Mark 11:12-26
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” [26] [1]
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When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to shouts of “Hosanna,” the people hailed Him in kingly terms. He had come to the holy city and they welcomed him with palm branches and cloaks on the road. Here comes the Son of David to save us!
What did they expect next? It depends on what kind of “Son of David” they saw Him to be. I imagine more than a few expected Him to lead a march to the Roman headquarters, Fortress Antonio, right next to the temple, and denounce Roman rule. They may have expected Him to declare the Lord God as Lord of all, not Rome.
They must have been very surprised when He went not to the Roman fortress, but to the temple. His words of rebuke and censure were directed not at the Romans, but at the chief priests and those who were part of what had been happening at the temple. The temple, designed to be the joining of heaven and earth, the gracious presence of God, had become a market designed to enrich certain people.
The biggest problem in Jerusalem wasn’t the Romans. It was the people of God themselves.
How do we apply this today? It’s too easy just to apply this to our congregations, and ask whether we are keeping the main thing the main thing in our life and ministry. It’s a bigger topic than I have time for this morning, but we simply cannot draw a one-to-one correspondence between our church buildings and the Jerusalem temple. Very different purposes and meanings.
Where is the temple today? Scripture says that we are the temple. Our hearts are temples of the Holy Spirit. Does my temple need cleansing? Like the people of Jerusalem, I would much rather have Jesus denounce the sinfulness of others, especially the ungodly in our world today. But does He need first to overturn the tables in my heart, to throw out what should not be there? We apply this passage rightly when we let His Word convict our own hearts, and lead us to contemplate what needs to be cleansed.
The good news is that He is concerned about our hearts. He intends to dwell there, and by His forgiving powerful grace, transform us to be a place of prayer for the nations, a place of love for the nations, a place from which His mission flows.
Lord Jesus, show me where my heart needs cleansed. Lead me to true repentance. Cleanse my heart by your forgiving grace, and lead me to be the living temple You desire me to be.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. (2011). (Mk 11:12–26). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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