1 00:00:40,610 --> 00:00:42,950 Father, we do offer this service to you. 2 00:00:42,950 --> 00:00:44,870 And we pray that we might be conscious 3 00:00:44,870 --> 00:00:46,890 of your presence and your nearness. 4 00:00:47,150 --> 00:00:49,290 Speak to us, Lord, and make everything very 5 00:00:49,290 --> 00:00:49,830 meaningful. 6 00:00:50,870 --> 00:00:52,890 We ask that our praise may be glorious. 7 00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:55,750 Give to us an understanding of your word 8 00:00:55,750 --> 00:00:58,450 as we come around it and explain it. 9 00:00:58,970 --> 00:01:01,850 And then make this table and its message 10 00:01:01,850 --> 00:01:05,190 meaningful to us all, for the Saviour's sake. 11 00:01:05,970 --> 00:01:06,490 Amen. 12 00:01:15,310 --> 00:01:18,330 Mark chapter 11, beginning to read at verse 13 00:01:18,330 --> 00:01:18,770 12. 14 00:01:24,980 --> 00:01:28,200 The next day, as they, that's Jesus and 15 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,300 his disciples, were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 16 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,740 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in 17 00:01:35,740 --> 00:01:38,040 leaf, he went to find out if it 18 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:38,780 had any fruit. 19 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,400 When he reached it, he found nothing but 20 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,860 leaves, because it was not the season for 21 00:01:44,860 --> 00:01:45,420 figs. 22 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,640 Then he said to the tree, May no 23 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,320 one ever eat fruit from you again. 24 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,360 And his disciples heard him say it. 25 00:01:56,660 --> 00:02:00,520 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area 26 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,280 and began driving out those who were buying 27 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:04,100 and selling there. 28 00:02:05,260 --> 00:02:08,259 He overturned the tables of the money changers 29 00:02:08,259 --> 00:02:12,700 and the benches of those selling doves and 30 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:15,060 would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through 31 00:02:15,060 --> 00:02:16,060 the temple courts. 32 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,280 And as he taught them, he said, Is 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,860 it not written, My house will be called 34 00:02:22,860 --> 00:02:25,940 a house of prayer for all nations, but 35 00:02:25,940 --> 00:02:27,760 you have made it a den of robbers. 36 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:31,320 The chief priests and the teachers of the 37 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,000 law heard this and began looking for a 38 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,600 way to kill him, for they feared him, 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,120 because the whole crowd was amazed at his 40 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:39,520 teaching. 41 00:02:41,020 --> 00:02:43,320 When evening came, they went out of the 42 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:43,620 city. 43 00:02:43,620 --> 00:02:48,000 In the morning, as they went along, they 44 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,120 saw the fig tree withered from its roots. 45 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,500 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, look, 46 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,060 the fig tree you cursed has withered. 47 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,100 Have faith in God, Jesus answered. 48 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:02,140 I'll tell you the truth. 49 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,980 If anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw 50 00:03:05,980 --> 00:03:08,740 yourself into the sea, and does not doubt 51 00:03:08,740 --> 00:03:11,040 in his heart, but believes that what he 52 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,860 says will happen, it will be done for 53 00:03:13,860 --> 00:03:14,140 him. 54 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,980 Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for 55 00:03:17,980 --> 00:03:20,920 in prayer, believe that you have already received 56 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:22,400 it and it will be yours. 57 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,000 And when you stand praying, if you hold 58 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,200 anything against anyone, forgive him so that your 59 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,760 father in heaven may forgive you your sins. 