Have you ever heard Easter referred to as "Holy Halloween?" Me neither, up until a bible study that we had in our Young Adult Ministry last March/April. When this particular young man said this everyone laughed because we all knew exactly what he meant by it. Every Easter, people come out of the woodworks to attend church with their best outfits (costumes) on. While this is true of Easter, I wonder if this same concept could be applied to churchgoers weekly...
We have grown so good at painting on our "church faces" and putting on our "Sunday's best," even though our lives are in shambles and we have no substance.
This is what I see going on in Mark chapter 11. Just before entering the temple and finding it transformed into a "den of robbers," Jesus is recorded as being "hungry." On their way out of Bethany, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem, but before arriving Jesus comes across a fig tree "in leaf." Hungry Jesus approaches this fig tree with hopes of finding fruit, but when He pulls back the leaves he finds nothing. Let down, Jesus curses the fig tree and continues on His journey to Jerusalem. Why would Jesus get so upset at a fig tree that isn't bearing fruit when He knew that it wasn't the season for figs? Fig trees were the sort of tree that only bore fruit in certain seasons. There were times of the year when fruit was abundant and there were times when productivity was scant at best. I'm sure Jesus understood this. But I'm sure that Jesus also understood that fig trees often bore fruit even when it wasn't the season of figs, because some fruit would still remain on the tree throughout the year, kind of like "remnant" fruit. Fig trees were often known for at least having some fruit on them year round. To make it even worse, this fig tree was "in leaf." For a fig tree to be "in leaf" meant that it gave off an attractive appearance. It meant that everything about the tree was beautiful, and that the chances of their being "remnant" fruit were great. So it isn't impossible to understand why Jesus was so disappointed in this tree that had no fruit.
My suspicion is this:
Many of us are just like this fig tree, "in leaf." We merely look good. We dress up on Sunday's. We put on our "Holy Halloween Costumes," and we hide who we truly are. We give off a great appearance and make it seem like we are full of fruitfulness, but in reality we are nothing more than barren fig trees that are "in leaf." We aren't bearing any fruit. I think it is interesting that Adam and Eve, after having their eyes opened, used fig leaves to cover their nakedness. Just like them we seek to cover up who were truly are and what is really going on in our lives. We forsake transparency and cling to upholding the right image. We are "Gold-plated Christians" at best(Thanks Jesse T. Williams).
My challenge is this:
Read Mark 11:12-26 and Matthew 21:18-22 in your quiet moments with God (I would also encourage you to read John 15:1-17). Pray and ask God to first help you to let go of the "need" to merely look good. Search yourself and ask God how you can be more fruitful. Get sincere about your walk with Christ. I would hate for us to continue to look good and for someone to come to us "hungry," only to find out that we have nothing more than an "image" to offer.
Be blessed family
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