The Gospel According to Mark (Part 36)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 36)

Good morning and welcome to Jesus Church

Last week we started reading about the last 7 days of Jesus life

• We call this the passion week
  • And while the first 10 chapters span 3 years of Jesus life
  • The last 6 chapters cover these last 7 days and the resurrection
  • So the rest of Mark is packed full of detail & content
• Last week: Jesus makes his grand entrance into Jerusalem
  • And he along with thousands of Jews were there for Passover
  • To celebrate how God saved them from Egyptian oppression
  • And singing of a coming Messiah who would save them again
• Many Jews knew Jesus was coming & believe he was that Messiah
  • They are cheering – Hailing him as their king
  • Shouting out Hosannah! (Save us Save now)
  • Anticipating him destroying Rome and freeing them once again

But Jesus enters the city (very intentionally) on a donkey

• Now a ruler who entered Jerusalem for war did so on a horse
  • Jesus comes in on not a horse… but a donkey (peace)
  • There was a ruler who came on a horse – Roman Governor Pilot
  • But Jesus didn’t come 2 win a physical war… but a spiritual one
• Jesus speaks so much through the way he enters the city
  • No entourage of soldiers as a show of force
  • Just some Fishermen/Ex-Prostitute/Tax Collector/Blind Guy
• And it all shows us again… Jesus is King just not who we expected
  • Because he never fits into the Messiah stereotype…
  • Jesus in his character blurs all the lines of what should be

Jonathon Edwards (1738)

Preached a sermon after being captivated by imagery of Rev 5

Rev. 5:5-6

Then one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “stop weeping! Look the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne has won victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw the Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing at the center of the throne.

• There’s this huge dichotomy between how Jesus is characterized
  • The lion excels in strength/majesty
    • It’s power is force and protection
  • The lamb excels in meekness/patience
    • It’s sacrificed for food and clothing
• But we see that Jesus as both lion and lamb Heaven
  • Two sets of qualities that seem completely incompatible
  • Jesus had character traits we think could never go together
    • In him we find infinite majesty yet complete humility
    • In him we find perfect justice yet boundless grace/mercy
    • In him we find absolute authority yet full submission
• And the result in Jesus isn’t that Jesus is some oxymoron of life
  • But that he brings this perfect balance of life

And in this balance Jesus heads straight to the TEMPLE

• The epicenter of the entire Jewish system

TAG: And what happens next shows exactly what he is here to do

Mk 11:12-24

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 the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the moneychangers 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 the 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 next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

[PRAY]

A few weeks ago we learned of Markian Sandwiches

Trying to be creative… ate an extremely hard bacon gouda to illustrate

• It went terribly wrong… So I’m not gonna do that again
  • But if you weren’t hear – First off I’m glad
  • But you probably want to know what a Markian Sandwich is
• Mark does a very interesting thing in various parts of his writings
  • Tells a story… in the middle tells another story (the sandwich)
  • The middle story is suppose to be the meat to the overall story

So the story starts with Jesus hungry… I love how relatable Jesus is

• And he see’s this fig tree in the distance
  • So he heads over to it hoping it has some fruit for him to eat
  • But when he gets there… he finds nothing but leaves
• Here we find out Jesus suffered from low blood sugar (aka hangry)

Mk 11:14

Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again”

• Now on the surface this story doesn’t look great for Jesus
  • First off not only is he talking to a tree…
  • He puts a curse on it
  • And it even says it wasn’t the season for fruit
  • I wanna say “Geez what did that tree ever do to you”
• But with what comes next – We see Jesus uses this an object lesson
  • Because he’s on the way to the temple with his disciples
    • And what happens with the fig tree
    • Ties in directly to what will happen at the temple

So now Jesus is approaching the temple

• And if you were to approach the temple in the 1^st century [PIC]
  • The first court you enter is called Court of the Gentiles
  • It was only place in the temple the Non-Jews could go
  • And its where the business operations of the temple happened
• So as you approached – You would see thousands of people
  • Buying/Selling animals at 100’s of locations
  • Also see 100’s of foreign money changers

Josephus

He recalled during one week of Passover alone, there were 250k lambs bought, sold and killed in the temple.

• Imagine the chaos… people trying to get you to buy stuff
  • Others trying to negotiate on a better price
  • 1000’s of lambs going “Baaaaaah Baaaaah”!
• And this is what you have to understand
  • This place was where the world was supposed to find God
  • Where the world would see God through the Jews
  • And all that’s going on there… it’s a giant farmers market

So Jesus who is the Lion/Lamb goes full on LION on the place

Matt 11:15-17

When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the moneychangers 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.”

So this happens and it really changes everything

• Why the next verse says the Pharisees start making a plan 2 kill him
  • A couple things… FIRST: JESUS GOES AFTER THEIR MONEY
    • Now Jesus is going after their money
    • Temple court wasn’t always where buying/selling was done
    • Caiaphas (high priest moved it & money changers there
    • Which would have been very profitable for Him
  • SECOND: Jesus hates what they’ve turned the gentile court into
    • Jesus says: This is a house of prayer for ALL NATIONS
    • Which Isaiah says – Right before 1^st temple was destroyed
      • B/C this cycle had happened before (temple for profit)

Jesus is declaring that this is about to happen again – Temple is doomed

• But this time it won’t just be physically the temple is out of picture
  • He’s saying this time spiritually the temple is out of the picture
  • Because Jesus is restoring relationship with God
  • So the physical temple is no longer needed

Now b/c this story revolves around temple (history)

Very first temple was actually the garden of Eden

• Because Eden was THE sanctuary… place God’s presence dwelt
  • It was perfect – it was peace – it was shalom
  • But when man rejected God’s presence and turned from Him
  • We lost that sanctuary