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,120 May the Lord add his blessing to that 61 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:36,420 word. 62 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,170 I'd be glad if you had your Bibles 63 00:03:45,170 --> 00:03:48,470 open at the Gospel of Mark and the 64 00:03:48,470 --> 00:03:49,330 eleventh chapter. 65 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:54,720 In one sense, what we're looking at this 66 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,580 evening is not a parable inasmuch as it 67 00:03:59,580 --> 00:04:07,380 has a literal act that is behind what 68 00:04:07,380 --> 00:04:08,740 is read here. 69 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:11,900 It's part of the ministry of our Lord 70 00:04:11,900 --> 00:04:15,459 Jesus, and it's most important that you and 71 00:04:15,459 --> 00:04:19,260 I understand what he has to say when 72 00:04:19,260 --> 00:04:23,580 he, in an incredible fashion, curses a tree. 73 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:28,500 And then, in a sort of second stage, 74 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,580 goes into Jerusalem and then returns to the 75 00:04:33,580 --> 00:04:37,680 scene of where he has spoken against the 76 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,660 tree and causes the disciples, if not immediately, 77 00:04:43,140 --> 00:04:46,980 ultimately to appreciate what is the significance of 78 00:04:46,980 --> 00:04:51,140 that parabolic, dramatic action. 79 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,220 I don't suppose there's been anything that Jesus 80 00:04:54,220 --> 00:04:57,980 did that has brought more criticism to him 81 00:04:57,980 --> 00:04:59,840 than this incident. 82 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,660 Here he is in Bethany. 83 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,300 He leaves Bethany where his friends Mary and 84 00:05:05,300 --> 00:05:08,460 Martha are, and he sets off early in 85 00:05:08,460 --> 00:05:11,300 the morning, and he approaches Jerusalem, and he's 86 00:05:11,300 --> 00:05:14,400 hungry, and so he goes over to a 87 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,360 tree, a fig tree. 88 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,620 There's no fruit on the fig tree at 89 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:22,120 all, so he spins around, and in a 90 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,100 way that seems to be quite uncharacteristic of 91 00:05:25,100 --> 00:05:27,160 him, he says, "'May no one ever eat 92 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,820 from you again.'" And we're told that his 93 00:05:29,820 --> 00:05:31,280 disciples heard what he had to say. 94 00:05:31,420 --> 00:05:36,320 And then he makes his journey onwards to 95 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,760 Jerusalem, and when he's in Jerusalem, again, he 96 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,800 does something that's out of character, apart from 97 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,360 some related incident right at the beginning of 98 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:46,960 his ministry. 99 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,680 He goes into the temple, and there's, if 100 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:51,560 you like, a violence about him, about his 101 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,000 activity, as he finds the temple filled with 102 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,160 money changers and a hive of commercial activity, 103 00:05:59,380 --> 00:06:02,900 and he's infuriated by this, and so he 104 00:06:02,900 --> 00:06:04,260 sends them all out. 105 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,540 He handles them in a rough fashion, and 106 00:06:09,540 --> 00:06:13,940 as he concludes his stay in Jerusalem that 107 00:06:13,940 --> 00:06:16,740 day, having engaged in some teaching, he comes 108 00:06:16,740 --> 00:06:19,880 back to the point where he'd been the 109 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:25,560 following day, and then later on he goes 110 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,780 back to Bethlehem, and then later on in 111 00:06:27,780 --> 00:06:31,020 the morning, the following morning, they go back 112 00:06:31,020 --> 00:06:34,200 to the fig tree, and Peter recalls all 113 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,740 that Jesus has said, and he points out 114 00:06:37,740 --> 00:06:41,460 that the fig tree has withered. 115 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,680 Well, that in sort of compressed fashion is 116 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:45,600 what we're looking at. 117 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:47,280 I tell it in my own words, having 118 00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:49,260 already got you to listen to it from 119 00:06:49,260 --> 00:06:51,700 Colin, because I want you to follow just 120 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:54,140 the scenario as to what's happened. 