King Jesus | November 26, 2023
+ Read Scripture
Matthew 21:12-22
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?"
17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. 18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."
Talk Sheet Questions
Do you think verses 12-13 demonstrate that Jesus was tough and showed anger? Does it follow that his followers should be tough and show anger? Explain.
What’s the problem with the blind and the lame? (14) Why would anyone become indignant at children singing religious songs in the temple? (15)
Why do you think Jesus curses the fig tree? Is he mad? (19)
How does faith connect to answered prayer? How do you know you are truly “believing” and not just telling yourself a story? (21-22)
Are there other reasons God might not answer your prayer beyond a “lack of faith?” Explain.
Prayer
Pray that we would bear fruit and be full of faith!