Marked To Tear Down Barriers

One story within another almost always points to parallel stories
in the Bible.
The presence of God produces fruit.
Jesus cursed the fig tree because it did not produce fruit in the
season of the coming of the Kingdom of God.
The tables of the money-changers were overturned to show that
atonement is not something that can be bought with money.
The buyers and sellers of sacrificial animals were driven out to
bring an end to sacrificing animals for forgiveness.
Jesus stopped people from carrying anything through the temple to
usher in the end of cultic rituals for purification.
Jesus has been replacing the temple throughout His ministry:
healing the sick, forgiving sins, and restoring people to
society.
Jesus replaced the tables of the money-changers with the Lord’s
Table, where remember that He alone atoned for our sins.
Jews thought that prayer was more effective in the temple, but
Jesus tore down the barriers and invites all people to be a part
of the new temple.
We can’t hide a lack of fruit behind fig leaves of rituals and
church attendance.

1. Does your relationship with Jesus affect every part of your
life? What areas of your life are still hidden behind fig leaves
or rituals?
2. If you were a priest, scribe, or Jew in the temple that day,
how might you have responded to the scene Jesus made?
3. What areas of your life are you trying to still earn a right
standing with God rather than accepting His grace through Jesus
Christ?
4. Have you erected barriers that keep you from sharing Christ’s
love with others?