March 8, 2014: Wilderness Challenge / Cursed and Thrown Out!

Mark 11:1-18

Amplified Bible (AMP)

11 When they were getting near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent ahead two of His disciples

2 And instructed them, Go into the village in front of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; unfasten it and bring it [here].

3 If anyone asks you, Why are you doing this? answer, The Lord needs it, and He will send it back here presently.

4 So they went away and found a colt tied at the door out in the [winding] open street, and they loosed it.

5 And some who were standing there said to them, What are you doing, untying the colt?

6 And they replied as Jesus had directed them, and they allowed them to go.

7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their outer garments upon it, and He sat on it.

8 And many [of the people] spread their garments on the road, and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

9 And those who went before and those who followed cried out [with a cry of happiness], Hosanna! [Be graciously inclined and propitious to Him!] Praised and blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Praised and blessed in the name of the Lord is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna (O save us) in the highest [heaven]!

11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and entered the temple [enclosure]; and when He had looked around, surveying and observing everything, as it was already late, He went out to Bethany together with the Twelve [apostles].

12 On the day following, when they had come away from Bethany, He was hungry.

13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree [covered] with leaves, He went to see if He could find any [fruit] on it [for in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come.

14 And He said to it, No one ever again shall eat fruit from you. And His disciples were listening [to what He said].

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And He went into the temple [area, the porches and courts] and began to drive out those who sold and bought in the temple area, and He overturned the [four-footed] tables of the money changers and the seats of those who dealt in doves;

16 And He would not permit anyone to carry any household equipment through the temple enclosure [thus making the temple area a short-cut traffic lane].

17 And He taught and said to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have turned it into a den of robbers.

18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard [of this] and kept seeking some way to destroy Him, for they feared Him, because the entire multitude was struck with astonishment at His teaching.

Jesus astonishes me once again. The same Man who was incredibly kind and loving to sinners and outcasts cursed the fruitless fig tree and drove out the merchants in the temple without batting an eye.

Hey folks! Don't mistake Jesus' kindness and unconditional love for weakness. He is soft and gentle, yes. But if we don't bear fruit, He will curse us and cast us into hell. And if we try to make money off of others' unfortunate situations as the temple merchants were doing, we will be thrown out. Plain and simple.

"Jesus, I long to know the gentle and loving part of You. But at the same time, I FEAR the "great and terrible" part of You. I don't ever want to think of You as a Big Daddy sitting up there who spoils me and puts up with evil behavior with a wink and a chuckle. You are the great and terrible God who rules! Whether I like it or not! You RULE! 
I saw a gold menorah
    with seven branches,
And in the center, the Son of Man,
    in a robe and gold breastplate,
    hair a blizzard of white,
Eyes pouring fire-blaze,
    both feet furnace-fired bronze,
His voice a cataract,
    right hand holding the Seven Stars,
His mouth a sharp-biting sword,
    his face a perigee sun.  Rev. 1:13-17 MSG 
I must tread softly and carefully in my walk with You. I must clean out my heart every day, multiple times a day. My desire is to please You with every word, thought, and action. And I yearn to bear lots and lots of fruit. I bless Your mighty Name, Jesus. AMEN."