Sermon Central
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Jesus Curses The Fig Tree Series
Contributed by Pastor Bruce A. Shields on Aug 23, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Part 24:The Great Commission - Jesus curses the fig tree for not producing fruit when it was able to. Are you?
Which is the will of the Father in heaven.
When we do not obey God’s will, we reject the Lord, just as the Pharisees and Sadducees did.
d. Upon the rejection of Christ, it immediately began to whither
Upon rejecting Christ, and because no fruit was found upon examination, the tree was cursed and withered.
The day is coming, and will soon be here when we will be examined by our Lord.
Will He find fruit in you?
Are you using what God gave you in this life to serve Him?
Every ability, every skill, everything you own, have, receive, or are going to get, comes ONLY by the hand of God.
Therefore, should what belongs to Him be used for His glory?
There’s so much talk about tithe, and we will be doing a series soon about tithing.
But bottom line, remember Zacchaeus from our sermon last week?
The minimum required of him to repay those he may have cheated, according to Levitical law which comes straight from the Word of God, he was only required to pay back what he took plus 1/5th.
But because his heart was changed, and he accepted the Lord and was moved by the Holy Spirit, he chose to do what was GREATER, not the least that was required.
Not the least that was required, but the MOST he could possibly do!
Instead of 1/5th he said he would pay back the greater amount of 4 times!
Do you realize that was 20 times as much as what God required????
Not doing the LEAST he could do for the Lord, but the MOST he could do.
We need to have that attitude, especially when it comes to the things that belong to the Lord.
Jesus said, when someone asks for your coat, give them your shirt as well.
If they ask you to carry their load 1 mile, carry it 2.
We are required by Jesus as the children of God NOT to do the least that is required, but always to do more.
Take what God has given you in this life, and use it for His kingdom.
Whether it be money, time, abilities…
They all belong to the Lord.
Use them for His kingdom.
Produce fruit with what the Lord has given you, so when that day comes, and Jesus examines your inside, that there will be beautiful fruit for Him.
Because if there is one thing Jesus has made very clear, and we can look at many examples in the scriptures of this, Jesus does not care about how many beautiful leaves are on the outside…
But whether you are producing fruit.
III. FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE
a. Disciples saw and were amazed at this
b. If you have faith and do not doubt
Faith in Christ alone. Do not doubt the Lord and His Word.
c. Power & Authority in Christ, life & death in our tongue
We have power and authority given to us by Christ Himself, and there is life and death in our tongues, and we will eat the fruit thereof.
d. Blessings and cursings
A whole series in itself.
Bottom line, what we sow, we shall reap.
Are you sowing discord or unity?
Are you sowing sparingly or generously?
Are you sowing love or hate?
Blessings and cursings, what we sow, we shall reap.
CONCLUSION
5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
