Then there came a change over the tree. It began at once to
wither. I do not know whether the disciples saw a quiver run
through it at once; but on the next morning when they passed
that way, according to Mark, it had dried up from the roots.
Not only did the leaves hang down, like streamers when there
is no wind; not only did the bark seem to have lost every
token of vitality; but the whole fabric was blighted
fatally. Have you ever seen a fig tree with its strange,
weird branches? It is a very extraordinary sight when bare
of leaves. In this case I see its skeleton arms! It is twice
dead, dead from the very roots. Thus have I seen the fair
professor undergo a blight. He has looked like a thing that
has felt the breath of a furnace, and has had its moisture
dried up. The man is no longer himself: his glory and his
beauty are hopelessly gone. No axe was lifted; no fire was
kindled; a word did it, and the tree withered from the root.
So, without thunderbolt or pestilence, the once brave
professor is stricken as with the judgment of Cain. It is an
awful fate. Better far to have the vine-dresser come to you
with the axe in his hand, and strike you with the head of
it, and say to you, “Tree, thou must bear fruit, or be hewn
down.” Such a warning would be terrible, but it would be
infinitely better than to be left in one’s place untouched,
quietly to wither to destruction.
Now I have delivered my heavy burden, laying it far more
upon myself than upon any one of you; for I stand more
prominent than you; I have made a louder profession than
most of you; and if I have not his grace in me, then I shall
stand before the multitude that have seen me in my
greenness, and shall wither away to the very roots, a
terrible example of what God doth with those who bear no
fruit to his glory.
But now I desire to conclude with tenderer words. Let no man
say, “This is very hard.” Brother, it is not hard, is it,
that if we profess a thing we should be expected to be true
to it? Besides, I pray you not to think that anything my
Lord can do is hard. He is all gentleness and tenderness.
The only thing he ever did destroy was this fig tree. He
destroyed no men, as Elias did when he brought fire from
heaven upon them; nor as Elisha did when the bears came out
of the wood. It is only a barren tree that he causes to
wither away. He is all love and tenderness: he does not want
to wither you, nor will he, if you be but true. The very
least he may expect is that you be true to what you profess.
Are you rebellious because he asks you not to play the
hypocrite? If you begin to kick against his admonition, it
will look as if you were yourself untrue at heart. Instead
of that, come and bow humbly at his feet, and say, “Lord, if
anything in this solemn truth bears upon me, I beseech thee
so to apply it to my conscience that I may feel its power,
and flee to thee for salvation.” Many men are converted in
this way–these hard but honest things drive them from false
refuges, and bring them to be true to Christ and to their
own souls.
“But,” saith one, “I know what I will do; I will never make
any profession; I will bear no leaves.” My friend, that also
is a sullen, rebellious spirit. Instead of talking so, you
should say, Lord, I do not ask thee to take away my leaves,
but let me have fruit. The fruit is not likely to ripen well
without leaves; leaves are essential to the health of the
tree, and the health of the tree is essential to the
ripening of the fruit. Open confession of faith is good, and
must not be refused. Lord, I would not drop a leaf.
“I’m not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend his cause;
Maintain the honour of his word,
The glory of his cross.”
Lord, I do not want to be set away in a corner; I am
satisfied to stand where men may see my good works, and
glorify my Father who is in heaven. I do not ask to be
observed; but I am not ashamed to be observed; only, Lord,
make me fit for observation. If a commander said to a
soldier, “Stand firm, but mind you have your cartridges
ready, so that you may not lift an empty gun;” suppose that
soldier answered, “I cannot be so particular. I would rather
run to the rear.” Would that be a fit reply? Coward! because
your captain warns you that you must not be a sham, you
would therefore, run off altogether! Surely, you are of an
evil sort. You are not truly one of the Lord’s, if you
cannot bear his rebuke. Let not these solemn truths drive us
away, but let them draw us on to say, “Lord, I pray thee,
help me to make my calling and election sure. I beseech
thee, help me to bring forth the expected fruit. Thy grace
can do it.”
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
