March 3

Den of Corruption

“My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” – Mark 11:17 KJV

Twice, Jesus cleansed the temple, exposing corruption within its walls. Outward reforms failed because hearts remained unchanged. The religious leaders had turned worship into a cover for sin, using God’s house for personal gain. Today, much of the Church is in the same condition—worldly, compromised, and enslaved to false teachings, prosperity, and self-indulgence.

When the Church is corrupt, so is the nation. Scripture warns of false prophets and leaders who lead people astray (Matthew 7:15, 2 Corinthians 11:13). Churches in Pergamum and Thyatira were rebuked for tolerating sin (Revelation 2:14-15, 20). Jesus calls His Church to repent, just as He did with Ephesus and Laodicea (Revelation 2:4-5; 3:15-19).

True worship is not found in buildings but at the cross. The Church must turn back to Christ, forsaking sin and deception, before judgment falls. If the church you are currently attending fails to uphold the truth of the Bible or alters its teachings to align with worldly perspectives, it is time to seek out a different church that genuinely represents the true teachings of God’s word. Repent, for the time is short.

Read / Listen / Video
Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54
Mark 11:1-26
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 10:23

New Testament

Mark 11:1-26

Summary
The Triumphal Entry
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

The Triumphal Entry

And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” ~ Mark 11:8-10

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” ~ Mark 11:15-17

Listen to John MacArthur on today’s scripture below:

Mark by John MacArthur

The False Coronation of the True King

Mark 11:1–11

Coronations are not to be reversed in a few days so that the one exalted and elevated becomes rejected and executed, like this one. This was no real coronation. Let it be said, Jesus is the real King, deserving of all exaltation, all honor, all worship, and all praise. So this is the false coronation of the true King.

Nothing but Leaves

Mark 11:12–21

When the temple is corrupt, it’s because the leaders are corrupt. When the leaders are corrupt, the people are corrupt. When the people are corrupt, the nation is corrupt. If it’s bad in the temple, it’s bad everywhere. And I say to you, in the general sense, the measure of any society is its worship. You cannot judge a people by their economic status. You cannot judge a nation by its economics. God doesn’t. You can’t judge a nation by its social equity. You can’t judge a nation by its concern for protection of people from harm. That’s superficial. You judge a nation by its worship. That’s how God judges. And it’s worship that determines eternal destiny. The Lord always goes to the temple, to the heart of worship. That is why Peter said, and he got it, maybe he learned it this day, “Judgment must begin at the house of God.” I think Tom got up this morning and said, “This is the house of God.” Judgment always begins with the house of God.

The Necessities for Effective Prayer

Mark 11:22–25
Well, the connection and the message here, first of all, is that judgment is coming, and the cursing of the fig tree was a demonstration of the power of judgment: just as Jesus by a word could kill a tree, roots and all, the power of God was a formidable reality. And I told you last time, this is the first destructive miracle in the Gospels, all the rest are constructive: casting out demons, healing diseases, raising dead people, feeding multitudes, stopping storms. All those are beneficial, all those are positive; this is the only negative miracle. But it is, nonetheless, a display of power, a display of power. It is not an impetuous act of frustration by Jesus because He’s mad at the tree because He’s hungry, it is simply an opportunity for Him to make a clear analogy of what is going to happen to the temple.

Mark 11:1-6 by Dr. J. Vernon McGee – Thru the Bible

Gift of God

Amazing Alan – Antarctic Scene – Listen Now

Mark’s Gospel: On Stage with Max McLean – Full Movie

March 3

Den of Corruption

New Testament

Mark 11:1-26

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