House of Prayer/Boiler Room for the Church - Mark 11
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts
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.”
Reflection:
As Jesus nears the cross, everything he does and says will be important for us to contemplate. These are some of the last words/teachings he gives us in his closing time here on earth. Note the following aspects:
1. Jesus curses a fig tree that was barren and not producing any fruit. This is an obvious reference to Israel, God's chosen people who were supposed to bear fruit, but rejected the very source of the Vine, Jesus. In John 15 Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He is the Vine and we are the branches. Apart from him we can do nothing!
2. A symptom of this is their worship life, which has been reduced to making a mockery of the temple by their buying and selling practices. Jesus expresses righteous indignation at what is happening in the place, which is supposed to be devoted to worshipping the Father and house of prayer, not a den of thieves. Note there is a difference between anger at being personally offended, versus having a zeal for God's house of worship, which Jesus exemplifies.
3. When Jesus rebuked the leaders, rather than repenting of their behavior and bad leadership, they looked for a way to kill him. In the same way the killed the prophets, when they brought anything but good news, they did the same to Jesus.
As usual the disciples were missing most of the point, but instead focused literally on the fig tree which they found withered as Jesus predicted went they went back the same way they had come. Instead of rebuking the disciples for their lack of understanding, he uses it as an opportunity to teach them about the power of prayer. In another passage Jesus referred to the temple and said it should be a "house of prayer".
So what can we learn from this? How can we be careful to avoid the errors of the chief priests and teachers? Do we take prayer seriously? Someone has said the prayer room is the boiler room of the church. There are faith communities today called 24-7 communities that focus on radical dependence on Jesus, and a 24-7 commitment to prayer. I think the more we pray the more we rely on God for everything we do. We move away from dependence on human abilities to dependence on the Holy Spirit, which is the only way to bear real spiritual fruit. How is your prayer life? Has it become perfunctory and rote? Do you have enough time built into your schedule to really commune with God in prayer, both individually and within your faith community/church? I know I need more of this, how about you?
Jesus we come to you today in prayer because apart from you we can do nothing. We give you our burdens today and offer our prayers to you in confidence your will be done as we pray in Your name. As we pray help us to forgive anyone we have grievances against, just as you have forgiven us for our many faults. May we be people of humble prayer and radical dependence on you. Amen.
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.”
Reflection:
As Jesus nears the cross, everything he does and says will be important for us to contemplate. These are some of the last words/teachings he gives us in his closing time here on earth. Note the following aspects:
1. Jesus curses a fig tree that was barren and not producing any fruit. This is an obvious reference to Israel, God's chosen people who were supposed to bear fruit, but rejected the very source of the Vine, Jesus. In John 15 Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He is the Vine and we are the branches. Apart from him we can do nothing!
2. A symptom of this is their worship life, which has been reduced to making a mockery of the temple by their buying and selling practices. Jesus expresses righteous indignation at what is happening in the place, which is supposed to be devoted to worshipping the Father and house of prayer, not a den of thieves. Note there is a difference between anger at being personally offended, versus having a zeal for God's house of worship, which Jesus exemplifies.
3. When Jesus rebuked the leaders, rather than repenting of their behavior and bad leadership, they looked for a way to kill him. In the same way the killed the prophets, when they brought anything but good news, they did the same to Jesus.
As usual the disciples were missing most of the point, but instead focused literally on the fig tree which they found withered as Jesus predicted went they went back the same way they had come. Instead of rebuking the disciples for their lack of understanding, he uses it as an opportunity to teach them about the power of prayer. In another passage Jesus referred to the temple and said it should be a "house of prayer".
So what can we learn from this? How can we be careful to avoid the errors of the chief priests and teachers? Do we take prayer seriously? Someone has said the prayer room is the boiler room of the church. There are faith communities today called 24-7 communities that focus on radical dependence on Jesus, and a 24-7 commitment to prayer. I think the more we pray the more we rely on God for everything we do. We move away from dependence on human abilities to dependence on the Holy Spirit, which is the only way to bear real spiritual fruit. How is your prayer life? Has it become perfunctory and rote? Do you have enough time built into your schedule to really commune with God in prayer, both individually and within your faith community/church? I know I need more of this, how about you?
Jesus we come to you today in prayer because apart from you we can do nothing. We give you our burdens today and offer our prayers to you in confidence your will be done as we pray in Your name. As we pray help us to forgive anyone we have grievances against, just as you have forgiven us for our many faults. May we be people of humble prayer and radical dependence on you. Amen.
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