“Jesus Shakes Up the Holy City”
(Matthew 21:12-22)
Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
June 21, 2020
The Passage
Matthew 21:12-22
12 Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read: You have preparedpraisefrom the mouths of infants and nursing babies?” 17 Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
18 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
21 Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Introductory Comments:
It’s such a joy to be back in worship with you all in person and with those who are worshiping online. We want to continue to pray for God’s mercy on our church family, our extended families, our community, our country, and our world.
Today, we’re going to see how Jesus shook things up when He was in Jerusalem, the Holy City. This is a famous story of which many of us are familiar.
In today’s sermon, we will witness the priority that Jesus places upon proper worship of and proper faith in God.
Before we get into this passage, let’s go to God in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.
(prayer)
One thing we know for sure right now is that a lot of people have differing opinions about what’s going on in our culture. Indeed, people have shared with me what I am doing, right or wrong, when it comes to leading our church and what our church is doing, right or wrong, when it comes to handling COVID-19. Let’s set all that aside for a moment. Think back with me to the pre-COVID days (it seems like it was a year ago, but it was almost exactly three months ago that we last met in person). Imagine that someone came into our church and shared their opinion by us that everything we were doing was wrong. Imagine that they told us that our worship and the exercising of our faith were just not being carried out properly. We wouldn’t like that very much, would we?
Well, in today’s passage, we’re going to see that Jesus brought correction and instruction to the people of Jerusalem and we can imagine that they weren’t very happy about it. In fact, we’ll find out later that we know they weren’t very happy about it.
I’ve entitled this sermon, “Jesus Shakes up the Holy City.” Indeed, today we’ll see that He starts to shake things up. As He does so, He provides for us three spiritual aspirations to which we can set our direction as individuals and as a church.
Let’s start with this first spiritual aspiration to which Jesus points us:
I. Proper worship (vv. 12-13) [on screen]
So, we know that Jesus has come into Jerusalem during the week of Passover. As many people are doing during the time of the Passover, Jesus goes into the temple.
As Jesus goes into the temple He sees something happening that He doesn’t like very much. Let’s check it out. Look at verses 12 and 13.
12 Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
So, obviously, Jesus has an issue here.
Now, there’s some explaining that needs to take place in order to understand this.
First of all, let’s answer the question as to why the money changers and salesmen were there.
Money changing was necessary because the temple only accepted a certain type of money. So, you would bring your other money and exchange it for the kind that was acceptable to use in the temple courts.
Further, some people didn’t have animals to sacrifice at the temple so it was right and necessary that there would be animals for them to buy there, particularly doves for the families that didn’t have a lot of extra money.
Well, if that was the case, why was Jesus so upset?
First of all, keep in mind that the city of Jerusalem was a large city and the temple complex was a large complex. Some of you have been there and you know how large it was. Yet, the area where they chose to carry out these business activities was actually an area reserved for prayer.
The most egregious offense related to the buying and selling of these animals and the exchanging of money was that it was interfering with worship. You see, the first court that was contained inside the temple walls was the Gentiles’ court. This was the area where people from anywhere in the world, even those who were not Jewish, could worship the one true God. More than likely, this is where this business was taking place. So, there wasn’t anything inherently evil about exchanging money or selling animals. The problem was that it was done in a way that distracted others from worship.
Further, there is a possibility that in selling animals to worshipers, some people were taking advantage of those with little money. There’s not conclusive evidence about this in Matthew’s Gospel, but it’s certainly a possibility.
In His anger, Jesus references these Old Testament quotations from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 to demonstrate His condemnation of what the leaders are allowing in the temple complex. Instead of the temple courts being used for worship and prayer, they were being used for business exchanges.
Jesus came in as a righteous prophet, He came in as Messiah, with authority, to boldly make a statement that the people were not worshiping God as they should in the temple. By the way, before you start turning over our hand sanitizer table in the back, remember that you are not Jesus. Jesus is not only Messiah, He is God and has the authority to turn over any table that He wants to.
