Friday, September 3, 2010

False advertising

Mark 11:12-14, 20-21

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

My thoughts -

Jesus was hungry. The fig tree was there. It should have had fruit. It didn't. It offered him hope but it was a false hope. It let him down. Jesus destroyed it.

Do we bear fruit? Do we have spiritual food for the hungry or are we, like this tree, filled with only false promise?

If we have all of the trappings of the church, with our organs, choirs, stained glass, etc. but nothing to nourish those who desperately want to grow in Christ with then we offering nothing but false advertising. We look like we should bear fruit. Our branches are covered in leaves, but we have nothing.

What kind of Christians are we producing? Are we producing the kind that love to go to worship, dress up in their finest clothes, be seen by the right people, look happy and well put together, and sing along with the beautiful music, or are we producing the kind of Christians that follow the example of Christ and go out and care for the needs of the poor, the lost, and the suffering? Are we more interested in growing the church or growing the Kingdom of God?

Are we bearing any fruit?

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