1. PART II Jesus Confronts Fruitless Worship March 22, 2015

2. Jesus and The Fig Tree  Jesus went from Bethany to Jerusalem and he was hungry.  Jesus saw a fig tree in the distance with visible leaves.  Jesus went to the tree looking for fruit and he found none.  Mark tells us that it was not the season for figs.  Jesus pronounces a curse on the tree and the disciples heard it.

3. Jesus in the Temple at Jerusalem  Jesus and his disciples enter back into Jerusalem.  Jesus goes back into the temple area.

6. Jesus’ Actions in the Temple  Jesus began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple courtyard.  Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.  Mark tells us that Jesus would not allow people to use the temple as a shortcut through the city.

7. Jesus Strongly Rebukes the Jewish Worshippers The Rebuke: Is it not written in the Scriptures? My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations. But you have made it a den of robbers.

8. Reasons Jesus Says ‘Den of Robbers’ 1)Gentiles were being robbed of the opportunity to worship God and God was being robbed of Gentile worship. 2)The temple transactions were mired in corruption.

9. Response of the Jewish Leaders to Jesus’ Actions  The Jewish leaders began to plot a way to destroy Jesus.

10. The Next Morning  They were making their way to Jerusalem again and the disciples saw the fig tree withered to its roots.  Peter was amazed by what he saw and he reminded Jesus that the fig tree has withered.

11. Jesus Teaching on Faith 1)Have faith in God. 2)Do not doubt in your heart, instead believe! 3)Whatever you ask in prayer believe and it will be yours.

12. The Condition for Answered Prayer  You must forgive others for their grievances against you.

13. The Spiritual Meaning of the Fig Tree  The fig tree is a real life metaphor for Israel’s appearance of spiritual fruit yet they are as spiritually fruitless as the fig tree.

14. The Spiritual Meaning of the Temple Cleansing  Jesus’ cleansing of the temple was God’s holy indictment of their futile worship of God.