32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When
his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these
things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass,
till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matt 24:32-35)
The Collect
Second Sunday after Trinity
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O
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LORD, who never failest to help and
govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we
beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have
a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
This COLLECT of the 2nd
Sunday after Trinity implores the grace of God in exercising His government
among men. The ideal government is one that evokes the faithfulness of its
citizens through patriotic fervor and loyalty to the Crown. So the government of
God helps, and does not oppress, through its government of its citizens.
Moreover, the ideal government protects through wise and just administration in
the promotion of perfect freedom and liberty. We must fear God's government for
righteousness' sake, but such fear must be mitigated by perfect love and
confidence in the Sovereign under who's Name, and beneath whose beloved Ensign
and starry banner, we march and engage the enemy
The Parable of the Fig Tree
is presented in the first three Gospels, including this text in the Gospel of
St Matthew. The parable is identical in all essentials across the
spectrum of the three versions given in each of the first three Gospels. Christ
often resorts to the descriptive facts of nature to open our eyes to the beauty
and truth of the spiritual.
What sign do we seek of God's
Mighty Hand in the affairs of science and life? Phillips Brooks, former 19th
century Bishop of Massachusetts makes this observation of an event in the life
of Martin Luther: "I have been struck by a fine instance of this
discernment of God, not in miracles, but in the ordinary course of providence,
which occurs in the history of Martin Luther. It was a time when things were
going very hard with him, a time when all the human props of the reformation
seemed ready to fall away. It was then that `I saw, not long
since,' cried Luther, `a sign in the heavens.' Then you
begin to listen for some startling prodigy; a falling star, a pillar of fire, a
blazing cross held out against the sky. Certainly some miracle is coming. But
hear what does come. `I was looking out my window at night, and beheld
the stars, and the whole majestic vault of God, held up without my being able
to see the pillars on which the Master had caused it to rest. Men fear that the
sky may fall. Poor fools! Is not God ALWAYS there?' That is all. That is
his sign in the heavens."
God has placed evidence of His
Godhead in every aspect of nature. He surrounds us with a profundity of
evidence which leave us without doubt of His power and Person. Seven days of
Creation, seven notes on the musical scale (the eighth is the beginning of the
next set of scales), seven colors of the rainbow (when combined they equal pure
white), and the combinations of evidence continue ad infinitum. If the simple
complexities of Creation do not persuade you, perhaps you should go out under
the canopy of heave as Luther did and look up. How small you are compared to
the trillions of points of light in heaven yet, God is mindful of you!
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his
branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is
nigh. Unlike the parable
of the Barren Fig Tree, this parable does not reflect the demise of Jerusalem
and the Jewish nation; it is a parable to open the eyes of the listeners to the
coming fulfillment of all things necessary for man and His Salvation in Christ.
The fig Tree is not the only plant whose nature is to produce tender leaves and
shoots as the juices of life arise from its roots and fill its branches. Jesus
is the vine through which our juices of Life also flow. Without that hidden
Sap, the branches will remain dead following the winter desolation. So will we
remain dead if we remain un-enlivened by that Holy Spirit of Christ flowing
through our being. When the Life Bloods begin to flow, we know that the
fullness of summer is approaching. Summer is the time of growing of fruits and
vegetables. Spring has past – the time of planting of the Seeds which are lying
germinating beneath the soil until the Sun warms the surface. But after the
Seed has been buried in the Soil of our hearts, the time of production of fruit
arrives. If there is a single failing of Christians that surpasses all others,
it may be the production of fruit for Christ. Christ makes reference to
something important that is nearing fulfillment – so near, that most who hear
His Voice will witness the event. What is it?
33 So
likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even
at the doors. As we mentioned earlier in the end of the week
preceding, the trip to Damascus must occur after all of the steps between have
been taken. But when the guest has made those steps and stands at the
gate of the city, all is complete except the opening of the gate. When you look
about and see all of the signs of Spring's fulfillment, you know that Summer
will follow. The moment is not limited simply to the time scale, but to the
rain, the sun, and the preparation of the ground.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass,
till all these things be fulfilled. Christ is informing His
listeners that the Desire of the Ages is about to reach a perfect fulfillment.
I am sure that those who are presently reading this devotion will know what
that perfect fulfillment is. Remember those beautiful Words of Christ just
moments before His Passion? I have glorified
thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John
17:4-5) and just a bit later when the full Price had been rendered, He uttered
these momentous words: "…..It is
finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John
19:30) All things that have been the desire of the hearts of men since Adam was
cast from the Garden at Eden came to be fulfilled at a rugged Hill outside the
gates of Jerusalem two thousand years ago. So the Temple Veil separating the
people from the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom: And
the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
(Mark 15:38) Man could not have removed the separation, but God could and did
through the death of His Beloved Son.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not
pass away. Here is an amazing fact of Holy Scripture: God's Word
is Immutable and Eternal! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God…….
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth. (John 1:1-2, 14) Regardless the soiled fingers of wicked men
tampering with the Word, and rendering phony new bibles, God's Word will stand
forever for its Christ shall remain forever. So Summer has come and the time of
labor, while it is light for labor to continue, must be performed by the Church
of Christ in preparation for the consummation of all things in Time-Space
Continuum. Are you in the field, Friend?
