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Turn with me in your Bibles to 
Matthew chapter 21. We continue our exposition of Matthew's gospel. 
We find ourselves in the section dealing with our Lord's passion. So when Jesus enters into Jerusalem 
in the triumphal entry in chapter 21 to the point that he dies 
on the cross, all of that takes place in the space of one week. And we find ourselves specifically 
on Tuesday of that passion week The triumphal entry took place 
on Sunday, the cleansing of the temple took place on Monday, 
and now Jesus is in route from Bethany to Jerusalem on Tuesday 
in the passage that we're going to consider this morning, specifically 
verses 18 to 22. But I want to back up and just 
read the larger context beginning in verse 12. Then Jesus went 
into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and 
sold in the temple. and overturned the tables of 
the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And 
he said to them, it is written, my house shall be called a house 
of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. Then the 
blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed 
them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful 
things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and 
saying, Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant and 
said to him, Do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus said 
to them, yes, have you never read out of the mouth of babes 
and nursing infants you have perfected praise? Then he left 
them and went out of the city to Bethany and he lodged there. 
Now in the morning as he returned to the city, he was hungry. And 
seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing 
on it but leaves, and said to it, let no fruit grow on you 
ever again. Immediately the fig tree withered 
away. And when the disciples saw it, 
they marveled, saying, how did the fig tree wither away so soon? So Jesus answered and said to 
them, assuredly I say to you, if If you have faith and do not 
doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but 
also if you say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the 
sea, it will be done. And whatever things you ask in 
prayer, believing, you will receive. Amen. Let us pray. Our blessed 
God and our Holy Father, we thank you for the scriptures of both 
the Old and New Testaments. We thank you that they are God-breathed 
and profitable for doctrine for correction, for reproof, for 
instruction in righteousness. We pray that even now, God, you 
would guide our thoughts and help us to understand our Lord's 
meaning in this particular passage. To that end, we pray for the 
ministry of the Holy Spirit. We pray that he would come in 
power and that he would be present among us and that you would guide 
us and lead us. As well, God, we confess our 
sin and our transgression, those things that darken our understanding. 
We pray that you would cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And for any and all who have 
come here this morning outside of Christ, we pray that today 
would be the day of salvation. The gospel would come powerfully 
by the Spirit. that these things would be applied, 
and that sin would be shown for what it is, that sinners would 
see the glory and the majesty and the excellence of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who laid his life down, sinners to save, and who 
rose again, and who ascended on high, and sits enthroned at 
the right hand of God Most High. And Father, we pray that you 
would be pleased to do this work for your glory, and for your 
honor, and for your praise. And we ask through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord, amen. Well, as we saw, Jesus entered 
into Jerusalem and he did so in accordance with the prophet 
Zechariah. When he went into Jerusalem on 
that colt, it was indicative or it was an acted parable. It 
was symbolic of the reality that what Zechariah had spoken had 
come to fruition or fulfillment in our Lord Jesus. And remember, 
after Christ does this, The people cry out, Hosanna to the son of 
David. And then the people that didn't 
get it asked, who is this man? They weren't asking, what's his 
name? But they were asking, what kind of a man is this? Or what 
nature of the case is this particular man? And so the Galileans said, 
this is Jesus, the prophet. from Nazareth of Galilee. And 
then Jesus, like a prophet, goes into the temple and he sees that 
it had become a place of money. It had become a place of economics. 
It had become a place of extortion, a den of thieves itself. So he 
turns the tables over and he drives the money changers out. 
Again, this is in accordance with the scripture. He acts as 
a prophet. And then he combats briefly with 
these men that are indignant against him and then as we saw 
in verse 17 he departs from them and he went out of the city to 
Bethany and he lodged there. So Christ departs probably typical 
or probably an act of judgment. He essentially turns his back 
upon them and leaves from them. And so, as I said, we pick up 
on Tuesday morning and it's early in the morning. Jesus is coming 
back from Bethany to Jerusalem. Remember, it's the Passover feast. That's why Galileans and that's 
why Israel as a whole is gathered together in the city for that 
Passover feast. So Jesus, early in the morning, 
comes back from Bethany and he goes to Jerusalem and he continues 
to act in a prophetic manner. What he does in this particular 
section is most significant and most important for what follows 
during the rest of the day that takes place here in Matthew's 
Gospel. There's two things essentially 
going on. First, in verses 18 to 19, we 
see the cursing of the fig tree. And then in the second place, 
the lesson concerning believing prayer, verses 20 to 22. So essentially, 
there's two lessons. that has to do with this fig 
tree, and then something that has to do with prayer and the 
disciples. So let's look first of all at 
the cursing of the fig tree in verses 18 and 19. He is returning 
to the city, and notice in verse 18 it says he was hungry. Now, 
this is according to the form of a servant. This is according 
to his humanity. The Lord Jesus doesn't hunger 
as God. There's no divine food. There's 
no divine repast. There's no divine smorgasbord. Jesus is functioning in his capacity 
as the form of a servant. He is a man. And as a man, he 
is affected by hunger. As God, he is not affected by 
hunger. John Gill says, with reference 
to this statement, that he is hungry, it proves the truth of 
his human nature, which was, in all respects, like to ours, 
accepting sin. So early in the morning, he leaves 
Bethany. We might ask the question, why 
didn't he get some breakfast from his host family? The Bible 
doesn't tell us. But he gets back to the city, 
or he's on his way to the city, and he sees this fig tree. Because 
he's hungry, He goes over to it. Notice, specifically, in 
seeing a fig tree by the road. Matthew indicates it was by the 
road. It didn't belong to somebody 
in particular. Jesus isn't in viral meaning. Jesus isn't against personal 
property. Jesus isn't going to come and 
curse your fig tree. It is by the road. It is on its 
own. It's a lonely specimen there. But note specifically what the 
text says, "...and seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to 
it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it..." We 
must ask the question, what's happening here? Is Jesus anti-fig 
tree? Is Jesus got a problem with the 
flora and the fauna on the way to Jerusalem? Does Jesus have 
a particular ax to grind against this lonely tree? No, he's functioning 
in the capacity of a prophet. As I said, it's an acted parable. It is symbolized. There is a 
symbolic meaning that he is ascribing to this particular thing. You 
see it in the prophet Isaiah. You see it in the prophet Ezekiel. 
