Unfruitful Christians
Mark 11:12–14 (NKJV)
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.
Characteristics of a fig tree are unique in the sense that the fruits normally appear before the leaves. Generally, the fig tree represents Israel or Christians or our Spiritual lives.
When Jesus cursed the tree, He was denouncing unfruitful Christians (people who profess to be Christians but have no evidence of relationships with Christ)
Mark 11:20–21 (NKJV)
20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
What do unfruitful Christians mean?
- People who are full of promise, but have no delivery
- People who use words instead of actions
- Bible reading without action
- A church without Christ
- Form of godliness but without power
- Prayer without power
Luke 13:6–9 (NLT)
Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6 Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’
8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’
In this parable, Jesus tells the story of the fig tree (individual Christian), the vineyard owner (God, the one who expects to see fruits on His tree and who justly destroys it if He finds none) and the gardener (Jesus, who feeds His people and gives us living water).
In this parable, the owner was disappointed with the unfruitfulness of the tree in the past three years (representing the duration of Jesus's ministry).
Jesus came and told them to bring forth the fruit fit for repentance because the axe was already laid at the root of the tree.
Luke 3:8–9 (NKJV)
8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Furthermore, the gardener pleaded for a little more time, and God, in His mercy, always grants us another day, another hour, another breath. The lesson for us is that our borrowed time is not permanent.
Christ stands at the doors of all our hearts knocking and seeking to gain entrance.
Isaiah 55:6–7 (NKJV)
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
Open your hearts and let Jesus in; you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
“Jesus does not want the church to look good from far but far from good.”
-Pastor How
God expected us to be fruitful Christians, as we may observe in James 2:26 and John 15:5–8
“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.”
― William Booth
