Day 2: HOLY MONDAY
Scripture
MARK 11:12-19 (NIV)
'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 him say it.
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.
When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.'
Devotion
At a first glance it seems that these two stories are unrelated, but they are intentionally put together.
From a distance the tree looked healthy and productive. But on a closer inspection, it had nothing of substance to offer. Fig trees have a “breba crop” which comes in before the season for the main crop. This helps explain a little of why Jesus was looking for fruit on the tree during this time of year, but he didn’t even find this. So this tree looked alive, but there was no fruit developing, so it was as useful as a dead tree.
It was the same in the temple. Things were busy. It looked like the temple was full of life. But as Jesus looked around He didn’t see the fruit He desired. True worship was not happening. It had become a place of religious busyness and people trying to fill their pockets. It was hard for the people to pray and worship while all the distractions of this pop-up market were around them. The sacred space that God designed was being misused.
As Jesus enters both of these settings He has some expectations. There is something He is looking for. In both cases He didn’t find what he was looking for. He was looking for true Worship, He was looking for Fruit.
The reality was that Jesus was walking around in a world broken by sin. If He was going to find true worshipers, they would have to have to be born again. He knew that this new life that mankind needed would cost Him. This is why He came to earth, to give us life and to restore communion with God.
Questions for reflection
Are there any distractions of the world that have crept into your sacred space with God?
Are there ways that you have been “spiritually busy” to look full of life, but lack some fruit to offer to God?
Prayer
Jesus thank you that You stepped in to clean the temple, thank you that You step into our hearts and clean things out that shouldn’t be there. God I acknowledge that You alone see my heart fully. Help me not work to please people, but to honor you.
written by Kevin Gleockler
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Family Devotional
Holy Monday: Mark 11:12-19
After you read the story have your kids imagine that they let someone borrow a toy or another important item and it was broken. How would you feel? In our story Jesus is angry because his temple, the place where people could meet with God and worship, has been broken. Instead of being a place of worship it has become a place where people were taking advantage of others. So Jesus took time to cleanse the temple.
Take strips of paper and write out all the things that are broken in the world (greed, sickness, etc.) and then crumple them up. Then take turns using a broom to sweep these away. Be creative and think of ways to make this fun and engaging, for example, see who can send a piece of paper the farthest away.
Pray as a family and thank God that he is cleansing everything that is wrong and when he returns everything will be made perfect.