STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF! Have the attitude of the Bereans… … take what you are taught and search the Scriptures each day to see if what was taught is what the Word of God says [Acts 17:11]! Have the attitude of the Bereans…

Jesus – His Life Part 14: Jesus CLEANS House

Introductory Bullet Points As we come to the end of the book, the story builds to AN INEVITABLE CLIMAX! Jesus enters Jerusalem, ‘ENEMY TERRITORY’, and BECOMES BOLDER! The LEADERS HARDEN in their DETERMINATION to do away with ‘this nuisance’.

This is JUST THE KIND of CLIMAX for which the Holy Spirit HAS PREPARED us THROUGHOUT the book of Mark.

Jesus’ TRIUMPHAL Entry into Jerusalem Mark 11:1-10

“Behold, your King is coming...” – Mark 11:1-2; Zechariah 9:9 [1] And as they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, [2] and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied (there), on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it (here).

“Behold, your King is coming...” – Mark 11:1-2; Zechariah 9:9 [9] REJOICE GREATLY, O daughter of Zion! SHOUT in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, YOUR KING IS COMING to you;

“Behold, your King is coming...” – Mark 11:1-2; Zechariah 9:9 He is JUST and ENDOWED with SALVATION, HUMBLE, and MOUNTED on a DONKEY, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus Remains the HIDDEN Messiah “HOSANNA” (yaw-sha naw) was SIMPLY a shout of jubilation... … NOT a plea for help and salvation!

Jesus Remains the HIDDEN Messiah The SPREADING of garments was a SPONTANEOUS gesture of HONOR for a PROPHET… … NOT a RED CARPET for a CORONATION! Even the disciples DID NOT UNDERSTAND…

BUT when Jesus was GLORIFIED, John 12:16 [16] These things His disciples DID NOT UNDERSTAND at the first; BUT when Jesus was GLORIFIED, THEN they REMEMBERED that THESE THINGS WERE WRITTEN OF HIM, and that THEY HAD DONE THESE THINGS TO HIM.

A Point of Transition Mark 11:12 Jesus VISITS the Temple and sees… … the MONEYCHANGERS. … the ANIMALS being sold for sacrifice. ... the BARTERING over prices. … the ‘COMMERCE’ in this SACRED place. … the people ‘THERE’ BUT NOT to WORSHIP!

Jesus’ CLEANSES the Temple Mark 11:15-19

Mark 11:15-17 [15] And they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and BEGAN to CAST OUT those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves; [16] and He would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves;

BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT a ROBBERS’ DEN.” [17] And He began to teach and say to them, “IS IT NOT WRITTEN, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? BUT YOU HAVE MADE IT a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Isaiah 56:7 [7] “Even those I will bring to MY HOLY MOUNTAIN, And MAKE THEM JOYFUL in MY HOUSE OF PRAYER. THEIR burnt OFFERINGS and their sacrifices WILL BE ACCEPTABLE on My altar; For MY HOUSE will be called A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE PEOPLES.”

Jeremiah 7:11 BEHOLD, I, EVEN I, HAVE SEEN (it)," declares the LORD. [11] “HAS THIS HOUSE, which IS CALLED by MY NAME, BECOME A DEN OF ROBBERS IN YOUR SIGHT? BEHOLD, I, EVEN I, HAVE SEEN (it)," declares the LORD.

Mark 11:18 – The Religious Leaders Understood the Implication [18] And the chief priests and the scribes heard (this), and (began) SEEKING HOW to DESTROY HIM; for they WERE AFFRAID of HIM, FOR ALL the MULTITUDE was ASTONISHED at HIS TEACHING.

Jesus’ CURSES the Fig Tree Mark 11:12-14, 20-21

Mark 11:12-14 [12] And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, HE BECAME HUNGRY. [13] And SEEING at a distance a FIG TREE in LEAF, HE WENT to see IF PERHAPS HE WOULD FIND ANYTHING ON IT;…

for IT WAS NOT the SEASON for FIGS. [13] … and when He came to it, HE FOUND NOTHING BUT LEAVES, for IT WAS NOT the SEASON for FIGS. [14] And He answered and said to it, “May NO ONE EVER EAT FRUIT FROM YOU AGAIN!” And His disciples were listening.

