Confidently come to King Jesus.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Mark wants us not to miss the colt, so that we don’t miss significance of whats happening. Jesus is fulfilling words of prophet 500 years. He is the promised King - and he is here. It’s time to roll out the red carpet.

Seen in peoples response

Mark 11:8–10 NIV

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Jesus has arrived at his final destination, come to accomplish his mission, set out on 31/2 years before.

SLIDE The King is here…to annoucne judgement

The King is here to announce judgement.

From triamphal entry, story takes bizzare twist.

Jesus curses fig tree, goes into temple, turns over tables, and calls it a den of robbers.

Mark 11:12 NIV

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

Maybe he had hanger problem. So hungry that unless you get fed soon people are going to face your wrath.

Is that what Mark is trying to tell us?

No! What we see is not uncontrolled unreasonable impulse of anger, but controlled, thoughtful annoucment of judgement and an opportunity to teach.

v11 Jesus has already been to the temple, and seen what was going on. Plus on basis of foreknowledge about colt, we could assume he would know what was going on in temple anyway.

PICTURE OF FIG TREE arrow TEMPLE

Mark shows Jesus wants us to join dots between fig tree and temple.

Both bear outward sign of fruitfulness, but bear no fruit. Fif tree was in leaf, sign that fruit is on its way, may have been hoping for few pre season figs, come out early.

As he goes into temple. Place where historically God chosen to dwell, so that his peopel could enjoy relationship to him, you would expect great spiritual fruit, nourishing, edifying, tasty for all. Even just a little. But what he sees result in righteous anger

See what he concludes:

Mark 11:17 NIV

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.’”

What is Jesus issue?

Isaiah 56:7–8 NIV

these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Sovereign Lord declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”

Temple was suppose to be place where peopel would gather to worship God - to pray, enjoy fellowship with him, not just for Jews, but instead it had become a place of extortion, distraction, and idolatry. Made clear by Jesus quote from Jeremiah 7,

SLIDE JER 9

Jeremiah 7:9–11 NIV

“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.

which accusation is not just of commercialisation, but with religion which is all about show, but at its heart is corrupt to the core, with no love for God or others. Likely that temple court refers to outer courtyard, where Gentiles could come to worship. So instead being place of prayer and welcome into fellowship with God, has become place of exortation and exlusion. Instead of drawing people to God, they are keeping pepole from God.

It’s hypocricy, the religion of empty show, leafy tree without fruit. Perfomance based religion is shallow and empty. All about self. Jesus warning, corrupt temples will become rubble. Like the fig tree - cursed, it will wither. Jesus annouces judgement.

SLIDE - PICTURE OF PIMPED UP CORSA

Friend spent £1000 on old vauxhall corsa (trend). Doing it up, making it look “good”, big exhaust, loud speakers, spoiler - but few weeks later, asked me for a lift - engine has blown up

Warning for believer. How easily we fall into show and tell religion. Look shiney on Sunday but lives rest of week, out of public eye don’t match up. We give impresison of patience and politeness but in hearts hold resentment. We want others to look at us, and be hugely impressed with our “holiness”, more than we want them to know Jesus and his. How often people have wrong impression that Christianity is for good people. (I wonder if some of that is because we give impression that it is, when we know its not!)

Annoucnes judgement on temple. Great temple built by David, house of God, now worthless. under judgement on King Jesus. If God’s dwelling place, place where peopel would go to make sacrifices, pray, to atone for Sin, to worship gone, how could they enjoy relationship with God? How can anyone?

SLIDE : KING JESUS IS HERE TO SAVE

King Jesus is here to save

Mark 11:9–11 NIV

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

“Hosanna”

But to save from what? Mark 11, brings last week of Jesus life, as he arrives in Jerusalem. Whole narritive slows down. Passion week. Because having heard Jesus 3 times predict it, we read it beginning to unfold in verse 18.

triamphal entry - leading to the cross. As Jesus in fulfilment of Zechariah comes in humility, on a donkey, he comes to serve.