121 00:06:54,300 --> 00:06:56,220 In one sense, there's an A and a 122 00:06:56,220 --> 00:06:57,800 B and an A in this story. 123 00:06:57,840 --> 00:06:58,200 What do you mean? 124 00:06:58,280 --> 00:07:00,860 Well, A is the fig tree, our Lord 125 00:07:00,860 --> 00:07:04,320 Jesus with it, standing by it with his 126 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:04,760 disciples. 127 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,140 The B, the Saviour and the disciples in 128 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:12,740 Jerusalem at the temple, and then you go 129 00:07:12,740 --> 00:07:17,560 back to A, the fig tree again, as 130 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,600 though what is in the center is actually 131 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:25,680 a commentary on what is on either side. 132 00:07:26,220 --> 00:07:29,200 What I'm arguing is this, that you'll never 133 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:35,820 understand our Lord's dramatic parable in cursing the 134 00:07:35,820 --> 00:07:40,100 fig tree if you don't also grasp what 135 00:07:40,100 --> 00:07:42,420 happened in Jerusalem. 136 00:07:43,860 --> 00:07:46,060 Someone, as I have said, more than someone, 137 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,260 quite a number of scholars have rejected this 138 00:07:48,260 --> 00:07:50,560 in terms of just a little legend that's 139 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,160 found its way into the Scripture. 140 00:07:53,580 --> 00:07:54,580 Listen to T. 141 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:54,780 W. 142 00:07:54,940 --> 00:07:57,960 Manson, a learned theologian, he says, it is 143 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,000 a tale of miraculous power wasted in the 144 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,520 service of ill temper. 145 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,360 And none other than William Barclay seems to 146 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,000 suggest that it is such an extraordinary thing 147 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,480 that, well, maybe it's questionable whether it actually 148 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:14,180 happened. 149 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,860 In fact, the problem becomes a little bit 150 00:08:17,860 --> 00:08:19,760 more when you look into the thirteenth verse 151 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,420 and you discover that the Lord Jesus, when 152 00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:25,700 He goes to the fig tree to discover 153 00:08:25,700 --> 00:08:29,060 if it has any fruit, finds nothing but 154 00:08:29,060 --> 00:08:32,159 leaves, and the evangelist says, it wasn't the 155 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:33,940 season for figs in any case. 156 00:08:35,659 --> 00:08:38,059 So, what do you accuse the Lord Jesus 157 00:08:38,059 --> 00:08:38,320 of? 158 00:08:38,380 --> 00:08:42,380 An outburst of childish temperament, this is an 159 00:08:42,380 --> 00:08:46,040 act of spite, this is something that is 160 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,120 utterly unbelievable. 161 00:08:49,060 --> 00:08:50,960 And that's what many people say as they 162 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,080 look upon our Lord Jesus acting in this 163 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,840 dramatic and violent fashion. 164 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,800 This is the only occasion when you could 165 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,640 argue our Lord exercises miraculous power in a 166 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:06,900 destructive way. 167 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:07,800 Did you hear that? 168 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,660 The only time when the Lord Jesus exercises 169 00:09:11,660 --> 00:09:15,600 miraculous power in a destructive way. 170 00:09:18,870 --> 00:09:21,770 Now, just before we proceed, you have to 171 00:09:21,770 --> 00:09:23,910 know this, that our Lord comes onto the 172 00:09:23,910 --> 00:09:26,670 surge of history not just with the potentiality 173 00:09:26,670 --> 00:09:29,610 of a king and that of a priest, 174 00:09:30,930 --> 00:09:31,930 He's also a prophet. 175 00:09:33,190 --> 00:09:35,210 Now, prophets are very interesting people. 176 00:09:36,110 --> 00:09:37,570 I sometimes think that if some of the 177 00:09:37,570 --> 00:09:40,170 Old Testament prophets had applied for membership of 178 00:09:40,170 --> 00:09:42,730 the respectable, worthy tabernacle, we wouldn't have had 179 00:09:42,730 --> 00:09:43,030 them in. 180 00:09:44,930 --> 00:09:48,330 Occasionally, they will do the most outrageous things. 