Fig tree Part 2

So now the chapters of Matthew and Mark come to life in a whole new way.
In Matt 21, Jesus come to a fig tree bearing leaves (and therefore should have had fruit.) He found nothing and cursed it. I see now this is a type of living parable , cursing the hypocrisy around him.
The tree was “advertising “ itself as a fig tree yet had no fruit to offer. We’ve all seen in our American church, people who “advertise” themselves as Christians,- with bumper stickers, speaking Christianese at work, wearing Christian t-shirts.
And I can imagine in this season with so many people desperately seeking peace, seeking answers, seeking anything, many will begin to toy with the idea, “Well maybe I’ll pray.” Or “Maybe I’ll go to church.” They might even feel more comfortable talking with the fig-tree person they know, who seems to have something to offer.
But what will happen when they come to the fig tree and find no fruit? No love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self control? Will “salvation” and T-shirts and saying “Praise the Lord” mean a thing to them when that fig-tree person is no different?
So now I see the significance of the next stories:
In Matthew and Mark, Jesus curses the fig tree (the one advertising salvation but having no fruit to give those coming to it) and then went directly into the temple and rebuked the money changers. (The story that Pastor preached on this past Sunday)
“Then Jesus said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat your fruit again!’ And the disciples hear him say it. When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from bringing in merchandise. He taught them, ‘The scriptures declare “My temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,” but you have turned it into a den of thieves.’” (Mark 11:11-17)
Matt 21:12-13 records the same temple story and then in Vs 14, the very next verse, records something very significant: “The blind and the lame came to him, and he healed them there in the Temple.”
I think it’s no coincidence that these two stories are back to back with vs. 14 thrown in there. This is a significant teaching we need to grasp. When the individual hypocrisy is dead (the fig-less fig tree) and the corporate hypocrisy has been driven out, the lame and the hurting come to Jesus.
Oh, we as the corporate church need to take this to heart as we pray for those around us, in our families, in circle of friends, and in city.
Lord, expose our hearts to help us understand. Lead us with your Holy Spirit to develop more of the fruit you desire within us. Bring our churches into humility to serve those who are ‘blind and lame.’ And do all of these things, not for our selves, but for your Glory.