Parachuting Beaver Drop of 1948

Speaker 1 0:32

Good morning everybody . Good morning All right gather around . I have a story to tell you . Okay , this is the story of Geronimo and the parachuting beaver drop of 1948 . Tale as old as time . Right , we've all heard it before , of course , but how about I just refresh you about it ? Okay , if you haven't heard about it ?

Speaker 1 0:54

So in 1948 , in the Frank Church River of no Return Wilderness that's a real place , look it up , it is north of Boise in Idaho , but it's an area that , over time , and in 1948 , there was fur traders that were going through there and they were capturing and killing beavers and they were taking them from that area . So then , over time , the beavers weren't able to reforest the area , they weren't setting up the proper dams , and so that area was becoming unlivable , not only by nature but by forests , and then also that people weren't able to get to it anymore , and so they had to fix this , and the only solution more beavers , more beavers . And so , based on the circumstances and the terrain and the job that was ahead , is that these oversized rodents were the only thing that was going to fix this . And it was a difficult job , my friends . It was hard on them because you couldn't really get the right tools back there . And , as you would expect , it was a complicated mission . So , because they couldn't drive back there , and then they couldn't , even so , they couldn't drive and drop the beavers off , they couldn't put them on horseback and get them back there .

Speaker 1 1:59

So there's one solution on how to get beavers back into that area Airdrop , yes , yes . And when I say that , when I say airdrop , of course you think this , because this is what I thought . When you think parachuting beavers , that's it . And I'm like , look how much fun they're having , they're like that's not what it was , but what they did . So they actually took and they started to test . They took old , like they set aside World War II parachutes that had already been used , and then they created these crates that were wrapped up that , upon impact , they would open up and then they would release the beaver . And so that's exactly what happened . And so they tested it on one senior , more seasoned beaver , and his name was Geronimo , of course , as you would expect . And so they would test , dropping him off , and then he'd get out of the box , they'd put him back and all those sort of things . And so this is what happened they parachuted these beavers into this area to fix it .

Speaker 1 3:02

Now what they discovered is that to get them there is that the mission cost per flat-tailed hero it was $7 per each one , which in our money economy today is $74 per beaver was able to reforest the area , which I actually . That's a bargain . That is a bargain I would . I'd pay that all day long . And so Geronimo and his 75 comrades were sent off by airplane and dropped one by one . 76 beavers went , 75 made it . So we stand on the shoulders of the fall .

Speaker 1 3:32

No , just kidding , but here's the purpose For them . Their purpose was to and this is the purpose of beavers in general is to create , modify and maintain habitats and ecosystems . They were to be a part of a bigger story that was happening . There was something that needed to be done and there was only one thing that could fix it , and so it was solved by our parachuting friends in the sky .

Speaker 1 3:57

As I read this story and this is part of the job , of why it's such a weird job , but I was reading it going I actually think that this is some way of how God operates with us as well . I believe that God has called us into his story to create , modify and maintain habitats and ecosystems for Jesus . I think that's what he's called us to do , absolutely , absolutely . And so then , today we are stepping into the next part . We are preaching through Matthew . We're in Matthew 21 . And so we're stepping into the next account , and it's the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree , which , at its core , is the same thing is that he has called the nation of Israel into a very specific role that they are then to live out . And for the nation of Israel , they're missing it . And so then , what we will see is that Jesus is beginning to decide to turn his attention and his focus someplace else , and so I don't want that for them , and I would hate for us , today to miss what God is doing in your life individually and in us as a whole and as a church . And so we're going to jump into it .

Speaker 1 5:02

I haven't Megan said it , but my name is Jeff Bachman . I'm one of the pastors on staff and it's a privilege to be here today . We're so glad . Thank you for joining us here on a Sunday . So we're going to jump into , like I said , matthew 21 . If you've got a Bible , turn there . If you don't , it'll be on the Sky Bible behind me . Either way , you're going to see it and it's going to be a good day . So here we go . Matthew 21, . We're going to look at 18 through 22 .