You see it in Hosea. Hosea was commanded to marry 
a woman of harlotry. Why? Because God is teaching 
Israel something. Why does Jesus curse this fig 
tree? Because Jesus is teaching Israel something. And I suggest, 
or I submit, or I believe that what he is doing is that he is 
showing the curse that is going to come upon Jerusalem and its 
temple. There are several reasons why 
I believe this. This is the book report concerning 
the commentators as well, but this is what's in view. Seeing 
a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it 
but leaves and said to it, So we have this fig tree, it's got 
leaves. When we see a tree with leaves, 
it gives the evidence of fruit, doesn't it? If we see a tree 
and it has no leaves, we conclude there are no fruits. I mean, 
I'm not that agriculturally minded, but I know enough to realize 
that if it's blank of leaves, it's probably not going to have 
any fruit. This is an apt description of 
Jerusalem, isn't it? Don't forget the context. Jesus 
just cleansed the temple. There are several reasons why 
I believe, and others with me believe, that what's in view 
is Jesus' symbolic parable concerning the destruction of Jerusalem 
and her temple. In the first place, the Old Testament 
oftentimes referred to the barren fig tree as a sign of God's judgment. It's used positively as well. A tree that is fruitful and a 
tree that is bearing figs is an evidence of God's mercy and 
kindness. But there are several statements 
applied in the scriptures of the Old Testament where a barren 
fig tree is a mark, a symbol of God's judgment upon a people. 
In the second place, the emphasis in Matthew's gospel on Israel's 
unfaithfulness. Brethren, we've been at this 
for a couple of years now, and one thing we ought to appreciate 
is that the people to whom Jesus came did not receive Him. They 
rejected Him. They were fruitless. They had 
the leaves of a temple, they had the leaves of a priesthood, 
they had the leaves of a sacrificial system, but they didn't have 
the fruit of vital religion. They were a fruitless people. 
In the third place, in Luke's gospel, Jesus teaches a particular 
parable that uses the same symbol. In Luke 13, 6, he also spoke 
this parable. A certain man had a fig tree 
planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it. 
and found none. Then he said to the keeper of 
his vineyard, Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit 
on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down. Why does it use 
up the ground? But he answered and said to him, 
Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize 
it. And if it bears fruit, well, but if not, after that you can 
cut it down. As well, fourthly, why do we 
think that this is a reference to Israel, generically, Jerusalem 
specifically, and the Temple? The immediate context. He's already 
said he's just cleansed the temple the day before. He has shown 
his displeasure. He has shown his disfavor. I mean, when he's turning those 
tables and he's driving money changers out, is that a sign 
that he's happy, that he's thrilled, that he's content, that he is 
delighted in the fact that the people of Israel are using the 
temple for the reason for which it was given? No. He is angry. He is not prissy Jesus. He is not effeminate Jesus. He 
is a man that is consumed with the zeal of his father, and he 
drives these persons out. But as well, in the immediate 
context in Matthew 21, notice specifically in verses 33 and 
following, Jesus uses another symbol concerning Israel, That 
of a vineyard. This right out of the prophet 
Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 5. The parable of the wicked vine 
dressers. And note what the conclusion 
is concerning this particular parable. Verse 43. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom 
of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing 
the fruits of it. He's talking to the religious 
leadership of Israel. He says the kingdom of God is 
being taken from you. It's being given to a nation 
that's bearing the fruits of it. Who is that nation? Peter 
tells us. The church of Jesus Christ. We 
are a holy nation. We are the fulfillment in terms 
of God's promises with reference to His people. Because of Jesus, 
the Israel of God, He unites Jews and Gentiles as the Israel 
of God so that we may glorify and honor Him forever. And then 
another significant piece of evidence that confirms the interpretation 
that the fig tree specifically represents Jerusalem and the 
Temple is the Olivet Discourse. See, we read our Bibles and we 
preach through our Bibles and it takes a great deal of time. 
Do you know what Jesus does on Tuesday morning? He curses the 
fig tree. You know how he ends Tuesday 
when he goes back to Bethany? He gives the Olivet Discourse. 
What is the focus of the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24? It is 
the destruction of the temple. Jesus is telling the disciples. They come out of the temple complex. 
The disciples say, wow, isn't this a beautiful thing? And Jesus 
says, assuredly, I say to you, not one stone that you see here 
is going to remain. All of these things are going 
to crumble. They get over to Bethany. They go up to the Mount 
of Olives. And Jesus, in prophetic manner, 
is then asked, tell us about this, Lord. So he describes in 
vivid detail the destruction of the temple. Now, there are 
several different interpretations of Matthew 24 to be sure, but 
I hope that every one of them confirms the reality that at 
least in some measure, the temple standing in Jerusalem is what 
Jesus is talking about. That's the particular emphasis 
of Christ in Matthew 24. I just want to summarize these 
lines of evidence by reading a good quote from J.C. Ryle. 
Now typically when I work through sections of scripture, I do rely 
on several commentators. And that's not to stand up here 
and say, wow, aren't I great? I read a lot of commentators. 
Brethren, you shouldn't want novel preaching. You shouldn't 
want new things. You shouldn't want departures 
from the historic Christian faith. And when we quote, whether it's 
me or Pastor Cam, it is showing that preaching and exposition 
does not happen as a private exercise. It is not a cultic 
expression of one man to his minions, but it's done ecclesiastically, 
not only in the context of a local church, but in the context of 
the Catholic Church. We are connected to these brethren 
in the same and common end. That's why we quote. It's to 
show this isn't something I hatched in my office this week. But of 
all the men that I read, and again, most of them agree, two 
exceptions. Walvert, a dispensationalist, 
says, I didn't read him, somebody that I read referenced him. Walvert, 
a dispensationalist, says, the fig tree doesn't represent Jerusalem 
or the temple. I understand what drives that. 
