We hear the term frequently used, “to get plugged in”. This is used in many situations, such as entering into a new school, moving into a new neighborhood, also within churches. But when we “plug in” we have decided what the power source is that we are plugging into. Getting plugged into college by joining a fraternity may give you a source of belonging but will also often come along with a less than desirable lifestyle. Even in church, there is only one power source that we should seek to get plugged into, and He is the Holy Spirit. Every other source is inferior and can be wrong. Though ministries are wonderful, we can fall into the error of becoming machine like in our service, where the work takes priority over Who it is we are to be serving. Commentaries are good sources, but if read apart from the actual Word of God, the best you can accomplish is how the Holy Spirit inspired the commentator. If we adhere to the teachings of experts over the Word of God, though their intention might be good, if their teachings start modifying the perfect Word of God, you will begin to drift from the truth of God’s Word. This is what has happened in Judaism and much of Christianity. With eyes off of the actual Source of power, the masses removed from this Source, began to follow the machine and in the process, lose their way.

We read in Mark 11:12-14, “Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again”. And His disciples heard it.” After spending the day in Jerusalem, we read the conclusion to the above passage in 11:20-21, “Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” The fig tree is known to be a picture of the nation of Israel. This miracle, though destructive, revealed how Israel would be scattered and judged for their lack of fruit. Israel appeared spiritual, like the leaves, through the temple services, the way they dressed, their holding to the traditions, their good works. Though God is not finished with Israel, for prophetically we are in the “Time of the Gentiles”, we know that there are many wonderful prophecies which will come true for the Jewish people. The fact was they were blinded to their Messiah because they were largely “plugged into” their religion and their experts, rather than the source of God’s Word.

As Christians, we’re best not point our fingers, for as they say, “when you point your finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at yourself.” Take notice of Jesus’ words to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:2,4, “I know your works, your labor,.... Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” In Galatians 5:22-23, what is the fruit of the Spirit which holds together everything else? Love. God cannot work through a spirit of lovelessness. Christians can appear spiritual: might be rich in works, attend services regularly, give of their time and money, say the right “Christianese” terms, etc., but God knows the condition of our hearts. Notice Peter commented that the tree was withered from the roots. The roots are the part of the tree that no one sees. What are our roots, that no one sees? They are our prayers, our faith, our reading of His Word, etc. Without these roots, we may appear fine, but we are in reality drying up, all because many plug into the wrong power source. May we never forget that we are not only made by Him, but for Him. Providing figs would have been that fig tree’s highest calling for Jesus, but it failed. God has given each of us gifts that we may produce fruit for His glory. But apart from His power source, the Holy Spirit, we will eventually become fruitless. May we remember what our fruit is for, as we read Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”