The Fig Tree

Speaker 1 5:24

It says this early in the morning , as Jesus was on his way back to the city , he was hungry . What I love about that is also just the sense of you get these like flashes and glimpses of Jesus's humanity . And so he was hungry . He stopped , he wanted food . Seeing a fig tree on the road , he went up to it and found nothing on it except for leaves . And then he said to it . And then he said to it may you never bear fruit again . Immediately , the tree withered . When the disciples saw this , they were amazed . How did the fig tree wither so quickly , they asked ? Jesus replied truly , I tell you , if you have faith and do not doubt , not only can you do what is done to the fig tree , but also you can say to the mountains go throw yourself into the sea and it will be done . If you believe , you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer .

Speaker 1 6:13

So just to give you a little bit of background and recap , which is going to be very important in this one , as Pastor Larry's been mentioning , is that we're in the part of Matthew , that is , this is considered Holy Week . It's the last seven days of Jesus's life here on earth before he is crucified and resurrected , and so this is all taking place over seven months in a seven-day span . We know a few things about Jesus based on what he has declared about himself and what he has said . He knew why he was coming , he knew his purpose and he understood that he needed to die . He also what we understand from what he's saying is his time is coming to an end and it's running short . So then there is a sense of urgency of what Jesus is doing , that he has a job and a mission , and so then this account is almost kind of like a TV show in this sense .

Speaker 1 6:58

If you watch a TV show , it has an overarching storyline , but then there are episodes that take place . How many of you have ever watched the Office ? The Office , yeah . So the Office is a story about Dunder Mifflin , a paper company , and their purpose is that they sell paper . That's not an episode . That is the storyline . The episodes are the Office Olympics that's a good one . The Dinner Party I enjoy that one . That one's wildly uncomfortable . Also , when Michael Scott George Foreman grills his foot . That's a good one as well . But in all these those are episodes and each one of those episodes adds a level of depth and weight and understanding to the characters of the overarching story .

Speaker 1 7:37

So then , when we see Jesus curse the fig tree , it seems out of character that you go . Everything that I've seen doesn't seem to , but this is an episode in the life of Jesus that gives more depth and character and context , because he's understandably on edge . I mean , just think about it . I look at this story and I often wonder I'm like what in the world did that poor fig tree do to get the left end of his business ? You're like man , fig tree's , just like I'm just a tree . But because I mean , after all , if you know anything about the miracles of Jesus , this is the only miracle that is recorded . That is a miracle of destruction . All the other ones bring life and healing . So that's interesting .

Speaker 1 8:16

It's confused scholars for years . I think that there are a lot of people who didn't understand it . So think of it like this you know how Taylor Swift writes all these songs and they have this meaning . Behind the meaning , behind the meaning , jesus is the original tortured poet . Okay , behind the meaning , jesus is the original tortured poet , okay , so thank you very much . I'm sorry that was low-hanging fruit . I apologize . Oh yeah , you all get it . Okay , that's it no more . I'm turning this thing around , but the thing is this for the disciples and the people watching in that time , they would understand why he chose a fig tree . They would understand why he was saying what he's saying . It's going to take us a little bit of time to connect those dots , so you're going to be like that dude's talking a lot about fig trees . That's why .

Speaker 1 8:58

So Jesus was , as we learned last week , he was already righteously angry . He had been , he had experiencing the temple had been turned into a convenience store and he was grieved and he was sad , he was disappointed at the religious leaders because they had cried out for a king . And then , when he came , they're like we want another one , try again . And what we see is that Jesus leaves the temple and then he heads to a town of Bethany , where what we and he spent the night in Bethany . What we know is in Bethany . Bethany is where some of his dearest friends , mary and Martha and Lazarus , stayed , and so it's more than likely that he went just because he had a place to crash on their couch , proverbially . And so he wakes up , he comes back in and he was hungry and he comes upon a fig tree that was lush and full , and if you saw this fig tree you would assume that it had fruit . And so he goes to the fig tree , looks for figs to solve his hunger and it doesn't . And it's Tuesday morning and he's about to die on Friday . So you understand why he's on edge .

