The Curse of Jesus

Bulletin

Dan Peters
06/19/22 - Repentance

Nobody ever wants to talk about it. It’s been decades since I have heard a sermon on it. Perhaps it is because we want a fairytale-Jesus or “another Jesus” (2Cor. 11:4). But not the Jesus that ever cursed, no no! We think “it’s not in Jesus to do such a thing”, but we are wrong. We know Jesus got mad and angry (Mark 3:5), cast out the money-changers in the temple (Mark 11:15), but “the Jesus I know would never hurt a thing”. Sorry to break the news to you, but you are believing in the wrong Jesus.
Not only did Jesus curse, but the context when he did such makes the message apply to the people and nation. Malachi warned the people of the coming curse, but they did’t pay attention. He called on them to repent/change, and if not, “the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD… so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse” (Malachi 3:5-6). They didn’t believe, they didn’t obey, they bore no fruit, so Jesus cursed. Yes, he did. “On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. (Mark. 11:12-14). The very next morning they are walking by this fig tree, but it wasn’t just sickly, it was dead. “As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” (Mark 11:20-21).
Peter too learned something about Jesus that day. What Jesus curses, is truly cursed. Is not the message and meaning of this curse, that if we do not bear fruit for Jesus we too will all be cursed? Jerusalem bore no fruit for Jesus, rather they crucified him without regret or change, for 40 years. So Jesus smote “the land with a curse” (Mark 13, Luke 21, as prophesied in Mal.3:6). John the baptist warned the crowds who were coming to be baptized, “He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance .”(Luke 3:7-8). It’s not just baptism, but baptism and bearing fruits. Show Jesus you have truly changed, repented, honoring him by doing what is good and right in his sight (Eph. 5:9-10). But like the fig tree, it’s “not the season for figs”. It’s never a good time to repent/change is it? So the curse is coming, surely it is. Be ready! Be fruitful. May he find fruit in you!
Dan Peters