HAVE FAITH IN GOD

Mark 11:11-25

Key verse 11:22

“‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.”

Introduction:

In today’s passage, Jesus again helped his disciples to have faith in God because without faith they cannot serve God properly. Without faith they cannot overcome the corruption of the world and their sinful desires.  For the coming year, we pray that we may do impossible things for God through faith.

1. Read verse 11. 

ANSWER:

Mar 11:11  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.

After arriving in Jerusalem, where did Jesus go? Why? 

ANSWER:

Verse 11a “Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple.” Jesus entered Jerusalem in order to obey the will of God. He was determined to suffer and die on the cross to save us from sin and death. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he went into the temple courts directly. He immediately applied himself to God’s work. He focused on fulfilling the Scriptures as the servant of God.

This shows what kind of Messiah he is. He did not go to Herod’s palace first but to the temple, thereby showing that he is a spiritual king, not a political one.

Verse 11b “He looked around at everything” When he came into the temple, he examined everything, especially its present status. It was like a diagnostic radiologist who scrutinized many things in the X-Ray images to make a diagnosis.

Verse 11c, “but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve” Jesus did not do something in the temple immediately. Rather, he wanted to retire for the evening with his 12 disciples in order to pray and decide what to do. So, he went out to Bethany which is located 2 miles east of Jerusalem.

Read verses 12-14.

ANSWER:

Mar 11:12-14  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.

How did Jesus curse the fruitless fig tree in the presence of His disciple? 

ANSWER:

Jesus said in v.14, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” Jesus showed them his authority as the Lord and the Judge. This shows that we must bear fruit in season and out of season, the fruit that Jesus is seeking in our lives. Also, his 12 disciples heard what Jesus said to the tree distinctly. He intended to educate them about his Lordship.

Why was Jesus displeased with the fig tree?  

ANSWER:

It did not have fruit that Jesus was seeking. 

Jesus is looking for fruit from us. Through remaining in Jesus, we can bear much fruit (Jn 15:5). Faith in him is, in itself, one important fruit he is seeking (see verse 22). 

How was this fig tree like the condition of the temple at that time? (Isa 5:2)

ANSWER:

Isa 5:2  He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.

“Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf” (13). The fig tree is representing the Israelite people who had been chosen from out of all nations to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. They were supposed to be a shepherd nation and a Bible teaching nation. But they were self-centered and ignorant and indifferent about the core desire of God. Also religious leaders looked pious on the outside. But they were corrupt inwardly. They were supposed to produce fruit. But there was no fruit.

2. Read verses 15-19. 

ANSWER:

Mar 11:15-19  On 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,  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'? But you have made it `a den of robbers.'"  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, they went out of the city.

What did Jesus do when He went to the temple in Jerusalem? 

ANSWER:

See verses 15 and 16

Think about God's purpose for his city and people (Isa 2:3; Exo 19:6a).  

ANSWER:

Isa 2:3  Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Exo 19:6a  you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

As God’s chosen people, the Israelite leaders should have had God’s purpose in their hearts. But they did not. When they should pray for world salvation, they prayed for their own welfare. They ignored God and his broken heart for perishing people. They virtually robbed the people who came to the temple, requiring them to pay excessively high prices for animals to use for sacrifice or to change their money. Jesus took immediate action to go through a radical surgery in order that they may restore God’s purpose and presence in the temple.

What did Jesus teach about the true meaning of the temple? (17) 

ANSWER:

Mar 11:17  And 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.'"

Isa 56:7  these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Jer 7:11  Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

The temple, according to Isaiah 56:7, was supposed to be the place where all peoples on earth would come and worship God. It was supposed to be the place where people can pray for the salvation of all peoples on earth.

Jesus came to restore God’s purpose for his people. As Jesus challenged the religious leaders to repent, Jesus challenges us to repent. We are the temple. 1Co 6:19-20 reads, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  20  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” God wants to restore his holy purpose in our lives.

1Ki 8:41-43 illustrates the motive of King Solomon who had built the temple, “As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name --  42  for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm -- when he comes and prays toward this temple,  43  then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.”

3. Read verses 20-21.

ANSWER:

Mar 11:20-21  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.  21  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

As Jesus and his disciples walked along, what did Peter notice?

ANSWER:

He found out the withered fig tree from the roots that was cursed by Jesus the day before. Just one day interval, it had happened that way.

Why was he surprised? 

ANSWER:

He was surprised because he was shocked at the drastic outcome with the word of Jesus. Maybe he was more interested in the power per se. 

How was this event a warning for the Israelites?

ANSWER:

The fig tree represents either the Israelite people or the religious leaders who didn’t repent truly. 

It became a clear warning for the Israelites so that they needed to bear fruit before God. Taking the message of warning is far better than being judged. John 15:6 taught us that we bear fruit by remaining in Jesus. We do not bear fruit but Jesus bears fruit through us when we abide in him. 

