1

Lessons from the fig tree

2

[Mark 11:22-23]

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen,

it will be done for him.

3

Jesus started from a place called Bethany

and was walking with his disciples toward Jerusalem.

Jesus felt hunger and looked around for nothing to eat.

4

By the way, there was a fig tree standing on the way of Jesus.

At this time, it was not yet a time to get a ripe fig.

Still, the early figs that could be eaten were the time to reap the fruits.

5

The fig tree, which Jesus saw, seemed to have a leafy and fruitful fruit.

Jesus came to the fig tree and looked diligently to see if there was a fig fruit to fill the hunger.

6

But Jesus could not find any fruit in the tree that could fill the hunger.

It was a leafless tree with no fruit.

Jesus saw the fruitless tree and was greatly disappointed.

7

Jesus said to the tree. “No one will eat of your fruit again.”

His disciples heard that Jesus cursed the fig tree.

8

After that day, Jesus arrived with his disciples at the temple in Jerusalem.

The interior of the temple has become a huge business place.

Jesus, who saw this sight, was greatly angry.

9

Jesus chased away those who bought and sold things,

and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the dove sellers.

Jesus has restored the original function of the temple yards.

10

And he taught people.

“The Bible says: 'My house will be called the house of prayer of all nations.'

But you have turned it into a 'robber's den.'”

11

Jesus corrected the wrong use of the temple.

Jesus showed people that God's temple should be used as a place to pray to God.

People were amazed at Jesus' teaching.

12

But the chief priests and the scribes were so full that they wanted to kill Jesus.

Jesus was there until late. Jesus left the city with his disciples when the day was dark.

13

The next morning, Jesus and his disciples walked again the same way they walked yesterday.

The disciples who went with Jesus were astonished.

The fig tree that had been cursed by Jesus yesterday had been dried up to the roots.

14

When Peter saw this sight, he was amazed and said to Jesus,

“Teacher. The fig tree you cursed is dry and dead.” Peter and his disciples were amazed that they could not believe what happened before their eyes.

15

Jesus, who heard Peter, said:

“Believe in God. If anyone believes that he will pull this mountain and throw it into the sea, and believe in what is in his heart, without question, it will be done as it is.”

Jesus showed what power he could pray by faith through a dried fig tree.

16

And he continued to tell them the power of another prayer.

“When you stand and pray, if you have been enemies with another, forgive him.

So that your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins.”

Another power of prayer by faith is that God forgives my sins when you forgive others.

17

Jesus restored the temple to a place of prayer.

And Jesus himself showed us through the fig tree how great and amazing things we can do when we pray with faith.

When we believe in Jesus and receive salvation, our own bodies become temples.

We must restore our bodies to the place where we pray to God.

And I hope to be a wonderful child of God who lives by praying with faith

and experiencing prayer to be answered like Jesus.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)