The Hope For The Nations

Introduction

I think it would be safe to say or safe to assume here that most of us in here know that it’s important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. We take our kids in each year for their physical exam, we get their eyes checked with the eye doctor, their teeth cleaned and checked with the dentist.

We know that it’s important to do. Now, whether we do that or not personally is another story. Typically, the younger we are the less we go see the doctor because we’re healthy and it’s just not on our minds until something happens or we don’t feel good all of a sudden. And even then, we probably wait a little too long to finally go see the doctor for a check-up.

That’s typically my M.O.

For example, I’ve been a glasses wearer since early elementary but at some point during my high school years I just stopped wearing them. Now, I’m not completely blind without my glasses but it’s not crystal clear either. I definitely need them but just didn’t like the look of them so I stopped wearing them for years even several years into my marriage, I struggled to really see clearly.

But, we’re newlyweds, we don’t have a lot of money, I’m cheap anyways so I’m just like, it’s not that important to really see is it? I can still see okay. But this is no lie or exaggeration. When Amy and I would go on road trips, if I was unfamiliar with where we were, she’d have to read out the street signs to me cause I couldn’t read them.

So, I’m pretty sure she was the motivating influence for me to finally call up the eye doctor and make an appointment. So, I did and I finally get a pair of glasses for the first time in over a decade and when I put them on, I just couldn’t believe that I went so many years without them. Like, seeing, is a big deal isn’t it?

So, now, I’m on a pretty regular schedule again, trying to take care of myself because I understand that even though those appointments can be sometimes uncomfortable, right, any doctor’s visit is just slightly uncomfortable, but the purpose behind it is to be healthy and so we have check ups to remain healthy.

Jesus is going to administer a spiritual check-up of sorts and it’s going to be painful, because as we’re examined under the light, the weightiness of God’s Word it’s going to reveal areas where we need to repent, areas in our lives that need to be cut out for the sake of our spiritual growth and vitality, but the results, for those who listen and repent are robust spiritual life and vitality for their souls. Eternal life, joy, satisfaction.

Body

As we heard this text read this morning, it was kind of uncomfortable wasn’t it? Jesus is cursing fig trees and flipping over tables and driving people out of the temple. This just doesn’t seem like him. And if we didn’t know any better, we’d be like, Jesus you need to calm down and get control over yourself. Control that anger.

People have struggled with this story of Jesus for centuries. Even within the last century scholars and theologians have wrestled with this text. For instance, well-known New Testament scholar T.W. Manson once wrote of this encounter,

“It is a tale of miraculous power wasted in the service of ill-temper (for the supernatural energy employed to blast the unfortunate tree might have been more usefully expressed in forcing a crop of figs out of season); and as it stands, it is simply incredible.”

Joseph Klausner once wrote,

“It was a gross injustice on a tree which was guilty of no wrong.”

William Barclay says,

“The story does not seem worthy of Jesus. There seems to be a petulance in it.”

And so, they reject this story because it’s uncomfortable to them. How could Jesus curse an innocent little fig tree?

The people that struggle with the uncomfortableness of this story are the same ones who struggle with Jesus’ encounter with the demon possessed man in Mark 5. You remember what happens there? A man is possessed with thousands of demons who refer themselves as “legion.” Jesus casts them away into a herd of pigs who then go running off of a cliff into the sea to drown.

“Oh these poor pigs!” People exclaim. “What did they do to deserve this?” “Why didn’t Jesus just cast the demons away and leave these pigs alone?”

And yet, most people have no problem turning pigs into nice juicy ham or bacon, then they fulfill their destiny on this earth, but as Jesus does here, sacrifice them for the sake and salvation of this poor man’s soul and people cry out and complain.

Just like Jonah cried and complained over the withering of a plant in Jonah chapter 4, God calls him to task and says,

Jonah 4:9–11 (ESV)

“Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Jonah was whining over the withering of a plant that was giving him some shade from the sun when he should have been crying out for the salvation of 120,000 souls in Nineveh who were heading toward eternal destruction.

