Sermon Tone Analysis

Are you hungry?

(insert Breakfast food picture)

When you think about being hungry what do you think of?

There is physical hunger but there is also spiritual hunger.

Did you come today expecting to be fed?

May we come to our passage today with open hearts, open bibles and a desire to be fed from God’s Word.

Passion week has begun

Entrance fit for a king (MK11:1-10)

A quick look (Mk11:11)

Monday: Return to the Jerusalem/Temple (Mk11:11-18)

We come to our passage today and there are two stories, but are they related?

May we look, may we see, may we glean from the scripture.

The cursing of the fig tree (Mk11:12-14)

The cleansing of the temple (Mk11:15-18)

May we take a few minutes and look at the narrative and makes some observations along the way.

Cursing of the fig tree

In something that seems out of nature of himself Christ curses a fig tree, but what is it about, why?

What does this have to do with His passion?

What does this have to do with the cleansing of the temple?

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

What day of the week is it?

How do you know?

We know it is Monday for He came into Jerusalem (Mk11:11) and it is now the next day.

He arrived in Bethany on Saturday, and that evening there was a banquet for him (Jn12:1-2; not on screen, look it up) from there He went onto Jerusalem; after sunset which would be Sunday (Mk11:1-11)- just something to think about, to consider.

What is Jesus at the time?

Jesus is hungry

What does He see? what was His hope?

HE sees a fig tree in distance, His hope was that it would have fruit?

Why did He curse the tree?

There was no fruit, but wait there is more to get from it, what else do you see? (it was not the time for figs)

There is much more behind all this, but we will get to that shortly.

One last thing to notice, who heard him curse the tree? - the apostles

Observations about the cursing of the fig tree

In the region of Palestine Fig trees would produce a small edible bud (fruit in March, then would come the large green leaves and you would know fruit is coming and that is in April according to Bible Knowledge Commentary.

This small edible bud was normally consumed by the local peasants and the owners would wait until the fruit comes in April.

Things are not always as it seems, there were the green leafs but there was not fruit, from the distance things looked good, but upon close inspection there was no fruit.

The tree had appearance of offering edible food, but did not.

Now Mark has been talking about the kingdom, talking about greatest and now we are here, and when we link to the next section maybe you can see more than Jesus cursing a fig tree.

The New International Biblical Commentary says “the incident of the fig tree both interprets the cleansing of the temple and is interpreted by the latter incident.

Just a couple more thoughts on this.

Jesus was disappointed with the fig tree, and he was disappointed with Israel, Jerusalem and the temple (also from NIBC)

this act by Jesus is a prophetic act not a simple rash act of anger, nor is the cleansing of the temple as you will see.

This was being done all for the benefit of the apostles and for the people too.

One more point, a couple of scriptures to bring in, is this the fulfillment of (Jer8:13; Mic7:1)?

Like the fig tree had everything to flourish, so had Israel, God, the Law, the Word and yet it did not flourish did it?

They were blessed beyond measure but did not live up to their potential.

Now look at this other passage

The Lord, like Micah wanted the first fruit, the buds and there was none.

There was every reason there should have been physically and can be applied spiritually too, but it did no bear fruit.

Cleansing of the temple

Cleansing of the temple

A sad sight and righteous anger are what we see in this next section.

I think you will find it is more than meets the “eyes.”

Mk11:

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

I think we need to look at the narrative then look behind it to see what observations and application we can get from it.

Where are they in (v.15) and who is the “they”?

The apostles came into Jerusalem and the temple with Jesus (have to look back at the they (v.11)

What did Jesus do (v.15-16)?

Drive out buyers and sellers, overturned tables

Did not permit anyone to carry merchandise through temple

What did Jesus do in (v.17)?

Teach, Jesus never missed a teaching moment, opportunity for they were getting very close to the cross now and He still has much to convey

Jesus refers to Old Testament this house is to be a house for all people (1Kng8:41-43; Isa56:7)

1King8:41-42

and then look at what Isaiah had to say

Who heard, who noticed, what did they want to do (v.18)?

The chief priests and scribes and they were looking how to destroy Him

Notice, they were afraid because of the crowd who were astonished.

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Some observations about the cleansing

The place - court of the Gentiles

Conducting business fulfilled prophesy, hindered worship (Jer7:11)

Is this second time cleansing temple?