WWUTT 412 Faith to Move Mountains?

The Fig Tree, the Temple, and the Judgment on Israel

Do you believe that God would use any and all circumstances, any trials and tribulations that you would go through, for your good and for His glory? Then you can move mountains when we understand the text.

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Here's our host, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky, and greetings everyone. All this week we are studying the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion and His resurrection from the grave. And the events that we're looking at correspond with the day that we are on.

So for example, Sunday was Palm Sunday, and that's the day of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, also Jesus entering the temple. On Monday, Jesus cursed the fig tree and He cleansed the temple. And now here we are on Tuesday, where we will see the results of that curse upon the fig tree.

Jesus also teaches in the temple, and a very famous discourse was delivered on the Tuesday of Holy Week, and that is what we've come to know as the Olivet Discourse. But what we're going to be looking at today is the result of that curse of the fig tree, and studying that passage as we find it in Mark 11, beginning in verse 20.

And that's where I'll start reading here. As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to Him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree that you cursed is withered.

And Jesus answered them, Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass.

It will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive. If you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Now when we read the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree in the book of Matthew, Him cursing the tree and it withering all happens at the same time. He curses it and then it withers right there on the spot.

But Matthew has a different reason for writing the way that he does. And the events that he sets out are not always in chronological order. Matthew is writing to a primarily Jewish audience, whereas Mark is writing to a primarily Gentile audience.

So these events are laid out in chronological order. He has the cursing of the fig tree on Monday and then cleansing the temple. And then he goes back to Bethany and then as they're coming back to Jerusalem on Tuesday, he and the disciples see the results of the curse that Jesus had given the tree.

So let's go back to see where he curses the tree initially, beginning in verse 12. On the following day, so this is the day after the triumphal entry, the following day when they came from Bethany, Jesus was hungry and seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it.

And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, may no one ever eat fruit from you again. And his disciples heard it. And so the next event that we have in verses 15 through 19 is Jesus cleansing the temple.

And they came to Jerusalem and he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple. And he overturned the tables of the money changers in the seats of those who sold pigeons.

And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, is it not written? My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations. But you have made it into a den of robbers.

And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and they were seeking a way to destroy him for they feared him because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came, they went out of the city.

And then after reading that, then we come back to the fig tree again. So when they're coming back to Jerusalem, they see the withered fig tree withered to its root. It is dead and it is never going to produce fruit again.

But in the first place, it didn't have any fruit on it. So Jesus was expecting to be able to eat from it. But there was no fruit on the tree because it wasn't the season for figs. So why did Jesus curse it?

Did he not know that it wasn't the season for figs and so it wasn't supposed to be producing fruit anyway? I think the best answer to understand this, there's a lot of scholars that will throw out various answers on what the significance of this is supposed to mean.

But I think it's best explained in Second Timothy four to preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with complete patience and teaching. Jesus cursing the fig tree is a symbol of the judgment of God upon Israel.

They were not producing fruit. They weren't producing fruit in season and they weren't producing fruit out of season. They were not. They were not a reflection of this command that Paul was giving to Timothy to be ready in season and out of season with the word of God.

And so when Jesus comes to the tree, which is supposed to be a representation of Israel and he does not, and it says that he is hungry. So what Jesus expects from his people is fruit and there's nothing there.

And so he curses the tree as a, as the judgment of God is coming upon Israel. Then Jesus goes into the temple and cleanses it where he sees where, well, let's put it this way, where we see with our own eyes that Israel was not in obedience to the law of God, or at least they were in a very disingenuous way.

So they had sacrifices that they were selling there in the temple so that people could take the sacrifices and become like a Walmart of sacrifices. And so it was very disingenuous. No true repentance was taking place there in the temple.

And furthermore, because the merchants had been set up and the money changers who were, you know, by the way, the money changers were taking Roman coins and exchanging them for Jewish coins or vice versa, and they were taking a little bit off the top for themselves.

So all of this was a money-making enterprise, being able to sell sacrifices there in the temple, doing the money changing so that they could gain a little bit for themselves. It has become a den of robbers.