Because Jesus' words here are final. No fruit will ever grow 
on you again. I don't know how you could be 
a dispensationalist in light of Jesus' statement in this particular 
passage. D.A. Carson, as well, is a bit 
unwilling to say that it deals specifically with Jerusalem and 
its temple. He says it does, but just the 
hypocrites within Jerusalem and Israel. John MacArthur, a dispensationalist, 
says it represents Israel. It represents Jerusalem and the 
temple. Now, I think, again, he's going 
to have some inconsistencies because Jesus says concerning 
the tree that no fruit will ever grow on you again. Not until 
the millennial kingdom, not until after the rapture, not until 
God's prophetic clock starts. He says never again. As a body 
politic, as the old covenant people. Matthew 21, Jesus' words 
concerning this fig tree. Puts the death knell, as far 
as I'm concerned, to the separate Jew-Gentile people group. No, 
there is one people group. It is the Church of the Lord 
Jesus, and this is what the Old Testament always was driving 
toward. The temple wasn't the end. Jesus 
is the end. The temple stood and existed 
to point us to Christ. Now that Christ is here, we don't 
rebuild temples just so they can be destroyed. We don't redo 
things just so they can fall into this prophetic narrative. 
What was done was done by Christ at the right hand of his father 
via the Roman armies in AD 70. And the Jews went into the ranks 
of every other people group, every other nation. God's favor 
is upon the Israel of God, which is Christ, and in Him all the 
elect, in Him all believers from all ages. We are the Israel of 
God, according to Paul in Galatians 6.16. It's really beautiful. 
We don't need to cut up and carve up biblical prophecy. We need 
to understand Old Testament prophecy finds its fruition and fulfillment 
in the person and in the work of our Redeemer. And as a result 
of that, the church benefits and is blessed richly as a result. So all that to say, here's Ryle. 
Spurgeon is good, Gil is good. Ryle just nails it when he explains 
the symbolism used here. He says that fig tree full of 
leaves but barren of fruit was a striking emblem of the Jewish 
church when our Lord was upon the earth. He says the Jewish 
church had everything to make an outward show. It had the temple, 
the priesthood, the daily service, the yearly feasts, the Old Testament 
scriptures, the rituals of the Levites, the morning and evening 
sacrifice. But beneath these goodly leaves 
The Jewish church was utterly destitute of fruit. It had no 
grace, no faith, no love, no humility, no spirituality, no 
real holiness, no willingness to receive its Messiah. And hence, 
like the fig tree, the Jewish church was soon to wither away. 
It was to be stripped of all its outward ornaments and its 
members scattered over the face of the earth. Jerusalem was to 
be destroyed. The temple was to be burned. 
The daily sacrifice was to be taken away. The tree was to wither 
away to the very ground. And so it came to pass, never 
was there a type so literally fulfilled." It's absolutely accurate, 
brethren. Again, there's differing views 
on the Olivet Discourse. But to a man, unless there's 
some odd duck trying to posit a difference between Matthew's 
version and Luke's version, they all agree that what's in view 
at least is the destruction of the temple that Jesus and his 
disciples were looking at. So I would argue that's the bulk 
of the emphasis is on that. Well, that's the emphasis. He's 
not talking about a rebuilt temple in our future. He's not talking 
about a rebuilt people of God or Israel of God in our future. They ask him about the temple 
they see. And he underscores it using the 
word generation. Now some have said, well that 
means the people that are living when Jesus comes. It never means 
that in Matthew. Matthew always uses genea the 
same way. It is that generation. Do you 
know when he's speaking? That can be consistently demonstrated 
from every use in Matthew's Gospel. The point of the acted parable, 
brethren, is that Jesus in the morning, when he's hungry, curses 
the fig tree. Jesus in the evening, when he 
returns from Jerusalem, curses the fig tree by giving prophetic 
explanation to what he had done in the morning. He tells his 
disciples concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction 
of the temple, and the sign of his coming at the end of the 
age. Jesus does that all on Tuesday. In fact, I would say Tuesday 
was a busy day for our blessed Lord. So we've identified the 
symbol. Notice the command. He says, 
let no fruit grow on you ever again. Immediately, the fig tree 
withered away. Now, the nature of the command, 
may you never bear fruit again forever. I mean, he really underscores 
this. The death of the tree is in view, 
not a temporary secession of its privilege. The death of the 
tree is in view. That's what is necessary to yield 
this particular fruit, or result. I shouldn't say fruit in that 
context. That result. Another has said, it's never, 
not at all, never again. Jesus is condemning this particular 
tree. Now, there is an objection to 
this command that is out there. Boy, that doesn't seem consistent 
with our Lord. I mean, he's gentle Jesus, meek 
and mild. Why in the world would he curse 
helpless fig trees? Imagine if Jesus did this today, 
the Fig Tree Preservation Society would chain themselves to trees. Don't you come near it, Jesus! 
It's a tree! It's one tree! You ever notice 
that people that champion the environment, like trees and pigs... What does Jesus do with pigs 
in Matthew 8? He sends demons into them and those demon-filled 
pigs run violently down the slope and drown themselves in the sea. 
He's against pigs. He's against trees. He's a bad 
man. Persons who worship the creature 
rather than the creator and go to that length to chain themselves 
and to fight for the rights of these poor defenseless pigs. And I'm not saying just go out 
and club pigs or just go butcher trees. But brethren, typically 
they're people that have no problem with babies being murdered in 
their mother's wombs. You've got big problems. If you're 
more concerned about a fig tree and its health than you are about 
an image bearer of the living God in utero. You've got big 
problems. And I don't want to have to deal 
with these sorts of things, but because we live in a culture 
that is so sensitive and so delicate when it comes to such things, 
we should at least have some understanding of what's going 
on. It's one tree. Who cares? Why would somebody get worked 
up about that? Jesus, that's a tree. That shows 
vindictiveness, Jesus. That shows callousness, Jesus. 
