Have you ever read through the life of Jesus and ran into a situation where Jesus didn’t seem to be acting very Christ-like?  But He is the Christ, so everything that He does is Christ-like?  And He is sinless, so nothing that He did was sinful, but if you saw and heard someone do or say what He said or did you would say that they were sinning?

There’s a few instances where I’ve been challenged in that way.  For example, I feel this way when I read about all of the name calling that Jesus did.  You know, like broods of vipers, hypocrites, murderers, and perhaps the best one; sons of Hell. 

Although it still makes me uncomfortable to read, I understand why He wasn’t sinning by doing it.  His name calling wasn’t an emotional overreaction said from an annoyed or embittered or opinionated heart like we do. 

He was speaking truthfully and sincerely from a heart motive of love that was trying to abruptly wake them up and get their attention.  His intent was to motivate them to repentance and save them from themselves and where they were leading His people.

This morning, we’re going to learn together from one of the other instances that, honestly, makes me cringe.  I know, I know, it shouldn’t, but I still have room to grow and perspectives that still need sanctified. 

Matthew 21:18-19

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

Now, we’re going to read this same account from Mark where we learn a bit more information that makes this encounter even more cringey for me.  It wasn’t the season for figs.  Jesus expected a fig tree to produce figs for Him out of season.  Was Jesus just hangry?  You know, angry because you’re hungry?

I’m not going to mention any names, but there are a few members of our family that have some pretty serious mood swings when they get hungry.  Irritability and anxiety levels are high, patience runs low, their fuse grows pretty short.  Can anyone else relate?

It seems so unfair to that fig tree to be cursed and to die because it wasn’t bearing fruit out of season, right?

Jesus wasn’t unfair and He didn’t sin by cursing and killing that tree.  Jesus was making a very significant point by doing this in front of His disciples.  Jesus did this intentionally and made sure that it was recorded in His word for us to learn from as well.  Jesus was not hangry.  Jesus was teaching us.

There is no such thing as an off season in the Kingdom of God!  The gospel is always in season.  When we stay rooted in Christ, we will never cease to bear the good fruits of the Spirit!  When we live our lives in full trust and confidence in Him, not only will our leaves be green, but unlike that fig tree, we will also never fail to bear good fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

    whose confidence is in him.

8 They will be like a tree planted by the water

    that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

    its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

    and never fails to bear fruit.”

And the alternative?  If we try to live life apart from the Lord?  Well, Jesus said it this way:

John 15:6

If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

So, which are we?  Are we rooted and firmly connected in trust to Jesus?  Are we branches full of good fruit or are we withered up firewood?  Whichever you might be, today is a day where we can learn from the fig tree and choose to live fruitful lives as we place our roots and our trust in Jesus!

Let’s dig in and see what other revelation Jesus intended for us to receive from this encounter by zooming out a bit and seeing what happened b