181 00:09:49,730 --> 00:09:53,130 Sometimes their teaching will be through dramatic activity. 182 00:09:55,210 --> 00:09:59,730 Sometimes they will engage in actions which seem 183 00:09:59,730 --> 00:10:01,390 to be utterly extraordinary. 184 00:10:01,610 --> 00:10:03,630 Read through the life of Ezekiel if you 185 00:10:03,630 --> 00:10:05,290 want some examples of this. 186 00:10:06,550 --> 00:10:08,810 Now, our Lord is in the prophetic tradition 187 00:10:10,550 --> 00:10:12,770 He wants to make an impact upon His 188 00:10:12,770 --> 00:10:13,230 disciples. 189 00:10:13,350 --> 00:10:15,350 He's got a little entourage of eleven good 190 00:10:15,350 --> 00:10:18,010 men and one dud who are with Him 191 00:10:18,010 --> 00:10:20,270 on this occasion, and He wants to do 192 00:10:20,270 --> 00:10:22,530 something that's going to hit them in their 193 00:10:22,530 --> 00:10:25,650 minds that they will never forget because of 194 00:10:25,650 --> 00:10:27,970 the astonishing fashion in which He behaves. 195 00:10:30,050 --> 00:10:31,550 The second thing that you need to bear 196 00:10:31,550 --> 00:10:35,430 in mind is this, that sometimes in the 197 00:10:35,430 --> 00:10:39,110 Old Testament the Jewish nation and God's relationship 198 00:10:39,110 --> 00:10:43,270 with her is likened to a fig tree. 199 00:10:44,170 --> 00:10:45,570 You say, well, that's extraordinary. 200 00:10:45,570 --> 00:10:47,330 Indeed it is, but nonetheless that is the 201 00:10:47,330 --> 00:10:47,570 case. 202 00:10:47,650 --> 00:10:48,610 Let me give you an example. 203 00:10:48,730 --> 00:10:50,090 There are several that I could quote, but 204 00:10:50,090 --> 00:10:56,070 here is one from the prophecy of Hosea 205 00:10:56,070 --> 00:11:00,110 in the ninth chapter and the tenth verse. 206 00:11:00,110 --> 00:11:03,810 Here is the Lord God, and He's remembering 207 00:11:03,810 --> 00:11:06,790 the time when He came across the children 208 00:11:06,790 --> 00:11:09,390 of Israel with all the needs that they 209 00:11:09,390 --> 00:11:11,750 had as a pilgrim people in Sinai. 210 00:11:12,090 --> 00:11:14,110 And He says in the tenth verse of 211 00:11:14,110 --> 00:11:16,990 Hosea 9, when I found Israel it was 212 00:11:16,990 --> 00:11:18,890 like finding grapes in the desert. 213 00:11:19,310 --> 00:11:22,190 When I saw your fathers it was like 214 00:11:22,190 --> 00:11:25,850 seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. 215 00:11:26,610 --> 00:11:27,390 Did you hear that? 216 00:11:28,230 --> 00:11:31,530 It was like seeing the early fruit on 217 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:32,350 the fig tree. 218 00:11:33,050 --> 00:11:35,490 I could give you several other references of 219 00:11:35,490 --> 00:11:38,150 a similar nature that emphasize the point that 220 00:11:38,150 --> 00:11:42,030 I'm making, that often in the Old Testament 221 00:11:42,030 --> 00:11:46,150 Scriptures the Jewish people are likened to a 222 00:11:46,150 --> 00:11:47,670 fruitful fig tree. 223 00:11:48,610 --> 00:11:51,370 There are however other occasions in the Old 224 00:11:51,370 --> 00:11:55,450 Testament Scriptures when the fig tree and its 225 00:11:55,450 --> 00:11:58,470 withering is an illustration of judgment. 226 00:11:58,710 --> 00:12:00,410 For example, if you go to Isaiah in 227 00:12:00,410 --> 00:12:03,730 chapter 34, you read of God's judgment against 228 00:12:03,730 --> 00:12:04,330 the nations. 229 00:12:04,470 --> 00:12:06,610 Come you nations, near and listen. 230 00:12:06,970 --> 00:12:08,330 Pay attention you peoples. 231 00:12:09,270 --> 00:12:12,490 And then as God indicates something of the 232 00:12:12,490 --> 00:12:16,190 consequence of human sinfulness, He says verse 4, 233 00:12:16,370 --> 00:12:18,570 all the stars of the heavens will be 234 00:12:18,570 --> 00:12:21,430 dissolved, and the sky rolled up like a 235 00:12:21,430 --> 00:12:24,810 scroll, and the starry hosts will fall like 236 00:12:24,810 --> 00:12:30,250 withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs 237 00:12:30,250 --> 00:12:32,870 from the fig tree. 238 00:12:33,770 --> 00:12:34,850 You get it? 239 00:12:35,750 --> 00:12:42,270 I found Israel like a fig tree in 240 00:12:42,270 --> 00:12:42,690 Sinai. 241 00:12:44,250 --> 00:12:48,450 Here are withered figs that indicate that God 242 00:12:48,450 --> 00:12:51,650 is against a people. 243 00:12:52,490 --> 00:12:55,350 Alright, if you're liking categories, that is A. 244 00:12:56,990 --> 00:12:58,710 Now let's go on to B. 245 00:12:58,910 --> 00:13:01,770 The disciples have heard our Lord Jesus as 246 00:13:01,770 --> 00:13:03,650 He pronounces against this fig tree. 247 00:13:03,930 --> 00:13:05,990 Now they find Him, now they're with Him 248 00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:06,810 in Jerusalem. 249 00:13:06,990 --> 00:13:09,870 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus enters the temple. 250 00:13:11,430 --> 00:13:13,830 Magnificent building was that temple. 