SERMON OUTLINE:
(A). Anger in the Temple (vs 12-17)
• Corruption (vs 12a)
• Cleansing (vs 12b-13)
• Criticism (vs 14-17)
(B). Anger at the Tree (vs 18-22).
• The object of his anger – a tree (vs 19)
• The moral from the story - unfruitfulness
• The lesson to apply - faith (vs 21-22)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• 23 year old Eleanor Hawkins has been in the news this week;
• She is one of five tourists arrested and charged for indecent behaviour.
• She was sentenced to three days in jail and fined £1,000
• Her crime was that she with a group of travellers posed naked for photographs;
• On the peak of Mount Kinabalu.
• The mountain is one of the most recognisable symbols of Sabah;
• And considered sacred to the state's Kadazan Dusun tribe.
• Dr Benedict Topin, executive secretary of the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association said:
• "It is our temple,"
• Sabah's Kadazan Dusun tribe believe;
• That the mountain houses the spirits of their dead ancestors
• Eleanor Hawkins committed an act of stupidity and insensitivity;
• She deliberately or unintentionally caused great offence the Malaysian people.
• By breaking the morals and customs of the Malaysian people.
• TRANSITION:
• In our passage this morning Jesus is about to upset the local people.
• He is in a sacred place and his actions will cause offence!
• But this will not be an act of stupidity or insensitivity like Eleanor Hawkins;
• It will be a calculated and precise response to something that is wrong;
• And the local men, the religious leaders may disapprove of his actions;
• Yet heaven gives a loud endorsement!
(A). Anger in the Temple (vs 12-17)
Ill:
• If you asked the average person to describe Jesus in a few words,
• You might get these types of responses:
• “A good man,”
• “A kind man,”
• “A loving man,”
• “A forgiving man”.
• Very few (if at all any) will say; “an angry man!”
• Because we have all grown up with the image ‘Gentle Jesus meek and mild.’
• And though it is fair to say Jesus did not often get angry;
• He did on a number of occasions, two of those occasion are in our Bible passage today.
(1). Corruption (vs 12a).
• Verse 12a:
• “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there.”’
Ill:
• The world of sport has been shocked this last few weeks by the corruption by FIFA;
• Question: Anyone know what FIFA stands for?
• Answer: Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
• They are the mafia of football;
• They make all the major decisions and hold all the power.
• But over the last few weeks;
• A wave of corruption and bribery allegations have brought the organisation to its knees.
• This week FIFA's communications director Walter De Gregorio;
• Is the latest person to be fired.
• Although he has been fired days after making a joke on Swiss television;
• About the world governing body.
• The joke was: 'The FIFA president, secretary general and communications director;
• Are in a car. Who's driving?
• Answer: The police.'
• TRANSITION: The Temple in Jerusalem should have been a beacon of light;
• The temple should have been God’s showpiece:
• It was a place set apart for the worship of God.
• But by the time of Jesus;
• It had become a place of corruption, a place exploitation and dishonesty;
• A place to make money!
• The majority of religious leaders spelt the word Temple:
• R-I-P O-F-F= ‘RIP OFF!!!’
The reason it was corrupt and people were being ripped off was twofold:
• (1st). Temple Coinage:
• Every Jewish pilgrim over nineteen was required to pay a temple tax,
• That in itself was not wrong.
• But the religious leaders insisted it be paid in a certain type of coinage.
• And they charged the people extortionate rates to exchange their money into temple coinage
• (2). Animal sacrifices:
• Animals for sacrifice had to be inspected before they were offered.
• In the temple you could buy suitable animals for sacrifice.
• You were allowed to bring your own animals;
• But surprise, surprise these animals never passed the inspection;
• So you always ended up paying extortionate prices for temple animals to sacrifice.
• Going to the temple meant a double rip-off:
• You needed temple coins and temple animals.
• ill: Arthur Daley & Del Boy would have been proud of those religious leaders!
No wonder Jesus described the temple as ‘a den of thieves’.
• Quote: Campbell Morgan points out that ‘a den of thieves’.
• Is the place to which thieves run when they want to hide.
• The religious leaders were using the temple and its religious services;
• To ‘cover up’ their sin and hypocrisy.
(2). Cleansing (vs 12b-13).
“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘“My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you are making it “a den of robbers.”’
What so enraged Jesus as he entered the temple was:
• Instead of finding the glory of God,
• Jesus only found the corruption of the human heart.
• Instead of people worshipping God,
• All he found was people being conned and ripped off.
• Instead of praise and prayer to God,
• There was only the sound of profit and commerce.
• So Jesus responded by overturning the tables of the money changers;
• And driving out the animals.
• And he caused complete chaos.
Note:
• He acted this way because God’s house was being desecrated.
• And the religious leaders were unable to see that;
• In fact they were the cause of it!
• Truth and honesty had been replaced by greed and corruption.
• And the priests who should be helping people come closer to God;
• Were actually alienating them.