The IMPORTANT POINTS of this Event Jesus is HUNGRY! An INVITING FIG TREE! BUT NO FRUIT! Jesus SPEAKS a CURSE AGAINST the TREE!

The DIFFICULTIES with this Event Jesus cursing a tree SEEMS OUT of CHARACTER. ESPECIALLY SINCE “IT WAS NOT THE SEASON for figs.” WAS Jesus ASKING SOMETHING OF THE TREE IT COULD NOT GIVE?

Mark 11:20-21 [20] And as they were passing by in the morning, THEY SAW the fig tree WITHERED FROM the ROOTS (up). [21] And being reminded, Peter said to Him, Rabbi, BEHOLD, the FIG TREE WHICH YOU CURSED has WITHERED.”

5 Discipleship Lessons for the CHURCH, from the FIG TREE and the TEMPLE 5

Discipleship Lessons from the Barren Fig Tree The FIG TREE INCIDENT CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD in the context of the cleansing of the Temple. The TEMPLE INCIDENT CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD in the context of the cursing of the Tree. Discipleship Lesson

Discipleship Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree #1 The FIG TREE SYMBOLIZES the TEMPLE and the RELIGIOUS LEADERS. Jesus comes to the Temple ‘HUNGRY’ to SEE GOD’S WILL CARRIED OUT. Jesus is “ZEALOUS” for His Father's house. Discipleship Lesson

WHAT ABOUT YOU and the CHURCH? The “LEAVES” of this tree… … SYMBOLIZE the POMP and CEREMONY of CONDUCTING ‘THEIR’ ‘worship’! WHAT ABOUT YOU and the CHURCH? Discipleship Lesson

The “LEAVES” of this tree… … CONCEAL the FACT that there is NO ‘REAL’ FRUIT to SATISFY the ‘TRUE’ WORSHIPER’S HUNGER! Like the fig tree, the FRUIT of ‘TRUE’ WORSHIP IS “OUT of SEASON”! WHAT ABOUT YOU and the CHURCH? Discipleship Lesson

Discipleship Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree #2 The CURSING of the tree is a FORESHADOWING of the CURSE that WILL FALL UPON ‘FRUITLESS’ Israel! Discipleship Lesson

Discipleship Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree #3 Jesus’ CURSE: “MAY NO ONE EVER EAT FRUIT from YOU AGAIN” is a pronouncement about the religious leaders: It is TOO LATE for fruit now. Discipleship Lesson

Discipleship Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree #4 The WITHERING of the FIG TREE “from the ROOTS UP” [Mark 11:20]… … is a FOREDHADOWING of the DESTRUCTION of JERUSALEM and the TEMPLE! Discipleship Lesson

Discipleship Lesson from the Barren Fig Tree #5 This DESTRUCTION IS IN PART… … because of the RELIGIOUS LEADERS UNBELIEF (the ‘roots’) … … the INDIFFERENCE of the PEOPLE. WHAT ABOUT YOU and the CHURCH? Discipleship Lesson

Would JESUS CLEAN HOUSE today?

Jesus enters the “TEMPLE” of OUR HEART You MAY SING JOYFULLY… You MAY GIVE YOUR OFFERINGS… … BUT DO YOU ‘TRULY’ RECOGNIZE HIM? You MAY SHARE in the LORD’S SUPPER… … BUT DO YOU ‘TRULY’ REMEMBER HIM?

Jesus enters the “TEMPLE” of OUR HEART DOES He FIND us ‘BUYING’ and ‘SELLING’? That is… … LETTING OTHER MATTERS CAPTURE our ATTENTION. … HAVE we DESECRATED our ‘temple’ by ERECTING OTHER gods?

JESUS, ME (YOU) and, the “FIG TREE” When Jesus SEES ME and COMES to ME, WILL He LOOK IN VAIN FOR MY FRUIT? WILL He CURSE ME and WARN ME of MY DEMISE?

JESUS, ME (YOU) and, the “TEMPLE” When Jesus SEES the NEED to CLEAN house... He may be saying, “IT’S TOO LATE.” – OR – He may be EXTENDING a SECOND CHANCE THROUGH the CLEANSING of His BLOOD!

Here is YOUR Invitation to let JESUS CLEANSE Your LIFE as HIS Disciple!