Fruitless Religion

January 24, 2025/
The Voice of Hope
The Voice of Hope
Fruitless Religion
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Mark 11:12-21

What’s your first response when you hear the word religion? Do your ears automatically close? Do you groan inwardly or announce the end of the conversation? If so, why? Do you think of personal faith, a formal institution, or a set of prescribed practices or behaviors? It is a word I seldom use because it carries so much cultural baggage.       

Religion is not a bad word. It means service and worship of God or the supernatural. It is commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance or a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. All those meanings describe my life due to my faith in Jesus Christ.

And yet, religion, particularly Christianity, is scorned in our culture. It is seen as stuffy, hypocritical, and unloving. This is ironic because when a natural disaster calls for major humanitarian relief efforts, who shows up? Who runs rescue missions for the homeless and addicts. Who operates pregnancy centers for single moms to help them carry their babies to term and provide resources for their care?

Part of the church’s low reputation stems from its leaders’ failures. Recent surveys indicate that only 1/3 of the general public trusts the ethics and honesty of pastors. Clergy sex scandals, embezzlement of funds, abusive leadership patterns, lavish lifestyles, and more have led to this steep decline in trust. Furthermore, secular news organizations ignore humble, faithful, servant leaders and splash the moral and ethical failures of others prominently across their media platforms. They love to highlight the hypocrisy of failed leaders.

Paul writes about such leaders in Second Timothy 3:1-9. “Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, etcetera. They have a form of godliness (religion) but deny the power of God. Stay away from that kind of people!” His advice is relevant for us today, especially because we are much closer to the end of the age.

The text for this time is Mark 11:12-21. I’ve titled our study “Fruitless Religion.” As I read the text, look for Jesus’ warnings to those practicing fruitless religion. Remember, these events immediately follow the Triumphal Entry.

This text reveals several important WARNINGS about fruitless religion that should give pause to all who profess faith in God.

The First WARNING (about fruitless religion) is,

A Desirable Appearance

Twenty-four years ago this month, we had just come through something called Y2K; remember? If you don’t, it was the change from the 20th century to the first year of the 21st century, 2000. Supposedly, many computers and electronic equipment weren’t programmed for that dramatic switch of digits. Prognosticators were forecasting all kinds of confusion and mayhem. Like today’s fear-based news, it was primarily much ado about nothing.

I had a friend who believed in the worst-case scenarios. He had a cabin in the mountains that he stocked with all kinds of prepper stuff. After Y2K came and went without much impact, he invited our family to visit them at their cabin. While we were there, he gave us some chocolate bars to eat. They looked perfectly fine outside, but the chocolate bars had worms when we unwrapped them. Their appearance was desirable but deceiving; they were inedible.

After resting in Bethany for Sunday night, Jesus and His disciples walked toward Jerusalem. Matthew says it was early (the word is used for the last “watch” of the night, 3-6 am). They must not have had breakfast because Jesus was hungry.

As they walked, Jesus spotted a lone fig tree in the distance, perhaps the rising sun glinting off its leaves. Usually, when a fig tree has leaves, the fruit is present, too, because the fruit appears before the leaves. Knowing this, Jesus expected to find something to eat on this tree, even though, as Mark records, this wasn’t the time of year for figs. It was too early in the Spring. However, the trees often retain fruits from the previous season and are still edible.

When the small group of men eventually reached the tree, the foliage was abundant, but there was no fruit, new or old. Jesus expressed His disappointment by cursing the tree, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” Wow, that’s a pretty harsh condemnation. I see an interesting confluence of Jesus’ humanity and deity – his hunger and the cursing of the tree.

Mark wrote an interesting report of the events for us, but what is happening here? If you are familiar with the Scriptures, you know that God used the fig tree to symbolize the nation of Israel. The prophet Hosea wrote, “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first fruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor and separated themselves to that shame; they became an abomination like the thing they loved.”

Haggai 2:19 promises that the obedience of the children of Israel will lead to renewed fruitfulness for their vines, figs, and olive trees. In Matthew 24:32 and 33, we read, “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.So, you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! This is Jesus’ discourse on Israel’s future at the end of the age.

Further, the fig tree symbolizes peace and prosperity. I Kings 4:25 tells us, “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”

Micah prophesied that during the Millennial reign of Christ, “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine, and his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.”

Religiously, Israel had a desirable appearance in the time of Jesus. Herod had spent many years and vast sums of money beautifying the Temple. It was one of the wonders of the ancient world. The Pharisees and Sadducees followed the Law to the letter and beyond. The ordinary people highly respected them. The sacrifices and offerings were offered on the proper days in the correct ways.  

However, everything was not well; it was only leaves without fruit. This is the message Jesus wanted the disciples to understand. The celebration of the previous day was only so much window-dressing. The emotional expectation of the moment faded quickly because there was little or no substance to support it. It was not yet the time for figs.

I know that what is recorded here deals primarily with Israel as a nation and the disciples of Jesus in particular. But is there a lesson for us, too?

Could we have a fruitless religion characterized by a desirable appearance? Like Adam and Eve, are we attempting to hide our corrupted spiritual condition by covering ourselves with fig leaf garments of our own making? Are we going through the motions of worship, but are our hearts far from God? Are we emotionally charged for Jesus, shouting His praises on Sunday only to disown Him by our actions later in the week? These questions call for serious contemplation and lead us to the following warning Jesus gave about fruitless religion.

 The Next WARNING (about fruitless religion) is,

A Devastating Appraisal

The scene changes now to the Temple in Jerusalem. We need to know the details here. The part Jesus entered was the Court of the Gentiles. The Temple was divided into four parts: the Court of the Gentiles, the Court of Women, the Court of the Jews, and the Holy of Holies.