That shows, you know, a mean spirit. It's one tree that Christ 
uses to teach a most excellent lesson. I think Spurgeon's a 
better guide here. He says, "'To fell a whole forest 
has never been considered cruel, and to use a single barren tree 
as an object lesson can only seem unkind to those who are 
sentimental and idiotic.'" Thank you, Charles, for saying the 
obvious. He says, "'It was kindness to the ages to use a worthless 
tree to teach a salutary lesson.'" Isn't that right? Praise God! He'd rather curse that tree, 
and according to the parable in Luke 13, and according to 
the timeline, give them opportunity for repentance. You see, generation was fulfilled, 
literally, after Jesus ascends on high and leads captivity captive 
and gives gifts to men. When does the siege of Jerusalem 
occur? It's about 40 years later. This 
is a 40-year period in there where the Jews should respond 
to the preaching of the gospel. It was a dead tree designed by 
Christ to teach a salutary lesson to people. I think there's some 
significant things that we ought to surmise before we move on 
with reference to the cursing of the fig tree. Well, note the 
result. Immediately the fig tree withered 
away. Immediately the fig tree withered away. If you compare 
Mark's gospel, you see a little bit of a different order. You 
see Mark give us the statement concerning Jesus cursing the 
tree, then the statement of the section dealing with the cleansing 
of the temple, and then the statement from the disciples about the 
withered tree. See, Mark, it is even more conspicuous 
that we're supposed to understand the fig tree in light of the 
temple cleansing. You're supposed to get that. 
You're supposed to internalize it. You're not supposed to say, 
what does he mean by this fig tree? Could it have anything 
to do with the fact that he just drove out people from the temple 
in Israel? Yeah, that's it. That's what 
we should get. But brethren, there are several 
things that we ought to see. Immediately, the fig tree withered 
away. In the first place, the nation of Israel, as an ethnic 
people, would cease as the visible representation of the kingdom 
of God. It's just gonna happen, or that, 
according to Jesus, it has happened according to the rest of scripture. 
Matthew 21, 43 again, therefore I say to you, the kingdom of 
God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the 
fruits of it. Secondly, the earthly temple would cease as the visible 
dwelling place of the living God. You see, Solomon prophesied 
this in his prayer of dedication. If you use McShane's calendar, 
you're in 2 Chronicles 6. If you read on to chapters 7 
and 8, you'll see that his prayer of dedication says that if the 
people of Israel are faithful to the Lord in their covenant 
keeping, if they're faithful to Yahweh, God will bless them. 
He will bless them richly, but if they are unfaithful, what's 
going to happen? God is going to drive them out 
of their land, and that is coming to pass in this particular section. 
The earthly temple would ultimately fall, and it would cease as the 
visible dwelling place of the people of God. In the third place, 
the nation and the temple would not be set aside, only temporarily, 
but forever. If words have meaning, brethren, 
and verse 19 means anything, let no fruit grow on you ever 
again means let no fruit grow on you ever again. It's not going 
to happen. No, never, forever. Tion, you've 
heard the word ion. It's where oftentimes we get 
the word eternal from. That's what Jesus is saying here. 
Fourthly, what the symbol portends is the destruction of Jerusalem 
and the temple, which Christ will expound on in Matthew 24 
specifically. It's a symbolic act. It's going to be explained Tuesday 
night to the disciples. That brings us to consider in 
the second place the lesson concerning believing prayer. It seems the 
disciples understood the lesson of the fig tree. Look at the 
text. Verse 20, and when the disciples 
saw it, this brings us to the lesson concerning believing prayer. 
When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, how did the 
fig tree wither away so soon? No, they don't ask, what does 
it mean? They want to know how it was 
done so soon. Their focus is on Christ's authority, 
not on His meaning. I suggest we can infer by their 
response that they were tracking. Because remember, they just saw 
Him drive out the money changers and the sellers of animals from 
the temple compound. They just witnessed this show 
of strength by our Lord to be consumed with zeal for the house 
of His Father. The disciples don't ask, what 
do you mean by cursing that poor fig tree? Don't you know that 
particular grain group is going to be very upset about that? 
No, that's not what they do. So how did it happen? They marvel, 
just like they've marveled before. Just like persons throughout 
Matthew's Gospel marvel in the presence of the authority of 
Christ. We saw one of the most consistent ones, or one closest 
rather, to this in Matthew chapter 8. After Jesus calms the sea 
and he calms the wind, they're afraid and they say, what kind 
of a man is this? What kind of a man is this? We 
see the sorts of men that get wet in the rain. We see the sorts 
of men that float boats in waves like this and they capsize. We 
have never seen the kind of man that can speak to waves and who 
can speak to wind and who can make them be silent. What kind 
of a man is this? You see, that's where their question 
focuses. Notice verse 20, when the disciples 
saw it, they marveled. How did the fig tree wither away 
so soon? How did it happen, Lord? They 
question his authority, which, interestingly, is what the religious 
leader is going to question in verse 23. Christ, doing the things 
that Christ does, is an issue of provocation for the religious 
leaders. By what authority do you come 
into our temple and drive people out? By what authority are you 
teaching these things? By what authority are you receiving 
the hosannas of Jerusalem, the hosannas of Galileans, and you're 
receiving the hosannas of these little children that have the 
ability to list praise to God? Why is it, or who gave you this 
authority? You see, it's an issue of authority, 
ultimately, that comes to pass with reference to Jesus and the 
religious leaders, but you even see it here. The disciples who 
had been with Christ this long are still marveling. Brethren, 
as a sideline application, as disciples of Christ in the 21st 
century, shouldn't we still marvel? How many times do we read our 
Bibles and amazing things happen and we just go on to another 
cup of coffee? Do you ponder? Do you reflect? Do you contemplate? Do you reflect 
upon the reality that Christ can speak to a tree and kill 
it? You say, well, I quite like trees, 
so I don't want to reflect on that. It's the authority of Jesus 
over the created order. Certainly the Creator has the 
power over the creature. Brethren, we ought to marvel 
as well when we read the glorious accounts of our Lord's authority 
and power. When He heals blind people, when 
He raises the dead, when He cures lepers, when He shows that sort 
of omnipotent compassion to those in need. May it be the cause 
for rejoicing in the presence of God. May we think, wow, this 
Christ has power and authority over nature such that he can 
still the waves and still the wind and he can curse barren 
fig trees. This Christ is worthy of our 
worship and praise and adoration and of our marveling and our 
amazement. I think we've lost something 
of that in the church today. We've lost something of the marveling 
and the amazement and the presence of God. I think Solomon had that 
in his prayer of dedication. The earth can't contain God. 
