A fig tree full of leaves promised fruit from a distance, but when Jesus came closer he found nothing, and the words he then spoke surprised even his disciples. This Palm Sunday sermon takes us into the temple in Jerusalem (Mark 11), where Jesus overturns the tables of those who turned a meeting place with God into a way to make money. It turns out this shocking scene is good news: God removes everything that stands between him and us. Listen and discover how to pray to the Father you now have direct access to.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Jesus curses a fig tree full of leaves but without fruit, and right after that he clears the temple (Mark 11:12-25). How do these two scenes explain each other, and what might they have meant to the disciples?
- Jesus quotes the words about a house of prayer and a den of robbers, echoing Jeremiah 7. What was the hypocrisy God accused the temple worshippers of?
- The speaker compared the temple to a clogged system or an office where someone stands between you and God. Where do you see people putting similar obstacles in front of others on their way to God today?
- If through Jesus every Christian has become a place through which God wants to bless the world, in which areas of your life are there more leaves than fruit?
- Jesus links believing prayer with forgiving others (Mark 11:25). Why can an unforgiven grudge clog up your relationship with the Father?
- The speaker encouraged us to pray according to God's will, like a child, ready to forgive, and with a sincere heart. Which of these do you want to practice intentionally this week, and how?
