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.

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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