JESUS IS HUNGRY FOR FRUITS

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry – Mark 11: 12

On a certain morning, as the Lord Jesus returned from Bethany to Jerusalem, He was HUNGRY; He had a NEED to eat. Just at that moment, a fig tree was in sight, stirring expectation of the desire to eat being promptly met. Few human desires can compare with hunger. Alas, on getting to the fig tree, it was all leaf and no fruit! That particular fig tree had failed to fulfil its basic purpose of bearing fruits. It had absorbed so many nutrients from the ground, only to produce leaves. No wonder, the Lord was wrath with this fruitless fig tree! Interestingly, even the day before was a day of leaves: “others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road” (vs. 8b). The Lord had had enough of leaves; He wanted fruits!

Fig trees are known to have fruit first, before leaves. Therefore, having noticed that the tree had leaves, it was expected to have fruit. But it ended up being a phony or hypocrite fig tree; full of performance without substance. What do these mean to us today? Although the Lord Jesus is not physically traversing our land as He did Judea and the streets of Galilee in those days, He is alive and very hungry for fruit. However, His hunger is not for apples, oranges, figs or grapes, but for fruits of righteousness (Phil.1:11), fruits of good works (Col.1:10), and fruits of souls (Jh.15:16). Jesus is hungry for fruits of repentance rather than deceptive leaves of religious rituals; fruits of faith and not mere leaves of pious professions.

Just like the fruitless fig tree, it is sad that rather than Jesus finding the expected fruits on many of His children, they are merely filled with leaves. The Lord’s verdict on the fruitless fig tree was frightening and devastating, and should be a warning to every leafy, but fruitless individual. The fig tree became an object of God’s wrath and condemnation. Jesus declared, “Let no man eat fruit from you ever again” (vs.14). When Jesus cursed the fig tree, He put His judgement on all who do not bear fruit to satisfy His hunger. The Lord is extremely displeased and disappointed with lukewarm and fruitless followers.

The parable in Luke 13:6-9 offers similar lessons on the tragedy of fruitlessness. The alternative to bearing fruit is to be cut down! Jesus is hungry. He expects fruits from us. Nothing in the natural can feed Him; only His own. All His delights are in the saints, the expected fruit bearers (Psa.16:3). Now, double check: do you have fruits under your leaves of religiosity?