Speaker 1 9:58

But before we go any farther , you got to understand a little bit more about the fig tree , because the fig tree is a signature tree in the nation of Israel and in that area it's a symbol of Israel . The fig tree in Hebrew is te-anah and this really is like the chosen land , the chosen tree to symbolize Israel . In fact , it's that land and this fig tree is described in Deuteronomy 8 , 8 and 9 . It says it like this a land with wheat and barley vines and fig trees , pomegranates , olive oil and honey . In these sense , we're talking about the most luxurious things . This is a five-star meal in their context of all these ingredients . A land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing . A land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills , so you just get the sense that not only are things able to be grown there , but the land even is rich and fertile .

Speaker 1 10:51

What we see all throughout the Old Testament is that God had gifted this land to them , and he said this is your land , you are my people and take care of this . It's full and it's fertile and it's lush and it's designed to grow , and it was given to them . I mean , fast forward into now is that that's actually part of the conflict as to whose land that is . So that continues to be , that people are fighting over this rich and valuable land . And so , for the figs is that that was the perfect soil and place for them to grow , and so they too were sweet and rich and luxurious . And so then Jesus , symbolizing the tree for the nation of Israel , is declaring that Israel's purpose is also to be fruitful , also to be the one that declares . But it stopped producing . And so this is Jesus' disappointment in saying you're not living out the purpose of what you're supposed to do .

Speaker 1 11:40

And we actually see before in scripture that God has done the exact same thing of putting a stop to dead , fake and dying faith . So you look in Hosea 2 , 11 and 12 . It says I will stop all of her celebrations , talking about festivals and things that were not bringing honor to God . And he said I will ruin her vines and her fig trees . And so Jesus is interacting with a very corrupt faith system and so he's putting a stop to it , both literally and also then symbolically .

Speaker 1 12:15

You also need to understand that the life cycle of a fig tree it's very rare , it's different than most , because what you see in a fig tree is this that the fruit actually comes before the leaves , and so the first thing that comes in a fig tree is it's not even the figs , it's actually called early fruit , it's pronounced paga , and this early fruit paga or pagam , and it's not the figs but as like road travelers would walk along , they could pick these off and they weren't delicious , but it would bring nutrients and nourishment . And so that early fruit for the tree and then also for us , symbolizes possibility and potential , and I want you to hold on to that . We're going to come back to that here at the end , but that's the early fruit , the pagae , and then after that is that early fruit then turns into fruit and then , shortly after the fruit , then comes the large leaves . Can we go back , actually , like go back to the photo of it ? I just want to show you this , because this fig tree , teana , that fig tree more than likely I didn't take this photo , this is my backyard , but this fig tree more than likely has fruit in it . This is what's crazy about a fig tree is that once the fruit grows , then the leaves grow around them almost as a protection . So then you get a sense that when Jesus comes upon this tree , what does it look like ? It looks like it's ready to have fruit taken from it . So then you have to go in there and search around . And he searches around and he finds nothing . But this fig tree like this with its lush leaves .

Speaker 1 13:35

It was designed for not only fruit but also shade and canopy . You see , in Micah 4 and 5 , or , I'm sorry , micah 4 , 4 , in 1 Kings 4 , 25 , and Zechariah 3 , 10 , this phrase under their own vine and their fig tree , which was almost a Hebrew idiom at the time , saying you are living the good life . George Washington even used it in many of his addresses and on his farewell address he said I will sit under my own vine and my own fig tree , implying that he's like that's where I'm going to go , sit and retire , essentially saying you own land , you own your own fig tree , you have it made in the shade , right ? That's where that phrase came from . It didn't ? I just made that up . I totally just made that up .

