Big Mistake: Forgetting that Jesus is in His New Testament House

The Lord of the Covenant is in His House

(Mark 11:12-33, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 6, 2019)

[12] On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. [13] And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. [14] And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

[15] And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. [16] And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. [17] And he was teaching them and saying 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 den of robbers.” [18] And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. [19] And when evening came they went out of the city.

[20] As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. [21] And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” [22] And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. [23] Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. [24] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

[27] And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, [28] and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” [29] Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. [30] Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” [31] And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ [32] But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. [33] So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus is not surprised by the events of history, because he is, in fact, in charge of them. He ended the Old Covenant era and began the New Testament way of life. When he came to Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb, he deliberately provoked supposed religious authorities right in the temple in Jerusalem. Today, the church brings the gospel to the whole world. Though we would be as gentle as doves, our very existence is provocative to those who imagine themselves to be lords over God's creation. Nonetheless, no powers can change the fact that Jesus has a rightful claim not only on one building, but on the whole world. As we anticipate his return in judgment, how can we live, and especially, how can we pray, as those who know God and who obey the gospel of the Messiah?

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree – Isaiah 5:1-2 and structure of Mark 11 – Israel

He was hungry.

Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.

Nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

“May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

His disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

They came to Jerusalem.

He entered the temple

Began to drive out those who sold and those who bought

He overturned the tables of the money-changers & the seats of those who sold pigeons. He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.

My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations (Isaiah 56:3-8)

A den of robbers (Isaiah 56:9-12, Jeremiah 7:8-15)

The chief priests and the scribes heard

They were seeking a way to destroy him

They feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

Quite deliberate

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

In the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

Peter remembered

Have faith in God.

Do not doubt in your heart

It will be done for him

Therefore

I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it

It will be yours.

But forgive (and obey)

Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

And they came again to Jerusalem.

The chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him

By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority

I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you

Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.

If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people

We do not know.

Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

THE POINT: Jesus is the Lord of the Covenant and he is in His house.

Applying these verses:

1. Connect the common details of your life to the gigantic eternal purpose of God.

2. Pray for the church here and throughout the world, especially that we may “stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” (Colossians 4:12)

3. The Medieval Church forgot that Jesus was in His House. Never forget that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that JESUS IS IN HIS HOUSE. – Reject cheap grace.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 119:81-88 – Help me!

New Testament Reading—Romans 6:1-11 – Are we to continue in sin?