251 00:13:15,050 --> 00:13:18,470 It was a sort of epitome of religious 252 00:13:18,470 --> 00:13:19,730 extravaganza. 253 00:13:21,530 --> 00:13:25,270 There were courts that sort of encircled the 254 00:13:25,270 --> 00:13:28,130 main part, the holy place of the temple. 255 00:13:28,430 --> 00:13:30,530 There were courts for the Orthodox Jew. 256 00:13:30,670 --> 00:13:32,090 There were courts for the women. 257 00:13:32,470 --> 00:13:34,610 There were courts for the Gentiles. 258 00:13:34,950 --> 00:13:36,690 And even as far as the eye can 259 00:13:36,690 --> 00:13:39,130 see on the Mount of Olives, the land 260 00:13:39,130 --> 00:13:41,250 is controlled by the temple authorities. 261 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,580 Some people wrongly think that the Old Testament 262 00:13:48,580 --> 00:13:50,700 is directed exclusively to the Jews. 263 00:13:50,860 --> 00:13:51,360 It's not. 264 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,360 The Old Testament is directed primarily to the 265 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,880 Jews, but then to the Gentiles, as the 266 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,160 gospel is primarily to the Jews and to 267 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:02,060 the Gentiles. 268 00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:06,860 Now there's a remarkable statement in the prophecy 269 00:14:06,860 --> 00:14:10,060 of Isaiah, the fifty-sixth chapter and the 270 00:14:10,060 --> 00:14:12,680 seventh verse, which speaks of the temple and 271 00:14:12,680 --> 00:14:15,740 it says, my house will be called a 272 00:14:15,740 --> 00:14:18,720 house of prayer for all nations. 273 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:20,380 All right? 274 00:14:24,150 --> 00:14:27,030 Let's imagine that you were a Gentile, that 275 00:14:27,030 --> 00:14:29,710 is a non-Jew in our Lord's day, 276 00:14:30,350 --> 00:14:33,410 and you've moved out of paganism from worshipping 277 00:14:33,410 --> 00:14:36,270 many gods because you realize that the Jews 278 00:14:36,270 --> 00:14:39,310 have got a significant knowledge as to who 279 00:14:39,310 --> 00:14:40,250 God is. 280 00:14:40,550 --> 00:14:43,010 They uniquely possess it, and you want to 281 00:14:43,010 --> 00:14:44,310 enter into some of the benefits. 282 00:14:44,410 --> 00:14:45,990 Now you could have done that as a 283 00:14:45,990 --> 00:14:50,350 Gentile, because Judaism has a place for Gentiles. 284 00:14:51,770 --> 00:14:55,850 And there's a part of the court of 285 00:14:55,850 --> 00:14:59,290 the temple that is reserved for you. 286 00:15:01,170 --> 00:15:04,050 You remember the fellow Caiaphas who becomes very 287 00:15:04,050 --> 00:15:07,250 prominent in the narratives that deal with the 288 00:15:07,250 --> 00:15:10,730 arrest and the ultimate slaying of our Lord 289 00:15:10,730 --> 00:15:11,050 Jesus? 290 00:15:13,350 --> 00:15:16,470 Some forty years before the death of Jesus, 291 00:15:17,610 --> 00:15:19,470 he determined that he'd make a quick shackle 292 00:15:19,470 --> 00:15:19,850 or two. 293 00:15:21,430 --> 00:15:23,150 And the way he did it was by 294 00:15:23,150 --> 00:15:25,490 bringing the markets of which there were four 295 00:15:25,490 --> 00:15:27,430 on the Mount of Olives in the Olivet 296 00:15:27,430 --> 00:15:31,170 area, he brought the commercial activity into the 297 00:15:31,170 --> 00:15:40,070 temple area reserved for the Gentile who wanted 298 00:15:40,070 --> 00:15:42,470 to come to the God of Abraham and 299 00:15:42,470 --> 00:15:45,190 Isaac and to pray to Him in one 300 00:15:45,190 --> 00:15:48,190 of the most holy shrines that Judaism affords, 301 00:15:48,470 --> 00:15:52,370 found that the area allocated to the Gentiles 302 00:15:52,370 --> 00:15:55,630 was a center of activity, a sort of 303 00:15:55,630 --> 00:15:57,010 stock market. 304 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:04,720 And Jesus comes and he's disgusted. 305 00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:11,740 He's seen a fig tree that gives all 306 00:16:11,740 --> 00:16:16,620 the appearance of having fruit, but actually it's 307 00:16:16,620 --> 00:16:18,920 nature's extravaganza. 308 00:16:20,540 --> 00:16:22,840 There are no figs. 309 00:16:24,340 --> 00:16:28,440 He goes into the temple, which is to 310 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,700 be the house of prayer, which is to 311 00:16:31,700 --> 00:16:33,500 stand for fruitfulness. 312 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:39,180 And he finds that as he pushes the 313 00:16:39,180 --> 00:16:46,240 foliage back, there's really nothing left for which 314 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,680 the temple originally stood. 315 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:56,820 And thus with righteous indignation, he overturns the 316 00:16:56,820 --> 00:16:59,620 tables of the money changers and the benches 317 00:16:59,620 --> 00:17:01,220 of those selling doves. 