1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and he taught saying unto them. Is 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: it not written my house shall be called of all 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: nations the house of prayer, But ye have made it 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: a den of thieves. Mark eleven seventeen. As the truth 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: of Mark eleven and twelve hits my soul. May it 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: serve as a reminder to never allow my life to 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: be as a fake tree. Never allow my life to 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: have the appearance of godliness and the appearance of obedience, 9 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: when in reality there is no fruit of it in 10 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: my life. At this moment, I am making the conscious 11 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: choice to allow my words and my actions to remain 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: in alignment. Give me the boldness to stand up for 13 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: righteousness like Jesus in the temple court yard, to oppose 14 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: anything and everything that is counter cultural to the word 15 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: of God. Let me speak with the authority of Heaven 16 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: behind me, Let me speak with the love of Jesus 17 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: within me, and let me speak with a caring heart 18 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: to restore people back to the rightful place. With you, God, 19 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: thy decree and declare that I will not be intimidated 20 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: nor silenced by those who give thee appearance that they 21 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: are in power, but who are corrupt in heart. And deed. 22 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: From this moment on, I will live with a full 23 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: assurance that whatever I speak in your name, I will 24 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: be able to receive it, because I live in direct 25 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: obedience to you and your word in Jesus name. Amen, 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: thank you for praying with us to day. Continue your 27 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: time with God by listening to to day's Bible story 28 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot. 29 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: Com Den of Thieves. In our last story, we learned 30 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: about the triumphal entry of Jesus. People made way for 31 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: Jesus to take over as king of Israel. However, Jesus 32 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 2: was not the king they expected. They expected him to 33 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: sit on a throne and overthrow Rome. However, Jesus was 34 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 2: coming to hang on a cross and overthrow Sin. Now 35 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 2: we see Jesus rebuking the things that outwardly look holy 36 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,959 Speaker 2: but are filled with corruption and greed. Inspired by the Gospels. 37 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 3: Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of 38 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year. In our last episode, we 39 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 3: heard how Jesus was anointed by Mary in a generous 40 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 3: act of worship that foreshadowed his coming death. We also 41 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 3: heard how Jesus entered Jerusalem to much jubilation and celebration 42 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 3: before a crowd who sought a military conqueror, a king 43 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: who would throw off the rule of Rome. But this 44 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: crowd missed Jesus' true purpose. He came not as a 45 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 3: conquering king the first time, but as the suffering Savior 46 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 3: to give his life for us on the cross, to 47 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 3: die and to rise again on the third day. This 48 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 3: is the message of the Gospel. It's why Jesus came. Today. 49 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 3: We're going to hear Jesus calling out those who have 50 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 3: an appearance of righteousness, but in their self righteousness they 51 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 3: are far from God. So let's listen now to the 52 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: reading of God's word. 53 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: After Jesus had entered the city of Jerusalem, he was 54 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 2: walking with his followers from Bethany. The sun was high 55 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 2: in the sky and the day was long and drawn out. 56 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: Jesus saw a fig tree in the distance and walked 57 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 2: to it so he might have a snack. As he 58 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: drew closer to the fig tree, he saw that it 59 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: had no fruit. Its leaves were deep green, and its 60 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 2: branches were healthy, but there was no fruit. Jesus looked 61 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 2: at the tree for a long moment. He scanned its 62 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,119 Speaker 2: branches and leaves. Then he whispered, may no one ever 63 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: eat fruit from you again, And then he walked off. 64 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 2: They walked to the temple. Even from a half mile away, 65 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: the ground shook from the crowds gathered at the temple. 66 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: The disciples could hear the sound of the money changers 67 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 2: and vendors growing louder. They looked at Jesus. They could 68 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: see intent in his eyes. They had seen this type 69 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: of anger before. Jesus was about to do another cleansing. 70 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: He marched through the temple gates and walked up its steps. 71 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 2: Jesus looked at an entire market place set up in 72 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 2: the only place gentiles could come in worship. Jesus teemed 73 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: with righteous anger. They sold only the temple animals for sacrifice, 74 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 2: keeping the poor from worshiping. They only took a special 75 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: temple currency, which made the priests money. Once again, men 76 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: were keeping people from worshiping God with their greed. Jesus 77 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 2: wasted no time making a whip like he did last time. Instead, 78 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 2: the Son of God leaped into the fray of vendors 79 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: and flipped over their tables. Jesus displayed in intense strength 80 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 2: as he lifted stone altars onto their sides. He went 81 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 2: to the table where the money was being changed and 82 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 2: flung its wooden frame against the temple walls. Jesus saw 83 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: that some men were trying to bring their items into 84 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: the temple. Jesus seized their bags and tossed them aside, 85 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: forbidding them to enter God's holy house with greedy hands. 86 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 2: The whole temple courtyard stirred, and they all looked upon 87 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 2: Jesus with fear, respect, and wonder. Jesus's chest heaved with 88 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 2: anger as he walked up the temple steps. He looked 89 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: out into the crowd and yelled, is it not written 90 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 2: that this place should be a place where all are 91 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 2: welcome to connect with God? It is supposed to be 92 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: a house of prayer and love for all nations, poor 93 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: and rich alike. Jesus looked to the Pharisees who watched 94 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 2: him from the corner. He looked at them dead in 95 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 2: the eye and said, but you have turned it into 96 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 2: a den of thieves. The chief priest and his men 97 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: watched from the lattice of their upper prayer room. They 98 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: watched Jesus inspire the crowd with wonder and authority. They 99 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: hated him. They could not stand the truth he spoke. 100 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: His words challenged their traditions, his actions challenged their authority. 101 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: They feared him, and when evening came, they conspired against him. 102 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: Morning dawned and the light shone over Jerusalem like golden arrows. 