Hello and welcome to Bible Stories.

It is your boy, Todd Heyman's, and my buddy slash co-host, Matt Mullins.

Hello.

And guess what, guys and gals, it is Easter week.

Some people may call it Passion Week or Holy Week.

Hey, we are so, so excited to continue to share with you what Jesus is doing on this day leading up to the cross and Easter Sunday, right? And so check this out. Some people call this Holy Monday. Well, we're going to tell you all about it that's right welcome to the monday of holy week so at this point jesus spent last night sunday night in a town

just outside of jerusalem called bethany and he probably stayed with his buds lazarus and lazarus's

sisters mary and mar. He now travels to

the temple in Jerusalem and he's become hungry during this. It's like a two mile walk, Todd. So he's

hungry. Jesus is hungry and he's looking in the distance and he spots a fig tree and he makes

his way over to it for bite to eat. Who doesn't like a fig Newton in the morning, you know?

But there's no fruit to be found on this tree.

But what's wild is the tree shows signs of life,

and it has flourishing leaves, but it has no fruit.

So this fruitless tree that looks great on the outside, but it's not producing anything.

It's a symbol for those who seem to have the appearance of religion.

They maybe look great on the outside, but they're not bearing any fruit.

There's no growth from God in their lives.

Well, in particular, kind of drilling down, this tree reflects the state of faith in Jerusalem and Jesus' day.

Although Israel had these outward signs, appearances of strong spirituality, strong faith, the people were barren spiritually.

And as Jesus, he looks at this tree, he makes a statement.

Jesus says, may no one ever eat

...