Mark 11:12-21

Is the church a lifeboat station or a yacht club?

A fig tree in leaf. From a distance it looked like it should be fruitful. When Jesus got up close it was barren.

The Temple looked like this. At first glance it looked like it provided everything but in fact it was fruitless.

Why is Jesus so angry about the Temple?

If you travelled to the Temple along way you would want to buy an animal. They were on sale at the Temple. But you needed to change your currency to do that. It was a commercial sting. The hustle and bustle of this trading filled the court of the Gentiles, the only place where the Gentiles could worship.

Jesus performed a premeditated act of righteous anger. The Temple was fruitless like the fig tree. Jesus was furious because:
1. The people who needed God the most had no access to him
2. If you could get close you would be ripped off. Priests making money not interested in people’s forgiveness.
3. Forgiveness was suppose to be free for everybody.

Jesus says ‘enough is enough’. Then in all this chaos those who were never allowed in sneaked in and Jesus blessed them – v 18.
Psalms 89:14, 82:3-4, 146:7-8,
Isaiah 1:17
James 1:27

Ezekiel 47:1-12. An amazing picture of the Temple (the church) that is flowing out bringing life to everyone it meets. You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit!

We don’t care enough!
“Lord, bend me.”. Cry of Evan Roberts at the birth of welsh revival.

Fear has taken the place of compassion.

“break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for your kingdom cause”