Jesus Curses the Fig Tree - Mark 11:12-25

What do others think about Christians and the church? It is common for those outside the church to think of us as hypocritical. This review doesn’t really surprise us much. You’ve probably heard that one before. As Christians, we tend to write off this critique as unoriginal or become defensive. Sadly, we must admit our walk doesn’t always match our talk. We can be all show and no substance. In Mark 11:12-26, Jesus rebukes a fig tree and cleanses a temple. These events issue a sobering warning against spiritual hypocrisy.

As Jesus entered the temple, He found a very active people, but not a worshipful people. What God intended to be a place of prayer had been transformed into a marketplace. Their activity was presented as a way of enhancing worship, yet it robbed God of worship. They gave the appearance of loving God, but their hearts were far from Him. May this not be true of us. May we not portray nearness to God without genuinely drawing near to Him.

Brothers and sisters, it is far too easy to confuse activity with worship. Busyness is a dangerous measuring stick for faithfulness. We can busy ourselves with so many good activities. If we are not careful, our activity for God can quickly outpace our devotion to God. We need to have our priorities straight. Worship is the fuel to our activity. Activity is not a replacement for worship.

We all struggle with hypocrisy. At some point, we have tried to appear spiritual without first drawing near to God. We have all been guilty of getting wrapped up in activity without being wrapped up in worship. There’s good news for spiritual hypocrites. Grace and forgiveness are available through Jesus. Let’s turn to Jesus, be enamored with Him, and live for Him.

Resources:

Reflection Questions:

  • In what ways might you be considered hypocritical? Take some time to confess your hypocrisy to the Lord.

  • How are you growing in your devotion to God?

  • How can you ensure that your activity for God does not outpace your devotion to God?

Delight in the WordAustin SegarMark