They're robbing people. And furthermore, because the merchants had been set up there, the Gentiles were hindered by the commerce that was going on in the outer court. So they couldn't worship in the temple the way that they wanted to worship.

And this is why Jesus said, is it not written, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations. And the Gentiles can't get in because you're doing this money changing and this robbing people of genuine worship and robbing them of their money so that you can profit off of the things that are going on here in the temple.

So here Jesus sees hearts that are not genuinely for the Lord. And he knows that about Israel, which is why he cursed the fig tree. And then we see it in this particular story with Jesus driving out the money changers and those who are trying to sell sacrifices, cleansing the temple and not letting anybody get through a certain way and then teaching while he is there.

And then the next day when they pass by the fig tree, it is withered and it has died. Just as the judgment of God was coming upon Israel, as they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.

And Peter remembered and said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree that you cursed has withered. And Jesus answered them, verse 22, even though no question has been asked, but it's kind of been implied. OK, Peter going, what's the meaning of this?

What are we supposed to understand from the cursing of the fig tree, even though it wasn't the season for fruit? And now it's withered up all the way to its root and it has died. And here's Jesus response to basically the question that they are implying, but haven't outright asked.

Verse 22, Jesus answered them, have faith in God. The Israelites had faith in themselves. They had faith in the fact that they were descendant from Abraham. And so that's how they knew that they were the favored ones of God and they were going to get to go to heaven and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because we're descended from Abraham.

Hey, we're the blessed people, baby. We've got this made. It doesn't matter how we you know, we are obeying the law of Moses. We're doing it exactly the way that Moses said that we should be doing it.

But Jesus knew that their hearts were far from God. They had faith in themselves or they trusted in the fact that they were descended from Abraham. And that was how they were going to receive the promises and the blessings of God.

But Jesus, by contrast, says to the disciples, have faith in God. Don't have faith in yourselves. Don't have faith in the law. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Now, this is a section that gets taken way out of context by the prosperity preachers and the name it and claim it yahoos. They take this particular section, Mark 11, 20 through 25, and they use it to say, hey, if you just speak it into existence, then it will be for you.

Mind over matter. Your words have power. You speak it and it comes into existence. You say to this mountain, move and it will be done. The next verse, 24. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

I watched a sermon from TD Jake's. I think this was either a little over a year ago or two years ago. Now it was it was I know it was in a December, but I can't remember which December it was. Stephen Furtick was preaching at TD Jake's church, and that was why I brought it up online to watch it.

I it was for research purposes. I listen to a lot more sound sermons that I listen to false sermons, but sometimes for research, I have to listen to the bad sermons, too. So anyway, I was I was pulling this up from the Potter's house and was watching the Stephen Furtick sermon.

And at the very beginning, TD Jake's was doing this money pitch for some sort of a project that they that they had going on. And as he was praying for the money to come in, he was saying things like, God, we believe that the money is already ours.

It's already been put into the envelopes. It's already been put into the mailbox. It's already in circulation and on its way to us. We believe that it's already done. And so Jake's thought that if I believe it, then it will be taking this passage out of context, that if you believe that you have received it, it will be yours.

But that is not what this passage is talking about. So how is it that we are supposed to understand the words that Jesus is saying to his disciples? If it doesn't mean say it and it will be done, then what does it mean?

Well, first of all, the mountain reference is a common metaphor in Jewish tradition for an obstacle that is in your way. It's as big as a mountain that's common in Jewish writing. And as a matter of fact, we see it in the prophet Isaiah.

He likes to use the metaphor of a mountain a lot. One of the most well-known spots in Isaiah is in Isaiah 40 verses three through, I think this is about five, a voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for God.

Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low. The uneven ground shall become level and the rough places a plain and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

So there's no obstacle in the way of God. He will accomplish what he means to accomplish. Isaiah forty nine eleven. And I will make all my mountains a road and my highways shall be raised up. So then Jesus is taking that metaphor that is common to Jewish writing, even used by the prophets and saying to the disciples that if you say to this mountain, be taken up and thrown into the sea and you do not doubt in your heart, but you believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Now, James says the reason why you don't have is because you ask with the wrong motives. That's in James four.