Speaker 1 14:17

The other part of it is this is that in Israel it was hot , and so with those lush trees , it provided shade , and so oftentimes along the road , if there was a fig tree , not only would it provide food , but then people would sit underneath it , and so teachers and rabbis and students would sit under it and learn and teach . And so you almost get the sense that Jesus is cursing and withering this fig tree to say no longer will you be able to teach and learn from the Torah , the first five books of the Bible , and the way that you're teaching them . You are mishandling my word , and so I will not provide you a place where you can continue to falsely teach and study . Also , we see the fig tree all the way back into Genesis . Genesis 3.7 talks about that at the point that their eyes are open and that they've introduced sin into humankind is that they take fig tree leaves and then sew them together because they were big and they were soft and they were able to protect themselves . I think it's interesting .

Speaker 1 15:12

Some people actually believe you know how we always talk about in the Garden of Eden that the first tree is an apple tree , like everyone is like . Of course it's an apple tree . They never say it's an apple tree , they say it's a fruit tree . But it would actually make sense that a fig tree was the one that was there , because at the point that they said no and they realized that they were naked , they took the leaves of the first thing they could find a fig tree that was there . So I thought that was interesting as well . And so then , when Jesus comes upon this tree , it's spring and it's full of leaves , and so that means it should be full of fruit . Fig trees are one of the only trees that then hide that fruit , and so he went searching for it and it was as if it looks the part , but it just isn't doing what it should be doing . Ever seen anybody like that , who looks the part and isn't doing what they should be doing ?

Speaker 1 15:57

And the nation of Israel had failed to exercise faith in Jesus to create , modify and maintain habitats and ecosystems , living out their own purpose in him . And so they continue to reject the notion that Jesus truly is the Messiah and so he symbolically curses them because they've rejected him . The reality is , as you see , in the religious leaders of those times , they know that Jesus is the Messiah , they know there's something special about him , but they're scared . They don't like it . It's change , it's a disruption of power . No-transcript .

Speaker 1 16:33

And the nation of Israel has been given so much God . If you look all throughout the Old Testament , god lavishly gave to the nation of Israel and saying you don't need a king , I will be your king and I will be your God . If I could oversimplify the Old Testament , which I probably shouldn't , but if I could oversimplify it , it's this God created humankind . Humankind said no to God . He then pursued humankind , desiring to not only be in a relationship with them , but to dwell with them , not just to say I know you , but I will be with you . Jeremiah 32 , 38 says it this way they will be my people and I will be their God . This beautiful picture of belonging . It's not just in relationship , it's that there is a connection between the two . And so now because the nation of Israel in relationship . It's that there is a connection between the two .

Speaker 1 17:18

And so now , because the nation of Israel continues to reject , is that Jesus is now taking his blessing and he's focusing his attention and his blessing not on the nation of Israel but on all of humankind and saying I'm kind of done with you . Right now , no more will fruit come from the Mosaic law alone , which is the thing that the religious leaders of that time were so desperately protecting . They were protecting a law and Jesus says why are you protecting law ? I came to fulfill the law and so no more fruit will come from your efforts . So , moving on , matthew 21 , 21 and 22 says this Jesus replied truly , I tell you , if you have faith and do not doubt , not only can you do what was done to this fig tree , but also you can say to the mountain go and throw yourself into the sea and it will be done . If you believe , you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer . Essentially , what Jesus is saying in this is that what I have done to the fig tree , you can do , and more you can move mountains with faith for telling of the temple , as they're standing where they're standing . The only mountain that is around is the temple mount and Jesus , knowing that at some point that would come to destruction . He's saying that through your faith is that you will bring about destruction to whole political systems that are against what I am doing , but it's by faith .

Anchored Faith

Speaker 1 18:29

That word faith Hebrews 11.1 gives us an understanding of that . It says now , faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see . This is what the ancients were commended for , and by faith . And then it goes on . If you'll read through Hebrews 11 , it talks about the giants of faith talking or talking about the things that they have done by faith .

