The One Year New Testament

April 27

Mark 11:12-25

Mark 11:12-25

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Reflection

The cursing of the fig tree that was unfruitful is symbolic of what God is going to do with the “fruitless” temple in Jerusalem (see Mark 13:1–2). The temple was meant for true worship, not corrupt business and personal gain (1 Chron. 29:10–19; 2 Chron. 6:14–42), which is why Jesus passionately cleansed it in this confrontation (Mark 11:15–17).

Because God’s chosen people (the nation of Israel) had proven to be a fruitless fig tree, he is extending his kingdom to every corner of the globe. Anyone who will receive the gospel with childlike trust in Christ is gladly welcomed into his kingdom. The followers of Christ bear the fruit of worship, prayer, and godliness through faith in God and his Son Jesus (vv. 22–23).

Galatians 1:6-10

Galatians 1:6-10

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Reflection

Here we see the main concern of Paul’s letter: God has called the Galatians to himself (Gal. 1:6), but they are distorting and deserting the good news of his grace (v. 7). False teachers had taught the Galatians that, in order to be fully acceptable to God, people are required to contribute their own personal efforts to the finished work of Christ (5:2–6; 6:12–13; cf. 2:3–5)—a teaching that Paul fervently condemns (1:8).

The truth of the gospel never changes, even if respectable people begin to promote false teaching (see 2:11–14). Our ultimate loyalty is to God, not to the trendy spiritual ideas of our culture. Paul’s desire was to please God, not people (v. 10), even if his faithfulness to the gospel resulted in many hardships (5:11; 6:17). The good news about Jesus Christ has the power to calm our quest for human approval. The gospel tells us that we are freely given the full approval of God apart from our personal merits. We are accepted and approved by faith alone.

Psalm 63:5-8

Psalm 63:5-8

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Thoughts For Prayer

Christianity requires the people of God to stand up for their faith in Christ (Mark 11:22). The human heart tends toward unbelief, which is why it is important to fuel our faith with the gospel on a regular basis. Spend some time with God recounting the gospel and sharing your appreciation for what Jesus has done for you.

Missions Prayer Requests More

  • May 8, 2024

    Supported Workers: Chris and Leanne Harrington

    Country: Japan

    The people of Noto Peninsula on the west coast of Japan are still in recovery after the New Year’s earthquake. A teammate, Tina Lin, has relocated there for at least two to three months to help a local church’s recovery efforts. Please pray that this recovery effort would lead to relationships and opportunities to share Christ. Chris will hand over his SEND leadership responsibilities as they prepare to return to America for a one-year Home Assignment. Pray for a smooth transition and specifically for Paul Suzuki as he leads the mission there.

    Barbados (Caribbean). Population: 282,309 Believers: 34.2%. Since settlement in 1627, Barbados has been Christian. But despite overwhelming religious profession and a large number of evangelicals, real commitment to the lordship of Jesus is the exception rather than the rule. Pray for the Spirit’s renewal and for the Church in Barbados to reawaken. Belize (Latin America). Population: 416,656 Believers: 18.8%. Most Belizeans profess Christianity, but only 10% of the population attend church regularly. People need to encounter the true gospel in ways that are meaningful and sensitive to their culture. The Spanish-speaking immigrants sometimes mix Truth with superstitions, the Mayans with paganism, and the Garifuna with black magic. Pray for revival and spiritual conviction for any confusion in beliefs. From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org