Here we are again, facing the time of year that Christians celebrate the Passion of the Christ. The Gospel accounts give attention to this important event. Of the 89 chapters in the Gospels, only 4 record the first 30 years of His life. Yet, they give almost 1/4 of the chapters to the final week to His resurrection. Obviously, this is vital and important for us. Over the next few days (until Easter Sunday), we are going to walk with the Master. Using the timeline as developed by Dr. Harold Willmington, let us remember and be ministered to also.
Today, We find the accounts of Jesus cursing the Fig Tree (Matt. 21:18-19), the second cleansing of the Temple by Jesus (Mark 11:15-18), and the request by some Greeks to see Jesus (John 12:20-32). It was a busy day.
The cursing of the fig tree brought Jesus great pain and sorrow. In fact, it took Paul three entire chapters in his letter to the Romans (9-11) to explain the theological implications of this miracle. The overriding lesson from this account is obvious - God desires fruit. His chosen nation failed to bear fruit (Hos. 10:1) and His present plan is for believers to bear fruit (John 15:8).
This causes us to pause and meditate upon whether we are bearing fruit for the Master? Are we living our lives to be able to deliver fruit for God? And then, if not, why not? Jesus taught that He was the vine and we are the branches - and it is the function of the branch to bear fruit. As any horticulturist will tell you that branches of the vine that do not bear fruit are pruned by the gardener.
Prayer, Father, I want to be a fruitful branch. Prune whatever is in my life that keeps me from being that fruit-bearing branch of the vine, Jesus. May I be used by you, and to the fullest. Hide me in the Vine. Amen.
The cursing of the fig tree brought Jesus great pain and sorrow. In fact, it took Paul three entire chapters in his letter to the Romans (9-11) to explain the theological implications of this miracle. The overriding lesson from this account is obvious - God desires fruit. His chosen nation failed to bear fruit (Hos. 10:1) and His present plan is for believers to bear fruit (John 15:8).
This causes us to pause and meditate upon whether we are bearing fruit for the Master? Are we living our lives to be able to deliver fruit for God? And then, if not, why not? Jesus taught that He was the vine and we are the branches - and it is the function of the branch to bear fruit. As any horticulturist will tell you that branches of the vine that do not bear fruit are pruned by the gardener.
Prayer, Father, I want to be a fruitful branch. Prune whatever is in my life that keeps me from being that fruit-bearing branch of the vine, Jesus. May I be used by you, and to the fullest. Hide me in the Vine. Amen.
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