A personal reflection on Matthew 21:18–22
When I return to Matthew 21:18–22, I am reminded that reading the Bible should do more than increase what I know. It should confront what I love, what I fear, and how I live before God. These reflections grew out of my notes from sermons at Antioch Bible Church, and I want to take the passage seriously rather than simply move on to the next one.
The sermon
Watch on YouTube: Figs, Mountains, And Faith [ Matthew 21:18-22 ] (Antioch Bible Church, uploaded 12 November 2024)
The danger of appearances
Read: Matthew 21:18–22 (NASB 1995)
The fig tree had leaves but no fruit. My sermon notes use that picture to challenge a religious life that looks healthy from a distance but lacks the fruit of repentance and obedience.
“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:22, NASB 1995
The fig tree looked healthy from a distance, but when Jesus came looking for fruit there was none. That makes me uncomfortable in a good way. I can look busy and spiritual while my life produces very little that pleases God.
Fruit is more than talk
It is possible to know the right vocabulary and attend church without allowing the Word to shape my conduct. Galatians 5 reminds me to look for the fruit of the Spirit, not merely a polished appearance.
Real fruit shows up in ordinary places: how I speak to my family, how I handle frustration at work, and whether I am patient with people who test me. That is where I want the Word to take root.
Faith rests on God
Jesus goes on to teach about faith and prayer. Faith is not a force I control, nor permission to demand whatever I want. The power belongs to God; I am called to trust Him and pray according to His will.
This guards me from treating prayer like a way to get my own way. I want to come to God humbly, bringing my requests to the One who knows best, and to leave the outcome in His hands.
Bringing it into everyday life
Where do I have leaves without fruit, and where do I need to pray with deeper trust?
The Christian life is not built on my perfect performance. My hope rests on Jesus Christ—His grace, His truth, and His finished work. Because of that grace, I want to respond with repentance, trust and obedience, even in the small decisions that nobody else sees.
Where do I have leaves without fruit, and where do I need to pray with deeper trust?
A closing reflection
I want to read this passage slowly, pray over what it reveals, and resist the temptation to treat a challenging sermon as something meant only for somebody else. The Word calls me to look to Christ and then to live differently because of Him.
Join the conversation
Where do I have leaves without fruit, and where do I need to pray with deeper trust?
I would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Reflection source
Personal reflection developed from sermon notes on Matthew 21:18–22, Antioch Bible Church. These are not verbatim words of the preacher. Recorded source date: 10 November 2024.