Here in Mark 11, the critics complain that Jesus is being petulant and childish. But when our focus is on the soulless fig tree, we miss the point. Jesus uses this fig tree as a visual parable to show the barrenness, the fruitlessness, the sinfulness, the unhealthiness that was happening to Israel.

Israel was to be a light to the nations.

Isaiah 49:6

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Meaning, as they followed God and submitted to him as King, they would draw hungry nations to the Lord because they would see life as it was intended to be.

Today, we the church are to be the light and hope of the gospel to the nations.

Philippians 2:14–15

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

The way in which we live in glad submission to the reign and rule of Christ over our lives should draw hungry souls to the hope of the gospel. We live differently than the rest of the world. Right? Greatness if found through humble service and putting others first. We die to ourselves, we pick up our cross and follow Jesus. We love one another, serve one another, care for one another, admonish one another, build up one another.

The church is to be this counter-cultural community that shows the rest of the world where true joy is found, in glad submission to our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the hope of the nations.

Unfortunately, Israel failed at this and Jesus is going to call them out on it through this visual parable of the fig tree. We must examine ourselves as well. Are we living as Christ has called us to live? Are we bearing fruit that is drawing hungry souls to Christ, the light and hope of the world? Are you bearing fruit in your life that gives evidence that you are rooted in Christ?

You see, the first thing we see in the text today is that,

Jesus has no use for those who do not bear fruit.

Look at verses 12-14 again.

Mark 11:12–14

On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. 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.

Jesus is the constant teacher. He’s always teaching his disciples something. Remember how the text ended last week in verse 11. They make their grand entrance into Jerusalem and at the end of the day they survey the temple grounds and then leave. Jesus knows God’s chosen people, Israel have missed the point. They’ve missed him. He knows he’ll be rejected.

Now, it’s the next day and they’re making their way from Bethany which isn’t too far away from Jerusalem back to the temple. He sees a fig tree and knows this will be a moment to teach. This is not an act of anger or malice. This isn’t a temper tantrum. This is a classroom.

Israel is claiming to be one thing but they are actually another. They’re putting on a show but are producing nothing of eternal value and significance. They’re not being a light to the nations, in fact, what we’ll see soon is they are actually hindering the nations from seeing God for who he is.

The reason Jesus uses a fig tree here is because the fig tree was a symbol for Israel used throughout the Old Testament.

Hosea 9:10

Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers.

As they’re walking toward Jerusalem Jesus sees this fig tree in full leaf but with no fruit and he knew this would perfectly portray what he was witnessing in Jerusalem at the temple. Isreal had become like this barren fig tree.

From the outside they looked marvelous. The Temple and its ceremonies and rituals were spectacular to be sure. But the only thing their religious observance and ceremonies and temple rituals were doing was hiding the fact that they were not bearing actual fruit in their lives which resulted in the nations coming to God.

The religious leaders were not accepting Jesus as the Messiah. They were not seeking greatness through humble service. Sadly, Israel, instead of being a light to the nations was looking just like the nations.

Application

Now, what about us? Are we arrogant to think that we’re different? That we’ve arrived? That we’ve really figured it all out? This is where we need to examine ourselves underneath the light of Scripture. Is the church today looking like an outpost of the kingdom of God with Christ as our King or does the church today look more like the world?

The temple was magnificent. The religious leaders looked pristine but Jesus called them “white-washed tombs.” There was no fruit, in fact, they were dead inside.

What is the fruit of the Spirit that should be evident in our lives as one’s who have been brought from death to life? What reveals that we are rooted in Christ?

Galatians 5:22–23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Jesus said that evidence that we belong to him is that we obey him.

John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Though we don’t have the same rituals and ceremonies of the Jewish people in the temple, we still today have our own rhythms and customs of how we do things. And it doesn’t take too long to learn the rhythm of church life and to fit in.