318 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,520 And he will not allow anyone to carry 319 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,800 their goods and chattels through the temple courts. 320 00:17:10,619 --> 00:17:13,339 He will no longer allow the quiet time 321 00:17:13,339 --> 00:17:18,359 of the Gentiles to be disturbed by insensitive 322 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,780 people who want to engage in commercial activity. 323 00:17:24,020 --> 00:17:27,220 Now listen further, or else you'll misunderstand our 324 00:17:27,220 --> 00:17:29,860 Lord Jesus and make some wrong conclusions as 325 00:17:29,860 --> 00:17:32,000 alas the church has done off and down 326 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:32,700 its history. 327 00:17:34,260 --> 00:17:38,620 The finger of accusation that Jesus pointed on 328 00:17:38,620 --> 00:17:42,560 this occasion was not against the Jewish nation 329 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:47,080 as a whole, but the leaders that prostituted 330 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:47,760 Judaism. 331 00:17:49,620 --> 00:17:56,440 It was the priestly caste, the Sadducees, those 332 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,340 who were in the escalons of religious authority 333 00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:01,260 that Jesus was gunning for. 334 00:18:03,620 --> 00:18:05,640 And he says of these, you've turned this 335 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,820 temple into a den of robbers. 336 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,740 Now Jesus is engaged in this activity because 337 00:18:12,740 --> 00:18:15,000 of his concern for Gentiles. 338 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,900 Now it's important that you understand that as 339 00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:21,060 you come to the eighteenth verse, because here 340 00:18:21,060 --> 00:18:23,560 you get the confederacy of the chief priests 341 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,820 and the teachers of the law listening to 342 00:18:25,820 --> 00:18:28,720 what Jesus has been doing, as they've heard 343 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,140 report, and they begin to look for a 344 00:18:31,140 --> 00:18:32,400 way to kill him. 345 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,360 So one of the contributory factors to Jesus 346 00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:38,660 being pinned to the cross of Calvary was 347 00:18:38,660 --> 00:18:43,600 his defense of Gentiles coming to the Father 348 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:44,800 to worship him. 349 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:51,700 Our Lord does not condemn his nation. 350 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:59,480 He condemns the leadership that have misled the 351 00:18:59,480 --> 00:18:59,860 people. 352 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,120 And you understand from this very story, if 353 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:07,000 you feel its fabric, that the ordinary people 354 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,100 are spellbound when they hear of what Jesus 355 00:19:11,100 --> 00:19:16,260 has not only done, but they're mesmerized by 356 00:19:16,260 --> 00:19:17,020 his teaching. 357 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,340 When evening comes, the disciples go out of 358 00:19:24,340 --> 00:19:29,580 the city, probably back to Bethany. 359 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:32,460 Now listen, those of you who are skilled 360 00:19:32,460 --> 00:19:34,700 in the Word of God, who lives at 361 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:35,060 Bethany? 362 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:37,220 I gave you some hint on that, didn't 363 00:19:37,220 --> 00:19:38,020 I, a little while ago. 364 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:44,120 There's that loving family, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. 365 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,020 Now I think that Jesus often went to 366 00:19:47,020 --> 00:19:50,440 Bethany for hospitality when he was in Jerusalem. 367 00:19:50,820 --> 00:19:52,100 There's scriptural proof for that. 368 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:56,440 Can you imagine Mary and Martha letting Jesus 369 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:58,140 go to Jerusalem without breakfast? 370 00:20:00,780 --> 00:20:03,800 I meet with Tim and Hugh and sometimes 371 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,480 some of the leaders of churches in Worthing 372 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,220 on a fairly frequent basis, and often we 373 00:20:10,220 --> 00:20:12,340 take breakfast together at McDonald's. 374 00:20:13,540 --> 00:20:16,860 You'll see us there occasionally, this little religious 375 00:20:16,860 --> 00:20:21,560 bunch having the benefits of McDonald's at eight 376 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,400 o'clock in the morning. 