Where Is The Fruit?

Where Is The Fruit?

"He found nothing but leaves!" (Mark 11:13).

Our Lord was on His way to the city. He had now but a short season before the end; so, early and late, He must be doing His Father's will, and fulfilling His great mission. It was early in the morning, and probably without tasting food. He had left the kindly shelter of Bethany. So now He is hungry, and seeing a fig tree covered with leaves, He sought fruit thereon. He goes to the tree and turns over its broad leaves to see if at least a few figs might not be discovered. But it is in vain. True, we are told that the season was not yet; but if there were leaves - there might be fruit also, for usually the latter preceded the former. In any way, our Lord teaches a very solemn lesson from the lack He found. 

He never wrought a miracle of judgment on a single human being, and He never wrought but one - and it was on this tree. Only one short sentence was it: but this was enough: "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" (verse 14). So it came to pass. The fig tree is dried up from the roots. No fruit henceforth can possibly grow upon it, and all its fair leaves, no more is seen. It immediately withers away, and is fit for nothing but to be cut down and committed to the flames.

The one point on which I wish to dwell is the Lord's search for fruit among the leaves of this fig tree. Leaf after leaf He may have turned over, but beneath each and all, He found nothing to satisfy Him.

How is it with yourself? Look upon the leaf as an emblem of a promise or profession of Christian living, and see if there is not yourself something of a parallel with the tree of which I am speaking.

Perhaps before coming to school you had kind and earnest words spoken to you as to the dangers you must avoid and the course you should follow. Words of caution bade you keep aloof from companions who would rob you of your value for truth and godliness. Counsel was added as to daily prayer, and courage to do right, and diligence in study. And you sincerely promised to keep to the straight path, and to use well these days of great opportunity.

Here was the leaf - but where is the fruit? What does the Master find in you corresponding to your purpose and promise? He looks over your life  in the dormitory, in the schoolroom, in the football field, in your church - and does He find you striving to do your best, to keep a good conscience, to shun evil, to set a Christian example, and to exercise an influence that may be helpful to those around you?

Or look at this in another way. I suppose week by week you go at least once or twice to the service in your church. You join in prayers that are offered up. You take up the words of the General Confession: "We have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us."

Here is the leaf - but where is the fruit? You confess you have done amiss. You utter words of repentance and humiliation. You speak as one poor in spirit, and deeply conscious of your sinfulness. But where is the reality of all this? Do you grieve when you fail in doing right? Do you in secret humble yourself before God for sin? Do you cherish a sense of your own unworthiness, and desire to amend your life?

But think again. You frequently use the Lord's Prayer at home, at church, and perhaps in your secret prayers. You often repeat the words, "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven."

Here is the leaf - but where is the fruit? You call God your Father, You pray that God's name be hallowed - but do you honor it in your conversation? You pray that His kingdom may come - but are you doing your part to advance it wherever you have influence? You pray that God's will be done - but are you making it your aim to do it by keeping His commandments and cheerfully running in the path He points out?

Alas for him who has leaves - yet no fruit! You cannot deceive God. You cannot hide from Him, the barrenness of a heart that neither repents, nor prays, nor hopes, nor longs to serve Him. And remember the outcome. You many bear fruit now, if you desire it; but by-and-by you cannot. You may quench the Spirit. You may provoke Him to withdraw from you His grace and help. You may lose every impression for good, all tenderness of conscience, and become "twice dead," as a tree in the vineyard and dried.

Let it not be with you. The keeper of the vineyard still intercedes. He pleads for you that you may neither be left without grace, nor be cut down in your sins. Therefore come to Him who can pardon past days of neglect and fruitlessness. Come to Him and abide in Him by faith, and you shall bear much fruit.

"Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Holy through the Spirit's guiding,
All must be well."

~George Everard~

(The End)