JAIL BREAK (Breaking the Chains of Unforgiveness) -
Faith, Prayer and Forgiveness
September 16, 2018
Mark 11:23-26 (p. 708)
Introduction:
I don’t know a lot about fig trees so I had to study a bit…fig trees have two seasons for producing fruit and the fruit always appears before it’s leaves.
If you see leaves on a fig tree then there is an expectation that the Newton factory is open.
So with that in mind…let me share with you a story that’s recorded twice in the New Testament…once in Matthew 21:3…and also in Mark Chapter 11…It’s during the week before Jesus’ crucifixion and Jesus has entered Jerusalem victoriously riding a colt…while the crowds have spread out their cloaks and palm branches…proclaiming “Hosanna…blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
That night He returns to Bethany with His disciples…the next day He gets up and heads for Jerusalem again…as they leave Bethany Jesus is hungry…He sees a fig tree full of leaves in the distance and even though it’s late in the season for figs…It’s full of leaves…when Jesus approaches it…no figs…He curses the tree and says, “May no one eat fruit from you again.”
His disciples not only witness the vent…they hear Him curse this tree…but that’s not the end of the story…Listen:
MARK 11:15-22 (p. 708)
That’s quite a day, huh? I guess the rebel in me loves this picture of Jesus in the temple…Driving out the profiteers!!! And if you’re driving someone out…it’s by force…tables are overturned, benches are thrown, animals are scattered. Jesus doesn’t give them time to carry out their merchandise…Move…NOW!!!
And then he turns and teaches…why “God’s Word says, My house will be a house of prayer for all nations…you have made it a den of thieves!!!”
The Pharisees and other thieves don’t like being called out and embarrassed and they want Jesus to die.
That evening when Jesus and His followers head back to Bethany the fig tree He’d cursed earlier is withered from the roots Peter says…Look Lord…the tree you cursed…and Jesus answers:
“HAVE FAITH IN GOD.”
Why does Jesus say this?
I. BECAUSE FAITH IS ABOUT THE FRUIT NOT THE FOLIAGE
What happens when the temple still looks like the temple? Has sacrifices, loud prayers, and crowds filling it but has become a religious factory instead of God’s house of worship and prayer…lots of religious foliage…no real spiritual fruit…It makes Jesus angry enough to clean it out.
What happens when Jesus is hungry and He sees a tree that promises to meet that need with an abundance of leaves? But that promise is empty…it’s just foliage…there’s no fruit…He curses it.
Look at verse 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.”
These are the religious fig trees of Israel…They are the temple building…lots of foliage and no fruit…a beautiful building in which God had been removed.
They hated and feared Jesus for teaching this powerful truth about faith…the truth that faith is about fruit, not foliage…That temples are about God, not religious activity.
It’s why:
II. PRAYER ISN’T JUST ABOUT WORDS IT’S ABOUT ACTION
Listen to:
MARK 11:23-24 (p. 708)
These are tough words for me because I’ve prayed for God to heal my best friend’s cancer…and I know God can miraculously do that…He brought me out of a burn unit no one thought I would survive. And my best friend died of cancer…I preached his funeral…Did I not believe enough? Did I not have enough faith?
Paul prayed 3 times to have a thorn removed from his flesh…And God said “NO.” Did the greatest missionary that ever lived not have enough faith?
Jesus Himself prayed that the cup He was being asked to drink…the crucifixion and all that went with it, be removed…it wasn’t.
This scripture in Mark 11 doesn’t mean that God will not say “No” or “Wait.” God will not go against His will or plan or give you rock when you ask for an egg…or a snake when you ask for a fish.
The key is “Have Faith in God.”
If we’re going to pray we need to pray believing that God can move mountains…This isn’t a verse that says…Test God’s power…it’s a verse that says, “TRUST GOD’S POWER.”
Usually our mountains have a name…an illness, a divorce, a rebellious child, a financial struggle, grief or injury from another.
It’s a huge crushing mountain of a burden. We can’t move it on our own…Jesus’ intent…Have faith in God! He has the power to move it and move you through it.
Faith is about believing that God is bigger than the things we can’t lift on our own. He is strong enough to lift them and toss them into the sea.
When we pray believing this, we keep moving forward…we keep trusting…we keep believing…our words and our actions say the same thing…
James begins his letter with just such a challenge:
JAMES 1:2-8 (p. 847)
God never tempts us…Satan does…but God will test us. Faith is persevering through the trial…believing God is working. Asking you to trust Him…praying with that belief.
Having faith in God doesn’t mean I can use prayer to get everything I want. Having faith in God means I don’t wither away like a barren fig tree…I grow more complete…I get more mature and I produce fruit to the glory of God.
Jesus’ entire point is…live as if God is answering your prayer to move the mountain…believe you’ve already received His answer…and He is working it for your good and His glory…Have faith in God…and live a life that shows it to the world.
It’s the very reason He ends this teaching with these words…“When you stand praying if you hold anything against anyone forgive them, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive your sins.”
The biggest obstacle…the highest mountain, we have to deal with in our faith and our prayers is:
III. OUR STRUGGLE TO FORGIVE OTHERS
If you are praying and you hold anything against anyone…Forgive them.
And Jesus tells us why…“So your Father in Heaven may forgive your sins.”
Does He really mean this?
Because I really believe He does…
How can you and I live in the forgiveness of God…if we aren’t extending this same forgiveness to those who hurt us…
There are only 2 choices…Hold it against them…hate them…hope they experience pain…Hold onto the debt that they owe you until it’s paid in full…and maybe slander them and gossip about them in revenge…Let the cauldron simmer…the poisonous bitterness take hold…or
Pray for them with the hope of grace…Begin to ask God to move the mountain of hurt into the sea of His forgetfulness…It’s really an act of faith where I’m asking God to change my heart more than the other persons.
This isn’t convenient Sunday morning religion…It’s the core of Christianity…It’s the largest mountain of faith we’re asked to climb…It’s Calvary and it leads to a cross where I die to self.
It doesn’t mean you continue to be a doormat…It doesn’t mean you continually put yourself in the place to be abused…There might need to be separation…and distance.
But forgiveness seeks peace and unity…forgiveness forgets what payment should be demanded for reparation…and cancels the debt.
I hope the person whose hurt you says, “I’m sorry” and really means it…and changes. But that seldom happens and when it doesn’t we still have to deal with the pain.
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
(Matt. 5:43-44)
We might read this scripture and wonder “Could I ever do that?” If so, you’re asking the wrong question…The right question is can I answer Jesus’ call to follow Him as a disciple…because if we answer that question we automatically answer, Can I forgive?
We don’t forgive because we want to…we forgive because that’s what disciples do. Disciples obey Jesus.
Forgiveness is just one of those really hard things we need a little one on one time with the teacher to finally get right…
A friend of mine names Brian Jones says he prays this prayer:
“Jesus, I hate this person. Teach me how to love and forgive him.”