It doesn’t take too long to learn the outward look of the church here. But what Jesus is after is life, fruitfulness. Genuine love and obedience for who he is. And when Jesus examines us, he sees right down to the heart, who we truly are.

And so are we, are you bearing fruit in your life that gives evidence that you are rooted in Christ who is your life? We’ll come back to the fig tree at the end today to see more of what Christ calls us to be and to do.

But this visual parable is setting up what is about to unfold in Jerusalem at the temple. So, let’s read on.

Verse 15.

Mark 11:15–19

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 and 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 a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and 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.

Jesus and his disciples are now approaching the temple at Jerusalem. And to say the temple grounds were a spectacular sight would be an understatement. It was magnificent.

Here’s a picture of an artist’s conception of what the temple would have looked like.

Show Pic 1

Jesus and his disciples would have seen the huge marble walls, the gold pillars. It was a magnificent sight for sure to behold.

Huge crowds would have been flowing up the steps into the temple grounds. The crowds would flow into the Court of the Gentiles. A place where all the non-Jewish people could be.

Show Pic 2

You can see this area surrounding the inner temple court where only the Jews could venture.

So, this is where we are now in the story. Jesus is in the court of the Gentiles. An area the length of three football fields with a width of about 250 yards. This entire complex could hold up to 75,000 people.

And so, it’s here in this courtyard that the tables for the money-changers were set up. Why is there a need for money-changers? Because Exodus 30 commanded that a half-shekel be given for every male worshipper over the age of 20. It was a temple tax but foreign money couldn’t be used with its idolatrous images. So, remember, people have travelled great lengths to be at the temple for Passover week so they had to have their money exchanged. And of course, the religious leaders charged a fee for this service.

Also lined up everywhere in this court of the Gentiles were these stalls selling all kinds of livestock for the temple sacrifices. The first-century historian, Josephus once recorded that 255,600 lambs were once offered in sacrifice during one week of the passover. This means, hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions of people were here during these passover weeks.

So, on this sacred space, a place where God would dwell with his people in the holy of holies, where sins would be atoned for through sacrifice. On this courtyard where the nations were to gather and witness the holiness and magnificence of the God of Israel, everything had been turned into a circus.

You have here on this sacred place a combination of a county fair with the New York Stock Exchange.

Instead of worship, there’s shouting from the stalls for people to come buy their animals. Instead of reverence there’s pushiness and jostling for position. Instead of care for the poor there’s abuse and taking advantage. Notice in verse 15 that Mark specifically mentions the turning over of tables of those who sold pigeons. Pigeons were animals that the poorest of the poor could afford, but not they’re being taken advantage of for the sake of profit.

Jesus saw extortion, bribery, greed, and dishonesty on this sacred place and he rightfully flew into a righteous rage for God’s name.

It’s here we see,

Jesus is the Great High Priest exercising rightful authority over His temple.

As was said earlier, Israel was to be a light to the nations, instead here, they became a hindrance. Rather than drawing people to the holiness of God and their need to repent, they took advantage and missed the beauty of Christ.

God’s temple, as we see Jesus say, was to be a house of prayer, a place of worship that attracts and blesses the nations. Jesus was quoting Isaiah 56:7.

Isaiah 56:7

These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

It wasn’t to be a place of division , but of blessing. This is the work Christ is continuing to do through his church. We are called to be a light to the nations. A people drawing others from every language, tribe, and tongue to come worship the great King of kings and Lord of Lords. God is creating a new people whose identity is Christ, whose foundation is the gospel, and whose homeland is the kingdom of God. We are citizens of this heavenly Kingdom.

Jesus rightfully exercised authority over His temple. Today, he exercises rightful authority over you and me, for we are the temple of God whose Spirit dwells within us.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

Just as the temple here in Jerusalem was to be a sacred spot where the presence of God dwelt with his people and where others would be drawn to his beauty, we now, through faith in Christ alone have the Spirit of God resting and dwelling within us. And so, now, no longer is there just one temple in Jerusalem where God’s presence would be found but God’s temple is now found throughout the entire world through believers who are charged with the same mission to showcase the glory, beauty, and hope of Christ for all peoples.

