Fruitful Believers in Christ 多结果子

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Dexu Xia

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Mar 30, 2024, 1:21:12 AM3/30/24

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Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. Mark 11:13

Cindy was excited for her new job in a nonprofit company. What an opportunity to make a difference! She soon discovered her coworkers didn’t share her enthusiasm. They mocked the company’s mission and made excuses for their poor performance as they looked elsewhere for more lucrative positions. Cindy wished she’d never applied for this job. What looked great from afar was disappointing up close.

This was Jesus’ problem with the fig tree mentioned in today’s story (Mark 11:13). It was early in the season, yet the tree’s leaves signaled it might have early figs. Nope. The tree had sprouted leaves, but it hadn’t yet produced fruit. Disappointed, Jesus cursed the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (v. 14). By the next morning the tree had entirely withered (v. 20).

Christ once fasted forty days, so He knew how to go without food. Cursing the fig tree was not about His appetite. It was an object lesson. The tree represented Israel, which had the trappings of true religion but had lost the point. They were about to kill their Messiah, the Son of God. How more barren could they be?

We may look good from afar, but Jesus comes near, looking for fruit that only His Spirit can produce. Our fruit need not be spectacular. But it must be supernatural, such as love, joy, and peace in hard times (Galatians 5:22). Relying on the Spirit, we can bear fruit even then for Jesus.

By: Mike Wittmer

What fruit do others see in you? How might you be more fruitful?

Holy Spirit, prune me so I might bear more fruit.

祂远远看见一棵长满了叶子的无花果树，就走过去，看看是否可以在树上找到什么。—马可福音11章13节，新译本

欣仪在一间非营利机构找到了新工作，她非常兴奋，因这是为世界带来改变的机会！但她很快就发现，同事们并不像她一样满腔热忱。他们轻视机构的使命，为自己的工作表现欠佳找借口，同时到处寻找更有前途的高薪工作。欣仪后悔申请了这份工作，远观相当不错，近看却令人失望。

这正是耶稣提到的那棵无花果树的状况（马可福音11章13节）。当时还没到盛产无花果的季节，这棵树长满了叶子，显示它可能已结了无花果。可是没有，它只有叶子，却没果实。耶稣在失望之余，咒诅它说：“从今以后，永没有人吃你的果子”（14节）。第二天早上，这棵树就完全枯死了（20节）。

耶稣曾禁食40天，深知如何忍饥耐饿，因此咒诅这棵无花果树与食欲无关，而是一个借鉴。这棵树代表了以色列人，虽是上帝的选民，却没有真实的信心。那时他们正要谋杀弥赛亚，上帝的儿子。他们不正是枯干而不结果子吗？

别人从远处看我们，也许觉得还不错，但耶稣靠近我们，要在我们身上寻找只有倚靠圣灵才能结出的果子。我们的果实无需令人惊叹，但必定是从圣灵而来的，例如在困境中仍满有爱、喜乐与和平（加拉太书5章22节）。我们需要倚靠圣灵，才能为耶稣结果子！作者： 韦陌格

别人能在你身上看到哪些果子？
你如何结出更多的果实？