The Good Fig Tree
Applying the Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Reading:
14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Introduction:
I will admit that any message following our Easter Celebrations seems kind of like coming home from vacation and getting back to normal.
Thankfully we know better than that, every time we gather on Sunday we are celebrating our Savior!
In Luke chapter 23 we can find Jesus’ death in 24 we hear of His resurrection.
Even though today is following Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection we are going back a little before all of that to understand something.
Back to chapter 21.
The context of what Jesus is teaching in chapter 21 is preparing the disciples; but also us, since it was recorded for our reading.
So every soul that is following Him can be prepared for what will happen in their lives.
In Chapter 21 we hear of:
- The Widows Offering - The woman who gave all and was better than those who gave from their abundance. (The widow giving her 2 mites and the rich giving much more than that.)
- The future destruction of the Temple - There will be not left one stone upon another because it is thrown down.
- His coming persecution - His death.
- Foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem - Birthing pains, surrounded by armies.
- The coming of the Son of Man - He will come in a cloud with power and great glory. (His second coming.)
- A lesson from the fig tree.
- Then He gives a caution - Be careful what you give yourselves over to.
All of this chapter up until verse 29 is focused on preparing the disciples for what is to come.
Jesus wasn’t preparing them for being comfortable.
A follower of Jesus isn’t promised the comforts of this world, only those we find after death.
Did you know that there are many men and also women who stand on a stage every Sunday morning leading people astray from God’s word.
One way in which they do this is to promise a skewed view of comfort.
They teach that God wants every believer:
to be financially comfortable,
to be in great health,
to have no problems in their lives.
Any one who has lived more than a little while understands that isn’t possible.
The part they mis-represent is that the comfort Jesus promises is that of our joy in trials and difficulties because He is there for us, pulling us through every storm.
The joy that a believer can possess as they are enduring every evil in their life, because they know their citizenship is in Heaven and we are just passing through this life on the way to our eternal one.
You know, sometimes we can portray something similar without even knowing it.
When we talk about salvation with someone we can accidentally and easily tell them of the benefits while not mentioning the difficulties?
It may be good to let them know being a believer isn’t for the weak. It isn’t easy to live by faith!
Satan is going to attack viciously every part of your life when you accept the gift of grace!
He want’s to destroy you.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
The 1 Peter passage isn’t giving us information that should scare us, the main part of that bit of information is what we are supposed to do with it.
“Be sober minded; be watchful!”
Know that he is there and what his intentions are; but understand that He has no power over you, only influence and suggestions.
Jesus gives us options through His preparation.
When He closes it up He does it with:
A Sense of urgency for what to look for before He comes the 2nd time!
He tells them:
Stay Observant! (29-30)
Stay Observant! (29-30)
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.
Jesus makes a comparison to how they are to observe what is taking place and how to decipher: How Soon?
The Fig tree was well known in Judea.
When the tree began to sprout leaves and fruit everyone knew about it.
The suggested idea is that Jesus used the fig tree to bring to light that you will know when it is near!
Just as everyone knew what season it was because of all the leaves sprouting from the tree branches.
All who are observant will know what season is coming.
Illustration:
(Explain what my office looked like at Dayton Center)
From my office I could see the woods across the field and when it was spring the trees began to turn a reddish color and they began to fill in.
I could no longer see daylight coming through the trees, that meant it was late spring or summer.
The season was indicated to me through the trees announcement.
Much like all of the maple syrup producers know when it is spring and no longer winter.
The sap begins to flow up the trunks to feed the growth of all the leaves and branches.
Connection:
Jesus is giving them an illustration that they all understand:
Everyone recognizes the season change because of the leaves on the trees and the fruit specifically from the fig tree.
Listen to how Matthew records Jesus teaching of this parable.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Matthew gives a little more information for what they are to observe.
All of what is recorded in Chapter 21; but we also can watch for the season before His second coming.
What are we to look for?
What Jesus tells us in Luke 21:25-28
There will be signs to recognize before the Lord comes back.
The first sign:
The destruction of the Temple. Happened A.D.70
The Second:
Persecution. There were 10 great persecutions after Jesus’ resurrection which lasted until A.D. 313 when Constantine created a 1 legal church!
Side note here:
Do you know that there are a lot of people that believe all churches were a split from the Catholic church?
(Go Ahead - Rant!!!).
The Third:
Destruction of Jerusalem and possibly the tribulation
Jerusalem had this in A.D.70 also.
The tribulation is still yet to come.
Contrary to what a lot of people may teach: this isn’t necessary portraying the world’s end.
We are given other points as well:
Know the Indicators! (31)
Know the Indicators! (31)
31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
All of the signs the disciples would’ve witnessed are there for us to know and understand.
Consider Luke 21:6-7, 9
“As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
The end will come not at once, but will come later.
The disciples were to be observant to all that they will see take place.
The disciples had indicators that were as clear as day, without question.
The temple, the persecutions, the destruction of Jerusalem.
All of which would’ve revealed that the time of the Gentiles was beginning and won’t stop until it is fulfilled.
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Connection:
We sitting here and now can recognize because of history that Jesus’ predictions took place.
The only thing that we are waiting for is the fullness of the Gentiles to end and Christ to come back!
2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
It will be sudden.
Society will be UN-Godly.
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
More evidence that lets us know we’re close:
3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
We are given a comparison to what the world has already witnessed:
26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
Point:
We can see the indicators and that the coming of Christ is near as well.
Jesus was preparing the disciples and recording in scripture to:
Be Ready! (32-33)
Be Ready! (32-33)
32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The disciples lived through all Jesus’ words happening.
He went to Jerusalem.
He was delivered into the hands of the religious leaders.
He was killed.
He raised the third day.
They were to anticipate what comes next and to not be surprised!
What they needed was all of this would begin the process for the final parts to His plan for all of humanity.
The question I bring here is:
How is telling them the bad news supposed to prepare the disciples?
Illustration:
When wrestling season began I knew my schedule would change.
Practices before school
Practices for 3 hours after school
Weekends wrestling tournaments
2-3 times a week wrestling meets
I knew what to expect!
There were a lot of guys who quit, or in the off season let their conditioning go.
When conditioning began they were throwing up in the trash cans.
They didn’t prepare themselves.
The disciples knew what was coming.
Jesus gave them what they needed to be ready.
He even cautioned them with a charge.
34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
Be ready, keep yourselves in spiritual shape to handle what you are called to endure.
Conclusion:
How are these words supposed to prepare us, and for what?
Jesus told the disciples to:
Stay observant of the spiritual seasons He is allowing to take place.
We are to stay observant of the same thing.
Know that when we see and hear the world pushing for, promoting, and pursuing a one world government the Anti-christ isn’t far behind.
Just know that it won’t stay in one season or continue in many different seasons:
He will come as He promised.
Jesus revealed the indicators to pay attention to.
We have the indicators to read and know.
Those indicators are for our understanding so we are ready and looking for the groom to show up and get His bride.
The preparation for it all is this:
Knowing all of this, believing all of what is said:
Have the courage to do His will, no matter how hard or uncomfortable things get.
The disciples knew they would suffer persecution; but went anyway!
Because they were prepared and went forward by faith:
The whole world was turned upside down for Jesus!
We are to do the same, only we don’t know if or when persecution will come.
Trust His words, believe them, and pursue what He has created you for.
Pray!