In his commentary on Matthew, Kurt Richardson points out that the people expected Jesus the Messiah to attack the Roman authorities. Instead, He attacked the Jewish degradation of worship. Isn’t that interesting? Here’s why Jesus did that: Jesus was serious about proper worship. We must understand this for our day and time as well. Jesus wants us to properly worship God, not just put on a show. He wants us to be sure not to get distracted. He wants us to keep the main thing the main thing.
Jesus cared about worship then and He cares about worship now. He cares about proper worship!
Also, we see in this passage . . .
II. Particular praise (vv. 14-17) [on screen]
Have you ever been in a situation where someone is praising you for something that you didn’t do or for something that you didn’t deserve? If you have any integrity it makes you feel wrong inside and you feel like you need to set the record straight so folks know that you don’t deserve the credit. Also, when you see someone else receive credit that they don’t deserve it makes you angry, doesn’t it?
Well, let’s check out what’s going on in verses 14-17 to see how the chief priests and scribes felt about Jesus receiving praise. Look at the passage again.
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Jesus replied, “Yes, have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?”17 Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
In these verses we have the blind and the lame coming to Jesus for healing, we have the children praising Him, and the scribes and priests becoming indignant.
You see, Jesus had compassion on those who were in need. We know that already from our study of Matthew. Scholars reveal that during Passover the blind and lame were not required to come to sacrifice at the temple. In fact, some historical evidence suggests that they may not have even been allowed to come. Yet, there they are, coming to Jesus for compassion and healing and Jesus freely gives it. The Old Testament prophecies suggest that these are the types of acts that the Messiah will perform and He is doing so in Matthew 21.
Children recognize the power of Jesus and they praise Him for His work. They say, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” which as we learned from last week basically means, “Praise God for the Messiah!”
The scribes and priests want none of this. They don’t think that Jesus deserves this praise so they ask Him, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
Jesus doesn’t reply by saying, “Yeah, I tried to stop them.” Instead, Jesus implies that this very moment was prophesied long ago. Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2, which says, “You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies.” The religious leaders would have known that Psalm 8 was a psalm of praise written to God and God alone. By Jesus using Psalm 8 to justify the children’s praise of Him, He is basically saying they are praising me as God, which is good and right.
We must get this, church: Jesus particularly is worthy of praise. He was worthy of praise from those children; He was worthy of praise from the religious leaders, which they did not show Him; and He is worthy of praise from us.
We shouldn’t just celebrate and sing about church, or religious things, or ourselves, or our feelings, or the good ol’ days, or America, or Christmas, or Easter, or anything else. We should celebrate and sing about Jesus! We should praise Jesus! He is worthy of particular praise!
Jesus was really shaking things up! He turned over tables, He welcomed the lame and the blind, and He received praise that was reserved only for God. Let that truth sink into your heart and your mind.
Before we leave this passage, we’re going to see another spiritual aspiration for us. We are not just to have proper worship, we are not just to have particular praise, but we are also to have . . .
III. Powerful faith (vv. 18-22) [on screen]
We have here this unusual story that demonstrates the powerful faith of Jesus and the instruction for us to have powerful faith as well. I dare say that it’s the only event like this in all of human history.
Let’s look at verses 18-22:
18 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.
20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
21 Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Now, before we get too far into what these verses mean, it’s worth noting that there’s a lot written about if figs were in season this time of year, when the leaves come out on fig trees versus when the figs come out, and a lot more. Let me be clear, that’s not the point.
Jesus is first teaching us a lesson about faith, and He’s probably teaching us more about bearing fruit in our spiritual lives.
The particulars as to why Jesus expected there to be fruit on the tree remains somewhat of a mystery. However, we see that Jesus was hungry, the tree did not have fruit, He cursed the tree, and it withered. It withered so quickly that the disciples were amazed and questioned how this happened. Jesus explained that this happened through powerful faith!