377 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,040 I reckon that Jesus would have had far 378 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,840 more sumptuous fare than McDonald's could ever have 379 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:30,120 given. 380 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,260 But he came the previous day hungry from 381 00:20:37,260 --> 00:20:37,720 Bethany. 382 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,320 Maybe he'd skipped breakfast, or maybe he'd spent 383 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:48,040 one of those long, sleepless nights in prayer 384 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:54,000 and fasting, and he goes as a man 385 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,620 with a double hunger, a hunger in his 386 00:20:57,620 --> 00:21:02,740 stomach and a hunger in his spirit as 387 00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:04,340 he approaches Jerusalem. 388 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,960 And he wants to show to his disciples 389 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:17,040 once and forever the bankruptcy of a so 390 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:21,960 -called developed faith which has at its helm 391 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,700 irreligious men. 392 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:31,840 And Jesus, having passed condemnation on the fig 393 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:36,880 tree, then engages in this violent activity in 394 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:38,560 the temple. 395 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:44,820 And the following day, verse twenty-one, Peter 396 00:21:44,820 --> 00:21:45,880 remembers. 397 00:21:46,940 --> 00:21:50,460 Remembers as he sees this withered fig tree, 398 00:21:50,740 --> 00:21:54,220 what had happened twenty-four hours earlier, and 399 00:21:54,220 --> 00:21:57,820 he says to the silent Christ, look, the 400 00:21:57,820 --> 00:22:01,360 fig tree you cursed has withered. 401 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:05,600 And Jesus makes no further comment apart from 402 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,160 to enforce their faith in God and to 403 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:14,620 teach them about the power of prayer. 404 00:22:17,580 --> 00:22:21,840 Jesus always loved his own nation. 405 00:22:23,980 --> 00:22:26,040 When he died on the cross of Calvary, 406 00:22:26,460 --> 00:22:29,540 it was not the Jews who can be 407 00:22:29,540 --> 00:22:32,900 held as responsible as a whole. 408 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,420 It was those who had corrupted the headquarters 409 00:22:37,420 --> 00:22:40,040 of Judaism. 410 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:45,800 But even for them, Jesus prayed, Father, forgive 411 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:50,900 them, for they know not what they do. 412 00:22:52,340 --> 00:22:56,860 Jesus is on the cross to bring the 413 00:22:56,860 --> 00:23:03,820 salvation of Jews about and to bring about 414 00:23:03,820 --> 00:23:06,100 the salvation of Gentiles. 415 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,360 For all that the temple stood for, approach 416 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:13,640 to God, is now encapsuled in our Lord 417 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:16,440 Jesus, and he declares a faith which is 418 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,640 to the children of Israel and to the 419 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,800 children of Ishmael and to the overall family 420 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:22,980 of Adam. 421 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:30,280 And our Lord sets up this principle that 422 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,760 when he examines individuals as well as when 423 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:39,580 he examines communities, he wants to see reality. 424 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,680 He wants to see the true thing, not 425 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:50,780 some church masquerading as a vibrant center of 426 00:23:50,780 --> 00:23:55,240 spiritual life, not a place where there's necessarily 427 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:59,220 religiosity and smells and bells, oh, I've got 428 00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:01,580 nothing against liturgy in and of itself. 