The Word of God tells us that Jesus made His entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. It says, “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” (Mark 11:11).
Let’s pick up from there by continuing in Mark chapter eleven:
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
(Mark 11:12-14)
For the sake of discussion, let’s say Jesus made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Sunday. Verse 12 says, “And on the morrow….” That means that on Monday, Jesus was on His way to the temple from Bethany when He walked by the fig tree (v. 13). He saw no figs on the tree so He did something strange: He talked to the tree. He said, “…No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever…” (v. 14). Then He went into the temple in Jerusalem (v. 15).
Let’s read Matthew’s account of what happened at the temple:
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
(Matt. 21:12-14)
When Jesus went into the temple and threw over the tables of the moneychangers, He threw out all the animals that were sold for making sacrifices. He threw out all the merchandising that was going on. Then He called in all those who were sick, blind, and withered, and He healed them all.
What was Jesus doing? He was cleaning out the temple from all the things man was doing and began using the temple for its proper purpose, which was to minister to the people of God.
Clean Up Your Temple!
You need to understand that today your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. First Corinthians 6:20 says, “…glorify God in your body….” It also says that your body is now the “church building” of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 6:19), and God wants you to clean that place up!
He doesn’t want you stuffing it with things that can kill it or prostitute it. That is why God is against smoking, drinking, illicit drugs, and everything else that would defile your body.
Your body is a holy temple. It should be ready so that the anointing of God can come on you, and your body can be used to minister to people. God wants to use your house to minister to the sick. Mark 16:18 says, “…they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Your body is to be used to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice what teaching Jesus reserved for the last. He knew that fig tree was there. He passed by it on purpose. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He was coming right down the stretch, toward the end of all things.
And what lesson did He want us to learn during that last week—between Palm Sunday and the day of Easter when He would rise from the dead? He wanted us to learn the lesson of faith.
Excerpt permission granted by Word of Faith Publishing
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).