This temple can't contain God. The very creation itself can't 
contain God. He is the Lord God Most High. When we come to the Church of 
Christ, for instance, ought it always to be hyper-casual? and just horizontal, and just 
about me and my shot in the arm. No, we're coming into the presence 
of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Let there be a 
reverence, and a fear, and a marvel, and an amazement that infests 
our hearts so that we respond properly. And when we sang 105 this morning, 
which is essentially Psalm 148, what is the psalmist telling 
us? That all the creation of the earth is to praise God. Sea 
creatures, fig trees, men, angels, the entirety of God's created 
order ought to praise and worship and glorify Him. Brethren, the 
honor of God trumps our personal happiness, our personal satisfaction, 
or our personal fulfillment. It's God's glory Jesus teaches 
us to pray for in the first place in the Lord's Prayer. Our Father, 
which art in heaven, hallowed be your name. We talked about 
this on Wednesday night because Jesus, lesser son David, prays 
or eulogizes Saul and Jonathan in a similar manner. We start 
with God. There's a theological priority 
and order to everything the Saint of Christ does. And prayer is 
certainly one of them. And so is the worship of God 
in the public place. You know, churches are treated 
like, you know, is it McDonald's or is it Burger King or is it 
Wendy's? You know, they got good pickles over here. I like the 
way they do their meat over here. Brethren, that's not how the 
church is supposed to be treated. The church faithfully doing what 
the church is supposed to be doing isn't a Wendy's. It's not 
a McDonald's. It is the church of the living 
God and the fact that some men in leadership market churches 
that way, shame on them. And shame on us, the consumer, 
for buying that dreck. Hat tip to my daughter for the 
word dreck. She used it last night and it just fit right there 
beautifully. There's a marvel. There's an 
amazement. There is a sobriety in the presence 
of God. It's not frivolity. It's not 
casualness. It's not sipping lattes with 
Jesus. It's worshiping and praise and 
adoration with a holy fear and reverence deep down to our bones 
because we're in the presence of a man who can curse fig trees, 
a man who can talk to wind and waves, a man who can still those 
things, and a man who ultimately laid his life down for us and 
took it up again to save us from our sin. Certainly in the presence 
of such a man, we marvel. In the presence of such a man, 
we stand amazed. In the presence of such a man, 
we focus upon the worship of our living God. Notice, they 
ask the question, they marvel, how did the fig tree wither away 
so soon? Note Christ's response. And I think it's intriguing, 
if we're following the narrative, how does Jesus refer to the old 
covenant temple? via Isaiah 56.7. It is a house of prayer, right? Now that's synecdoche. A synecdoche is when you have 
something that stands for the whole. So in that particular 
instance, house of prayer means everything divinely authorized 
in the worship of God. Certainly you preach in the house 
of prayer. Certainly you pray in the house of prayer. Certainly 
you chant or sing psalms in the house of prayer. Certainly you 
give in the house of prayer. So it's a synecdoche. The part 
stands for the whole. We say this with reference to 
people on aircraft. We say there were 200 souls on 
board. Well the soul stands for the 
whole. It's a part that stands for the 
whole. But it is intriguing. The prophet Isaiah says this 
and the Lord Jesus quotes it. It's a house of prayer. Perhaps 
we're supposed to understand this connection. The old covenant 
house of prayer is about to be destroyed because it hasn't been 
faithful. It hasn't done what it's supposed 
to do. But in the new covenant, prayer 
is emphasized. Prayer is a priority. And Jesus 
goes down this path to instruct them concerning prayer. And I 
love what he says. He stresses two particulars. 
In the first place, he highlights the necessity of faith. And secondly, 
there is an implication for prayer. Notice. They asked, How did the 
fig tree wither away so soon? So Jesus answered and said to 
them, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not 
doubt." You see, brethren, when you pray, you're supposed to 
believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of them that 
diligently seek Him. You're really supposed to believe 
God when you pray. I know that may sound radical. 
It may sound just, you know, mind-blowing. If you're not believing 
God, you're probably not praying. And if you are praying and you're 
not believing God, you're not praying right. You need to believe 
Him. You need to believe that God 
is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
Him. But notice, He says, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith 
and do not doubt. What's a problem in prayer? Doubt. What's an enemy to genuine, believing, 
earnest prayer? Doubt. You hear people say today, 
well, you know, doubt has its place in the Christian life. 
Yeah, a wretched place. We have a God who cannot lie 
who has given us 66 books, divinely inspired, and we still doubt? I know I still do, too, so I'm 
not picking on you all. There is that within the heart 
of man, that sort of doubtful default. We're doubting Denison's 
and we have that disposition in our hearts. Jesus says don't 
have that disposition assuredly. He underscores it with this Amen. 
Truly, truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt. 
