The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.
When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.
That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.
The water leaked out
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” goes the proverb. True. But what if the horse wants to drink but the trough has no water?
Don’t get hung up on whether or not the fig tree should have had some fruit, at least in the beginning stages! If you want to be confronted with difficult, but helpful, reality, zero in on were Jesus was and what he did before and after he cursed the fig tree.
Jerusalem represented the very heart of the special bond between Jews and God. God called this nation into existence for the express purpose of bringing the world into right relationship with himself. But they became wrapped up in themselves. The day before, crowds welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as the king who would kick out the hated Romans and give them back their own land. After cursing the fig tree, Jesus re-entered Jerusalem and disrupted all the commerce in the Temple, specifically the one area were non-Jews were allowed to worship; the Court of the Gentiles. But who cared whether or not Gentiles could worship the Jewish God. They were outsiders whom most considered unworthy even of personal contact.
God didn’t create the nation of Israel for their own good any more that God creates Christians (the Church) for their own good. He always calls groups of believers together for the good of the world. Believers, Jewish and Christian, easily become wrapped up in our own issues, comfort, and spiritual purity. Then when others come to us for the nourishment of God’s truth, all they get is a cold shoulder, or worse, our long list of (spoken or unspoken) petty requirements in order to become like us.
Merciful God, you want your people, and I’m grateful to be one of them, to offer spiritual nourishment to the world in season and out of season. Forgive me when I am like that fig tree and look ready to offer the passerby something spiritually nutritious, but when they get up close and personal, discover I have nothing of eternal worth to offer. - Mike Leamon
Eve
ryone welcomeI don’t know anyone who worked harder to make room for everyone to have a place to worship than Jesus. I can’t imagine the disciples were very happy about Jesus’ tirade at the temple that day. They have just come into Jerusalem accompanied by crowds of adoring fans and Jesus goes and makes a scene at the temple. It certainly was not the way to make friends and favorably influence people in high places.
Jesus is not really concerned with what the people in high places think about him. He is concerned about people worshiping God. The outer court, the place Jesus clears, was for the Gentiles to worship and it has become so overcrowded with merchants there is no room for worship. That is until Jesus comes. Out with the money making merchants and in with people who will worship in spirit and in truth.
Passion of this kind seldom exists in the church. We talk about making space for everyone but tailor our programming to fit a certain demographic. Few outside that demographic will feel welcome enough to stay very long. We chalk it up to sociological forces, Jesus calls it unacceptable.
I wonder what it would look like for the church I pastor to be a place where we cared enough about everyone being able to worship that we radically eliminated anything that interfered with that goal. I wonder what Jesus would drive out of our church? What attitudes would I have to surrender? What comforts and conveniences would I have to surrender? After all having all those merchants in the court of the Gentiles was very convenient for the Jews.
Jesus, I want to become as passionate about worship as you are but I know it will not happen in me without your transforming power. I want to see your church be a place where everyone can worship you in spirit and in truth. Help us Lord to have the same passions you have. - Dan Jones
No comments:
Post a Comment