Services | A Place for Everyone

Bulletin

Hymn # 495 “In the Sweet By and By”

SCRIPTURE READING – Philippians 3:20 & 21
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate

Praise and Worship
“Echo Holy”
“Resurrection Power”
“Who You Say I Am”

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“A Place for Everyone”

“In the House”



Sermon Notes
Mark 11:12 – 14 Jesus re-enters Jerusalem and seeing a fig tree without fruit, He curses it
Mark 11:15 & 16 Jesus enters the Temple, sees commerce happening, He overturns the tables and stopped the commerce
Mark 11:17 Jesus taught the purpose of the Temple was for all nations to communicate with God
Mark 11:18 The priests and scribes response is to seek to destroy Jesus
Mark 11:19 – 21 Leaving Jerusalem they see the fig tree withered
Mark 11:22 – 25 Jesus teaches on prayer and faith

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

If you were to ask many people what the purpose of the temple in Jerusalem was, he would probably say it was a holy place where the Jews would go to offer sacrifice. Jesus had a much more expansive view of the purpose and the scope of the temple. This message we'll talk about that and see how we are included as well. Today's message. Is one of those situations where finds me. At odds with a lot of. Pastors and other people. And if I were more like. Other pastors and other people, I would probably be a lot more popular than I am, but I was not called to be popular. I was called to preach the gospel as God has given me the light. And so I'm going to take a look at these events that are taking place in the life of Jesus. And I may be saying a few things that may disturb you, and I may say a few things that go contrary to what you've heard. From other pulpits. But here I go.

So if you have your Bibles and you should turn to the gospel of Mark, Chapter 11, we're going to start. With verse 12.

Now the context of this is that Jesus had entered Jerusalem on what we call that triumphal entry, or Palm Sunday, and he went from the Mount of Olives to the temple, and then he goes back to the Mount of Olives to spend the evening. And now this is the next day. And this is what's going. To take place. So says on the next day when they had left Bethany, he became hungry. And seen at a distance a fig tree and leaf, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it, and when he came to it he found nothing but these for was not yet the season for figs. So I want to start. Because this will cause confusion because of what Jesus is going to now. Do you go? Well, that seems kind of arbitrary. Well, I'm not a fig rancher or farmer, but from my understanding in my research that a fig tree. Will produce figs in a previous season. And then in the area of about April, March, April, it may produce some fruit from its old branches.

But then in the June area, it will produce much sweeter fruit. From the new branches, but. Unlike a lot of other trees. It produces fruit and leaves pretty much at the same time. We're kind of used to trees producing leaves and then fruit. So when we look at this, we go. Well, it's not yet seasoned, but Jesus is saying, well, this tree seems to be out of the ordinary, so perhaps it has produced fruit. Because let's take a look. What is the purpose of a fig tree? The purpose of the fig tree is to produce figs is to produce fruit. That's its purpose. Other than that. It doesn't really provide you a lot of good shade or whatever, but that's what it does. And it used to be that even a fig tree needed help to produce fruit for those who know about figs and dates. And he said to it made no one ever eat fruit from you again. And his disciples were listening. So the the question is, well, why would Jesus basically judge and condemn this tree for not producing fruit? Because basically Jesus was saying this fruit, this tree was acting like it was producing fruit. And that is exactly what Israel was doing. It was pretending to be holy and righteous.

But was not in fact, wholly and righteous. And so he was basically using this teaching and saying. Unless you produce fruit. I'm judging you now. This is where I'm not going to be popular. What is the purpose of a Christian? A lot of people will tell you the purpose of a Christian. Is to produce more Christians. That's not the purpose of a Christian. The purpose of a Christian is to produce fruit. Spiritual fruit. And So what Jesus is saying is, in essence, if you're acting holy, if you're acting righteous, you come to church and you put on all the airs and you pretend to be a believer. But in fact, you're producing no fruit. Jesus has none of that. And judgment can come. Because you're not. Either one matching your purpose to produce fruit, or you're a barren tree and never going to produce fruit, so you're not really one of his. The best way to determine whether you're one of his is are you producing at least some fruit? If you want to know what that fruit is, you can look at the letter to the Galatians when Paul talks about the fruit of the spirit, peace, love, kindness, gentleness, all those things that he talks about, and you should be seeing more and more of that in your life. To produce fruit. And I'll give you one of the fruits that's really hard, at least for me to produce. Patience. So the more you might see patients in your life, you might go. OK. God, I'm struggling, but at least I got a little tiny. Fruit that's started and I'm hoping that it will be not only ripe but sweet for you. So again, Jesus is condemning the tree for acting as if it was a producer when it's God and the Nation of Israel is acting like a producer and it's not. And unfortunately, a lot of people who claim to be Christians act like a producer of fruit. But we're not. My job isn't to be a fruit inspector for you. My job is to be a fruit inspector for me, to I see fruit in my life. It's not for me to look at your leaves and your fruit and say haha, you're a terrible person or or you're whatever, that's your inspection. But unfortunately, a lot of hypocrites like to inspect other people rather than themselves.

Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered. The temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling those. And he was not permitting. He was not to permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. So when Jesus arrives at the temple. What does he see? Well, what he should be seeing is people bringing their offerings to the temple in order to offer it, because this is now the period of of Passover and the offering, so that eventually they will celebrate Passover. But they're doing it. And there's also a situation where they pay the temple. Packs. Now, in order to pay the temple tax, you had to have particular money. You had to have temple money. You couldn't bring just any regular Roman denarii or whatever. So you had to usually come. So, for instance, if as an American we have dollars and you decide you're going to go to Europe, and now they're using euros. You you usually go to an exchange place and they train your dollars for EUR and then when you leave you're up and you come back to the United States, you exchange your EUR for dollars. Now, if you've ever done that, you know. With these, exchange places will charge you a fee. They will charge you. More money. Then your dollar is worth. To get. The EUR and then when you decide to sell your EUR back, you'll get less money than you did, but that's a commercial transaction. That's not what's happening here. The people who are the money changers know that you've got to have this money. Otherwise you can't pay the tax and so they do exorbitant exchange rates. They're committing fraud, if you will. They are overburdening the people that they're supposed to be there to accommodate and help.

You would think that the reason a money changer would be that there to do a ministry to say brother, let me help you to pay the temple tax. So I'm going to maybe charge you a fair rate. Because it's my job and I'm not going to charge you an exorbitant rate. But that's exactly what they were doing. And the people who were selling doves again. You offered a dove as a sacrifice if you were poor. But they're offering these in the temple because they're taking advantage of even the poor. So just like Jesus had. Cursed the fig tree. What's very happening in the temple is rather than the temple doing what the temple is supposed to do, it's not only conducting commerce, but it's conducting fraudulent commerce. And Jesus has had it. Now I want you to also notice this that he not only did they do these things. But he stopped people from carrying merchandise into the temple. Everybody thinks Jesus is this Melba milktoast weak non. Person. Person. There's a whole bunch of people there conducting business. There's a bunch of Pharisees and scribes there. They don't stop him. Because when Jesus has righteous indignation. Lookout. And so this quote, weak Melbourne toast kind of guy. Takes action and no one stops him, but then he does more than that, and he began to teach and to say to them, is it not written? My house shall be called the House of Prayer for all the nations, and I want to stop there. Most of this thing, when we think about the temple, we think that it's a place for Jews. To offer sacrifice. To God so that their sins may be forgiven. Notice what Jesus says. The temple has a far greater purpose than just offering sacrifice, and it has a great scope than just for the Jew. It says my house shall be called a House of prayer, a place where we communicate with God. And it's not a place to communicate with God for Jews only, but for all the nations.

You see, God didn't come to the Jew. So that it might be exclusionary to the June, it's the scripture say to the Jew 1st and then. To the Gentile, God's plan has always been that all of us are included, and all of us are to come to the House of God, whether we're Jew or Gentile. Rich, poor, famous, infamous, whatever we are. God has called us that we might come and communicate with him. So not only have they not done what most people think is the purpose to offer sacrifice, they're offering sacrifice at an expensive level. But they're not even having it as a House of prayer for everyone. But then Jesus going on. But you have made it a robbers den. Now, unfortunately, when people look at this verse about the only thing they talk about is people get a little concerned about, well, you have a soccer. A kid in soccer or football or baseball, whatever it is, and they make you fundraise. And so. Most. Church members.