Notice he gives two exploits of faith. A faithful prayer. You will not only do what was 
done to this fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 
be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done. Those are 
the exploits of faithful prayer. You'll not only do what was done 
to the fig tree. Now remember, the disciples had an authority 
and a power to work signs and miracles given them by Jesus 
in Matthew chapter 10 that we don't necessarily have. And I'm 
not sure that he's suggesting that they actually go out and 
curse fig trees. I'm not sure that he's actually saying they 
should go talk to mountains and ask them to jump into the sea. 
He is using hyperbole to tell them something concerning faith 
at the throne of grace. There may be an echo of Zechariah 
the prophet 14.4, though, in terms of an eschatological focus, 
when the Lord comes down upon the Mount of Olives and it splits 
open. The Greek Septuagint renders 
it that it goes to the sea. That might be involved here. 
I don't want to pursue that, but I simply suggest that, that 
it might be that particularly. The mountain associated with 
the people of God is going to go into the sea. Another, maybe 
at least, allusion to the reality of the fall of Jerusalem and 
her temple. But again, sideline note, you 
can put that out of your head. The point is, as Calvin says, 
it is a hyperbolical mode of expression. It was used in 1720 
as well. Same sort of convention. What 
is Jesus underscoring to his disciples? You need to believe 
God. You need to have faith in God. Remember the disciples in 
their unique position, specifically as the Twelve Apostles. They 
are going to go and turn the world upside down. You know, 
we look at our society, we say, wow, it's so messed up. And I'm 
right there with you saying, wow, it's so messed up. Sodomy, 
abortion, euthanasia. I mean, just crazy, foolish responses 
to tragedy. I mean, things that are, that 
are to use the language of Spurgeon, just idiotic. Brethren, there 
is nothing new under the sun. Do you think the early church, 
living in the Roman Empire, had nothing but joy and happiness 
and daily bliss? They had abortion in the Roman 
Empire, they just didn't do it in state-sanctioned clinics getting 
funded by the federal government. They would simply take their 
child and put it on the trash heap. If it got eaten by dogs, 
that's the way it went. If the child got taken or kidnapped, 
not kidnapped, taken, and turned into a prostitute or a slave. 
That's just the way it was. But you see, it's this idea that, 
well, if only we had it like they did. They faced Nero, ultimately. They faced a regime that was 
oppressive and harsh, politically. Then they had the religious element 
in terms of unbelieving Israel. Paul's chief enemies in the very 
first part of his career in the Book of Acts wasn't Rome. It 
was unbelieving Israel. They're the ones that arrested 
him. They're the ones that turned him over to the Roman government. 
The first chief enemy of the Church, of Jesus Christ, was 
unbelieving Israel. And then, of course, the Roman 
Empire. You know what one text, though, they continually went 
back to? Pastor Kim read it at the outset of worship. I'd love 
to give everybody a quiz right now to see who actually gets 
it. Psalm 110, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand 
till I make your enemies your footstool. Consider that confession 
of faith in the mouth of the early church in a debauched age 
with homosexuality too. See, we've developed and we've 
made technological advances in how to do wickedness. But all 
the wickedness has always been there, you see. I mean, we are 
working hard to perfect wickedness, but that's not to suggest there 
wasn't wickedness in the first century. And so these disciples, going 
about their task after Christ returns to heaven, to go and 
preach the gospel, to make disciples of all the nations, to baptize 
them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 
and to teach them all things that Christ had commanded, and 
He gives that promise, and lo, I'm with you even to the end 
of the age. In order to do that, they have to believe God. Who's 
a great expression of that sort of faith? We see it in Romans 
4, concerning Abraham, who, contrary to hope, did what? Cried, whined, 
went and sought therapy, blamed his mother, who contrary to hope, 
in hope, believed that the God who promised was able. You see, 
we don't want to become prosperity, you know, prosperity preachers 
or Christians when it comes to passages like these that are 
large with the promises of God. But on the other hand, we don't 
want to empty them of the promises of God. Christ commends believing 
without doubting prayer and says that we can do mighty exploits 
in such manner, then we ought to seize upon it by the grace 
of God and pray with that man, Lord, I believe, help thou mine 
unbelief, so that when I pray that you'll save my children 
or I pray that you'll save my family or I pray that you'll 
save the person next to me at work, God, when I pray that, 
I don't want to doubt. But I don't want to put your 
arm behind your back because all teaching on prayer ultimately 
must find its place in the will of God. You see, this isn't the 
first rodeo for our Lord in terms of teaching on prayer. He's already 
taught us the Lord's Prayer when you pray. Our Father who art 
in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be 
done. He doesn't say that so that we 
can come to Matthew 21 and go join Benny Hinn Ministries and 
say, whatever it is you want, you get it. You cannot read the 
Bible that way. You cannot divorce texts from 
texts. You cannot land on a passage 
like this and say, I'm going to pray for Mount Cham to wander 
down to the Pacific and to throw itself in, and I'm sure the Lord's 
going to deliver. Will you let me know how that 
goes? You just let me know. Email me, not every day, because 
that's going to get tedious. Email me about every 10 years. 
Let me know how it goes for you. Is it the will of God that Mount 
Cham actually go to the Pacific and throw itself? No. Christ 
is underscoring something about faith. Brethren, what's more 
difficult? To see Mount Sham run down to 
the Pacific and throw itself in? Or to see a sinner dead in 
trespasses and sin saved? Apart from God's grace, we'll 
see Mount Shams and other mountains like them running to the sea 
to throw themselves in before we'll see dead sinners raised. We pray according to the will 
of God Most High. Notice, he underscores, he ends, 
verse 22, an implication for prayer. And whatever things you 
ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. I hope I've sufficiently 
answered the thought, I wanna be an astronaut, I'm gonna pray 
to God to be an astronaut, I'm gonna become an astronaut. You 
may be, you know, you may be that one in a million that's 
gonna be an astronaut, but don't blame God if you end up not being 
an astronaut. The whatever there is qualified 
I want to be the most gorgeous specimen of a human being. That's 
not going to work, probably. I want to be the most successful 
person. Why is it that we pray like that? Typically, we pray for what we 
get, don't we? Maybe you don't, but, you know, 
the typical response of some when they pray is, you know, 
bless me, give me, help me, do for me this. We want stuff from 
God. We don't go into God's present 
and hallow His glorious name, pray for the coming of His kingdom, 
and say, Thy will be done on earth, not as it is in heaven. 
