Edited SK_CW
Have faith in God
Mark 11:12-25
Key Verse 11:22
“Have faith in God”, Jesus answered.
From this week on, we would like to learn about the faith that overcomes, overcoming three enemies: oneself, the world, and Satan. When we overcome all these, we can truly say, “I am a more than a conqueror.”
We would like to learn this faith because on our own we cannot overcome these enemies. But by faith in God, we can overcome them.
This having been said, let us now think about the faith which makes us to be right with God, with ourselves, and of course with all others.
First, Jesus was hungry
The previous day, Jesus rode a donkey and made a triumphal entry to Jerusalem. As Jesus moved towards Jerusalem, those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” In this way, Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Look at verse 12. “The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.” This passage shows Jesus’ humility and humanity. Although he is God, he lowered himself to the position of those who were in need. There he had fellowship with people who were in need. Bethany was located next to the city of Jerusalem. Bible scholars say that it was inhabited by those who were poor. It was the village of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. It was the hometown of a man known as Simon the Leper.
The expression “Jesus was hungry” also shows us that Jesus is a real human being with a real human body. Like all of us, Jesus wore a body that went hungry and thirsty.
In a book entitled Tao Te Tsing, an ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu said, “The highest good is like water: it places itself in a place where people hate to be. From there it benefits millions of things.”
Jesus himself is the highest good. But in humility he visited a humble town such as Bethany. It was while he was there that he raised the poor Lazarus to life. It was while he was there that probably he healed Simon the Leper.
One thing that strikes us even more is that it was while he was leaving Bethany that he taught his disciples faith. It was while he was hungry that he helped his disciples to have faith in God.
Jesus teaches us more through his actions than through his words. The fact that Jesus taught his disciples faith while he was hungry makes us stop and think about the meanings of his actions. The first thing we can think about is the meaning of hardships, such as hunger. Hardships are never just hardships. They are a lot more than they seem to be. For one thing, hardships are never causes; they are effects. For example, it was when Adam lost faith in God that disasters became the order of his life. In addition, hardships are not just bad luck. Rather, they represent opportunities to learn faith in God.
Last Tuesday while I was at the Center, one beggar came and knocked on the door. I went out and saw him. I knew him. So I asked, “Did you find the shelter?” He said, “Yes. I did.” “What brought you here today?” I asked. “They gave me two bus tokens,” he said. I asked, “So what do you want me to do this morning?” He said, “I am broke. Can you give me some lunch money?” I saw that he was way overweight, like a pregnant woman. I saw his ideal waist size was about 34 inches. But now it was about 42 inches. So I said, “Learn to be broke.” He asked, “Learn to be broke? Why?” I said, “It is when we are poor that we can learn faith in the Lord. If you have real faith in the Lord, you will never be hungry.” He said, “Oh, I see.” Then he left.
Second, a fig tree in leaf
Look at verse 13. “Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.” A lot of people have developed a lot of strange ideas about the fig tree in leaf. Some say that perhaps the forbidden fruit might have been a fig. I do not subscribe to this idea. First of all, figs are good for sandwiches. In addition, when Hezekiah had a certain skin disease, Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so, applied it to the boil, and he recovered. Some say that the “unfruitful fig tree” refers to the “unfruitful Israelites.” I also have difficulty with this idea because in the Scriptures, the fig tree is used by God to indicate the prosperity of the Jewish nation (1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4). When you think about it, even Jesus is a Jew. His 12 disciples were Jews.
But, the expression “Seeing in the distance ‘a fig tree in leaf’” reminds us of what Adam and Eve first did when they fell, for the first time fig leaves are mentioned in the Bible is when Adam and Eve used them as “coverings” after they sinned. In this regard, Genesis 3:7 reads, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” The word “coverings” indicates that sin caused them to become incomplete. When God created Adam and Eve, God found them to be “very good.” But sin caused them to be not as good as they were created to be.
Every problem demands a solution. Adam and Eve tried to solve their problem. Their solution was coverings made up of fig leaves. But the fig leaves are not a real solution. Despite their coverings the problem still remained unresolved.
Third, may no one ever eat fruit from you again.
Look at verse 14. “Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard him say it.”
Some Bible scholars interpret Jesus’ action as calling God’s judgment on the Israelites for their unfruitfulness. But when you think about it, the Bible says that all are sinners — not just Jews but Gentiles as well.
Then the question is, “Why did Jesus curse the tree?” Yes. He cursed it for its lack of fruit. But it was not the season for figs.
We can find a clue to this question from verse 25, where Jesus talks about the forgiveness of sins. Jesus came to resolve our sin problem. He came to die on the cross for our sins, not through human efforts, such as making fig leaves as coverings, but through the blood of Jesus.
