Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, November 12, 2023

Move the Mountain. Today, Pastor Michael summarizes the sermon: “Prayer moves mountains, and the first mountain that must move is in me.” Today’s story takes place three days before His crucifixion.  This is two days after the Triumphal Entry and one day when He ran the money changers out of the temple.  In that table-turning story, Jesus encountered a fig tree, found no fruit, and cursed the tree.  It seems the fig tree, the temple, and everything aren’t related, but they are! Jesus pointed out that the true power to move mountains is faith.  (CSB Bible Notes) 11:12-26 Matthew recorded the temple clearing (Mt 21:12-17) and the cursing of the fig tree (21:18-20) as distinct events. Mark divided the cursing of the fig tree (Mk 11:12-14) from its withering (vv. 20-21) and placed the clearing of the temple in between (vv. 15-19). Thus he meant for readers to see the connection between the barren fig tree (symbolic for Israel) and the barren temple. Jesus’s cursing of the fig tree was an acted-out parable of God’s judgment on Jerusalem and the temple. Verses can be found in Mark 11: 22-24. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.