Matthew 21:18-22 8Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately, the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. 21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
 
Jesus anticipated fruit because it had leaves, but found NONE.
 
He was hangry
He had a personal vendetta
He was reacting to stress
He was showing off with dramatic flair
He was allergic to leaves
He was being passive aggressive
He hated figs
He had no other options for food.
 
1 Kings 4:25 every man sitting under his own fig tree”
 
Jeremiah 5:17 speaks fig trees being destroyed
1. Self righteousness is ONLY LEAVES
 
Matthew 23:5 5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues
 
Matthew 23:25 You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
 
Matthew 23:27 You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
 
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
 
2. Jesus Will Address Barrenness
 
John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
 
2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."
 
3. God We should not underestimate what God can do by faith in our lives
 
Mark 11:22-23 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain,
 
4. THERE is a litmus test of True Fruit
It is Forgiveness.
 
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins
 
Matthew 6:15 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.