Sermon #47                                                      Series: Mark

 

            Title:               Lessons from the Fig Tree

                                                And The Temple

            Text:               Mark 11:12-19

            Readings:       Office: Paul Harries Auditorium: Bobbie Estes

            Subject:          The Barren Fig Tree and The Money Changers

            Date:               Sunday Evening - April 5, 1998

            Tape # U-61b

            Introduction:

 

            The title of my message tonight is Lessons From The Fig Tree and The Temple. You will find my text in Mark 11:12-19. Read it with me and ask God the Holy Spirit to graciously teach us the lessons contained in these verses.

 

Mark 11:12-19  "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: (13) And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. (14) And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. (15) And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; (16) And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. (17) And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. (18) And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. (19) And when even was come, he went out of the city."

 

Proposition:            In this passage of Scripture the Holy Spirit uses a cursed fig tree and the corrupt religion of the Jews to teach us very important spiritual lessons.

 

Divisions:     I want to show you just three things clearly set before us in this text. May God the Holy Spirit give me your attention as I endeavor to show you from the Scriptures these three very important lessons…

 

1.      The Lord Jesus Christ is just the Savior and friend we need.

2.      Nothing in all the world is so disgusting to the Son of God and so surely damning to our souls as fruitless religion.

3.      When we come to the house of God, we ought to behave as people who have come to the house of God.

 

I.      The Lord Jesus Christ is just the Savior and friend we need.

 

Mark 11:11  "And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve."

 

A.    The Lord Jesus loved to visit Bethany.

 

            After riding into Jerusalem on an ass’s colt and being publicly announced as Messiah the King, our Savior left the city with his disciples and walked out to Bethany. What a blessed town that was. It was about two miles out of Jerusalem. And it seems that the Master never missed an opportunity to go there.

 

            There was an elect family in Bethany, the special objects of Christ’s mercy, love and grace. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus lived in Bethany. No doubt the Lord Jesus spent the night with that chosen family. O blessed, indescribably blessed, eternally blessed is that home where the Son of God and his disciples are at home! Blessed is that home that entertains, feeds, and gives rest to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

            Perhaps you ask, “How can anyone do that today?” Let me tell you once more what this blessed Book teaches.

·        That which is done and for the Lord’s children is done to and for him.

·        That which is done against the Lord’s people is done against him.

·        Wherever there is an open door, a room, a chair, a plate, a bed, a welcome sign for God’s saints, the Son of God is present to bless.

 

            Bethany was a blessed place because Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, this elect family lived there. As God’s elect are the salt of the earth, this family was the salt of Bethany.

·        Bethany means House of Sheep, and it was that.

·        Bethany means House of Obedience, and it was that.

·        Bethany means House of Affliction, and it was that too.

·        Of this we can be certain: Sheep, obedience and affliction are always found in the same place.

 

            Now, look at the last sentence of verse eleven - “He was hungry”, and learn that…

 

B.   The Lord Jesus Christ really is both God and man.

 

            In verse seventeen, he speaks of the temple in Jerusalem, the house of God, and calls it, “My house”. Thus he plainly declares his divinity. He could not have stated it more precisely and clearly, if he had said, “I, the man standing before you, Jesus of Nazareth, am the almighty God”.

 

            Yet, this great God really did assume our nature. He took into union with himself humanity. We read that “He was hungry”. While he lived upon this earth, our blessed Lord Jesus had a nature exactly like ours, sin alone excepted. He wept. He rejoiced. He felt pain. He felt gladness. He got tired and needed rest. He got thirsty and needed to drink. He got hungry and needed to eat.

 

            These are wonderful, amazing things to meditate upon. He who is the eternal God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things - He who feeds every sparrow and clothes every lily - He who holds every beast of the field, every bird in the sky, and every fish in the sea in the palm of his hand - He from who all things came and to whom all things go, when he came to save his people from their sins, was hungry!

 

            God the Son condescended to become a man. He condescended to every weakness of humanity. He who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, took upon himself the form of a servant and humbled himself! No wonder Paul speaks of “the unsearchable riches of Christ”!

