Mark 11
Jesus spots a fig tree with healthy leaves yet fails to see any fruit. According to this commentary, this is a warning for believers to avoid the appearance of bearing spiritual fruit while like the fig tree, failing in fact to bear any fruit at all.
"Busyness" is one way to appear to be bearing fruit - yet this commentary posits that busyness is moral failure and that we have just "just enough time" to do what God wants us to do. The commentary points us to Hebrews 12:1 and encourages us to avoid the entanglements of busyness:
Hebrews 12:2 goes on to "fix our eyes on Jesus", implying we need to focus on what matters. Jesus helps us of course:
How we do this of course matters, but first things first - we must love Jesus and love others. If we love Jesus, we must be willing to spend time with Him daily, pray, worship, and serve others, etc.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who as blessed me beyond what I deserve - thank You Jesus! Yet I often fail to produce fruit and fall prey to "busyness". Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. v14
Jesus spots a fig tree with healthy leaves yet fails to see any fruit. According to this commentary, this is a warning for believers to avoid the appearance of bearing spiritual fruit while like the fig tree, failing in fact to bear any fruit at all.
"Busyness" is one way to appear to be bearing fruit - yet this commentary posits that busyness is moral failure and that we have just "just enough time" to do what God wants us to do. The commentary points us to Hebrews 12:1 and encourages us to avoid the entanglements of busyness:
Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Hebrews 12:1
Hebrews 12:2 goes on to "fix our eyes on Jesus", implying we need to focus on what matters. Jesus helps us of course:
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40
How we do this of course matters, but first things first - we must love Jesus and love others. If we love Jesus, we must be willing to spend time with Him daily, pray, worship, and serve others, etc.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who as blessed me beyond what I deserve - thank You Jesus! Yet I often fail to produce fruit and fall prey to "busyness". Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
