience (See Mark 14:11). "

This betrayal was convenient because it was done in secret. It's what the chief priests wanted, for fear of the multitudes. An ironic tangle of human wisdom was on display as the chief priests were in such fear of man that fear of the LORD did not exist while they plotted the murder of His Son.

We strive for what to do. We strive to determine our purpose. We strive for direction, or riches, or power, or love. Hey, fellow saints, we are set apart. We have the opportunity to be in awe of this standing we have in Christ. There is no striving in Christ, just rest. By receiving Christ and following Him we have access to that historical supper, just like the apostles. What a contrast between Judas and John at this first "communion." John, so in love with His Savior, was reclined with his head on Jesus' bosom--at rest. Judas . . . plotting; striving . . . "What you do, do quickly," said Jesus. We all get to choose what we do with our seat at Christ's table.

Many follow the path of Judas because a convenient betrayal is . . . well . . . too convenient. The multitudes are watching. Joining is easy. Just show up at church, play the part, talk the talk, even feign loyalty ("Is it I?"). Church people all buy the act; they're sheep. But the emptiness remains, doesn't it? They go out quietly (alone) from that fellowship--from that historical supper, and it's a dark night. It could be high noon; but it is still night. Left to plotting and striving in this life, working hard at fooling others at the table, the darkness may come and never leave.

It doesn't have to be that way. In the church body today there are many at the table. Some are at rest in Jesus' bosom; others are plotting and striving, confused about this "rest." They are standing ever so close to the exit door, which leads to a dark night. In Revelation, Jesus says to a "wretched" church body that He stands at the door knocking. And if "anyone" would hear His voice and open the door, He would come in and dine with him. Even now, He is sopping bread of honor and offering it to those who hear His voice and open the door. For Judas it was too late. And it was night.

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The Triumphal (Weeping) Entry

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Matthew 23:37

Jesus knew by the end of the week He'd be put to death. He also knew that many of God's children would not only reject Him, but arrange for His execution. Yet His response was pity--sorrowful compassion. Jesus, speaking as God, lamented their rejection not of Him as a man, but their rejection of Him as their Savior.

Jesus spent three years in public ministry preparing the hearts of those who would choose to accept Him as the Son of God. You see, His entire ministry was the revelation of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Jesus spent His days living out the life of the prophesied Messiah. Now, as time was running out, this Messiah was weeping not for Himself, but for those who had not seen; those who had not heard (Oh, they had seen and heard, but chose to close their eyes and ears, while running their mouths). Jesus' blatant effort to make it obvious by procuring the colt of a donkey as He entered the city should have driven the point home for all the Jewish leaders. This exact day was prophesied hundreds of years ago!

The remnant scent of costly spikenard still on His feet (wonderful Mary); He receives the crowd's praise, but He is a Man of sorrows. He emptied Himself when He left His heavenly throne room to become the vessel for the sins of all mankind. Seated on the donkey as He descended upon Jerusalem, with the multitude chanting "Hosanna!," He realized most of this crowd will have their minds changed by men much "wiser" than they. He is a Man of sorrows, knowing most will choose eternal darkness. The chanting will soon become, "Crucify Him!" With all the prophecy; with all the signs; with the Old Testament books, how could they miss it? They ignored it all and rejected Him.

Today, we have the Old Testament, the New Testament, prophecies regarding the nation Israel falling into place . . . but wait. This nation--this world--has rejected the Old and New Testaments, prophecies, signs of the times. Most of this world will not know a prophecy if fireballs dropped out of the sky (and they will), because this world has rejected not only God, but the word of God.

The Old Testament was given to point Israel to the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. And Israel missed it. The New Testament was given to point the way to salvation for all through the Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Today, we have both Old and New Testaments, and the Holy Spirit, to boot! Most will still miss it. They will deny, reject or explain away the return of Jesus Christ.

But He will descend again; this time not on the backside of a donkey, but on the clouds. And He will take with Him the remnant scent of faithful believers. If we know anything about the heart of Christ, He will be weeping still for those who have heard but will not understand; those who have seen but will not perceive. The opportunities to accept Him as Messiah were given then, as they continue to be given today. We cannot know those opportunities without knowing Him. We cannot please Him without coming to Him and believe that He is. (Hebrews 11:6)

I am not God, nor His Son, yet my heart weeps, too. In spite of the anger and hatred directed toward followers of Christ today, I cannot comprehend (and I thank God for that) an eternity separated from God. Even today, many still wave their palm branches in fickle worship of Him, but how many come to Him and believe that He is . . . Savior, Messiah, God.

Mary got it. And in getting it, she sat at His feet and poured out all she had to anoint Her Savior. How did she understand before so many other disciples? Look it up; this Mary was always depicted at the feet of Jesus. Are you not getting it? I know I cannot say this without sounding trite, but position yourself at the feet of the Savior; know Him; diligently seek Him. Waving a palm frond with thousands of others takes no effort but to just show up. But to know Jesus with the intimacy Mary experienced requires complete surrender to the belief that He IS.

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'Blind' Men Still Seek Him

"And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
So Jesus answered . . ." Mark 10:50

The single parent agonizes in frustration with the child who has a drug addiction or eating disorder. The wife whose "Christian" husband struggles with surfing porn sites can't figure out how she can recover her marriage. The alcoholic who recognizes that his chronic struggle is crushing his family can't make the demanding meetings. The self-centered wife; the angry husband; the pouty teen, and on. Is it a trend? Is it an epidemic? Pastors and church counselors are busy these days, because these are churched people, and for some reason they can't seem to get a grip on living a life of victory in Jesus Christ!

These secular strongholds, which should be expected in the world of non-believers, have become a cloak of heaviness upon the shoulders of many in the church body. What is a pastor/counselor to say to the regular attender who is crippled by fear, oppression, addiction, pressure and stress?