 

            Yet, his stooping to humanity and to all the infirmities of humanity is only the beginning of the story. This man who is God, though he knew no sin, though he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, was willingly made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:21; 8:9).

 

1.     Jesus Christ is God mighty to save.

2.     He is a man like us, able to suffer, bleed and die.

3.     He his the God-man, who has redeemed us by a sacrifice of infinite merit.

4.     Though exalted to heaven’s highest glory, this great Savior is still a man, God in human flesh!

 

            He who sits upon the throne of the universe, he who occupies the throne of grace is a man touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows the experiences humanity, all of them! He knows what pain, weakness, weariness and hunger are. He knows the feeling of abandonment, isolation, betrayal and slander. He knows what it is to visit the sick room of one who is dearly beloved. He knows what it is to stand by the graveside and weep. When we speak of the Lord Jesus Christ about these things, he knows what we are talking about. The Lord Jesus Christ is no stranger to trouble and sorrow.

 

            “Surely, this is just the Savior and Friend that poor, aching, groaning human nature requires.”            J. C. Ryle

 

“What a Friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

 

II.   Nothing in all the world is so disgusting to the Son of God and so surely damning to our souls as fruitless religion.

 

Mark 11:13-14  "And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. (14) And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it."

 

            As our Lord and his disciples walked along, they saw this fig tree. It stood out from all the others because, though the time of figs had not yet come, this fig tree was in full foliage. The other trees were just beginning to shoot forth their buds; but this one was large, spreading its full foliage of leaves, and waving in the wind, as if to say, “Look at me”. But when our Lord walked with his disciples over to the tree to gather some figs, he found “nothing but leaves”. Our Lord pronounced a curse upon the tree, and by sun up the next morning it had withered in death from its roots (v. 20).

 

Mark 11:20  "And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots."

 

            Without question, this event is full of spiritual meaning. It is a parable as full of instruction for our souls as any of our Lord’s spoken parables.

 

A.    Without a doubt, this barren, cursed, withered fig tree represents APOSTATE JUDAISM.

 

            The Jews, the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, all were rich in leaves. They possesses more leaves than anyone. Ceremony, creed, history, doctrine, show, tradition, reputation they had in great abundance. And they did not mind calling attention to their beautiful leaves. But they were utterly destitute of faith toward God. They had no fruit! Therefore that nation and their religion has been specifically cursed of God and forever abandoned (Matt. 23:38)

 

B. This barren fig tree represents every APOSTATE CHURCH and religious denomination in the world.

 

            Would to God could get the ear of the church people of our day. I am talking now about churches which claim to be Christian, which claim to believe in and defend the Book, the blood, and the blessed hope. Churches which wear the name of Christ, but have departed from the doctrine of Christ. If I could get their attention, I would say to every man, woman, and child in them - “Escape for your life! Flee from Babylon. Get out of Sodom. The curse of God is in that place you think is the house of God.” The greatest missionary field in the world today is the church, most especially the Baptist church. Where can you find a church today where…

·        The Word of God is faithfully preached?

·        The glory of God is paramount?

·        The will of God rules?

 

C.   Above all else, this barren fig tree represents RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY.

 

            You who are carnal, half-hearted, hypocritical professors of Christianity are represented here. Would to God that you who are content with a name that you live, though you are dead, could see your faces in this mirror! Your fine, showy, impressive leaves, those things that impress you so much with yourself, mean nothing to God almighty. They stink in his nostrils!

·        Your Great Experiences!

·        Your Emotional Displays!

·        Your Precise Doctrine!

·        Your Showy Sacrifices!

·        Your Comforting Ceremonies!

 

Your religion is your damning delusion! The proof is in the pudding. Your religion is fruitless religion. It does not produce…

·        Faith In Christ.

·        Hope In Christ.

·        Love For Christ.

 

            I call on you who hear my voice. Let us each one make our calling and election sure. Baptism, Church membership, religious ceremony, doctrinal orthodoxy, and deep religious emotions are not synonyms for Christianity! They are just leaves, nothing but leaves. They will no more cover the nakedness of our souls from God’s all seeing eye in the day of judgment than Adam’s fig leaves covered his nakedness in the garden. Christianity is faith in Christ alone!