103 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 2: Jesus walked with his disciples in the coolness of the morning. 104 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: They went back to Bethany to eat and pray. As 105 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: they passed by, they saw the same fig tree Jesus 106 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 2: had cursed the day before. It had withered and died. 107 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: Its once green leaves were brown and falling into the dust. 108 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 2: Peter noticed this first and said, Rabbi, look at the tree. 109 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 2: It has dyed. Jesus nodded and pointed it out to 110 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: his followers. Have faith in God. God my friends, pray 111 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 2: to him with conviction and confidence in his goodness. Whoever 112 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: says to a mountain move, we'll see it move. Only. 113 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: Do not be double minded. Believe in what you have received, 114 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 2: and when you pray, make sure to also forgive others. 115 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 2: Jesus and his disciples walked away from the tree, but 116 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,679 Speaker 2: Peter looked back to observe it once more. In many ways, 117 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: the brown leaves were the true representation of what the 118 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: tree really was. It bore no fruit, so it might 119 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: as well have been dead. For many people may look 120 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 2: outwardly alive, but within they are dead and bear no fruit. 121 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: As we begin today, Jesus is walking with his followers 122 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: outside of Jerusalem in Bethany. He was hungry, so he 123 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 3: approached a fig tree, and from a distance the tree 124 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 3: looked healthy with leaves that covered the branches, but upon 125 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: closer inspection, the tree had no fruit. Jesus spoke to 126 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 3: the tree, saying, may no fruit ever come from you again. 127 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 3: Jesus once again entered Jerusalem, just as he had before. 128 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 3: The temple was infested with greedy, dishonest money changers and 129 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 3: merchants who were in effect con artists, cheating the people. 130 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 3: This angered the Lord. God's house was intended to be 131 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 3: a place of prayer, a place where people could find forgiveness. 132 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 3: But rather than helping people worship God by selling animals 133 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 3: for sacrifices at reasonable prices, these merchants were taking advantage 134 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 3: of those who came to seek God. We should never 135 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 3: presume that the gentleness of Christ, the kindness of Christ, 136 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 3: is equal to weakness or permissiveness, and today's reading is 137 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 3: a clear example of this. Seeing the wickedness and greed 138 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 3: on display of the temple courts, Jesus rushed into the 139 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 3: temple and began overturning tables and driving out the money changers. 140 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 3: He would fiercely protect the house of his father. And 141 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 3: in Mark eleventh seventeen to eighteen, here's what we read. 142 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 3: And he was teaching them and saying to them, is 143 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 3: it not written my house shall be called a house 144 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 3: of prayer for all the nations, But you have made 145 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 3: it a den of robbers. And the chief priest and 146 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 3: the scribes heard it, and we're seeking a way to 147 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 3: destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd 148 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 3: was astonished at his teaching God's house. God's Temple is 149 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 3: to be a place for all the nations. Yes, Israel 150 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 3: had a special part in God's plan, but his desire 151 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 3: is that all would know him and worship him and 152 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 3: seek him. The good news of Jesus Christ is for 153 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 3: all people of all nations, that includes our neighbors and 154 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 3: the nations of the world. Just as Israel was meant 155 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 3: to point the nations to God, we also are to 156 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 3: point others to Jesus because we are His witnesses, and 157 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 3: because we have experienced his love and grace in our lives, 158 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 3: we want to tell this good news to others. We 159 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 3: want everyone we know, and even people we don't know, 160 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: to know who Jesus is and how to find salvation 161 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 3: in him. The Pharisees and other religious leaders watched on 162 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 3: as Jesus taught the people. They were afraid of his power, 163 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 3: and so they hated him. So they amped up their 164 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 3: efforts to get rid of him and begins conspiring to 165 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,599 Speaker 3: have him killed. The next day is the disciples and 166 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 3: Jesus walked back along the countryside. They saw the fig 167 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 3: tree that Jesus had cursed. It did not look like 168 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 3: the healthy tree full of leaves that they've seen before. 169 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 3: Its branches withered and the leaves had turned brown and died. 170 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 3: Peter noticed it and pointed it out in surprise. Despite 171 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 3: all they had seen Jesus do, they were still amazed 172 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 3: by his power to do anything he chose to do. 173 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 3: Jesus replied to Peter and the others that they must 174 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 3: have faith in God and not doubt. Their faith would 175 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 3: enable them to do even greater things that Jesus was doing. 176 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 3: And because we can do it together in the power 177 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 3: of the Holy Spirit. God does great things and even 178 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 3: greater things through us, the disciples, and all of us 179 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 3: can move mountains by faith when we pray and trust 180 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 3: in a God, the Savior, who can do anything. Dear Lord, 181 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: we know that our bodies are the temple of the 182 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 3: Holy Spirit according to the scriptures, and that you want 183 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 3: the temples to be cleaned, our temples, So Lord, remove 184 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 3: anything in our lives, drive out anything in our lives 185 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 3: that is dishonoring to you that your temple would be 186 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 3: a place of prayer, that we would be people of prayer, 187 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 3: and help us to remember that by your power, the 188 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 3: power of Jesus alive in us, that we can do anything. 189 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 3: We can move mountains according to your will. In Jesus' name. Amen. 190 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 191 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas. You could download the 192 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 3: pray dot Com app and make prayer and Bible study 193 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 3: the priority of your life. And if you enjoyed this podcast, 194 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 3: tell someone about it, pass it on. Let us know 195 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 3: because it is our desire to get God's word to 196 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 3: as many people as possible, as fast as possible, and 197 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 3: if you want to know more about what it means 198 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 3: to be a Christ's follower, what it means to be 199 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 3: a disciple of Jesus, then go to Jack Graham dot 200 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 3: org Jack Graham dot org and we have many resources 201 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 3: that are available for you there. God bless you.