The largest part of the people we know are fellow church members. So the best place for us to ask. Our fellow church members, our family, is to help us support our kids into what they're doing. And so we're so afraid of, well, are we permitted to? To say hey, would you support me in this? Well, First off, notice we're not raising money. For the church. It's for someone else. And they're not doing, you know. I got to raise 150 bucks. Everything over that is mine. So I'm going to tell you that I need much more money. SI. Can pocket rest. If you were doing that, then I say maybe I shouldn't offer, but this isn't what Jesus is talking about. Jesus is talking about those who are taking. Religion and taking worship. And merchandising it. We're not selling indulgences. We are saying. Elder want to come all the nations to come and to pray and to worship and to be with our God. But instead they made it. A commercial. Every. And the chief priests and the scribes heard this and began seeking how to destroy him. Now I find this. Interesting in a sense. In essence, what they should have done if they were truly chief priest and scribes and say Jesus is right. We blew it. We messed up. Everybody leaves. We're only going to do what we're supposed to do. Period. But they don't. They seek how to destroy him. Which means sometimes the people who squeal the loudest were the biggest offenders. And so instead of saying Lord, you're right. They say we got to get rid of this dude. For they were afraid of him. Again, everybody thinks this Jesus is this weak guy, but here are these powerful religious leaders. Were afraid of him. For the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching. They were astonished at his teaching. Not just his powerful acts. And when evening came, they would go out of the city. So Jesus didn't spend the night in Jerusalem. He would come in, leave, come in, leave. And so now this is done. So they're leaving. Jerusalem. And as they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Up.

The curse then come from the top down it. Came from the bottom up. Scribes, Pharisees, teachers. Which affects everything. So they're saying the judgment started at the very root system. And be reminded, Peter said to him, Rabbi, teacher look, the fig tree which you've cursed has withered, which I want you to understand is that. There are times when judgment seems to take forever. But when it comes, it comes very, very quickly. So therefore it's better not to mess around with God. It's better to repent now. Can be too late. And so Peter saying in a day. This tree went from being a healthy greenleaf. Plant. 12 died from the roots up. Again. As the scripture says. Judgment comes first to the House of God. We're always wanting to those terrible. Atheists to get it. God starts with his people. And then goes out. And Jesus answered saying to them. Have faith in God. Now out of the context. Interesting statement. Have faith in God. Now he's going to teach about prayer and faith. Since the whole point of the temple was for a House of prayer for all the nations. So he's going to tell us about prayer and faith. Truly, I say to you. Whoever says to this mountain be taken up and cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. I'm going to warn you. In advance, this is where. I separate from most people.

Because I want you. To notice a lot of people say. Well, mountains are difficulties in life. And the law we all experience the difficulties in life. And so if we pray that God removes that mountain, or we'll find a way around it, then everything will be wonderful. We just have to have faith. That's not what he said. He said whoever says to this mountain. In in, say to mountains, he said to this mountain. And this mountain happens to be the mount. Of olives. So he's talking about a particular place. And a prayer that this mountain be moved. I have debated about this. So I'm going to do it. You've probably if you've been in church for any length of time, you've probably experienced at least one sermon where the past will say and want everybody to bow their heads and close their eyes. Now I want you to repeat a pair, and usually it's about a prayer of salvation because they they don't want you to feel that whatever and they say, raise your hands, whatever. I'm going to do the opposite. I don't want anybody to pray with me. I want you to. Watch me as I pray and I know I'm. Can. Jesus does go into your prayer closet and pray and and so I know I'm going to pray in public, but. Then again, I do that a lot. In church anyway. So we we pray in public. And so I want you to watch me. I'm not asking you to pray with me. Because I'm not going to talk to you, I'm to talk to God. So you ready? Our heavenly father. I pray and ask.

That you take the mount of olives. And separated from north to South and moved that mountain. Northwards and southwards. And I believe that it's going to happen. And I believe that my eyes will see it. And I thank you that you will do this not because of who I am. But because of what your word has said. So I thank you in advance. That you hear and answer this prayer. Because Jesus said that I can pray it. In his name, I pray. Amen. Now I don't need you to go and look. To see whether there was an earthquake outside of Jerusalem. Because I know it didn't happen because I didn't have faith. No. Because if you notice. If you're familiar with the scriptures at all then and you. There is a statement. There is a promise in Zachariah chapter 14. That says when the Messiah comes. And his foot sits on the Mount of Olives. It will separate north to South. I believe with all my heart that that will happen. And I believe that only I will see whether my live or dead. That those of my loved ones like my wife and my family and all those others and all the other believers who have gone before. Will be there because the word of God says that when Jesus comes again, he will bring all of us to there and I will see it with my own eyes. I believe it. Now I'm not going to pray that he fixed the the mountain up. Why? Number one, because that's not what he said to do #2. I want him to hit the bound of all ifs. I want it to be there so that it splits in two. Like his word says. Then after that, if he wants to make it a flat land. Wonderful. But I'm looking forward to my savior coming and restoring me and giving me eternal life. As he promised. And that I will see it with my own eyes and not another. And that those, that thy love, who have gone before, will be there too. So it's not some mountain. This mountain. The Mount of Olives, the amount of olives where Jesus came from to the temple where Jesus came from to be crucified, where Jesus was left from, to ascend into heaven and will ascend from heaven back to the Mount of Olives. It's an essential place. And the geography of our earth.

