Mark 11

Thought on This Chapter

MK 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Using God's house incorrectly is not a new problem. God's house is to be a house of prayer. It is supposed to be used for communing with God. We are to gather at God's house (Heb 10:25) to hear from God thru the preaching and to take our petitions to Him in prayer.

I know you can pray alone anywhere and God will hear you. However, there is something special about gathering with other believers for prayer.

Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

We are told that God's house is to be called a house of prayer. Obliviously that implies that some serious praying is going on.

We are instructed to assemble. We are given a promise that when we gather that Jesus is in the midst of us, and that if we agree about what we are praying for, then it will be answered. (Of course we must pray in God's will and not in the flesh).

God's Word is simple and clear on the matter. Gather together for prayer. So why is it that the least attended service is the prayer meeting?

I will suggest a few reasons. I am sure you can add to the list. 1) We don't really believe in the power of prayer. Oh, many give lip service to it. And they will insist that they do believe in the power of prayer. But they are proving that they really don't when they never show up to pray. 2) We don't want to spend our time in prayer. It takes time out of our busy schedules. Most would rather sleep in or watch more T.V. Many think their time is more valuable than prayer. 3) We don't want to be inconvenienced by the consequences of prayer. What I mean by that is. If you pray for more visitors to your church, then God most likely will ask you to witness more. If you pray for more workers in Sunday school, God might just ask you to help out. 4) We don't want to invest our hearts and our feelings into it. We don't really want to get a burden for the lost. We don't want to shed any tears.

All of these excuses are just that. Lousy excuses. Not one of them is biblical. We really have NO valid excuses for not having a lot of prayer going on in the church building.

And we wonder why this nation is in the state that it is.

Thought On This Chapter

MK 11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

MK 11:10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

These people were excited to see Jesus fulfilling prophecy and riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. They were excited because they thought that Jesus would set up His kingdom and thereby deliver them from the Romans. They wanted Jesus to restore the kingdom of David. In verse 10 they say blessed be the kingdom of our father David. They thought that kingdom was going to be restored right then. They were very excited, but that quickly turned to disappointment and anger.

When Jesus did not deliver to them what they desired, then they went from crying Hosanna to crucify. They did not understand that Jesus had to go to the cross first and then the church age was to come. Jesus often talked about how He must suffer, die, and then be raised again. They did not take it to heart. That is not what they wanted. But Jesus knew better. The cross was more important to the eternal future of these people than an earthly kingdom. Being delivered from sin was a far far better thing for them than being delivered from the Romans. Jesus refused to give them what they wanted at that moment. Instead Jesus gave them a far better thing. He provided the payment for their sins.

Now I understand we are not in the same exact situation as they were. We are not wanting Jesus to give us a kingdom without a cross. We are waiting for a kingdom, but we glory in the cross. We have the advantage of the full revealed word of God. However, we do sometimes want Jesus to do a specific thing for us. We do desire things of Him, and we are instructed to tell Him of our needs in prayer. And because He knows what is really best, sometimes He will not give us what we desire. We need to NOT be like those people who went from crying Hosanna to crying Crucify when they did not get what they desired. Keep in mind that they wanted a good thing. Being delivered from the Romans would have been good. But it was not what was best or most needful. Many times what we want is good, but in God's wisdom it is not what is best or most needful.

When we do not get what we want, we need to not be disappointed. We need to trust in our Lord's great wisdom. And we need to keep saying Hosanna. We need to keep praising the Lord. He is worthy. Amen.

King James Bible Main Index:

Mark 11 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

MK 11:1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

MK 11:2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

MK 11:3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

MK 11:4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

MK 11:5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

MK 11:6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

MK 11:7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

MK 11:8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

MK 11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

MK 11:10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

MK 11:11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

MK 11:12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

MK 11:13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

MK 11:14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

MK 11:15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

MK 11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

MK 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

MK 11:18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

MK 11:19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

MK 11:20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

MK 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

MK 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

MK 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

MK 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

MK 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

MK 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

MK 11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,

MK 11:28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

MK 11:29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

MK 11:30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

MK 11:31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

MK 11:32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

MK 11:33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Outline of Mark Chapter 11

V. Events of the final week
A. Royal entry
1. Jesus sends two disciples for a colt
a. They were at the mount of Olives
b. As soon as they enter the village they will find a colt
c. They are to loose him and bring him
d. If asked they are to say the Lord hath need of him
e. The owner will let them have the colt
2. It happens as Jesus said
a. They find the colt
b. They are asked about taking it
c. They respond as Jesus commanded
d. They let them go with the colt
3. Jesus gets on the colt
4. Many people react
a. They spread their garments in the way
b. They cut down branches and strawed them in the way
c. They went before and followed crying
1. Hosanna
2. Blessed is He
3. Blessed be the kingdom of David
4. Hosanna in the highest
B. Cursing the fig tree
1. Traveling from Bethany Jesus was hungry
2. He sees a fig tree with leaves
3. He goes to the tree haply
4. He found nothing but leaves
5. The disciples hear Jesus curse the tree
C. Cleansing the temple
1. Jesus casts out them that sold and bought
2. Jesus overthrew the tables of the moneychangers
3. Jesus overthrew the seats of them that sold doves
4. Jesus would not allow any man to carry any vessel through the temple
5. It is written My house shall be called the house of prayer
6. Ye have made it a den of thieves
7. The scribes and chief priests hear it
a. They sought how to destroy Him
b. They fear Him because the people were astonished at His doctrine
D. Lesson about faith
1. Peter brings attention to the withered fig tree that Jesus cursed
2. Jesus answers have faith in God
3. Faith can move mountains
4. Pray believing
5. Forgive when you pray
6. If you don't forgive, your Father will not forgive you
E. Challenge to Christ's authority
1. Jesus is challenged in the Temple
a. By chief priests
b. By the scribes
c. By the elders
2. Jesus is ask by what authority does He do these things
3. If you answer Me I will answer you
4. Was John's baptism from heaven or of men
5. They reasoned with themselves
a. We loose if we say from heaven
b. We loose if we say of men
1. They feared the people
2. All men counted John a prophet
6. They answered Jesus with, We cannot tell
7. Jesus answered, Neither do I tell you

Jesus was sinless and we see Him very angry in this chapter.

He was angry about them turning His house into a den of thieves. He whipped them, drove them out, and turned over their tables.

Jesus shows us that a little righteous indignation is sometimes appropriate.