From Withered Trees to Living Temples

From Withered Trees to Living Temples

Faith, Forgiveness, and the Prayer of God’s People 04/26/26 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” — Mark 11:20-25 NIV  Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. v 23  ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’ Mark 11:17 b NIV  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. vv 20-22  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. v 24  …I will do whatever you ask in my name… — John 14:13 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. — John 15:7 NIV  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. v 25 “…anything against anyone…” v 25  “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive” C.S. Lewis  “…forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” v 25 Unforgiveness happens when someone else’s sin becomes bigger than the cross. The debt others owe us seems bigger than the debt we owed God. — Jason Meyer. As God’s living temple, we are a praying people who trust Him and choose to forgive.

When Jesus Cleans House

What the Temple Was Meant to Be 04/19/26 12 The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14 Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”  18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching. 19 That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city. 20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” — Mark 11:12–21 NLT  …All the families on earth will be blessed through you. — Genesis 12:3b NLT 12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. — Deuteronomy 10:12 NLT  8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. — Micah 6:8 NIV  “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” v. 17  20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.v. 20  16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? — 1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT  19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God… — 1 Corinthians 6:19a NLT  ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ v. 17 Hear, O people of God:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. He has shown you, O [people of God], what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. — Micah 6:8 NIV Jesus replaces the temple with His people—so we can love Him, walk with Him, and be a blessing to the nations.

A Faith that Follows

Pastor Jon Verwey 46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.  47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”  50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.  51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”  52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. — Mark 10:46–52 NLT  Faith is seeing and believing who Jesus is, trusting that He can and will act, and humbly coming to Him—pushing through to reach Him and following wherever He leads. …Jesus, Son of David… v. 47b …threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus v. 50 …Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! v. 47b “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him… v. 48 …he only shouted louder… v. 48 …he followed Jesus down the road v. 52b (NLT) …followed him on the way. v. 52b (ESV) …If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. — Mark 8:34 NLT  Faith is seeing and believing who Jesus is, trusting that He can and will act, and humbly coming to Him—pushing through to reach Him and following wherever He leads. [NOTE: when you put these questions on the screen reveal them one at a time, but keep the previous question on the screen.] Where are you having a hard time believing who Jesus really is? Where are you not trusting Him? Where are you pulling back in fear when you know you need to press in toward Jesus? Where is life getting loud—where other voices, pressures, or circumstances are trying to silence you—and instead of crying out, you’ve grown quiet? Where are you choosing to sit by the road— instead of getting up and following Him where He is leading you?

Surely This Man

The moment the cross revealed Jesus—and how it still changes lives today 04/05/26 33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.  34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).  35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”  36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.  37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” — Mark 15:33–39 NIV  …they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. — Mark 16:4-5 NIV  “Don’t be alarmed,” … “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here…” — Mark 16:6 NIV If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. —Romans 10:9 Communion-  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony… — Revelation 12:11a NKJV  As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it.  Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. …you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. — 1 Corinthians 11:28 NLT  Have I surrendered my life to Him—given Him my “everything”? Do I believe all that we are remembering and proclaiming in communion?

Groundhog Day Disciples

Walking with Jesus but missing His way  03/29/26 Pastor Jon Verwey Jesus leads the way in humility, opens the way through the cross, and is the only Way to real transformation. …Jesus [was] leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. — Mark 10:32a NIV …Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. — Luke 9:51 NIV Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. — Isaiah 50:7 NLT  Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.  “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”  vv. 32b-34 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. — Philippians 2:6–8 NLT  “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” v. 38b “…but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”v. 40 …You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. vv. 42b-44 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve… v. 45a  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. v. 45  …he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. — Philippians 2:7 NLT His spilled blood, broken body and death became the ransom price that set us free from slavery to sin. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Philippians 2:9–11 NLT  Jesus leads the way in humility, opens the way through the cross, and is the only Way to real transformation. He has opened the way for you to step out of the exhausting cycle of trying harder but never changing — and into the life you were created to live.