He Went into the Temple
Mark 11:1-26
Tony Chute, Lead Pastor

Overview
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem signals an opportunity for Israel to receive her Messiah, yet it quickly leads to confrontation instead. In accordance with Old Testament prophecy and accompanied by great fanfare, Jesus humbly presents Himself to His people. Their inability to recognize Jesus as their Messiah is illustrated by His cursing the fig tree and cleansing the temple, both of which depict empty results despite outward promise. Although the enemies of Jesus view His actions as a pretense to destroy Him, the disciples of Jesus are encouraged to deepen their walk with the Lord. Mark thus provides a picture of Jesus as both a gentle Savior who offers Himself to all and the righteous Judge who has the final word over all.

Sermon Key Note 01.
Jesus is the gentle Savior who comes to us humbly that we may receive Him into our lives. He is the fulfillment of Scripture, the object of our praise, the hope in all our prayers, and the reason we are forgiven.

Sermon Key Note 02.
Jesus is the righteous Judge who comes with authority that we may recognize His sovereignty over all of life. He has the right to assess human behavior, the authority to pronounce judgment, and the ability to affect outcomes.

Questions for Discussion and Discovery:
1. What clues from the text indicate that Jesus intentionally fulfills prophecy as He enters Jerusalem? How does the response from the crowd indicate hope that the messianic kingdom has arrived? (See Zechariah 9:9 and Psalm 118:25-6)

Questions for Discussion and Discovery:
2. Verse 11 states that Jesus “went into the temple” and “looked around at everything.” Verse 13 states that Jesus saw a fig tree in leaf. How do these passages assure us that Jesus not only sees all but also assesses all things to see if they are fulfilling their purpose? How does this sense of accountability encourage us to live for the Lord in all things?

Questions for Discussion and Discovery:
3. In what way does the fig tree parallel worship in the temple? What were the outward appearances of each? What was the reality of each? What do these passages indicate about the importance of true worship as it relates to external appearances?

Questions for Discussion and Discovery:
4. What was the purpose of having money-changers at the temple? How did their presence overshadow the primary purpose of worship? What must we do in order to ensure that otherwise good things in worship do not become the enemy of the best things in worship?

Questions for Discussion and Discovery:
5.What lessons from prayer can we glean from this text? Why is prayer so easily neglected (verse 17)? Why is prayer so important (verse 24)? What must we do in order to ensure that our prayers are heard (verse 25)?