The Withered Fig Tree
Delivered 3/21/2010 on Mark 11:12-25 by Carter Sanger
One of the most difficult things for secular people to get past when it comes to embracing religion is the fruit that religion has born over the centuries. Richard Dawkins, a professor of Oxford University and devout atheist, describes the dangers inherent in religion in a recent television program. He lumps Jews, Muslims, and Christians together in terms of posing the same threat to the world, which is, as he puts it, “feeding a murderous intolerance throughout the world.” The evidence is not hard to find to support such a claim. The Holy Land today is perhaps one of the most dangerous places to be in terms of a sustained hatred and violence. Historically, religion has often been a large factor in wars.
It is hard to argue with Dawkins’ observation on this point. In fact, he is simply stating what so many – even in the Bible belt of America – have come to believe. Even those interested in finding God and Jesus are turning away from the church as a step toward finding him, because they don’t believe he can be found there. To many, the church seems filled with self-righteous people intolerant of others who don’t see things like they do. As much as I hate to admit it, they are often right in their assessment.
But, to reject Jesus (as Dawkins does) or the church (as others do) based on such evidence would be a mistake. Why? Because the thing you rightly want to reject is not Jesus or the church, but the religion you associate with it. That’s what Jesus does.
Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree, and in so doing rejects religion as the way to know God. So must we.
