Fruit

Below is the daily Bible reading I am doing for West Side Church of Christ. Feel free to follow along.

In today’s reading (Matthew 21) Jesus does something really weird. He approaches a fig tree looking for food. When he realizes that it doesn’t have any figs on it, he curses the tree and it quickly withers. Now in my finite mind, that is really unfair to the tree. Jesus should not expected that tree to produce figs … it was the wrong time of year. But he does it anyway.

I believe the reason he did it is central to the theme of this chapter. The key to this chapter is found when Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” Jesus got mad at those in the temple because the fruit they were producing was not good. The chief priest and the elders did not listen to the good fruit of the message preached by John. The son who did the work of the father produced the fruit he was asked to. The tenants of the vineyard produced bad fruit by killing the servants and son of the owner.

So I ask you, what kind of fruit are you producing? Jesus is looking for good fruit. As you examine your life is the fruit you are producing something Jesus would be proud of? Or would he look at your fruit and get upset and angry like he did in the temple? While we are not saved by works, works are proof of our faith.

Image is taken from Make a Memory.com