TOPIC: THE FIG TREE
MEMORISE:
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2
READ: Mark 11:12-20
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
MESSAGE
In today's Bible reading, Jesus was hungry and went to get some figs from a fig tree nearby but unfortunately, He did not find any. Jesus cursed the tree, and it dried up. Even though it was not the season for figs, meaning that it was natural for the tree not to have fruits at that time, Jesus still cursed it. You may think that Jesus was being unfair to the tree, but He was sending a message to us with that act. You must never wait for the right conditions before you begin to bear fruits for your Master.
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. Ecclesiastes 11:4
If God has given a believer an assignment, he or she should work towards it whether the conditions are right or not. If believers keep waiting for the right conditions, they will never achieve their goals or fulfil their destiny. If you keep observing the wind, you will not sow, and if you have already sown, if you keep observing the clouds, you will not reap. You must set out to bear fruit even when the conditions around you do not suggest that you should.
When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, I got many promises from God apart from the covenant that God had with my Father in the Lord about the church's great future. All the conditions surrounding the church at that time were not palatable. We did not even have enough money to pay the General Overseer's salary, not to talk of getting money to establish parishes around the world or hosting large meetings where millions of people will gather. Even though the conditions did not look right, I still set out to do the things that God called me to do. When we moved to Redemption City, we did not have money to pay laborers to build the auditorium, not to talk of building a city. I worked every night with other members of the church to build the first auditorium. Today, everyone can see the city that God promised us.
Beloved, if you wait for perfect conditions before you bear fruit, you will be just like that fig tree, and I am quite sure that you don't want to end up like it because Jesus said in our memory verse for today that any branch in Him that does not bear fruit will be cut off.
KEY POINT
There is no excuse for failing to bear fruits.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 11-12
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
HYMN 12: ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
1. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!
o Refrain:
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
2.At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.
3. Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.
4. Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never ’gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.
5. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.
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