PART IIPART II

Jesus Confronts Fruitless Worship

March 22, 2015

Jesus and The Fig Tree Jesus went from Bethany to

Jerusalem and he was hungry. Jesus saw a fig tree in the distance

with visible leaves. Jesus went to the tree looking for

fruit and he found none. Mark tells us that it was not the

season for figs. Jesus pronounces a curse on the

tree and the disciples heard it.

Jesus in the Temple at Jerusalem

Jesus and his disciples enter back into Jerusalem.

Jesus goes back into the temple area.

Jesus’ Actions in the Temple Jesus began to drive out those

who bought and sold in the temple courtyard.

Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Mark tells us that Jesus would not allow people to use the temple as a shortcut through the city.

Jesus Strongly Rebukes the Jewish Worshippers

The Rebuke: Is it not written in the Scriptures? My house shall be

called a house of prayer for all the nations. But you have made

it a den of robbers.

Reasons Jesus Says ‘Den of Robbers’

1) Gentiles were being robbed of the opportunity to worship God and God was being robbed of Gentile worship.

2) The temple transactions were mired in corruption.

Response of the Jewish Leaders to Jesus’ Actions

The Jewish leaders began to plot a way to destroy Jesus.

The Next Morning They were making their way to

Jerusalem again and the disciples saw the fig tree withered to its roots.

Peter was amazed by what he saw and he reminded Jesus that the fig tree has withered.

Jesus Teaching on Faith

1) Have faith in God.2) Do not doubt in your heart,

instead believe!3) Whatever you ask in prayer

believe and it will be yours.

The Condition for Answered Prayer

You must forgive others for their grievances against you.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Fig Tree

The fig tree is a real life metaphor for Israel’s appearance of spiritual fruit yet they are as

spiritually fruitless as the fig tree.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Temple Cleansing Jesus’ cleansing of the temple

was God’s holy indictment of their futile worship of God.