Application

And so, it must be asked and we must examine ourselves. How are you drawing people to the hope of the gospel? How are you, in your neighborhoods, your places of work, in your homes being a light and blessing to all peoples?

Is your life one that draws people to the hope of Christ or is your life hindering others from seeing Jesus?

Let me give us a simple way of this playing out according to Jesus.

John 13:35

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So, is your life marked by love for others? And not just love for those who are easily lovable, but love for the unlovable?

Is your life marked by faith, freedom in Christ, and forgiveness? These are the qualities and heart attitudes that Jesus is after in us.

And we know so because of how this passage ends, back at the fig tree.

Verse 20.

Mark 11:20–25

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, “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.”

What’s Jesus saying here? He’s saying,

Live as true disciples of the kingdom.

The visual parable of the fig tree bookends this encounter in the temple with Jesus and the money-changers.

Jesus’ heart broke over Israel’s rejection and blindness to who he was. He loved these people. In Luke’s gospel it says that as they were drawing near to the temple, Jesus looked out over the city of Jerusalem after his triumphal entry and wept. They missed him and his heart broke over it. He knew in just a few short days he would be ultimately rejected and crucified, and yet He loved them and longed for them to be what God had called them to be.

And what should they be? A people of faith, prayer, and forgiveness.

The next morning they pass by that fig tree again and Peter remembers what Jesus said the day before. He sees it all withered down to the roots. It’s dead. It was sadly a picture of Israel.

And Jesus says, here’s what you are to be. A people of faith. Verse 22, “Have faith in God.” An earth-shattering, earth-shaking faith. A faith that moves mountains.

Do we believe God can bring revival and regeneration to our city? Do we believe that God can overcome racial barriers and divides? Do we believe that through the power of God we can reach the unreached? Do we believe that through sacrificial giving and going we can equip, send, and plant churches to reach more people with the hope of the gospel?

Do our actions reflect faith in a big God or a small God?

We’re to be a people of prayer? I’ll ask the same thing?

Do our prayers reflect faith in a big God or a small God?

It was Andrew Murray who rightly said,

“Christ actually meant prayer to be the great power by which His church should do its work and the neglect of prayer is the great reason the church has not greater power over the masses in Christian and heathen countries.… The power of the church to truly bless rests on intercession: asking and receiving Heavenly gifts to carry to men” - Andrew Murray

We are a forgiving people just as our God is a forgiving God.

We can forgive because we’ve been forgiven through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross.

The temple here was to be a house of prayer for all the nations. A place for all people to come find rest for their weary souls. We now, as the temple of God because of His Spirit resting on and indwelling in us through faith are now to be that house of prayer for all nations. Meaning, we now, who have received grace, mercy, and forgiveness freely extend that same grace, mercy, and forgiveness to others and by doing so, we are reflecting the goodness, grace, and hope found in Christ.

Are you a barren fig tree? Are we? Is our church? If we cannot forgive freely those who have wronged us, then we may be a leafy tree, but we’re not bearing fruit. We can say we’re a people of faith and look good on the outside, but if our lives do not reflect a faith in a big God, then we’re not bearing fruit.

If we’re not praying and asking big things from a powerful God, then we’re not bearing fruit.

Are we longing to see all peoples come to know Christ, the hope of the nations? What are we willing to sacrifice to see the name of Jesus spread to the unreached?

I’ve always loved this quote by missionary C.T. Studd who said,

“Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell!” - C.T. Studd

As one author said in response to that quote, “That’s a great place to plant a temple! That’s a great place to plant a life with a sign that reads, ‘A Savior for all nations! Come on in! All are welcomed! None will be turned away!’”

That’s what Jesus has called us to be. A light for the nations for the glory of God. How will you take part in this mission?