After the time of Abimelek, a man of Issachar named Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. He led Israel for twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir.He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel for twenty-two years.
Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing-floor of Araunah[a] the Jebusite, the place provided by David.
Sermon Points:
A: Mount Moriah where the Lord appeared to David.
B: Mount Moriah where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac
C: Mount Moriah where Jesus was sacrificed for sin
Series: Solomon
Preacher: Rev Iain MacAskill Preached: Noon Service, 02 February 2015
Mark links the events of the cursing of the fig tree, with Jesus over-turning the tables of the money changes in the temple. The fig tree in full leaf should have had some small eatable nodules which indicated that figs would grow on the tree later. No nodules meant the tree although showed every sign of life in its leaves, was actually barren and useless.
Israel did not exist for own benefit but to bear witness to other nations. But true worship had been replaced with formal legalism, the trappings of which actually prevented the Gentiles from coming and worshiping God as the court of the Gentiles was all crowded out with stalls. with Jesus’ actions in the temple he was judging the temple worship as fruitless and in effect closing it down.
The church today continues to exist for the benefit of everyone outside the church. If we lose our reason for being then we also will not escape God’s hand of judgement. Where a church fellowship does not reach out and welcome in, then it will be allowed to wither and die.
Sermon Points:
A: Was Jesus angry at commercialism?
B: God’s Word is divinely ordered
C: Fig Tree acted out parable of temple worship being declared as dead
D: Reach out and welcome in, or wither and die.
Series: One Off
Preacher: David Ferguson Preached: Evening Service , 11 January 2015
