On the prowl

Jesus was hungry

Mt 21:18–22.18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. 19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Bear facts…

Bear story…

Jesus made a circuit around the towns and villages of Israel.

Luke 4

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Jesus had a mission…

Luke 19

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

King James Version Chapter 4

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Jesus said, I’ve got food. I have meat to eat the ye know not of…

meaning Jesus his physical needs on hold, so he can be the bread of life to this city. The bread from heaven, the Living water. People are hungry for truth. A validation from heaven.

People who have no hope. Lost.

Jesus displayed going to highways and the byways.

As a shepherd looking for a lost lamb.

They are so lost that they need saving, but they are also so lost that they need seeking.

Charles Spurgeon

Mt 21:12–17 

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

the temple was to be a place where the world can come, and worship the Lord. The Jew first, then the gentile.

the outer courts were designs for the gentiles. Because they were considered unclean, they were not directly connected to the temple. but the outer courts represented outreach. Reaching a dying world. Anyone could come to the Temple…

When Jesus came to the temple, it looked like it was doing good things, it had the leaves.

From a distance, the tree looked good. The leaves doing what they do. Just looking good, blowing in the wind. healthy leaves, makes it look like a healthy tree.

And that is what the Lord saw in the temple. It looked healthy. People were praying, people were worshipping. Doing what they do in church.

Jesus then disrupts

Faith to see people saved! impossible situations.

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

there is no way that people can be saved….