Speaker 1 18:50

I think a working definition of faith that I have lived by is one like this . It says active belief and trust in the promises of something . And for our context , it is active belief and trust in the promises of God , because , let's be honest , we can have faith in just about anything . We can put our faith in some very weird things , but what he's saying is that your faith needs to be anchored in something , and what he says is it needs to be anchored in me . And so I asked him the question what do you have faith in ? And you know , here's the funny thing . I think it's so easy for me . At least I can see somebody else that doesn't have their faith anchored in the right thing . But I'm blind to my own . I'm like , oh , that's an unwise decision . They're like what about yours ? I'm like , probably , probably , but it's got to be anchored in something that is firm and consistent and won't move and change and shift in shape .

Speaker 1 19:42

When I was in high school , our youth group used to do water skiing trips and so over the summer we would drive . We went to Don Pedro , because I was in Modesto , so we'd go to Don Pedro Lake , which was much bigger . When I was a kid . I don't know what happened , but we'd ride these boats around in the different lakes . And one day it was my job , I was anchor boy , and so we went out and we went tubing and we went water skiing and all those things , and they said , okay , jeff , take this anchor . And it was a small anchor , but they handed it to me and they said go and get it , like , kind of toss it out that way to make sure that it gets hooked into rocks , but in a play where it doesn't get tangled up with other anchors . And so for some reason I'm not sure why I did this , but for some reason probably because I was 14 , but I took this anchor and I got into the water and then I got distracted or something and I put it back into the boat , I know . And so we went to lunch because our boat was anchored to itself and so we got back out and everyone's like where's the boat ? And I was like , well , what happened to the anchor ? Did the batteries run out or something like that ? Where's that ? So I got to go swimming that day and go find a boat , but it was anchored to itself and it just floated off .

Speaker 1 20:47

I believe Jesus is giving us a promise , that he's saying that they will , the disciples and we will , today , do even greater things . But when we are anchored in the faith of what God is doing and for our context today , that is the Holy Spirit that lives and dwells in us , who then that Holy Spirit then gives us encouragement ? It gives us the ability to do all these things and what we see in scripture , and even greater things than what Jesus would do . I find it interesting that that word for the Holy Spirit , he , is called at different points in time parakaleo , which means to come alongside , but it's the same translation for the word encouragement , and so that word . It's interesting to say that the word encouragement is essentially to instill courage . You don't have courage , I will give it to you . And in this context it's saying that the Spirit of God dwells in you to instill in you the thing that you do not have , which is faith , which is power , which is coming alongside you to support and care and provide .

Speaker 1 21:45

They were dependent , it was told . It said don't go out until I tell you to , and so they waited . And so for this passage it's talking about the authority and faith and even doubting . And so then we see , through a fig tree and a mountain and more , that they're going to be used in mighty ways . So be ready , have your faith anchored in something . God has made promises to them , but they're made in the name of Jesus , and I think that that's the important part . You look at this in John 14 , 13 , because he says it like this and I will do whatever you ask in my name , so that the Father may be glorified in the Son . I just think it's interesting that you say the things that you're asking are not only in the name of Jesus but for the glorification of God , and let's be honest that we also don't know what it is that always God is up to . But he says that we are to ask those things in his name .

Speaker 1 22:36

Prayers in the name of Jesus by faith are consistent with the character of Jesus . It's essentially giving a reference , for I had somebody call me this last week and they asked for a job reference for somebody . And so somebody called and they said , hey , we're thinking about hiring this person . Are they a trustworthy person ? So I gave my reference . So essentially , in the name of Jeff , I said that they should be hired . I know that sounds really weird . I don't like that either when you say that out loud , but it's me saying I'm putting my name on the line for that person , and for this is that we are anchoring our faith in the name of Jesus .