Fulfilling what his Kingship would look like - Road marked by humility and self sacrifice, He would be accused, tried, killed. Destroyed. Cursed for us. To save us.

From our own self righteousness, own self centrednes, own hypocrisy. rebellion. own sin. As on the tree - the cross - he faced the curse, of wrath of God for us. Just judgement. So that we might enjoy a right relationship with God forever, and promise of place in eternal Kingdom.

SLIDE : KING JESUS IS HERE TO SAVE

King Jesus is here to save

what does that look like?

This is our connection to last few verses and we see to save means

SLIDE : KING JESUS IS HERE TO BRING US TO GOD

King Jesus is here to bring us to God

Mark 11:20–21 NIV

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Peter has lightbulb moment. v21 Concerned about temple.

For Jew would be concering. History of relationship between God and his people tied up with temple that Jesus has just curses. How can we pray, approach God, worship.

And it’s as Jesus responds to Peter’s dawning realisation, in the context of events that have just happened, that we get the context for verses to follow.

Mark 11:22–25 NIV

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Context zooming in: Mark 1 Jesus is King bringing in his Kingdom

Mark 8-10 Following him means denying ourselves and serving

Mark 11 Immidiate context concerns worship and fruitfulness

Whatever Jesus saying fits in this.

Point is about prayer and faith. We are to have Big faith and a bold prayer life.

3 big applications from passage, concluding in this section on prayer.

SLIDE Approach confidently

Approach confidently

Seen through verse - sense of confidence to come before God. What does look like if not through temple - its through Jesus, he is true temple, place where we draw close to God.Trust in his death and ressurection, we can come to God confidently - on the authority of the King infact! Not under judgement, but under blessing. Constant position before God in Jesus. Confident assurance. Approach him as loving Father.

Difference it makes to our relationship with him and prayer life, if we always seem him as heavenly Father who loves us without releuctance.

SLIDE Pray boldly

Pray Boldly

v24 whatever

SLIDE Restaurant

illustration about benig in restaurant and someone saying “have whatever you want - my treat” - context determines that I’m not offering you absolutely anything.

Not saying God will give us whatver we want regardless. Don’t miss hear, not saying we shouldn’t pray about everything - he is our Father loves us to come to him, but as our Father he loves us, and knows whats best - how does Jesus start - have faith in God. TRUST in God.

As we submit ourselves to Jesus the King, give our lives to him, and begin to live for his Kingdom and his glory, in his service. We should pray with great boldness - in line with will of God - and be certain that will recieve what we ask for. His will done.

Which means when we pray and prayers are answered, its not becayse we don’t have enough faith, but because its not his will, or not yet anyway.

More we submit ourselves to Jesus, depending on him, growing in him by his word, giving our whole lives over to him and his Kingdom, more our pray in line with Spirit, we will see immovable objects moved for the glory of God. Wehther it be sin in our lives, that seemed so stubborn, or barriers to sharing the gospel, anything that stands in the way of God fulfilling his purposes for his glory.

These verse not a blank checkbook of desires, - It is an invitation to God’s people to attempt great things for God and move toward them with confidence through prayer.

We should pray about everything, depending on God to fulfil his purposes in our lives - to answer for our good and for his glory.

SLIDE FORGIVE GENEROUSLY

Forgive generously

Context is prayer - one of the things we should perhaps be praying boldly for us power and ability to forgive, because it can seem so hard.

Yet there is a conditional statement.

v25.

What saying is this - forgiveness is something that has to be grasped in order to give. When we say “I can’t forgive you, or you don’t deserve my forgiveness”, we are demonstrating a failure to understand and accept the great dept that God has forgiven us. And so as we pray, right at top - perhaps the mountain that needs moving first - is any grudge we hold against other for their sin against us. Because this acknwledges the generousity poured out to us by God, to be poured out on others.

Who do need to forgive today? Ask God to help you. Show you his grace to you, that you might pour it out.

Friends, lets roll out the red carpet - King Jesus is here.

Come confidently to God through Him, and pray boldy asking him to fulfil his purposes in your life, in the church and in the world.

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