Monday - Cursing Fig Trees And Cleansing Temples Series

A. Years ago, I decided to “edjumacate” myself by reading all the classic novels.

1. I decided to start with Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick.

2. I didn’t get very far, because I just couldn’t take long chapter after long chapter describing the whaling harpoon – you can only say so much about a harpoon, right? I guess you can say a lot.

3. Anyhow, the story of Moby Dick is a compelling and dark story of obsession and revenge.

4. From the beginning of the story, it is obvious that everything in the story is leading to a great and final confrontation.

5. Early on the reader is introduced to Captain Ahab with his peg leg and the reader learns that it was a great white whale with the crooked jaw that was responsible for his lost leg.

6. Captain Ahab promised a Spanish gold piece to the man who first spoted that great white whale named Moby Dick.

7. It’s no surprise that the story climaxes with Captain Ahab standing on top of Moby Dick, spewing curses and plunging his harpoon into its back, as both of them sink into the depths.

8. This was the kind of climax for which Melville had prepared the reader throughout his book.

B. The Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus are likewise a story leading to a climactic conclusion.

1. Almost from the beginning of the story of Jesus, everything was leading to a great and final confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day.

2. Last week, as we began this new sermon series on the last week of Jesus’ life, called “Final Week, Eternal Lessons,” we saw Jesus entering Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey in fulfillment of prophesy, and to signal His identity as the long-awaited Jewish Messiah and king.

3. The multitudes rejoiced and welcomed Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna” – “save us, we pray!”

4. But the Jewish religious leaders confronted Jesus and ordered Him to stop this parade and this serenade, but Jesus refused.

5. Mark’s account of that first Sunday of Holy Week, traditionally known as Palm Sunday, ends with Jesus entering the temple, looking around, and then leaving the city for Bethany.

6. Jesus had seen what He needed to see, but it was late in the day, and He would return the next day, Monday, to do what needed to be done.

7. Jesus’ confrontation with the Jewish religious leaders would continue throughout the week, and on Friday, those religious leaders thought they had won the final battle against Jesus, but come Sunday morning they discovered otherwise.

C. And so, today’s sermon is titled: “Monday – Cursing Fig Trees and Cleansing Temples.”

1. In the Gospel of Mark, Mark used a number of different literary techniques to present his account of the life of Jesus.

a. One of those techniques has become known as the “Markan Sandwich.”

b. This is the technique whereby Mark interrupts a story with what appears to be an unrelated story, and then comes back to the original story – just like a sandwich is made up of one slice of bread, then the meat, and then a second slice of the same kind of bread.

c. There are perhaps 9 of these “Marken Sandwiches” in his Gospel.

d. One example is the healing of Jairus’ daughter which is interrupted with the healing of the woman with the bleeding, but then returns to the story of Jairus’ daughter.

e. The account of the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple is another of those sandwiches as Mark tells about the fig tree, then the temple, but the next day returns to the story of the fig tree.

2. As we look at these accounts today, let’s try to put ourselves in Jesus’ place as He woke up that Monday morning of the last week of His life.

a. It is T-Minus 4 days until the crucifixion and T-Minus 6 days until the resurrection.

3. Picture Jesus rising early that morning and picture Him on His knees in prayer and meditation.

4. We aren’t told that Jesus began His day that way, but we know He started other days that way.

D. Let’s pick up the account of that Monday in Mark 11: 12 The next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it. (Mk. 11:12-14)

1. Mark tells us that Jesus was hungry that morning, so, that may indicate that He skipped breakfast that morning to focus on prayer.