Speaker 1 23:08

Praying in faith is to then root your prayers and your faith in the purpose and the promises of God . He promises he will never leave us or forsake us . He promises us that there is no fear in perfect love of him . He promises that he has overcome for us this world . He promises that he will instruct and teach . Those are the promises that we can then have faith and to root and anchor ourselves in . And so he spoke the promise and made it happen , and the tree withered and they were amazed .

Speaker 1 23:36

But for the nation of Israel , they missed it . They cried out for a savior and God brought it , and they didn't even see it . My friends , may we not miss the blessing of what God is doing right in front of our face right now If we I don't want us to miss how God is actively working in our lives today , because I believe that he is , can and will do that because of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us and what he is his deep love for this nation and this world . So I believe he is doing that now . So then for us , here's what I would say . There's one way that you can read this passage and you can cheer for the hero and then you can boo the villains that they got what was due to them . But I think , if you read it that way , and while we can praise God that his will is being done , is that it's not the most effective way to read this .

Speaker 1 24:23

I believe that God is using Jesus and this episode , through scripture , to remind us as much as we want to identify with Jesus and the disciples , I'm probably more the religious leaders . I'm probably more the one who thinks that I have fruit and have very little to provide , who doesn't like when my religious system is disrupted and begins to get very protective when anything that I hold dear gets shattered and changed . So then I ask you this is that where are we building systems within our faith and in our communities that is equally as corrupt and dead is what we see there ? Because , again , we can see that and to say it's clearly obvious that the nation of Israel is missing it . There is a very strong chance that we too are missing what God is doing today , and so don't miss that . We have time and so take that opportunity , because what I know is that there are moments and seasons in my life where I am consumed with production and look and public opinion and making sure that we look like a really good church , and when you look behind the leaves is that there may not be any fruit , and may that never be . May it never be , because it's almost like going to a tree and not finding the fruit that it promises . Where have we been given a very specific role in Jesus to do and we have missed it . I think Jesus may have something to say about that and I think that we have an opportunity today to acknowledge that there's still time . But God wants our heart and our attention , because last week don't forget the historians talked about that in 30 AD , a few years before this happened is that the high priest , caiaphas , took all of the worshiping tables , the places where they were giving all of the sacrifices , all the sacrifices that were on the tables outside of the temple courtyard , and he started moving them closer and closer to where they would worship .

Speaker 1 26:23

And as they brought them closer and closer , it was more convenient and then they marked them up and then they made it most difficult for the poor and needy to worship and to be connected with God . Interesting , some of the scholars believe that they moved the sacrifice table so close that they were actually in the area where people were also worshiping . In the center of the temple is an area called the Holy of Holies , which is separated by a curtain , and on one side is where they believe that the Holy Spirit dwelled and that's what we see in Scripture , and then on the other side is that they would approach and they would be as close to the Spirit of God as they could , and they were bringing sacrifice close to the Spirit of God as they could , and they were bringing sacrifice tables right in there to sell them . What we know is that God was desiring to be and it's that word again among . He wanted to be among his people , and what we know from scripture is that then , after that , when Jesus was crucified , there was an earthquake and that veil that separated the holy of holies and the people it was torn , and so no longer did God's spirit dwell in the temple .

Speaker 1 27:22

God now had a new temple that dwelled in a different place . It was in you and in I . And in 1 Corinthians 6 , 19 and 20 , it says like this do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you , whom you have received from God ? You are not your own . You were bought at a price and therefore honor God with your bodies . So then , bring this all together , because what I'm saying is this God is taking significant issue when you choose to use the temple of the Holy Spirit for anything other than worship , and we have a responsibility to begin to clean that out . He said it last week . You've turned this into a den of robbers and it's not too far to consider for my own life that the decisions that I am making are little compromises , that when the Holy Spirit is not , proverbs 6 , 9 , and 11 describes it like this a little sleep and a little slumber , a little folding of hands to rest , and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man . How am I slowly moving those little permissions into the temple where the very Holy Spirit wants to dwell and allow me to worship ? And when that happens , my friends , the fruit is gone .