 

4. Read verses 22-23.  

ANSWER:

Mar 11:22-23  "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.  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.

How did Jesus respond? (22)  

ANSWER:

Mar 11:22  "Have faith in God," Jesus answered.

Jesus understood Peter’s desire for power to be great. 

What does it mean to have faith in God? 

ANSWER:

God should be the only object of our faith. Utter dependency on God is the secret to a powerful life. We do not become powerful through believing in ourselves or various other things. Rather, it is only when we believe in God alone and depend on him alone, that he can exercise his power through us. He becomes our vine and we become his branches.

God teaches us the importance of having faith in God alone through many years of trails. His teaching continues until we learn it.

What did Jesus teach them about the power of faith? (23)  

ANSWER:

Mar 11:23  "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.

Faith in God brings about an impossible achievement because God works through our faith. A “mountain” represents an immovable object. Jesus wanted them to have faith that moves mountains. This kind of faith is one that overcomes our human limits. The word “anyone” means that we all can experience the power of God in our life as long as we completely depend on God.

Jesus focused on training Peter to have absolute faith in the power of the gospel.  This training was necessary because the disciples of Jesus had to conquer the whole world with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul also said, “I can do everything through him [Christ] who gives me strength.” (Php 4:13)

Faith connects us to God’s power and authority. In order to log into our own on-line banking account to pay the bills, we must first enter our ID and password. This ID stands for God’s word of promise. The password is our own absolute faith in the word. With these two things God can open wide our heavenly bank account to our disposal to do his work powerfully.

When we think about our own abilities and limitations, it is impossible for us to do anything for God. But what about God? God is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. There is nothing that the Almighty, Creator God cannot do. A mountain is too big for me to move. But God can move any mountain. Jesus wants his disciples to have faith that moves mountains.

Why must we overcome doubt?

ANSWER:

Doubt is the enemy of faith. Doubt is like flaming arrows of the devil. He keeps shooting doubts in our hearts. Eph 6:16 reads, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Our natural thought produces doubts as well. In order to have faith in God, we must fight against doubt. We cannot avoid this battle.

How can we?

ANSWER:

By resisting against doubt as soon as it enters into our hearts. Jesus said, “…does not doubt in his heart…” (23). Doubts attack our heart. When very small doubts enter our heart we tend to ignore them because they do not bring about any visible result. But leaving doubt in our hearts is like leaving one needle-sized hole in a dam. The dam surely will be destroyed sooner or later if there is a hole, no matter how small that hole is.

By holding the word of God in high esteem, far above our own reason and experience, and by trusting it with all our heart and especially obeying it (Pro 3:5, Isa 55:9, Ro 10:17, Jn 8:31-32). 

5. Read verses 24-25. 

ANSWER:

Mar 11:24-25  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  25  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

What is the relationship between faith and prayer? (24, 25) 

ANSWER:

Prayer is the expression of our faith. Prayer is believing. It is like needle and thread. If one prays without believing, nothing will happen. He is like Jacob in Genesis who prayed for God to protect him from the hand of his brother Esau but still suffered from tremendous fear because he prayed without believing. Jesus emphasized the importance of believing in prayer, saying “believe that you have received it” (24).

Why is forgiveness important in prayer?

ANSWER:

God’s answer to our prayer is limited if we do not forgive others. If we do not forgive others, our relationship with God is not restored because our heavenly Father cannot forgive our sins. So his answer will be limited.  If we do not forgive others, our Father will also hold our sin against us. 

We can forgive others by believing in Jesus on the cross who said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luk 23:34). God nailed his one and only Son to the cross in order to forgive our sins. Through his Son's ransom sacrifice, God gave us the grace of forgiveness. Our sins are forgiven, and we have become the precious children of God. Therefore, we can forgive others' sins when we remember God’s grace.

 Figs do not ripen until June. But Jesus may have been looking for early figs (Heb. bikkuwr, Isa 28:4) which are buds that form while the leaves of the tree come forth in March. Although they are only marginally edible, people do eat them.

 Deu 14:24-26 permits the Jews to sell animals for making sacrifices to those who traveled from far away. But they should not have been doing this in the temple itself. According to Edersheim, the sons of the High Priest, Annas ben Seth, set up this market in the temple and profited from it. They charged outrageous prices for the sale of the animals for sacrifice. They effectively prevented worshippers from buying animals at a cheaper price from outside the temple by requiring the animals brought in to be examined for Levitical fitness by inspectors called “mumcheh” who also charged a fee. The temple authorities also refused to accept offerings made with Roman coins because the portraits on the coins were considered idolatrous. So people had to change their Roman money into Tyrian shekels. And the money changers also charged for their services.