Gen 3:24

After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

• So Adam/Eve were forced to leave the sanctuary
  • And God sends a giant flaming sword to block the entrance
  • And in that… very fabric of the universe is changed b/c of sin
• There was no “sorry” let me back in… no second chance
  • This is why God said if you reject me… you will surely die
  • It wasn’t a physical death – It was a spiritual death
  • Why: Because we were cut off from the source of life
• And the only way back was to pay for sin – justice had 2 be satisfied
  • Sword was a reminder that sin had severed our relationship
    • Severed our ability to enter the temple and the presence
  • So who could survive the sword of justice (No one)
    • If no one can survive… how do we get back to God
    • Which is the question throughout the story of the OT

TAG: This is where God promises he has a plan to bring us back to him

So God creates a temple – To house a second sanctuary (1^st was Eden)

• 2^nd Temple had a inner room called the Holy of Holies
  • This sanctuary was separated from everything by a thick veil
  • And behind the veil was the presence of God
  • So no one could go in there… but once a year the high priest
    • If he carried a blood sacrifice with him (Yom Kupor)
    • He could enter the sanctuary– but not close to what is was
• The prophets spoke of 1 day there’d be no more need for temple
  • Because the glory of God would fill the entire earth
  • But that was a problem because justice still had to be fulfilled
• So actually Gods glory breaking out of the sanctuary was terrifying
  • Because facing Holy God meant facing judgement
  • Both veil & sword were actually God’s mercy… not judgement
  • But with the impending outbreak of God’s presence
    • There had to be a plan

Isaiah prophesied of a suffering servant who could satisfy judgement

Is 53:7-8

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living, for the transgressions of my people he was punished.

• When Jesus went to the cross He faced the flaming sword of justice
  • And he satisfied the price of our sin
  • So when Death broke his body… it also broke itself
  • B/C the death of death WAS IN the death of Christ
• And the moment Jesus made a way past the flaming sword
  • The veil in the holy of holies was torn in two (top to bottom)
  • Why… because it was no longer needed
• And the potential of what the garden was in the sanctuary
  • Was made possible for all of creation

So Jesus is at the temple – Declaring the temple had lost its purpose

• In fact what does he go after when he overturns the tables (doves)
  • Now… I hate doves and pigeons just as much as you do
  • But why targer the doves
  • Doves were sacrifice for whoever couldn’t pay for sacrifice
• This is all intentional… Jesus is getting rid of the sacrifice
  • Intended for whoever couldn’t pay 4 a sacrifice…
  • Which was everyone

[Remember Jesus starts w/ fig tree… then temple… and back 2 the tree]

Question: Why in the world is the fig tree in this story

Mk 11:20

The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.

Middle Eastern fig trees in this time bore 2 kinds of fruit

• In the spring when the leaves budded – The had little nodules
  • They weren’t figs… but they were very good to eat
  • So travelers would pick them off during their travels
• But if you found a fig tree that was sprouting leaves
  • But had none of these nodules
  • You would know there was something wrong with the tree
  • It could look good (leaves) – But was diseased (probably dying)

You see: Growth without fruit was a sign of decay

• So Jesus curses the tree… Everything happens at the temple
  • And then they pass by again and its dead
  • Peter (captain obvious) tells them what they are already seeing
• Jesus makes tree an object lesson to what happened at the temple
  • This fig tree was supposed to produce fruit and it wasn’t
  • The temple was supposed to produce life and it wasn’t
• The temple looked good… just like the tree
  • But its roots were poisoned – Just like the temple
  • No prayer going on… no people meeting with God

Mk 11:22-24 (Then Jesus says)

Have faith in God (no remember this is in context of the tree/temple) Truly I tell you, if anyone says to THIS mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

Now what mountain is “THIS” mountain

• Jesus is talking about specifics… this tree… this mountain
  • What mountain is right in front of their faces
  • It’s the temple mount… its where the temple was located
• Remember Jesus is in the middle of making a point
  • Most want to lift this verse out and make it about super power
  • But in any way is that what Jesus is talking about… NO!!!
  • He’s talking about getting rid of a temple that lost its purpose
    • Because Jesus is about to change EVERYTHING
• In ancient Judaism… you couldn’t ask anything without a sacrifice
  • Want peace – Sacrifice
  • Have sin – Sacrifice
  • Tick off a neighbor – Sacrifice
  • Touch a dead body – Sacrifice
  • Kill your friends cow – Sacrifice

Jesus says… get rid of the mountain & do what???

Pray – What did Jesus say temple was supposed 2 be about

• This was to be a house of prayer (for who) all nations
  • Who is Jesus talking to… “If ANYONE says to this mountain”
  • Jesus is teaching the disciples – But talking to you and me

Here’s what I believe Jesus is saying thru destroying the temple courts:

• Stop the religious show… I created a way to God’s presence
  • And I want a relationship with you
    • Jesus destroys the empty temple
    • Jesus curses a fruitless fig tree
  • Saying “I want more than busyness & religious motion”
    • I want more than leaves that have no fruit
    • Jesus wants 2 walk w/ you in real faith filled relationship
• Please realize God wants more than Sunday morning relationship
  • God wants your heart
  • God wants you to trust him
• Jesus not satisfied w/ u living an empty, boring religious life
  • Following rules of a distant God hoping 2 appease him
    • Mormons… that’s the goal
    • Muslims… also the goal
  • Jesus wants so much more for you
    • Honest question: Does relationship with God
    • Look like the temple Jesus tore apart
  • And if it does… this is his invitation to make a change

[PRAY]