Encouragement Email – Monday, Passion Week

¹²The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it. ¹⁵On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?' But you have made it a den of robbers.'" (Mark 11:12-17, NIV).

As your Lord enters Monday, the final Monday of His earth-bound life, He has already been inundated with hypocrisy. Yesterday’s entry to Jerusalem was suffused with worshippers and critics, most of whom will disown Him in but a few days. Thankfully His band of followers tag along by His side, listening carefully to Him whose every word was precious.

He makes his way down the hill toward Jerusalem. Surely there is sustenance for Him at this time of year in a fig tree. But the tree that promised figs by its showy leaf plumes yielded an unhappy surprise. What looked fruitful from a distance was in reality a lot of nothing. There were no figs to be eaten from that tree for breakfast.

So, Jesus uttered a curse upon it, likening the fig tree to Israel as Isaiah likely did in chapter 5 of his prophecy. “Okay,” we say. “That fits. The punishment was just; it was earned for obstinate rebellion.” It’s a punishment that is still in effect 2,000 years later.

So too, we would agree, with our Lord’s temple cleansing. Not a physical cleansing, mind you, but a spiritual cleansing. It too came with reproof, “you have made it ‘a den of robbers!’” I can’t help but wonder if His anger didn’t but burn hot. The temple, meant for men careful about their souls and anxious for God’s glory, was a fast-paced meat market. And is religion any less greedy for your money today?

And those are the two events on our Lord’s Monday recorded for our contemplation. Both were profoundly painful to the Lord who looked at all things not merely as a man does, outwardly, but also inwardly, as God does, to the heart. His soul is preparing for the cross.

As your thoughts turn to Friday’s cross, ask yourself a few questions.

“What is the condition of true religion in God’s name around me like on the surface, and then on the inside?”

“What is the fruit God wants, versus the fruit religious men admire?”

“How shall I love my Lord better in my heart, given that He was opposed to all hypocrisy?”

“What people shall I love better with my words and deeds, seeing that He has given Me His Son?”

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Sent on April 6, 2020 by the Pastoral Staff (Ted Bigelow, Pastor of Preaching and Development and Steve Ridge, Executive Pastor) of Grace Bible Church of Colorado Springs.