 It wasn't the time for the fig tree to give figs, so then why did Jesus curse the fig tree? In Mark 11, as well as Matthew, there is a story about something that Jesus does that is a bit confusing as to why. In Mark 11, it says that Jesus seeing a fig tree goes to the fig tree, and then ultimately ends up cursing the fig tree. The fig tree withers up and dies. The problem is not so much with him cursing the fig tree. The issue is, why did he do so? Because Mark explains that it wasn't even time for the fig tree to give figs. If we go to Mark 1112, it says on the next day when Jesus had left Bethany, he became hungry. Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, may no one ever eat fruit from you again, and his disciples were listening. Well, the question is, since it's not the time for figs, then why did Jesus, since he's God, he knows all, why would he go to the fig tree to get figs, knowing that it's not the season? And then in turn cursing it, because it didn't do what it wasn't time for it to do. That can be a little bit mind boggling. The issue might be that maybe we just don't have enough familiarity with fig trees, because notice what Jesus was going after. He was not going after figs. Okay, again, it says in verse 14, he says, may no one ever eat fruit from you again. That might get a little bit of an understanding. Also notice what he says prior, what he just went to go get. It says that he went to go get something. He was hungry and he went in verse 13 to see if perhaps he would find anything on it. I have a little bit of familiarity with fig trees. Now I'm not a horticulture, so I'm not an arborist or anything like that, but I do recall there was a time when we had a fig tree in the back of our house. And there would be this little possum that would come up and the possum would sit in the fig tree. And what the possum would eat was not necessarily the figs, though if figs were in bloom, he would eat those. But what he would also eat would be these little bulbs, these little balls of fruit that he would eat. I don't know what they taste like, but apparently it was something that was edible that he would eat. People also in that region, certain fig trees would give off these little bulbs, these little pieces of fruit to eat. They were a little pretty small, and they weren't the size of an actual fig, but you can eat them. So what was Jesus going to do? Jesus went to go eat the fruit that came off of those bulbs. That happened before figs would be given, before figs would be in bloom on the fig tree. When the fig tree is leafy, it indicates that there is also some fruit there. However, there is no fruit there. When the fruit is not in the tree, it indicates there's something wrong with the tree. Now the parents would be that there is something there, though it has not given off what it's supposed to give in the future, but in the meantime, there should have been some fruit there. Maybe you all can see kind of where I'm going, even what Jesus is trying to give off, or the point that Jesus is trying to make as a result of this. Just because it's not the season for you to do exactly what you are intended to do, the full purpose that does not negate that there's not something for you to do previously, or some fruit for you to have, Christians are to bear fruit. Jesus goes to this fig tree, sees the tree in leaf, indicating to him and anyone else that would see it, that it should at least, though maybe not have the figs themselves, it would at least have the fruit, something that would benefit others. And so what does Jesus do? He sees the fact that this fig tree does not have any fruit at all. And so what's the result? Cursed to be withered up. No one will ever eat any fruit from you again, because you're not doing what you're supposed to do. Now, what could be the lesson that we can learn? Well, Christians are to be bearing fruit. How much fruit? We don't know to what degree, dead and safe, but there should be at least something. Jesus's point, it seems to be, is that you should have something, even before you reach your potential, even before you get to your purpose, whatever it is that God is gonna have you to do for him, and it's gonna be for him, not for yourself, your abilities, your talents are not for you, your spiritual gifting, it's not for you, it's for others. And so even before you reach your potential, before you get to where God is taking you to, how he's growing you, there should be at least some fruit, even if it's a small amount of fruit. And that was the point about this fig tree. This fig tree had no fruit whatsoever. And so as a result, Jesus eliminated the fig tree altogether. Doesn't mean the guy that couldn't do the same thing for us. I don't want you to take that lesson that if you're not bearing fruit that he is going to destroy you and get rid of you. That's not the point that I'm trying to make, but there is a comparison to be made between the fig tree and us. Others can also say that this also might be reminiscent of Israel itself because Israel has been called a fig tree. And so was Israel bearing fruit at this time? No, they were not bearing fruit. And so you can also draw a comparison from Israel. The problem is though, you would not take it to a logical conclusion that Jesus or God is getting rid of Israel. No, because he says that Israel will always be a nation before the Lord forever. And so it's not totally about Israel. There are some comparisons about Israel, but the point is, be it Israel or be it us as Gentile believers, he's not saying you've got to go to hell as a result of not bearing fruit. The point is there's a huge disappointment in you not fulfilling your purpose. Amen.