Ill:
• In Thomas Costain’s history, The Three Edwards,
• He described the life of Raynald III, a fourteenth-century duke in what is now Belgium.
• Raynald III was grossly overweight,
• And he was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.”
• After a violent quarrel with his younger brother Edward;
• Edward led a successful revolt against him.
• Edward captured Raynald but did not kill him.
• Instead, he built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle;
• Edward promised his brother that he could regain his title and property;
• As soon as he was able to leave the room.
• This would not have been difficult for most people,
• Since the room had several windows and a door of near-normal size,
• And none was locked or barred.
• The problem was Raynald’s size.
• To regain his freedom, he needed to lose weight.
• But Edward knew his older brother, and each day he sent him a variety of delicious foods.
• Instead of dieting his way out of prison,
• Raynald grew fatter and fatter.
• When Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer:
• “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”
• Raynald stayed in that room for ten years;
• And wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle.
• By then his health was so ruined he died within a year;
• A prisoner of his own appetite.
• TRANSITION: Sadly the religious leaders were prisoners of their own appetites!
• They had allowed their love for money and wealth;
• To overtake their love for God.
• Jesus seeing their corruption – does something about it!
• He turns over the tables, he scatters the coins;
• And he reminds then that this building was built for prayer and not profit!
(3). Criticism (vs 14-17)
“The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.”
Notice:
• There is a beautiful balance in the account.
• The destructive force of anger goes hand in hand with the healing power of love.
• Jesus drives out the money changers (who had no right to be there);
• But he welcomes and he heals the blind and the lame.
• The religious leaders criticise him;
• But the children sing his praise!
• Notice the criticism comes not because he overturned the tables;
• Matthew deliberately links it to ‘the wonderful things he did’.
• The miracles of healing the blind and the lame!
The children actually saw what the religious leaders could not!
• The miracles were performed to vindicate His claims about Himself and His teaching.
• Although He didn't need to perform any miracles;
• And refused to perform them on demand,
• He would not do them to entertain a crowd or to satisfy a religious leaders curiosity.
• But when Jesus saw a genuine need;
• He would meet that need and at times meet it by performing a miracle.
Ill:
• Peter sermon on the Day of Pentecost.
• Acts chapter 2 verse 22.
“Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”
• Note these three words he uses:
• Miracles speak of the source of his power (supernatural i.e. God)
• Wonders are displays for the eyes (Unique, should cause people to ask "Who is this?")
• Signs were proof of who he was (Messiah i.e. Luke 4:18-19).
• TRANSITION:
• In verses 15-16 the children saw and understood this;
• While the religious leaders misunderstood and became more and more critical.
• ill: Same sun melts the snow but hardens the lay!
(B). Anger at the Tree (vs 18-22).
• It is worth noting that anger is a God given emotion;
• The problem with anger is that most of us tend to misuse it.
• And if we are not careful;
• Our anger easily boils over into wrong words and wrong actions;
• That so simply cause us to sin.
• Quote: Ephesians chapter 4 verse 26 (N.I.V.): “In your anger do not sin.”
• The KJV renders it, “Be angry, but sin not.”
• Controlled anger is not wrong or sinful it is a God given emotion.
• But it needs to be used carefully!
• Or it will cause us to sin.
Ill:
• Billy Sunday was an American baseball player in the 1880s,
• Who became a celebrated and influential American evangelist.
• One time a lady once came to Billy Sunday;
• And she and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts.
• “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper,”
• She said. “I blow up, and then it’s all over.”
• “So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!”
• TRANSITION:
• Our anger easily boils over into wrong words and wrong actions;
• That cause us to sin.
• Quote: Benjamin Franklin.
• “Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.”
• Many get confused at the anger of Jesus in this section;
• The religious leaders deserved it but surely a tree is just a tree!
• But a closer look reveals that the anger of Jesus is both controlled and purposeful.
• Adapt Franklin’s quote:
• “Anger is never without a reason and Jesus had a very good reason!”
(1). The object of his anger – a tree (vs 18-20).
• Note the direction, the cause of Jesus’ anger;
• It is a barren, a fruitless fig tree (vs 18-20).
• The "Fig-tree" is peculiar because the blossoms of the fruit appear before the leaves.
• Naturally, therefore, we should look for fruit on a tree in full leaf.
• This tree was in ‘full leaf’ (vs 19);
• And yet it had no fruit! (vs 19)
Quote: one commentator writes:
• “Jesus encounters this fig tree on his walk from the city of Bethany;
• To the capital city of Jerusalem during the Jewish Passover holiday.
• He sees this fig tree in full leaf from a distance.
• Fig trees were extremely common in ancient Israel, even as they still are today.
• And fig trees are unique from most other trees
• Because they produce fruit before they produce leaves.
• So the fact that this tree has leaves suggests that some kind of fruit will still be on it,
• Either leftover figs from the summer harvest or immature figs that were also edible.
• So even though the formal fig season was over,
• It wasn’t at all unreasonable for Jesus to find something on this tree.