 

2 Corinthians 13:5  "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

 

            If Christ is in you, if Christ is in me, if he is dwelling in us by his Holy Spirit, if he is the life that is in us, he brings forth fruit, even the fruit of the Spirit in us (Gal. 5:22-23).

 

Galatians 5:22-23  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

 

            I would rather stand before God in the day of judgment guilty of any crime known to man than stand before that bar of his august majesty guilty of self-righteousness and hypocrisy! If you die without Christ, your religion will sink your soul into the lowest hell! Your religion will be your greatest curse! The Son of God has pronounced his curse upon the barren fig tree and barren, fig-leaf religion!

 

III. When we come to the house of God, we ought to behave as people who have come to the house of God.

 

Mark 11:15-19  "And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; (16) And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. (17) And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. (18) And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. (19) And when even was come, he went out of the city."

 

            As you know, the temple in Jerusalem was typical and representative of the Church, which really is the house of God (1 Tim. 3:15).

 

1 Timothy 3:15  "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

 

When the Bible speaks of the Church and House of God, it is talking about the assembled body of believers, gathered in one place for public worship. When we come together in the name of Christ, the Son of God meets with us (Matt. 18:20), the Spirit of God dwells within us, and we are the Temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16).

 

            Let us attach no idolatrous superstition to this or any other building or material place. This building is not the church. The church just meets here. This auditorium is not a holy sanctuary. It is just a room in which the holy Word of God is preached. I am not standing behind a holy desk. I am standing behind a pulpit.

 

            Having said that, the obvious lessons taught in this passage of Scripture with regard to the church, the temple, the house of the living God are these.

 

A.    This is God’s house.

 

            The church does not belong to you and me. It is not our church. It belongs to Christ. It is his church. That means that Christ alone makes the rules, enforces the rules, and exercises rule. The only Ruler in Zion is the Son of God.

 

1.     His Word is our only creed.

2.     His revealed will is our rule of life.

3.     His glory is our guiding principle.

 

B.   The primary function and business of the house of God is prayer, worship.

 

1.     Singing God’s Praise

2.     Calling on God’s Name

3.     Proclaiming God’s Gospel

4.     Seeking To Know God Himself

5.     Seeking To Know His Will

6.     Seeking Grace To Do His Will

7.     Seeking To Make Him Known

 

C.   It is utterly abhorrent that anyone should make the house of God a place of trade, commerce, and entertainment.

 

D.   When we come into the church, the house, the temple of the living God, we ought always to behave ourselves reverently.

 

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2  "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. (2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

 

James 1:19-22  "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (21) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

 

            Everything we say and do, when we come to worship God, ought to reflect reverence for our great God and Savior. We certainly ought never to be less precise, punctual and reverent than Aaron and his sons were required to be. When they came to the house of God, they paid real close attention to things.

·        Their Appointment - Punctuality!

·        Their Attitude

·        Their Attire - Don’t Overdress or Underdress!

·        Their Altar - Only One Altar, One Sacrifice, One Way!

·        Their Actions - Words, Suggestions, Deeds

 

            Let us ever be aware of the fact that the Son of God takes notice things which go on in his house. Profanity, irreverence, and indifference are an affront to him. Let us take heed, when we come here, that we do not offer the sacrifice of fools. When you start getting ready to come to church, try to remember whose house this is and why you are coming here.

 

            My soul, beware of empty religious formality! When you come to God’s house, bring your heart with you. Don’t leave it in the world. Leave your business, your money, your politics, and carnal levity at home.

 

            I will finish with a very good quote from J. C. Ryle. He wrote, “Let us beware of allowing any buying and selling in our hearts, in the midst of our religious assemblies. The Lord still lives who cast out buyers and sellers from the temple, and when He sees such conduct He is much displeased.”

 

Application:

 

1.     Our Savior is a man like us, touched with the feeling of our infirmities; and, at the same time, he is God almighty. - He is just the Savior and Friend we need.

 

2.     Nothing is so disgusting to the Son of God and so surely damning to our souls as empty religious hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

 

3.     When we come to the house of God, we ought to behave as men and women who have come to the house of God.

 

AMEN.