THE GOD OF COVENANT: Cleaning House
Pastor Brian Schafer
March 24, 2024
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The only way to get to the Temple in Jerusalem is to go UP.
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Mark 11:12-14
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 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. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
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The Fig Tree produces leaves in the spring and a delicious fruit in late summer. The tree that Jesus saw had leaves but no fruit. Many scholars believe that it also did not have the potential for fruit.

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Take your own notes here…

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Mark 11:15-18
On 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, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And 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.’”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.
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Jesus drove out money changers and people selling animal in the part of the Temple known as the Court of the Gentiles. This was the only part of the Temple where people who were not Jewish were welcome to enter and worship.

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Jesus was exposing the religious activity that lacked true worship and made it nearly impossible for people who were far from God to come near to God.
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In what ways can you make it easier for people who are far from God to come near to God?

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The temple courts (Court of the Gentiles) were so cluttered with religious activity. What is cluttering your life and distracting you from centering your whole life around Jesus Christ?

It’s all FROM Him. It’s all THROUGH Him. It’s all FOR Him.