PROPER PURPOSE
Opening Prayer
Lord, may I come with eager expectation of what You will say to me and how You will move me today.
Read Mark 11:12–19
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts
12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 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. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts 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, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’[a]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’[b]”
18 The 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.
19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples[c] went out of the city.
Footnotes:
a Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7
b Mark 11:17 Jer. 7:11
c Mark 11:19 Some early manuscripts came, Jesus
New International Version (NIV)
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Reflect
What is your purpose?After I had been living in Romania a few years, I made my first trip to Hungary. I’d heard there was a well-known British supermarket there, so I was excited to find all my favorite products. But you can imagine my disappointment when the shop only stocked the same things I could easily find in Romania. No proper British teabags!
Jesus went to the fig-tree expectant but found no figs (12,13). Mark’s comment about the season for figs might make you think that Jesus is being unreasonable to be disappointed at finding none. However, some commentators point out that fig trees can produce fruit all year, and certainly before coming into full leaf. The main fig harvest was around the time of the Passover. So it was perfectly reasonable for Jesus to expect to find figs that day.
It was also perfectly reasonable to expect to find the Temple full of worshippers bringing sacrifices, prayers and praise. Instead what Jesus found was a corrupt marketplace (17). So here is a kind of enacted parable. What does Jesus find when He looks at our lives? Are we fulfilling our God-ordained purpose? Are we bringing Him glory? Do we have a great show of leaves – looking grand and impressive – but little actual fruit?
Apply
Take a look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22, 23. Is Jesus able to find fruit in your life? What fruit do you need to allow the Spirit to grow in you?
Closing prayer
God, may the desire of my heart be to bring greater glory to Your name. I love You.
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