Chronological Gospels: Mark 11; John 12
This week’s reading takes us deeper into why Jesus came to earth. We read again about His entry into Jerusalem, and then the cleansing of the temple because it had been made a dishonest marketplace. Reading through this bit of the story again reminded me yet again of the importance of prayer. Another thought also struck me – Jesus says “my house is to be a house of prayer.” Scripture also teaches us that believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
This passage is a good reminder that we are the dwelling place of God on earth and are called to be devoted to prayer and godliness and not allow ourselves to fall into greed and corruption, making our hearts a den of thievery like the temple where Jesus turned over the money tables. If we allow our hearts to be filled with greed He will come and turn the tables over and do the painful sanctifying work of cleansing His temple that is us.
What does reading this part of the story again teach you about Jesus and your own relationship with Him?
Moving on, we read about the withering of the fig tree. This is a symbolic encounter. Jesus is giving a warning to those who are not producing fruits in accordance with godliness. Those who do not produce the fruits of faith will be destroyed, just like the fig tree. I love how reading this passage altogether provides some different context than when read as separate pieces. Within this part of the passage, Jesus also explains to Peter that one of the ways to see the fruits of authentic faith is forgiveness and answered prayers. If our prayers are not being answered we should be checking our hearts.
Are we harboring unforgiveness? Are we asking out of selfishness? Are we truly praying in faith within a right relationship with the Lord? Jesus is not telling us to just ask God selfishly for whatever we want and we will get it. What He is teaching us is that if we truly are in a right relationship with the Lord, there will be fruits to prove it, and some of those fruits include a forgiving heart and answered prayers. Prayers are only answered when our hearts are right with the Lord.
Take some time to pray over and consider this and seek God to work in your heart today.
Jesus also takes some time to explain more about what it means to believe in Him and to truly follow Him. All over these passages, He gives us insight into how we should live as believers. In particular I can’t help but dig into the light versus darkness. Multiple times He explains that we should walk in the light and resist the darkness. If we truly believe in Him we will not dwell in the darkness anymore but we will walk in the Light, and He is very clear that He is the Light.
What about these passages stands out the most to you and what have you learned about it today?
I can’t help but notice that Jesus is reminding us that there is only a limited amount of time to believe and give our life to the Light before it is too late and time runs out. We have to be careful not to let our hearts grow hardened against God, and we should be living according to the truth and knowledge of salvation.
This word for “light” used throughout this set of passages means “saving truth”, and to live agreeably to saving wisdom, to continue to be devoted to the saving truth, and to persevere in keeping with the saving truth. In other words, to walk in the Light is to live according to the truth of salvation and the teachings of Jesus Christ, to truly follow Him, and live by His example.
What does this teach you about who Jesus is and how He calls on you to live your life?
