This Sunday, March 6 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, we continued our Easter mini sermon series by reading events of the Monday of The Week that Changed the World in Mark 11:12-21.
This passage walks us through two stories which challenge conventional characterizations of Jesus. Through God's infinite mercy and wisdom, however, these stories ultimately bring us to see Him rightly as a passionate and powerful Redeemer--the one and only sacrifice fit for our great sin.
On the road, Jesus curses and withers a fig tree which bears no fruit. He then enters the temple and lashes out with boldness and violent condemnation against hypocrites who have abused their positions of religious authority.
Each of these displays of death and destruction calls our attention to the battle between what is true and what is a lie. The words of Scripture expose our failures to bear good fruit and beg us to examine the ways we fall short of the glory of God.
All too often, we neglect to put our hope in the Lord or live up to our identity as people of God. Like Adam and Eve behind fig leaves in the Garden of Eden, we hide in shame.
Jesus' face is set on the road to the cross, and he turns tables to reveal our need for His grace. We too are pointed toward Good Friday and the love of our Savior whose desire for us to be spiritually healthy children of God never wavers.