And his word says it will split in 2 when he returns and it will split into when he returns. So Even so Lord come quickly. Therefore, I say to you, all things which you pray and ask believe that you have received them and they will be granted you. I believe that I received. I just, it just isn't God's timing yet. I would it would be great if it was timing. It was during my prayer. You'd all be shocked, but it'd been great if he came back when I prayed. But he didn't because he doesn't operate on my timetable. He operates on his timetable. But I say because he said so. I don't come with assumption. I come with faith, he said. This is what's going to happen to the mouth of all those.

And if I pray, it's gonna happen in the mouth of ALS. So I'm gonna pray that happens in the Mount of olives so that he comes and restores the earth. Turned off. Whenever you stand. Praying. Forgive. If you have anything against anyone so that your father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. Notice no one ever talks about that part. Everybody says, well, if you ask God all these great things are gonna happen. And Jesus says, yeah. But while you're standing and praying, is there something that somebody you have something against somebody forgive them. Now we try to do the whole psychological thing about, well, it harms you more than it harms the person. You haven't forgiven, and we do all those. Emotional and psychological. No, no. Whether it does me harm or good, I don't care. The word of God says if he God wants to listen to me forgive, because that's what my father did. If I want to be like my father, then I do what my father does and my father forgave me when I didn't deserve it. And quite frankly, he forgave you. And I know you don't deserve it. So therefore I should forgive you whether you deserve it or not. And maybe even I should forgive myself, even if I don't forget, deserve it or not, because he has forgiven me. Maybe that's why there's so many Christians that we see, and their faces are so contorted. Is it not forgiving? And leafy trees. Without the fruit of forgiveness. And so prayer. Is a combination of faith. And forgiveness. We emphasize the faith. But unfortunately, when we emphasize the faith, it's not faith too often it's emphasize assumptions. It's what I want. So therefore I want it. Therefore God will give it to me. That's not faith. Faith is, as I just pray. Jesus. The Lord says this is what's going to happen. And I believe it. That's faith. I could have faith. Wrong word, but I could believe I could assume that God is going to make me rich, so I'm going to go out and buy a lottery ticket, and if I don't have enough faith, then I'll lose. That's assumption.

There's nowhere in the word of God that says, hey, Joe, if you buy a lottery ticket, God's going to make you rich. Instead, God has said I have given you blessings untold. You can't encount all the blessings you are already rich. So why are you hoping? For stuff you can't take with you. And all the stuff I'm giving you, you get to take with you because you're sending it on ahead. So when you hear people talk about faith, make sure it's response to what God said, not what they want. Because even in the prayer it says it will give at, it is done on Earth as it is in heaven. It's not. We do things on Earth a separate and apart from heaven, no God's in control of heaven. God's in control of earth. So we respond in faith, not assumption. And then we look and say. Have I not forgiven? Because of all the love that Jesus has for us. One of the places we see it the greatest. It's a forgiveness. Forgiveness. For all that we've done. All that we're doing and all that we ever do. Not because we deserve it. That's exactly what Grace is undeserved. He gives us forgiveness. When we don't deserve it. We are to be give whether you deserve it or not. We have come to this place. Understanding. That we want to be in the presence of God, be in the presence of his people, praying and worshiping and. Asking. For him to change our lives. So that it might be like him that it might produce fruit that we might not simply look like we're holy, but we may look as those who are producing fruit.

For the benefit, not of ourselves. But of others? If I'm patient, it's not because it makes me wonderful. It's because now I relate better to you. Fruit is not self consuming. And then finally. Become. Because. Forgiving one another. Shows that love covers a multitude of sins. While this place is not a temple. It is the place where we've come. To worship him. To communicate with him. And that place should be open to everyone.

And all God's people said.


Temple in Jerusalem, Purpose of the Temple, Jesus and the Fig Tree, Spiritual Fruit, House of Prayer, Cleansing of the Temple, Faith and Prayer, Forgiveness in Christianity, Gospel of Mark, Jesus' Teachings, Righteous Indignation, Symbolism in the Bible, Christian Sermon, Spiritual Growth, Biblical Insights, Producing Spiritual Fruit, Christian Faith, House of Prayer for All Nations, Jesus' Actions, Understanding the Bible