• But Jesus finds nothing but leaves,
• Which tells us that this is a sterile fig tree, a fig tree that doesn’t produce any figs”.
• So the expectation of Jesus to find fruit on the tree was not wrong;
• But sadly this tree was sterile, barren, it was unable to produce fruit!
• i.e. What we have in this incident is a sermon in picture form.
• i.e. It is a bit like a parable acted out before the disciples.
(2). The moral of this story - unfruitfulness
• Note that it is no coincidence that this story is placed right after Jesus has exposed;
• The corruption that was found in temple courtyard (12-17).
• These two instances are linked (that’s why the stories are together):
• The cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple;
• Are what we call symbolic acts;
• They were visual illustrations; figurative acts;
• Showing us the sad spiritual condition of the nation of Israel at this time.
• In spite of its many privileges and opportunities that the nation of Israel had enjoyed;
• At this point in time,
• The nation was outwardly fruitless (i.e. like the tree);
• And the nation was inwardly corrupt (i.e. like the temple).
Ill:
• I would suggest that the fig tree represents the nation of Israel.
• Throughout the Old Testament, the fig tree is associated with the nation of Israel.
• (Hosea 9:10, Jeremiah 8:13; Nahum 3:12; Hosea 9:10).
"When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors,
it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.
Now the problem with the tree in this incident was it contained no fruit!
• Now the main function of any fruit-tree is to produce fruit.
• ill: A healthy apple tree will produce apples.
• ill: A healthy plum tree will produce plums.
• ill: A healthy fig tree will produce figs.
• But this tree is not healthy!
• Verse 19 tells us it was in ‘leaf’ and it had plenty of ‘leaves’.
• But it was of no real value or purpose – it was all show!
• The tree was a thing of beauty - it had plenty of ‘leaves’.
• ill: A bit like blossom on an apple tree
• The nation had their religion;
• The temple, the priests the garments, the ceremonies, the feats etc.
• It was a thing of beauty.
• But sadly it had no life,
• Because it was barren, spiritually corrupt and dead.
• Therefore if its dead – bury it!
Note:
• This is one of the few times (I can only think of one other);
• Where Jesus used His miraculous powers to destroy something in nature.
• First time he used his power to destroy and drown some pigs (Mark chapter 5 verse 13),
• He sent demons from a possessed man into the animals & they ran off the edge of a cliff.
• Second time is in this passage when Jesus uses his power to destroy something;
• Is here in this incident where a tree that is barren, unable to produce fruit.
• Was cursed by Jesus.
(3). The lesson to apply - faith (vs 21-22)
“Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.””
• Out of the situation of a withered fig tree;
• Jesus chooses to teach the disciples an important lessons.
I do not believe Jesus expects us to take this promise physically and literally:
• No one in the Bible ever moved a physical geographical mountain by prayer;
• Not even Jesus himself!
• The lesson is; "Have faith and do not doubt,"
• Meaning, "Constantly be trusting God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him."
• In the temple and among the religious leaders;
• There was no genuine faith, there was no living a life depending on God.
• The religious leaders went through the ceremonies and showed the signs of faith;
• They had what appeared to be a deep religion (“lots of leaves”)
• But deep down they were ‘fruitless’,
• They were living for themselves and not God.
• So Jesus tells his disciples to ‘keep it real’.
• It is not outward piety that counts;
• But inward reality!
• So Jesus said, " Have faith and do not doubt,","
• Meaning, "Constantly be trusting God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him."
• And your prayers will not be formulistic, but rather powerful and effective!
Jesus is using,, he is drawing upon Jewish imagery:
• In Jewish metaphors a mountain signifies something strong and immovable,
• It stands for a problem that is in the way (i.e. Zechariah chapter 4 verse 7).
• Jesus is teaching that these mountains/problems;
• Can only be moved and overcome by living a life that constantly trusts in God.
Question: Do you have a mountains/problem in your life today?
Answer:
• I know the answer is Yes!
• Because we all have mountains/problems in our lives.
• Well you have a choice.
• You can handle them all by yourself or you can bring God into the equation!
• Jesus said, " Have faith and do not doubt,"
• Meaning, "Constantly be trusting God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him."
• That does not mean that your mountains/problem will disappear overnight;
• But it means you are drawing on a source greater than yourself!
• Whatever the problem big or small;
• "Constantly be trusting God; live in an attitude of dependence on Him."
Ill:
• Imagine you are in a boat and you are approaching the river bank,
• You throw a rope and hook to the bank and pull.
• Question: Do you pull the river bank to you?
• Or do you pull yourself towards the bank?
• Prayer is not pulling God to my will,
• But the aligning of my will to the will of God.
• For prayer to be effective and bring victory,
• Surrender to God’s will and co-operation with God’s will is essential.
• When we align our will to his;
• We can even move mountains!
Sermon Audio link:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=2yOq0I1Y0UXEMTdjPVYPQRvyrHEFr9Cg
