SN - notes from 3/6/10
Michael Smith March 7 at 12:34am SN 3/6/10
Jesus, the fig tree, and the temple.
Mark 11:12-14
2 weeks ago we looked at the attentiveness and care of Jesus, last week we looked at the humility of Jesus, this week we see the heart of Jesus with regard to:
I. the hard hearted (Luke 19:41).
II. the fruitless (Mark 11:12).
III. the temple/church (Mark 11:15)
I. The hard hearted (see Lk. 19:41) - Prior to our text, we see Jesus weeping over the people who largely rejected Him (and still do for the most part).
II. The fruitless.
A. v12 - He was hungry… - part of Jesus’ humility meant that he would experience hunger, pain, and death.
B. v13a - the fig tree…
in Luke 13:6 we see a fig tree used in a parable - the emphasis was also on the tree not having fruit.
C. v13b - having leaves…
This would indicate that the tree would also have fruit.
D. v13c - not the season…
Even though it was not the right season, the leaves showed it should have still had fruit. It was false advertising!
E. v14 - “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again”!
observation 1 - to start, fruitfulness is addressed often in scripture and is usually linked to spiritual fruitfulness in terms of personal growth or “church” growth
1. in terms of repentance. Mt 3:8.
2. in terms of works of the Spirit. Ga 5:22,23;
3. in terms of good works. Mt 7:17,18 - READ
4. in terms of righteous. Pr 11:30 - “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And fhe who wins souls is wise”.
5. in terms of our doings - good or bad.
a. good - Isa 3:10 - “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings”.
b. bad - Jer. 17:9-10 - “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings”.
6. in terms of converts to the church. Jn 4:36 - “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together”.
observation 1 - coupled with Luke 13:6, the tree is likely illustrative of a city (Jerusalem), a people (Israel), and also the church (Christians). All 3 have no excuse to not bear fruit, and the latter one’s legitimacy hinges on fruitfulness.
observation 2 - We know from past studies that Jesus is humble, loving, and compassionate, and (from Luke 13:6) patient, so His hard stance (He cursed the tree and withered it) is significant - this is His only “negative” miracle.
observation 3 - it’s vital to ask yourself:
1) Am I fruitful personally?
2) Am I fruitful exponentially?
3) Are people built up by me?
4) Are my fruits generally good or bad?
5) Am I all leaves?
These are important questions b/c leaves aren’t good enough, and there was a definitive time frame in both scenarios - the tree withered, the other tree might be chopped down, and Jerusalem fell in 70AD.
F. v14b - “And the disciples heard it” -
Hear this and please read Psalm 1 to ensure you are fruitful.
III. The temple/church.
A. v15a - began to drive out money changers -
explanation - Every Jewish male had to pay a yearly temple tax (2 days pay). It had to be paid in the currency of the temple, and the money exchangers would change you your money for the temple money, and they did it at outrageous rates.
B. v15b - and those who sold doves -
explanation - the purchase price of the sacrificial animals were also greatly inflated.
C. v16 - would not allow -
explanation - He was also purifying the buyers, not just the sellers
D. v17 - house of prayer for all the nations
explanation 1 - the gentiles were also getting ripped off in the outer courts - in terms of money and in terms of God.
explanation 2 - this is why we do what we do - you are supposed to pray with each other in church.
explanation 3 - all the nations - the church (group or individual) should never be inclusive.
E. v18 - astonished at His teaching - Never cease to be astonished at Jesus, at how much He cares and loves you - this is the key to being fruitful!
