“Fake”

Isaiah 29:13-16

Fake is defined as false; imitation; counterfeit; fraudulent; imposter; unreal; phony.

For every good product that comes out in the market there are people who make the duplicate. Many of us take home the fake one thinking it is the genuine one. On Hosanna Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. People on either side of the road greeted Him as King. There was joy, celebration, and jubilation. The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. The fig tree grows big but the branches stay low to the ground. Fig trees are unusual trees in that they can produce as many as three crops in a single year. The first crop is produced on the old wood or trunk. Then the tree produces fruit in the branches. Then when the news leaves come there is the third crop that come along with the leaves. All the three crops produce full harvest. Now to be noted here is the fact that Jesus was hungry, it was not the season for figs, but when Jesus saw a fig tree with leaves but the nature of the fig, he anticipated that there would be fruit. Yet, when He searched the tree, He found it was all leaves and no fruit. This fig tree was deceptive because its leaves promised something the tree could not deliver. The leaves promised fruit, but there was none. There was nothing wrong with the soil. There was nothing wrong with the sap. There was simply no fruit. Jesus went ahead and cursed the tree. The fig tree symbolizes the nation Israel. Israel was just like this fruitless fig tree. They had all the signs of spiritual life, but they had no fruit. They were keeping the law, they were religious in every detail, but they had no spiritual fruit. You see Israel had been given every advantage by God. They had received the personal attention and redemption of Almighty God through Abraham. They had been planted in a good land. They had the word of God, the prophets of God, and the Temple of God. They had everything they needed for a spiritual bumper crop, but they remained fruitless. They did not recognize their Messiah and King Jesus Christ. They were fruitless spiritually and fit for nothing but the fire of judgment.

I come by this morning to warn you be careful when you come upon people who cry out Lord, Lord because they are just like the fig trees, looking productive but bearing no spiritual fruits. Try the spirit by the spirit to know whether it is who it proclaims to be. God has promised again and again in the word that He will cut out every fruitless branch, every fake fruit. Be bless and I love you!!! JE