Jesus is trying to make a point here. He said that not only can powerful faith cause a fig tree to wither, it can also empower us to move a mountain into the sea. Now, to be sure, Jesus probably did not intend for us to move mountains into the sea. The point is to say that with powerful faith in God He can do anything through us!
Powerful faith can cause trees to wither. Powerful faith can relocate mountains. Powerful faith can revitalize a church. Powerful faith can heal families and communities. Powerful faith can help those in need. Powerful faith can help you love others. Powerful faith can mend marriages. Powerful faith can break the chains of addiction. Powerful faith can give you the courage to share your faith. Powerful faith can help you be a light in a country facing lots of darkness. Powerful faith in Jesus has no boundaries!
In fact, Jesus said in verse 22, “And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Whatever! Anything! If you believe and trust in the power of God!
It’s important to note that the belief is in God, not in ourselves. I can hardly get out of bed some mornings. I lose steam with something as simple as an email from a disgruntled church member. I can’t even remember to pick up my dry-cleaning some days. However, there is power available to me from God the Father, made available by the work of Jesus, channeled to me through the Holy Spirit God.
Jesus is basically saying to the disciples after they marveled at the fig tree, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
When we know that something is from God, He is calling us to do it, and He has power available for us, we can have great faith that He can do anything!
Now, there is another truth that we can glean from this passage. Many believe that Jesus was providing a living parable with this fig tree that paralleled the people of Jerusalem at that time.
Here’s the point: just as the fig tree was cursed because it did not bear fruit, so also Israel would be cursed by God if they did not bear spiritual fruit. There are no automatics in our relationship with God. He wants real commitment, real devotion, real worship, and real fruit-bearing.
This truth is for us as well: if we do not bear fruit it is a demonstration that our faith is dead.
Remember, James says in James 2:17, “In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.” [on screen]
Jesus was there to demonstrate that Israel needs real faith, real worship, and real salvation. It was found in Him. The story of the fig tree, at minimum, is a picture of what happens to those who trust in fruitless religion instead of powerful faith.
Concluding Thoughts:
These three spiritual aspirations are not just for the people of Jerusalem, they are not just for the apostles, they are for the Church today, they are for First Baptist Church Bartow, they are for you, and they are for me.
We must aim for proper worship of God, we must have particular praise of Jesus, and we must operate with powerful faith.
As we gather back as a church, now’s a great time for us to consider what we are doing here? What are we doing as a church and why are we doing it? We exist to develop disciples who love God, love the church, and love others. Are we doing that?
(pause)
Now’s a good time for you to examine your faith, for me to examine my faith, and for us to examine ourselves as a church.
Here’s our bottom line for today’s passage:
Bottom Line: Jesus continues to show us how to faithfully follow Him. [on screen]
(repeat)
He shows us as a church and He shows us as individuals. We must stop spinning wheels; let’s really get some spiritual traction. Let’s faithfully follow Him. Let’s have proper worship, particular praise, and powerful faith.
Challenge yourself this week to live out this passage in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
1. Consider the place of worship in your life. [on screen]
Are you a part of our church because you like to be a part of a church? Or, are you a part of our church because you like to be a part of a body of believers who worship the one true living God?
Do you want to sing praise and worship songs, or hymns, because you like the way they sound, because they cause you to be nostalgic, or because they lift up the name of Jesus and bring glory to God?
Ask yourself these questions and more this week. Take some time this week and consider the place of worship in your life.
2. Consider your praise of Jesus. [on screen]
What place does Jesus have in your life?
Is Jesus just a figure that you pay homage to as the leader of your religion? Is Jesus someone who you hope will grant your requests and meet your needs? Or, is Jesus Messiah, King, and Lord in your life?
3. Consider the power of your faith. [on screen]
What kind of faith do you have? Is there power in your faith?
Is your faith based on yourself? Or, is your faith based on the work of Jesus Christ and trust in Him?
Take some time this week and evaluate your faith?
Closing:
These three spiritual aspirations help us learn how to more faithfully follow Jesus. Are you a follower of Jesus? If so, seek to be more faithful. If not, start following Jesus today.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
