Sunday Sermon
sunday morning 9th May 2010
Mark 11v12-25 a day or two in Jerusalem
On this last week before the Cross Jesus spends his time in and around Jerusalem teaching his disciples and all who would listen.
Jesus had come to institute a new way of living: repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near.
In the days before the cross he cranks up the rise of the revolution.
A new way to God had to be established because the temple and all its ways had failed.
1) No fruit from the tree, no fruit from the temple = judgement!
Symbolic of the temple failure was the tree.
V12 Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and he is hungry!
Hungry for food, just as we are hungry for God.
So he goes to the leafy fruit tree but finds no fruit.
The leafs had given hope of fruit, the signs were right but there was no fruit!
V13 Mark points out that it was not the season for fruit.
Jesus knew that, so his actions must be interpreted as a acted out parable.
He proceeds to curse the tree, v14. In the hearing of the disciples.
Who at the moment make nothing of it!
Next Jesus reaches the temple. The place where prayer and worship and healing for “all the nations” was to happen.
But on getting there he finds nothing of the sort! Again all the leaves but no fruit!!
Rather there is exploitation and profiteering.
A place where seeking God was to be the main activity but instead it had become a hideout for criminals!!
The actions of Jesus caused the rulers to fear him and want his death v18.
It seemed to them that Jesus was winning the hearts of the people which would only mean their lose!
Then in the evening he left the city again v19.
App
The cursing of the fig tree and the clearing of the temple all happened because there was no fruit.
Today Jesus is still hungry for fruit in the lives of his followers and indeed from all the world!
The church often measures success by numbers and by finances but how are we to judge success as Christians?
Quite simply by the display of fruit.
Are our lives showing more patience, more love, more joy, more peace etc.
Or are we still struggling with anger, lust, worry, greed?
And if we feel that we are not showing the fruit we should how can we change?
How can we reach God today, without the temple?
What can be done to help us grow in the right direction?
2) How then can we access God?
That is what Jesus goes onto teach the next day in Jerusalem.
Starting with Peter noticing the withered fig tree.
V20 this was a supernatural withering in response to the words of its Maker.
Peter turns to find out what this is all about “Teacher, look ...”
Then the Teacher points out three areas that need to be addressed for fruit to grow,
And thus for judgement to be avoided!
a) v22 faith,
the starting point in accessing God is faith in Him.
That is we come to God believing that he exists and he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Ps63v1, Heb11v6).
This is the starting out point of our relationship with God.
If we have faith in God we will be saved and avoid the curse that came to the fig tree.
And we simply go to him directly as we are. No need for the temple and its cult.
b) v23-24 belief
Belief and faith are obviously closely linked.
Belief is mature faith, expressed in reliance upon God.
Thus you rely upon God giving you what you have asked for in prayer.
You do not just have faith that God exists and that he can help you, you actually come to rely upon his help, his grace – you live by it!
The point about not doubting is to help us sort out what we are to ask for and rely upon getting!
That is believing and receiving, it is not a licence to encourage greed, but to right asking!
Thus this takes maturity and common sense.
God wants us to be mature, whole, fulfilled, fruitful servants in his Kingdom.
We can ask and rely upon getting all that will help towards that end.
So standing to pray is not the kind of prayer that is given in the moment of need, but thoughtful considered, maybe even written out and discussed prayer!
c) v25-26 forgiveness
One thing we need to get straight right from the start is forgiveness!
For faith, and belief and growth to work, there is a condition that we must get sorted out.
It is a heart attitude condition.
When you go to prayer, to ask for all that you need as a follower of Jesus: forgive!
Unforgiveness and holding grudges, is a cancer to the soul because it is so contrary to all that Jesus stands for.
Now it may take time to get over this first hurdle, we may need help, but we must forgive.
Unforgiveness is what the kingdom of satan stands for and we cannot hope to move on in the Kingdom of God with attitudes from the kingdom of satan still ruling over us.
sunday evening 9th May 2010
Mark 11v27-12v34.
