Mark 11- 2020-11-16
- Journal
Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.
- Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
- Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
- List out all that you are grateful for.
- Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.
Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
- Bible Text:
Mark 11:20-25*
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.”*
* Some manuscripts add verse 26: But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses
Questions to help us go deeper
Mark 11:20-25
- Jesus’ clearing of the temple is bookended by Jesus’ curse of the fruitless fig tree and their discovery of that fig tree “withered away to its roots.” What is Jesus saying about the temple system of worship?
Mark 11:22-25
- What is Jesus’ somewhat surprising response to the disciples’ observation of the withered fig tree? What do you think Jesus means by this?
- Jesus introduces a “new order based on faith in God (11:22) that overcomes insurmountable odds (11:23), is sustained by grace (11:24), and is characterized by forgiveness (11:25).”[1] Reflect on how this is true through Jesus and the gospel.
[1] Garland, David E.. “Mark 11:15-20” in NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Mark. By David E. Garland, 450-453. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998
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Prayer