Leaves Fall Short

Nikolle Bauder • September 29, 2021

Summary of sermon on Matthew 21:18-27 from Pastor Ky Martin.

Our passage this week tells of Jesus cursing a fig tree after He sees it’s not producing fruit. Though it seemed like a good and fruitful tree, its leaves were deceptive -- putting on a false front of having good fruit, when it didn’t.


At His cursing, the tree immediately withered and died.


Jesus’ authority over nature amazed His disciples. In turn, He told them that this very same power is accessible to all believers through prayer (v.21:21-22).


Though Jesus’ action toward the tree might seem like an emotional reaction, it wasn’t. Jesus used the destruction of the fig tree as a warning to those who have the appearance of righteousness, but are actually seeking selfish gain.


Following this encounter, Jesus’ authority is immediately challenged and He goes on to share three parables where those who presume upon someone’s favor (because of their position or appearance) are surprised. Same as the fig tree.


Jesus’ authority is challenged when He goes into the temple and begins teaching. Chief priests and elders came up to Him asking, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” The temple was their domain and the “Thunder Thief” had come to their home turf. Jesus knew that these men didn’t believe and were not seeking to know the truth -- therefore, before He answered, He exposed them for who they were… unworthy to answer such things.


Jesus asked, “The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?”


This put the leaders in a pinch. If they answered from God, they’d be admitting or validating the authority of Jesus (John was #teamJesus). If they answered from man, they’d be accusing John of being a false prophet and saying Herod was right to murder him. This was a problem because people loved John and by answering in this way, they would have lost esteem and maybe even their position. So… they did what most leaders would do in their position and dodged the question.


By asking the Pharisees about John the Baptist, Jesus exposed the reality that they were less interested in proclaiming the truth than in protecting their own appearance and position.


Unlike the Pharisees, Jesus answered their initial question very extensively in the three parables that follow. To briefly summarize, Jesus essentially calls out the Pharisees as being like leafy trees with no fruit. They have the appearance of ones who are pleasing to God, but they are not.


“What must we do, to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” - John 6:28-29


The first thing Jesus wants from us is not deeds, but dependence.


He doesn’t want us to pretend to be something we’re not. We shouldn’t try to hide our sin from Jesus, rather, we should cling to Him and let Him know how desperately we need Him.


We can spend our whole lives trying to maintain the appearance of a holy life. But without Jesus, we are fruitless and doomed -- no matter how many leaves we put on.


This parallels well with Genesis 3. Just as with Adam and Eve, the fig leaves were a pathetic attempt to cover their sin and shame and make themselves presentable. 


If you don’t know the story… fig leaves were not going to cut it. Something had to die to protect them. For Adam and Eve, God clothed them in animal skin. 


For us, God clothes us in the precious blood of Jesus.

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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