Today we're going to talk about a tree, a tree that was supposed to bear fruit but didn't.

And Jesus took it personally. And Jesus used it illustratively. What is the lesson of the

withered fig tree? Let's find out on today's episode. Welcome to Everyday Truth with Kurt Skelie. We believe the Bible

is true and relevant to everyone, everywhere, every day. If today's conversation is a help to you,

take a moment to leave a review or share it with a friend. Thanks for listening. Now, let's join

Kurt for today's episode. Hey, friends, welcome back.

We're in Matthew 21 today. If you want to follow along in your Bible, I know that many of you

are engaged in other activity, maybe driving your car or just getting ready in the morning. So if you

can't follow along, by all means, don't endanger

anybody. But just listen carefully as we jump into verse number 18. So Matthew 21, verse number 18.

The Bible says, now in the morning, as he returned into the city, he hungered. So we're about to read a story of Jesus and a fig tree.

And it's really an important story for what it symbolizes and what Jesus taught us as a takeaway from the whole event.

I just want to set kind of in place what the chronology is because, again, Matthew is not so much

focused on chronology as he is theme, and Mark is a gospel more focused on chronology.

So just to understand that the parable of the fig tree takes place actually ahead of the cleansing

of the temple in real time.

So we talked about the cleansing of the temple yesterday.

And actually, if you look at the parallel account, what you'll find is that the parable

of the fig tree actually goes on both sides of the cleansing of the temple.

So on Monday morning, when Jesus is going into the city, he curses the fig tree.

And then later on, when he comes back, they notice that the fig tree has withered.

So it's actually kind of an event that takes place

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