The Court of the Gentiles was the most prominent part. It was about 500 meters by 350 meters (or yards). It covered about 35 acres (about 14 hectares). The Temple authorities had prohibited using the temple’s outer court as a shortcut from the city to the Mount of Olives. However, the rule was neglected, and this irreverent conduct stirred the spirit of Jesus. Mark is the only writer who has included this detail.

The religious leaders had turned this area into a stockyard. It was impractical for many worshippers who came from a distance to bring an animal with them to sacrifice. Instead, they carried their money and bought a bird or animal in this market. Unfortunately, the price of the animals was highly inflated because the sellers knew the buyers had few options.

Further, the money they carried may have differed from what was accepted in Jerusalem, thus the need for money changers. Again, the exchange rates were exorbitant, and the money changers became wealthy at the expense of the pilgrims. The people and the Temple authorities were guilty of graft, extortion, and desecration of the Temple. These exchanges of animals and money took place in the Court of the Gentiles.

Jesus saw all this taking place and was deeply moved. This was the substance behind the cursing of the fig tree. It was the religious activity that produced no fruit of righteousness.

Jesus assumes and exercises Messianic authority and opposes this religious and financial abuse. Upon entering the Temple, He drove out the buyers and sellers. He overturned the money changers’ tables and upset the chairs of those selling doves. He forbade anyone from carrying merchandise through the Temple court.

He then quoted Isaiah 56:6 and 7, “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him…even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

However, He wasn’t finished. He issued the devastating appraisal. “You have made it a hideout of robbers.” Some translations say, “a den of thieves,” but the word Mark chose is used for robbers. Perhaps you think that’s a distinction without a difference. Not so. Jesus discussed how a thief comes by stealth, often alone at night. In contrast, robbers act in groups, carrying out their operations on a large and systematic scale. Think of the victim in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He was assaulted by a band of men who beat him nearly to death and stripped him of his possessions. This terminology fits what Jesus describes in our text because that is what those in this Temple market were doing.  

Did you catch what Jesus said about who would have access to this house of prayer? All nations! That goes all the way back to God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would bless the whole world. It was the Gentiles who were being excluded from the house of God by the corruption of the covenant people of God, and Jesus was not pleased.

Is this possible in our time? Can those who profess to be the people of God hinder the irreligious from learning to know God in a personal way? We would do well to reflect seriously on these questions.

 The Final WARNING (about fruitless religion) is,

A Dramatic Reaction

Jesus’ actions triggered a dramatic reaction. The religious leaders kept seeking (continuous action) how they might destroy Him. This desire to kill Jesus began early in His ministry. In Mark chapter three, after Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, “The Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

The Pharisees and Sadducees were afraid of Jesus and the people. The Triumphal Entry had shown His appeal to the ordinary people, and even now, the people in the Temple are astonished at His teaching. They knew if they tried to arrest Jesus openly, there would be a riot. If that happened, they would be called to account by the Roman authorities. Verse 18 aptly describes the crisis that has now come between Christ and the Sanhedrin.

After Jesus and the disciples had spent the night in Bethany, they returned to Jerusalem the following morning. On their way, they passed the fig tree that Jesus had cursed. Peter remembered the incident and exclaimed, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” Mark, alone, records that it was withered down to the roots! It had dried up completely. It seems like Peter was blaming Jesus for what had happened.

When I read these last two verses of our text, my mind immediately went to the words of John the Baptist in Matthew 3. “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now, the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 

When the roots of a tree are severed from the trunk, it cannot survive. The disciples saw that the tree Jesus had cursed had shriveled up at its roots. It had been cursed and was worthy only of being cast into the fire. It would never bear fruit again. The only possible use of it, as John the Baptist prophesied, would be for firewood. That burning was not far off for the nation.

Some years ago, Fox News had a presentation on religion in America, and a famous preacher was featured. With great gusto and emphasis, he said, “I don’t care who you are. I don’t care what you’ve done or who you’ve done it with. God is not angry with you.”

Does this explain some of today’s mega-church movements? Just tell people, “It doesn’t matter what you do; you never have to worry about the wrath of God.” But I can’t find that in my Bible. We do provoke God to anger. We see that the people of Jesus’ day provoked Him to righteous indignation. He entered the temple and was furious about what He had found there. He cared what these people were doing, and His condemnation provoked a violent reaction.

Some things never change. Instead of taking Jesus’ message to heart and allowing it to change them, they plotted to get rid of Him. Even today, when an unpopular message is given, and the truth cannot be refuted or denied, the response is often to destroy the messenger.

In a few days, the religious leaders would mock Jesus while He hung on the cross. They thought they were finally rid of Him and His band of zealous followers, but they were mistaken. In a few short decades, the fruitless fig tree was cut down, burned in the fire, and lay lifeless for centuries. However, this is not the end of the story. God has a plan for Israel in the future.

How is it with you? Do you have a desirable religious appearance that causes others to expect the fruit of a changed life to be present? Is there fruit to be found, or is it only leaves?

What is Jesus’ appraisal of your life and your worship? Is it genuine, or is it only an empty form? Is your hypocrisy keeping others from seeking and finding Jesus?    

What is your reaction to the appraisal of Jesus? Are you willing to allow Him to change you through His Spirit and His Word? If not, your experience will be like that of the Pharisees. You will be in danger of being “cut down and cast into the fire.”

The beginning of a new year is an appropriate time to consider whether my religion is fruitless or bears the fruit of the Spirit, as detailed for me in Galatians 5:22 to 26. It is suitable for you to consider this, too.

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