...it's never too late...

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

1 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.”’ 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

11 Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16 and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written,

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?     But you have made it a den of robbers.’

18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19 And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 Then Peter remembered and said to him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.’ 22 Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. 24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

25 ‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses’” Mark 11:1-25.

Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem is over. Now Jesus makes a grand entry into Jerusalem, riding a colt. His entry is filled with paradox and irony. Crowds enthusiastically cheer about a coming one and a coming kingdom. Little do they know that Jesus will be enthroned as king, and his kingdom will come in power (see 9:1) precisely because many of them will become disillusioned with this Jesus and cooperate with those already plotting to get rid of Him. Here’s a question for all of us: Have we become disillusioned with Jesus? Our answers lie within our choices and habits of living! Not within our thinking!

But what is key for Mark is that Jesus’ journey has a clear destination, the temple. He goes directly to the temple when He finally arrives in Jerusalem, takes a look around and sees that “it was already late.” This is a most ominous temple inspection (11:11). With that inspection, a doorway opens to the remainder of Mark’s Gospel. The temple is mentioned here for the first time. Yet Jesus’ relationship to the temple, to its authorities, and to all it stands for, will totally dominate the rest of Mark’s Gospel. It can be fairly said, especially with Mark, Jesus died as a result of a conflict with the temple, for after this the temple will dominate the rest of Mark’s Gospel!

But here are a few words that are so packed with meaning for us all: when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem He enters the temple and inspects it, leaving immediately because “it was already late” (11:11). Let me ask yourself this question: Is it already late for you? Have you been stuck for so long that you cannot see yourself as you truly are?! Dear friends, all of us need to take stock of ourselves and look at ourselves as Jesus looks. Are we late in following Christ? Today I invite you once again to join me in looking honestly in the mirror. What is keeping you from following Christ — faithfully — not sporadically, not when you realize how late you are? Today, I invite you to join me in praying daily, opening the Scriptures, and spending quiet time in His presence.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Have mercy on me a sinner.