429 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,020 Nor does he want to come into a 430 00:24:04,020 --> 00:24:06,540 church where the Bible is preached but people 431 00:24:06,540 --> 00:24:09,060 are not affected by the message of the 432 00:24:09,060 --> 00:24:10,640 proclamation of the Bible. 433 00:24:12,020 --> 00:24:13,560 Our Lord looks for reality. 434 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:16,300 He looks for life. 435 00:24:17,860 --> 00:24:22,300 And it's the gentle Jesus who will, ninety 436 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:26,220 -nine percent of using his miraculous power, use 437 00:24:26,220 --> 00:24:29,080 it for the benefit of humankind, who will 438 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,700 reserve for himself one miracle in which he 439 00:24:32,700 --> 00:24:34,500 will show the power of destruction. 440 00:24:36,950 --> 00:24:39,430 And he will warn people who are sensitive 441 00:24:39,430 --> 00:24:43,970 that not to respond to the hand of 442 00:24:43,970 --> 00:24:49,330 grace that he extends is in effect to 443 00:24:49,330 --> 00:24:55,010 embrace the only other hand of justice and 444 00:24:55,010 --> 00:24:55,470 law. 445 00:24:55,470 --> 00:25:02,730 Now, Jesus offers Jew and Gentile either his 446 00:25:02,730 --> 00:25:06,730 forgiveness or his justice. 447 00:25:08,050 --> 00:25:11,090 And he will discover which hand you have 448 00:25:11,090 --> 00:25:15,890 embraced as he looks into your life and 449 00:25:15,890 --> 00:25:20,370 finds there the fruit of salvation and a 450 00:25:20,370 --> 00:25:27,190 sensitivity towards helping others into a faith relationship 451 00:25:28,290 --> 00:25:29,290 with God. 452 00:25:30,170 --> 00:25:34,350 That, my friends, as I understand it, is 453 00:25:34,350 --> 00:25:38,390 the teaching of our Lord behind this dramatic 454 00:25:38,390 --> 00:25:43,770 parable which finds its own commentary in what 455 00:25:43,770 --> 00:25:46,870 he does in Jerusalem. 456 00:25:48,690 --> 00:25:54,630 Let's turn in our supplement and sing a 457 00:25:54,630 --> 00:25:59,590 song that is a good response to what 458 00:25:59,590 --> 00:26:04,550 we have learned about the feelingfulness of our 459 00:26:04,550 --> 00:26:08,270 Lord Jesus Christ and the way that we 460 00:26:08,270 --> 00:26:12,670 ourselves ought to love him for all that 461 00:26:12,670 --> 00:26:16,350 he has done for us and for Jewish 462 00:26:16,350 --> 00:26:17,450 people. 463 00:29:56,990 --> 00:30:21,720 Jesus Christ, 464 00:30:21,860 --> 00:30:30,220 Son of God, Lifted up, Willingly to die. 465 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:42,450 He will reign over us, Still freely flowing, 466 00:30:43,210 --> 00:30:48,610 Still blessing, Still living. 467 00:31:36,940 --> 00:31:41,500 Some while ago now, Mary was contacted by 468 00:31:41,500 --> 00:31:42,320 the Mormons. 469 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:43,660 She had just come through a very difficult 470 00:31:43,660 --> 00:31:44,040 spell. 471 00:31:45,060 --> 00:31:47,720 And in some ways, I suppose you would 472 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,780 say you were rather easy prey for them. 473 00:31:49,900 --> 00:31:51,460 They came along just at the right time. 474 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:52,680 How long ago was that? 475 00:31:54,300 --> 00:31:55,580 About 14 months. 476 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,180 About 14 months ago. 477 00:31:57,620 --> 00:32:00,520 And since then, you've come to know the 478 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,140 Lord Jesus as your own savior and Lord 479 00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:03,920 and your God. 480 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,480 How long ago is that, more or less? 481 00:32:06,660 --> 00:32:07,180 March. 482 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:07,860 March. 483 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:08,540 Tremendous. 484 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,000 So we do rejoice with Mary and all 485 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,760 that God has done for her. 486 00:32:14,460 --> 00:32:19,820 Now, Mary did express a desire to just 487 00:32:19,820 --> 00:32:22,580 renounce publicly the baptism which she had into 488 00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:25,680 the Mormon Church a year and a half 489 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:26,480 ago now. 490 00:32:27,140 --> 00:32:28,620 And we feel this is right. 491 00:32:28,740 --> 00:32:31,100 The Lord Jesus Christ has set her free. 492 00:32:31,840 --> 00:32:34,640 And just as he raised Lazarus from the 493 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,760 tomb, all the power is his and all 494 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,600 the glory will go to him. 495 00:32:39,700 --> 00:32:41,040 And nothing that we're going to be doing 496 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,380 tonight will in any sense add to that 497 00:32:43,380 --> 00:32:45,640 deliverance that he has given you, Mary.