Jesus is again on his way to Jerusalem, he is spending his last days on earth teaching the disciples and teaching publically in the temple.
In this next section his teaching comes in response to those who seek to question him for various reasons:
1) what right do you have to do these things? 11v27-12v12
The chief priests, legal experts and laymen from the wealthy aristocracy want to know what right Jesus had in doing what he has been doing in the temple!
Their own authority is put at stake by the actions of this new Rabbi.
But no reply is given.
Instead he wants them to answer his question about John the Baptist.
Who sent him?
No reply is given to that question so Jesus does not answer them directly but tells them a a story: the parable of the Vineyard 12v1-12
The vineyard is God’s chosen people
The caretakers were the leaders, the chief priests etc
The collectors of produce were the prophets etc
The son is Jesus!
But they rejected them all!
The leaders of the temple come asking Jesus – who gave you the right!!
Jesus by way of allegory answers them – God sent him.
His authority is Gods authority.
But he allows these leaders to reject and kill him!!
In the end however they will get their judgement v9.
Following this parable the leaders take the point and leave in a real rage, wanting Jesus dead v12.
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The authority of Jesus is what this section is all about.
His authority is what we need to accept in our lives too.
It is key to discipleship, to acknowledge by our submission the rule of Jesus on our lives.
The Great Commission starts with the simple fact that Jesus is now in charge.
Yet! He does not force his rule over us, we need to acquiesce!
The son did not force the tenants.
2) next a trick question: taxes v13-17
Asked by the Pharisees and the Herodians
This was more than a grumble against taxes! It was taxes to the occupying forces.
So the question was about faithfulness to God – was it right to pay the Romans what belonged to God?! Would paying Caesar not be a denial of the faith!
But Jesus skilfully shows that paying the tax was not taking from God, because it was Caesar’s money – it had his name and image on it!
Further not only had Caesar to get what belonged to him, so had God!
But point was the people were out to catch Jesus! They were hunting him!
As if He would say something unawares!
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The suspicion that the Pharisees had of Jesus can be mirrored in our own understanding of God at times!
We think there is some kind of trick being played.
That God is really not that good, that the Gospel is not that free and so on.
But again for the benefit of our discipleship to Jesus we need to come to terms with the fact that He is totally trustworthy and good.
There is no “hidden agenda” with God.
He will never be caught out, because he really does have nothing to hid.
He is all out for our good!!
3) the liberals question: resurrection v18-27
Asked by the Sadducees, the first time they appear in the gospel.
They are simply unbelievers. They don’t believe in Gods power, they don’t believe in the miraculous, they don’t believe the bible! Their religion is simply a social club.
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At Aberdeen university I attended a lot of “liberal” “theology” classes.
But it never really bothered me – these people simply don’t believe so obviously they will say what they think is right from their own wisdom!
The harder question to deal with is what difference does believing make in one’s life?
We are those who believe the scriptures, who believe the power of God but what difference will that make to my life over the next hour, tomorrow, the next week?
Perhaps the final question will help us with the answer to that.
4) the final and really important question: greatest commandment v28-34.
Asked by one sincere Scribe (teacher of the law).
Which is the greatest commandment, Jesus replies with the Shema (hear, O Israel...)and adds to it the need to love one another V29-31.
The man agrees and highlights the point by noting that love of God and neighbour is worth more than all the sacrifices the temple could take!!
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If the greatest commandment is to love God and neighbour with all that we are and have then the great aim of discipleship to Jesus is that we become people who are filled with the goodness of love.
Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth and with that great power He is totally good and trustworthy. Our responsibility is to believe that and do all that we can to work our belief out in practice:
Specifically we are to love God, which is shown by our love for people.
Starting by loving those who are closest to us: our wives, our children, our parents.
Then by loving our neighbours, our friends etc
Then our enemies and those who persecute us.
That is what discipleship is all about.
