Lenten Devotion for 31 March 2011 Anno Domini

Lenten Devotion for 31 March 2011 Anno Domini

12 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. 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:12-26

We now join Christ in His walk from Bethany to Jerusalem. The morning of His walk is just days before His Crucifixion. There is an important point being made regarding the Old Testament Church of Israel. They have rejected their Messiah and the Lord of Heaven. Jesus tells the Chief Priests and Elders of the Temple, only hours later, “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matt 21:43). The fig tree will be for us an illustration of the fallen state of the people of Israel.

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves The fig tree has been symbolic of a good many truths of God’s action among men. After the Fall of Adam eastward in Eden, it was the fig tree which provided an inadequate covering for the nakedness (sin) of the fallen pair. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Gen 3:7). The nature of the fig tree is to produce fruit before, or simultaneously with, the putting forth of green leaves. The large chlorophyll-endowed leaves are used to soak up life-giving light from the Sun which is then, through the process of photosynthesis, transformed into the food necessary to produce fruit. The fruit that is naturally produced by the fig tree is its over-weaning purpose to exist. So Christ, yet some distance away, sees the leaves of the fig tree and seems to suppose that such a tree must have fruit; however, this tree has presented a false appearance. It has leaves aplenty, but no fruit (as it normally would have if the leaves were present). And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves. This is an exact type of the then present Israel. Their leaders claimed great holiness, and wore extravagant garments, but they were fruitless! It may also be an example of the church in our modern times. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof ….”(2 Tim 3:5) Jesus here condemns the fig tree to become that which it already is, but does not appear to be – fruitless forever. Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.

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; The Temple had become a lucrative revenue-producing enterprise for the keepers thereof. Jesus was no wimp. He had been raised in the house of a carpenter, and His physical form no doubt reflected years of heavy exercise. He seemed to have no problem invoking fear and compliance from those money-grubbers whose franchised stalls proliferated throughout the Temple. Men will often take great risks to defend their gold, but these men scurried like cellar rats. It was abundantly clear to them that this Jesus meant business! Many souls were present in addition to the money-changers and Chief Priests and Elders. Jesus counseled them immediately back to the Word: 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. “IT IS WRITTEN!” We have these same cellar rats inhabiting the branches of the modern church. These churches have conducted ‘market-research’ and discovered what message will gain popular approbation from the multitudes with a total indifference to what God has spoken. The cowardly clerics who dared not confront Christ openly in the Temple sought means whereby they might destroy Him in the dark corners of their convocations. 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. And, of course, they feared the loss of revenue and prestige if the people believed in the Son of God. The example of Christ here confirms the moral provision for righteous anger which seems to have disappeared in the modern church.

As Christ and His disciples passed by the next morning, the fig tree had withered and dried up from the roots up. The root of the Pharisees and Sadducees was hypocrisy and pretention. This root will now dry up and the whole plant will wither (as history teaches us has happened.) Christ now gives a most comforting counsel on the power of prayer: Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Many moderns have presumed much from this counsel that is not there. If we are committed to bearing our cross daily, we shall not pray for anything that it is not already God’s Will to grant!

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses There is profound significance in these two sentences. The quality of mercy and forgiveness from God, and from His people for each other, is one quality that differentiates Christianity from all other religions. Allah is all hard judgment and condemnation, Buddha has no clue one way or the other, and the Jews still struggle with their lifeless fig tree – but Christ offers forgiveness to all who come to Him. It is understood that we forgive just in the same way our Father has forgiven us – we must forgive even those who may be ignorant of their offense to us. Holy Communion will be observed on Easter Sunday. Have you made preparation in your heart of forgiveness for the occasion?