See, that's the context for how we understand and whatever things 
you ask in prayer, believing you will receive. This isn't 
a health, wealth, and prosperity text. They're wrong. They are simply Well, that concludes 
our exposition. A final few thoughts before we 
move to close. In the first place, we've sufficiently 
dealt with the authority of Christ. He has the power to speak to 
fig trees and to cause them to wither. In the second place, 
the power of prayer, the emphasis on faith and prayer, the corrosive 
influence of doubt on prayer. Doesn't James underscore this? 
Doesn't James highlight this for us in James chapter 1, specifically 
in verse 6? He says, Now, I realize that 
we all have doubts. The idea is to identify it, pray 
to God, ask Him to forgive us, and to help us. Lord, increase 
our faith. You do know you can pray that, 
right? Lord, increase my faith. You can say with that man, Lord, 
I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. None of us have the faith capacity 
that we could. As well, the promise of Christ 
to believing prayer. Max Chamberlain quoted somebody, 
he didn't know, he just kind of mentioned it. Prayer is impotence 
grasping hold of omnipotence. That's beautiful, isn't it? Prayer 
is impotence grasping hold of omnipotence. That's what Jesus 
wants us to understand here. As well, the implications of 
this cursed fig tree. In the first place, three sections, 
and it'll be quick. First place, Nation of Israel. 
Secondly, the Church of Jesus Christ. Thirdly, for the individual. In terms of the Nation of Israel, 
in the first place, under that sub-point, we see there is a 
covenantal transformation. In the Old Covenant, Israel as 
a people were the covenant people of God Most High. It was never, 
ever expressed to always and forever be that way. The promise 
to Abraham was that in him, all the families of the earth would 
be blessed. All the nations of the earth would be blessed. It 
would never be focused solely and alone upon the nation of 
Israel. Even in Old Covenant Israel, 
there were proselytes. Ruth's came in. There were others 
that came in. But by and large, it was confined 
to that body of people. Well, there was a covenantal 
transformation that occurred at the death of Jesus. When Jesus 
in Matthew 26 says, this is my blood of the new covenant which 
is shed for you for the remission of sins, what is he saying? He's 
saying that the old covenant has passed away. This is expounded 
on in Hebrews 7 and 8. Hebrews 7 and 8 tells us that 
the new covenant ratified by Jesus is a covenant that has 
a better hope. It has better promises because 
it is a better covenant. There was a covenantal transformation. That's why when we get to the 
Olivet Discourse, and I apply it to first century Israel and 
to the destruction that took place in AD 70, there's always 
going to be those who say, but the body count was higher at 
another particular time. In other words, say there was 
however many Jews killed in the first century, well there was 
a lot more killed in the Second World War, therefore you're wrong. 
The significance in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is a public attestation of 
the reality that the New Covenant is here. You can see that in 
Hebrews 8.13 very specifically as well. It's covenantal transformation. It's not body count that's in 
view in that particular section. As well, we need to appreciate, 
as we've seen from 2143, Jesus tells us specifically, the kingdom 
of God will be taken from Israel and given to the church. You 
say, well it doesn't say that. We'll show you that it says that 
when we get there. That's the point of his statement. 
As well, this occurred as a result of covenantal unfaithfulness 
on the part of Israel. If we had time, you probably 
like when preachers say that, don't you? Because if we, you 
know, if he turns there, then that means you're going to read 
this block of text. Deuteronomy 28, 49 to 57. Deuteronomy 28, 
49 to 57. What does God promise if they're 
unfaithful? I will send foreign invaders 
and they will drive you from your land and temple. In the 
siege, women will eat their own children. This occurred not only 
in the Babylonian captivity or in the siege of Babylon over 
Jerusalem. Josephus tells us it happened in A.D. 70. Women 
ate their babies because they were starving to death. Klein says Old Testament history, 
this is a commentary on Deuteronomy 28, 49-57. Old Testament history 
witnessed successive executions of this curse, and it was finally 
exhausted in the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. In the fourth place, 
we ought to see in this statement concerning Jesus and the fig 
tree, the finality of Christ's words. To locate fulfillment 
of Old Testament prophecy in a reconfigured Israel in the 
future is to miss covenantal trajectory in the Bible. The 
prophecies of the Old Testament find their fruition and fulfillment 
in Jesus. In him all the promises of God 
are yea and amen. And they're appended to us because 
we're attached to him by faith. That's why Paul in Romans 4, 
specifically in verse 13, can universalize the promise given 
to Abraham. Abraham was told to look north, 
to look south, to look east, to look west. Sometimes people 
say, well, he saw Israel. Paul tells us he inherited the 
whole world. Why is that the case? Because 
the seed of Abraham is the Lord Jesus Christ and he has all authority 
in heaven and on earth. He has the power and he has in 
his hand the entirety of the creation. It is a final statement. It is wrong to see this suspended 
until the Millennial Kingdom. If that doesn't sound like anything 
to you, you've never heard that, then stick around. You'll probably 
hear more when we get to Matthew 24. The place of Israel today. Some would charge me with anti-Semitism. 
Well, you're an anti-Semite. You're wretched. You're anti-Semite. 
That's not anti-Semitism. It's a respect for the biblical 
covenants. The biblical covenants lead us to the conclusion that 
the people of Israel, as the people of Israel, have been cut 
off, and that the church is the people of God, then that's where 
we go. No anti-semitism involved. Here's my language to the Jews 
today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you shall be saved. You see, that will provide more 
impetus to go to Jews and call them to repentance and faith 
than some delusion that there's going to be this reconvening 
in the state of Israel according to God's prophetic time clock. 