Living Into God's Purpose

Speaker 1 28:44

I had a friend who he went out to Texas to go study and he was from California . He went to Texas and have you ever met those people that when they go to a different state they like really lean into it ? Like came back and had like the pearl buttons and the cowboy hat and the boots I'm like bro , you wore flip-flops , you're from the Central Valley , you ain't Texas and picked up the twang and even some of the phrases and things like that . I actually kind of like this one , but he would say this He'd be like man , that guy's all hat and no cattle , which means he looks the part of a cowboy but has no cow , right For our context . I will ask you the very same thing Are you all leaves and no fruit ? And if you aren't doing the very thing that God has empowered you to do , then I would ask us , what are we even good for ? So then , here's where I find hope and grace in the middle of this whole thing . Did you know ?

Speaker 1 29:56

Here's another interesting fact about the fig tree , a couple of them . A fig tree can survive for a significant amount of time without water . It doesn't grow , but it also doesn't die . And so you almost have these fig trees that are dormant , waiting for water or living water to then bring life to them . And so , my friends , even if you've missed it , even if you haven't started , even if you have doubted , even if you are of little faith and little fruit , jesus is the one who took the curse . He took that very curse on and he died so that we could have life Cool way to remember this . And you're never going to eat figs again . But for a fig to come to full , is it gestation , I don't know . For it to come to full , fruitness of it is that it has a . It's called a fig wasp and it climbs inside of each of the figs . It then lays eggs in it , it dies and those eggs then repollinate the fig to allow it to become a full fig . Right , who wants a Newton now ? Right ? But again , for us to have life there must be death . Jesus died so that we can have life and live into the fullest purpose of what he wants for us .

Speaker 1 31:21

Let's go back to the first verse and then we'll be done here for today , verse 18 . It says early in the morning , as Jesus was on his way back to the city , he was hungry , so he stayed in Bethany . Look at this map up here , so it's on your right-hand side of my left . So he stayed in Bethany , so he was at the temple . He went out to Bethany , which is about two miles , and then on the way back he went from Bethany back to the temple . That's what the scripture says , and on the way it says that he stopped in what I used to call Bethphage or Bethpage . I now learn that it's not Bethpage , it's Bethpage . Where have we heard page ? Page means early fruit . Bethpage is house of the page , house of the early fruit .

Speaker 1 31:59

I think it's very intentional that Jesus stopped there , not only to say what the potential was , what the nation of Israel is missing , but how we can learn of saying that he is dwelling among those of the early fruit . My friends , it is not over yet , but we have a responsibility to lean into what God is doing . There is early fruit . There may be dormant , it may not be yet , but in all of them is that , as Jesus comes alongside you , don't miss what he can do and will do in and through you . Don't miss that .

Growing in Your Calling and Faith

Speaker 1 32:27

Allow God to grow your purpose , your calling , your effort , your faith . Don't miss what he is doing , because it is beautiful and it's the fullest version of what he wants for your life . I promise you that , and I would hate for people who are hungry for Jesus to come to you looking and we have nothing to offer . Could you imagine again the tree's alive but doesn't have a brain ? But could you imagine that tree having the savior of the world come and have nothing to offer ? May we be people who create , modify and maintain habitats and ecosystems for Jesus . Or a more fun way to remember it is have a beaver-like calling , effort and faith , because I believe that God has placed a calling on your life , on my life on ours . It is now our opportunity to step into that and allow it to grow to its fullest potential .

Speaker 1 33:28

But we must say yes and live into the promises that God has already put on your life and then , by faith , living them out . So let's pray and we'll spend some time in response . And so , lord , we are grateful for the calling , and sometimes it seems big . May we not miss what you're doing right now , god . Could we be a people that lean into that calling and recognize that we don't want to miss it . We want to learn from those who came before us . And , god , would you continue to ever so gently grow what little fruit we have and make it blossom and flourish for you , in your name , we pray amen . Come on , can you stand to your feet and give God a hand clap of praise for that message today ? In your name , we pray Amen .