So when it comes to what we ask for, we are asking according to the will of God, not what we want, but that God's will would be done. That's the way Jesus taught his disciples to pray in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew chapter six.

Pray then like this. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We have it said to us also in John 14 verses 13 through 14, whatever you ask in my name, this I will do that the father may be glorified in the son.

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. But it is according to the will of God, not according to our will. If we ask to spend it on our passions, then we will not receive. That's what James says.

You do not get it because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions. You foolish person. Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? And essentially that's what Israel was doing.

They were finding a friendship in the world or they were spending it on their passions rather than glorifying God. And so Jesus has cursed Israel and the judgment of God is going to come upon them. And so here to his disciples, he is saying, do not have faith in yourselves.

Have faith in God. Have faith that God has done it. What he is going to accomplish according to his plan has been done. So if you believe it, if you follow God by faith and not by works, then you will receive the promises that he has destined for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

God works all things together for good for those he loves and has called to himself. Romans 8 28 and then verse 29 for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and those whom he predestined.

He also called those whom he called. He also justified and those whom he justified. He also glorified. Do you believe that? Then you believe as it goes on in Romans 8 to say that nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Verse 37. Knowing all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? It means that even when we face opposition, when there is something in our way, it does not hinder us.

It does not prevent us from what we've been called to do in the love of Christ. But we are even able to use it for our benefit to grow more like Christ and give God the glory in all circumstances. That's what it means to be more than a conqueror.

We don't just overcome it. We use it to our advantage and to God's glory. And that is what God has promised to all those who love him, who have faith in God. So whenever an obstacle is in your way, Jesus is saying to his disciples here, when you see a mountain and you say, be tossed into the sea, it will be done.

In other words, if there is something in your way that is preventing you from being fruitful, then you must believe that if you draw near to God, he will draw near to you. James 4, 7 through 10, submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Have faith in God, cleanse your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts, you double minded, be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. This is all being implied in what Jesus is saying to his disciples. Have faith in God, glorify God, trust in him and do not be hindered by any obstacle in your way.

Do not give into temptation, draw near to God and the devil will flee from you. Do not be hindered by anything that would prevent you from being fruitful, like the fig tree was unfruitful, like Israel is unfruitful.

But instead, whatever you ask for in prayer, Lord, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Believe that you have received it. If you are a child of God, you have and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

This goes back again to Matthew chapter six, where Jesus taught his disciples to pray. And at the end of that prayer, he said that if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive you your trespasses.

Because if we do not love our brother, the love of God does not abide in us. First John three 15, everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

So if you have faith in God, then you will forgive others just as God has forgiven you. You will show that you are a recipient of that forgiveness and grace when you are forgiving others their trespasses.

But if you do not forgive others, then you don't have faith in God who has forgiven you your sins. Let there be nothing that hinders us or prevents us from being fruitful in righteousness to the glory of God.

As it says in John 15 five, Jesus said to his disciples, I am the vine. You are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he, it is that bears much fruit for apart from me, you can do nothing. So once again, this lesson that we draw from the cursed fig tree in Mark 11 verses 20 through 25 is to have faith in God and to not let there be anything that prevents us from being fruitful in righteousness.

That we are pursuing godliness, that we are sharing the gospel with others, that if we are in Christ, he will shine forth through our lives. And if there is anything that presents itself as an obstacle in our past, in our path, anything that would tempt us from godliness and try to woo us into the things of the devil instead, let us ask of God and it will be given to us.

We will receive it even as we stand and ask for it in prayer, standing the illustration that Jesus gives of standing whenever you stand praying, meaning stand firm that we're not knocked over by these obstacles or, or lay down and just die on the ground because we don't think that we can do it anymore.

We have the strength of God with us, his Holy Spirit dwelling inside the power of Christ that reigns in our lives, giving us an ability to resist temptation and follow God. So let us do so to the praise of his glorious grace.

Amen.

Faith, Prayer, and Forgiveness in the Life of the Christian

Gabriel Hughes is the pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Junction City, Kansas. Find out more online at www .utt .com.