No wonder that Jesus condemned the fig tree at Passover time on the Mount of Olives. Still, Jews keep Jewish festivals such as the Passover. According to the Jewish calendar, this year the Passover festival falls between April 6 and 13. This Passover originated from Exodus 12. At the heart of the Passover is the Passover lamb. Let us read Exodus 12:1-14. We find the meaning of the Passover feast in verse 13. “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” But the Passover lamb they sacrificed was merely a foreshadowing of the reality to come, that is, Jesus Christ, the real Passover Lamb (1Corinthians 5:7).
For this reason, we say that Jesus’ action in condemning the seemingly innocent fig tree is a herald for the good news, that is, Jesus who came to die for our sins, and rose again for our justification. This demands us to live by faith in him who came to save us from our sins.
Fourth, a house of prayer for all nations
Practically then how is Jesus going to solve our sin problem? Look at verses 15-19. “15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers.”’
18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
19When evening came, they went out of the city.”
Here the temple is described as a house of prayer for all nations. Expressions such as “My house” or “prayer” indicate that God desires to have fellowship with men. According to this desire God sent Jesus, so that through faith in him, we would have fellowship with God. Consistent with this desire of God, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 say that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is the place where the fellowship with God takes place.
How then can we enjoy fellowship with God the Father? Jesus’ actions in the temple answer the question. In the passage we just read, we see Jesus going to the Lord’s temple and doing two things: clearing the temple, and teaching the Bible from there.
Clearing the temple reminds us of the need for repentance, and teaching the Bible reminds us of the need for Bible studies. The Bible reveals God to us. It tells us of Jesus as the Lord and Savior. As we deeply repent of our sins and believe in Jesus through deep Bible studies, then God changes us into his image. Then he uses us as a source of blessing for all peoples on earth.
Fifth, Rabbi, look!
Practically then what should we do in following Jesus? Look at verses 20-21. “20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!’” This passage shows us that Peter was a little different from other disciples. The other disciples saw what Peter saw. But it was Peter alone who not only remembered what he had seen the previous day but also raised his hand and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” This passage shows us that Peter had a learning mind. He wanted to learn everything from Jesus. He knew that it was due to Jesus’ word spoken to the tree that the tree dried up from the roots. Now he wanted to know how Jesus did it.
A disciple is a good learner. We know Peter has many weaknesses and character flaws. Yet, thanks to his learning mind he eventually learned everything from Jesus, especially Jesus’ faith.
Sixth, have faith in God!
What did Jesus say to Peter? Look at verse 22. “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.” At this time let us say, “Have faith in God,” putting an emphasis on the word “God”. “Have faith in GOD.” Here Jesus said, “Have faith in God,” rather than in someone or something (like money or your job). Jesus said it in this way because he wants us to put trust in God, for while we can do many things on our own, or while money can do many things like help us pay the bills, no one or nothing can help us solve our sin problem. Just as an animal cannot change its skin color, man cannot change his sinful nature on his own. I have a rabbit named Osama. Osama’s skin color is both white and black. Suppose Osama does not like the color, so he wants to have his skin to come in seven different colors like a rainbow. Can he do that on his own? No. Likewise, no matter how hard we try to change our sinful nature on our own, it is impossible for us to overcome our sinful nature on our own.
But it is not so with God. In Mark 10:27b, Jesus says, “All things are possible with God.” By faith in God, one can have one’s sinful nature completely dried up. God can change an otherwise sinful man into a beautiful child of God. Still one may not believe it. So Jesus continues to say in verse 23, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.” We know that Jesus’ disciples never threw any mountains like the Mount of Olives into the Mediterranean Sea either by faith or with a bulldozer, for by throwing “this” mountain, Jesus meant something impossible with human efforts. With human efforts, you can move mountains. But with human efforts you cannot change yourself. You cannot qualify yourself to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. So have faith in God. Then God will change even as wicked a sinner as you.
Seventh, forgiveness of sins
Now Jesus talks about the real point of the message. Look at verses 24-25. “‘24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.’” Lately we have been praying for America to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. At first glance it sounds like an impossible prayer topic. This is particularly true when we look at what is going on here in the U.S. Nowadays they say that the issue of same-sex marriages will divide America in a more drastic way than the issue of slavery did before the Civil War. But nothing is impossible with God. All things are possible with God. So, let us keep praying that this nation would be firmly established as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Then, let us pray to love one another. Let us pray to firmly believe in God who sent Jesus to forgive us of our sins. The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins. Let us have faith in God who demonstrated his great love through Jesus on the cross. Then, we can forgive one another just as our heavenly Father forgave each of us of our sins.
One word: Have faith in God.
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