Blind Bartimaeus (at the end of Mark 10) desperately needed help. I'd say he was ready to be done with his burden of blindness, trapping him into a life of roadside panhandling. Might his blindness have been a result of sin? A disease he may have brought upon himself? Quite possibly, because his plea to Jesus as He walked by was, "Have mercy on me." Also, those in the crowd who knew Bartimaeus told him to keep quiet, as if he had no business asking for mercy from the Man they believed could do just that.

When they told him to keep quiet, Bartimaeus yelled even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!," acknowledging Jesus' line of royalty and believing in His power to grant mercy. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and creator of all things, "stood still" and called the man to Himself. How many in this crowd did Jesus pass without healing? I know he often said to people, "Do you want to be made well?", refering to the condition of their hearts rather than their physical condition.

Jesus is that personal. He hears your reqeusts. And I wonder if it's not the request for healing that stops Him in His tracks, but more Jesus' recognition of a sincere desire to change one's heart. Many of us are burdened by something that keeps us roadside; and though we keep it private, we wear that cloak about us to remind ourselves of its grip upon our lives. A label. A category. A statistic.

I want to believe when blind Bartimaeus "threw aside his garment . . . and came to Jesus", he was tossing aside the identity of a beggar. He was leaving behind the cloak of darkness. He was coming to Jesus. I want to believe Bartimaeus knew at that moment that he was a follower of Christ--eyesight or not. (Jesus, of course, iced the cake when he asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Jesus to do for him). When Jesus said to him, "Go your way" and healed him, Bartimaeus' "way" was to follow Jesus. I want to believe Bartimaeus' "way" was to follow Jesus when he decided to remove the garment that branded him, to himself and others, a misfit-- unworthy of mercy.

Maybe your problems seem debilitating--even making you "blind" to how to make them better. As much as you try to keep it confined to yourself, or within the walls of your home, you are always aware of that garment that labels you as a misfit--unworthy of mercy. Like the roadside crowd, the experts will keep you quiet from calling out to Christ . . . Oh, your problem can be tended to, treated, worked on. And maybe with more meetings, more books, more accountability, you can remain as you are, hoping for relief.

But could there be a point in your dreadful life when you sincerely listen for Jesus of Nazareth and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me"? You can't just hope He stumbles by your spot on the road. Your diligently seeking Him must be sincere (Hebrews 11:6); not for your mental or physical healing, but simply because you desire to come to Him and know Him. The eyesight comes after we surrender, you'll see. Call out to Jesus in humility. He "stands still" waiting for us to throw aside our garment and come to Him.

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Google Faith or Childlike Faith

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Luke 18:17

I was shown a video the other day. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwwpwY4lyOo

A precious little girl is more excited about Jesus than if someone told her she was going to Disney World. That kind of exuberance for God is certainly not of this world. She is too young to understand the subtleties of "putting on" or performing the sheer joy she feels by being touched by the Healer of the faithful, Jesus Christ. This kind of childlike "happy with joy" (in her words) makes me envious. It makes me yearn for the total release of my adult fears and hesitation in surrendering completely to my God. Our grown-up churches, and the grown-ups who populate them, have grown comfortable in a stifled approach to God as well. Our boards, our business models, our programs, our attempts at being cool, hip or trendy pale in comparison to the jump-around joy this little girl expressed.

I have observed in the church a growing trend of what I call "Google faith." You see, today, if you need any information, you can acquire it almost instantaneously. I was recently talking to someone about the Academy Awards, and within seconds I knew every nominee. Likewise, the way Christians treat their relationship with God is not unlike accessing the Best Supporting Actress nominees. We are more apt to search for information as we need it, rather than search for wisdom as Solomon recommends: "If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."

I fear that many Christians rely heavily upon their local pastor for their access to things spiritual. I wonder if this kind of "faith" is what produces the church-search phenomenon that happens every Sunday. Seekers everywhere are on a weekly "google" search of places of worship; like a nationwide American Idol episode with desperate pastors as the contestants. Because of this, biblical literacy is waning across the congregational landscape. According to researchers, as the age of the average church-goer becomes increasingly younger there will be a dramatic decline in theological literacy. Not only that, but those who attend church are more interested in "pragmatic solutions for life rather than spiritual principals." (Barna Group Dec 13, 2010)


Search engines like Google are places where we can find immediate information for the sake of having an immediate answer: Oscar nominations, spark plug settings and where the experts believe the ark of the covenant is hidden.

I am not a Google-phobe, by any means. Writing this post is possible because of technology. The video above is possible because of technology. I believe the two slain witnesses during the tribulation will be seen by " . . . those from the peoples, tribes, toungues, and nations . . . ." because of technology. Technology is not the enemy. It is clever a distraction.

Maybe it's the idea of touching the physical pages of the bible; like touching the hem of His garment. Though the multitudes throng and press in, she faithfully approaches Him in order to physically touch His garment, and the result is physical healing but, even more, an intimate encounter with the Savior of the world. Likewise, today though the multitudes throng and press (tens of millions electronically) while we open multiple Google- or Bing-search tabs for biblical or spiritual information, let us desire to interact with our Savior by opening our bible. There you can turn pages, you can write as His Spirit leads, you can cross-reference to other books as He directs, and you don't need a wi-fi hot spot!

Technology is a great tool (incidentally, let us not forget that the web, electricity, computers, etc. are created by man, and can be turned off whether you like it or not). Let us not let tech-stuff replace that intimacy which comes from private prayer and reading the physical pages of the bible. I don't know if I am right; maybe just old. But it is in my private time with God that I am able to (at least in my heart) run in circles saying, "Halle-Yoo-La!"

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