Brethren, they do not have a biblical warrant for being a geopolitical 
power today. Now, again, that's not anti-Semitism. 1948, God is sovereign. The decree of God certainly included 
that, but there's no biblical prophecy that said in 1948 the 
Jews are going to return to their land, everything's going to be 
great, magical, and 40 years later there's going to be this 
rapture and then the millennial king. That's not the point. Because 
it happens under the decree of God doesn't mean it's connected 
specifically to biblical prophecy. They are a geopolitical power 
today. I understand that. But not because of a text in 
scripture. People need to understand that. So we preach to them. Romans 
11 talks about Jews and Gentiles. It talks about, you know, certain 
things concerning the Jews and their inclusion with the Gentiles 
as the people of God. I'm not saying no. Send me to 
Israel, preach the gospel. Send me with a Glock 9, too, 
but that's what Pastor Baruch Meaz said that he carried with 
him whenever he walked around the city in Israel there. As 
well, with reference to the Church of Christ, the Church must exercise 
caution. Paul tells us this in Romans 
11, specifically in the context of 19 to 24. He's essentially 
saying that the Jews were cut off so that the Gentiles could 
be engrafted. This wild olive tree is going 
to be engrafted into the olive tree of God. And then Paul tells 
the Gentiles, don't be haughty but fear. If God was not remiss 
to cut off them in their unbelief, He's not going to be remiss to 
cut off you in your unbelief. We need to understand, brethren, 
we must exercise caution as the Church of Jesus Christ. We must 
bear fruit. Doesn't Jesus say this is what 
the church will do in 2143? The kingdom of God will be taken 
from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it? We 
have a building. We have in books. We have a piano. 
We have a pulpit. We have the leaves in place. We have the leaves in place. 
You look at this place, it looks like a fig tree. Is there fruit? Is there faith? Is there repentance? Is there charity? Is there love? Is there deference? Is there 
preferring others above ourselves? Is there the biblical fruit that 
God calls upon us to bear as the Church of Jesus Christ? Let 
us not fall prey to the same sort of thing that first century 
Israel fell prey to. They had the temple, they had 
the priesthood, but they didn't have any vital godliness We have 
the structure in place and we should have structure. Regular 
principle of worship makes me happy. All those things should 
be in there. But we need the heart of the 
matter. We need to express those things that are fruits. And we 
need to understand that the church who continues or persists in 
unfruitfulness runs the risk of being spat from the mouth 
of our Holy Lord. Isn't this what happened in the 
Old Covenant too? Isn't this what Yahweh said would happen 
to Israel of old? The land will vomit you out of 
its mouth. In the book of Revelation, Jesus 
says, I will vomit you out of my mouth. And in the final place, 
with reference to the individual, you must believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ for salvation. You don't find a fig tree that's 
got leaves alone and then tape or nail figs to it. Without faith, 
there's no fruit. Without faith in the risen Christ, 
there's no life. Without faith in the gospel, 
belief in the gospel, a looking and a living with reference to 
Jesus, you will not bear fruit. You must have Christ. As individuals, 
you may look like fig trees. As individuals, you may have 
the leaves, but do you have the fruit? You will never have the 
fruit apart from the Lord Jesus. Our confession summarizes this 
well. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness 
is the alone instrument of justification. Yet, it is not alone in the person 
justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces 
and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. If we look at the church 
and say, wow, the structure's in place, but there's no heart 
for true godliness, there's no biblical religion going on in 
the soul, We could say the same for individuals, young people, 
children, adults. Consider this reality. What do 
people see when they look at you? Do they see fig leaves? Do they see what appears to be 
a verdant piece of agricultural bliss? Inside, there's no fruit. Inside, there's no love for Christ. 
There's no love for men. There's no love for church. There's 
no love for scripture. There's no love for the world 
around us in terms of some compassion and evangelism and prayer for 
missions. Brethren, what is it that you 
are displaying? If the leaves are present and 
the fruit is absent, the response is to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Come to the Savior. You must not be content to possess 
the leaves of a profession without the fruit of possession. And yet so many are. How many 
people would call themselves born-again Christians? that never think twice about 
abortion, never think twice about euthanasia, never think twice 
about, you know, we'll vote for this person, we'll vote for that. 
That person's about killing babies. You shouldn't do that as a believer. 
Figs don't do that. How many people would name themselves 
as evangelical Christians in Canada and in America? So there's a lot of apparent 
fig trees out there. There's a lot of leaves, you 
know, flowing in the wind. But is the fruit of the matter 
there? Ryle says, is not every fruitless professor of Christianity 
an awful danger of becoming a withered fig tree? He says, as long as 
a man is content with the leaves of religion, with a name to live 
while he is dead, and a form of godliness without the power 
so long his soul is in great peril." It may be the case that 
that describes you this morning. It may be the case that whether 
you're young or old, you want people to think you're a Christian. 
You go through the particular motions that bespeak Christianity, 
but there's no fruit in your heart. Again, the answer is to 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And if by the grace of God you 
have believed, then produce fruit. Be about bearing fruit. There's 
no greater joy than serving God Most High in the world that He 
has placed us. Let's not have a laziness or 
a callousness or a coldness or a hard-heartedness about that. 
If we are actually God's people, we ought to be bearing fruit. 
We ought to be producing figs. We ought to be of benefit to 
people around us and to help to those with whom we come into 
contact. Well, let us close in prayer and ask God to seal these 
truths to our heart to make us a fruitful people. Our Father, 
we thank you for the Word of God. We thank you for its consistency. We thank you for what it sets 
forth in all its parts. And the whole, the end of the 
whole is the glory of God. And we give you praise and thanks 
for this. We thank you for making us partakers 
of sovereign grace or by sovereign grace of a saving interest in 
the Lord Jesus and our hearts desire as others would believe 
on him that they would come out of darkness into marvelous light 
enabled by the power of your Holy Spirit. Go with us now we 
pray and we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.