We have just finished reading 1 Corinthians in our daily bookmark. This letter by Paul for churches give very clear instructions in how the body of Christ should conduct itself and for believers to follow and obey.
Paul teaches the kind of mind a disciple of Christ should have.
1 Corinthians 2: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
Paul said that believers have the mind of Christ meaning we need to think like Jesus and feel what Jesus felt. What gave him joy, what made him suffer and what made him angry.
The gospel revealed how Jesus felt and how he responded. We need to remember that whatever Jesus felt he was revealing what his Father was feeling because he said he came to reveal his Father. But to have the mind of Christ we need to have the mind of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2: 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
So, to understand the mind of Christ a disciple must of have the Holy Spirit to teach them to understand the Spirit of God. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit let us look at Mark 11 and understand the heart and mind of Jesus.
Mark 11: 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.
Mark 11: 19 When evening came, they went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
In this story Jesus was hungry for the fruit of the fig tree even though he knew it was not in season to bear figs. Jesus became angry and cursed the tree and it withered and died.
To understand this story, we need to see it with our spirit which Jesus said we need to use to understand his words because they are spirit and will give life.
John 6: 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
When the fig tree did not provide figs for Jesus its Creator, even though it was out of season, it disobeyed God’s will and Jesus cursed the tree and it withered. The tree chose to remain in its natural state and not be supernatural for its Creator.
The spiritual meaning of this story is Jesus hungers for spiritual fruit he wants us to bear for him which he teaches in:
John 15: 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
We are spiritual branches that live connected to Jesus as our vine that nourishes. As his branches Jesus said we must bear fruit for him, or we will be cut off from him and wither. To remain fruitful, Jesus said you must remain in his love by obeying his Father’s commands and the evidence of spiritual fruit are:
Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.
Spiritual fruit must bear all these qualities. They cannot be fake human fruits; they must be real spiritual fruit that comes from remaining in Jesus’ love by obeying his teaching and commandments.
As we mature in the mind of Christ, we will bear an abundant of fruit for him as we spiritually learn and remember spiritually the way Jesus feels about things, so that we will always be prepared to preach his Word in season or out of season.
2 Timothy 4: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.
Be disciples of Jesus and know his heart by being in God’s word daily, drinking in its truth and bear much fruit for him.
Be safe in Jesus,
Ps. Glenn