Jesus The Justice Fighter Mark 11:11
Praying over the city at Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul.
October 13, 2018 · Saint Paul ·
This past week another of my Christian friends questioned me on one of my anti-Trump posts. The comment basically was, “I think we need to focus on Jesus and read the Bible.” My polite response was, “Me too. Micah 6:8 :D” To which she then questioned how my post had anything to do with love, mercy, and humility. I then said, “Interesting how you missed the JUSTICE in the verse.” She responded saying her goal was not to discuss justice, but that she is trying to find the best way to share God’s truth and love.
This is the thing—we cannot discuss this unless we first look at justice and what God would really have us to. The whole reason I put the post on Facebook—and I will admit, the tone was harsher than I might use in my writing about someone—was due to the injustice people face right now. We cannot look at this from any other way than through the lens of injustice. It’s NOT fair to put it away.
In this same conversation, right on the walls of Facebook, I asked her, “If you lived in Germany under Nazi rule, would you sit home with your Bible and pray for the right loving words? Or would you act praying that God give you strength, protection, and power to help the innocents that are being hurt?” She chose to not respond to this question.
We cannot ignore justice. We cannot. To ignore the justice God would have us seek means, in my very humble opinion, we are NOT truly seeking His will. Her idea of justice might differ than mine. In fact, I said as much. That my experiences and my gifts are designed for a specific role and hers, most certainly, are different, but that does NOT mean that where I am at and what I am doing is NOT equally moved by the Spirit.
I pray and read my Bible too. In addition to those studies, He’s placed these messages on my heart and I place them out there in case they are of help to others. More than anything, all the backlash I’ve received from the people in my circle that I’d expected to support me, has caused me to pray and seek His will even more. Just because I am speaking out about something laid on my heart does NOT mean it is NOT driven by the Spirit of God and it does NOT mean that it isn’t about mercy and love.
After our little chat, I couldn’t rest the next morning. This is normally an indication that God is placing a story in me, a message to share with you, and I must wrestle it out. This one arrived at Jesus flipping tables in the Temple.
I’d like you to look at Mark 11:11 and then also Mark 11:15-19. Most of us know this story. Jesus so outraged by the injustice the people faced that He flipped tables and drove out the sellers, AND He was expressing love and mercy. The love and mercy was for those that were persecuted and oppressed. For those harmed at that hands of those of the ruling class, and He brought out the truth of what those who supposedly loved God had done. They no longer really helped the people. They were hurting them.
The interesting thing in this version is what happens at the eleventh verse-Mark 11:11. Jesus arrived a day earlier, but He realized it was too late. People were packing up. So, He left and came back the next day for the most effect. Jesus had planned this protest all along—and that is exactly what it was, a protest. His purpose was to ensure that all were treated with love and mercy. That justice reign supreme. We cannot love others unless we first treat them fairly. How can we possibly say we love others when what we are doing causes them harm?
I don’t know what the money changers at the Temple did the next day. Did they change their ways? I find it doubtful. Mark 11:18 tells us that they began talking of Jesus’ death. Apparently, they didn’t like His expression of love, mercy, and truth, and you might be wondering how HUMILITY works into this little story. I believe it’s in the sacrifice of Jesus that day and every day. He places others need above His own safety and security, and in doing so, He sought God’s will which is the sweet spot where we find humility. God first, others second, and then me last.
Dearest Heavenly Father—You are the Creator of everything good and we are so blessed to know Jesus through these writings that we too may model ourselves after Him. None of us likes conflict. We’d love to get along all the time, but in this broken world, that is not always possible. Father, we ask today that you remove from us our own selfish agendas and place within us instead Your vision, Your passion, Your mercy, and above all, Your love so that we might move forward under Your direction in humility. In Your Mighty and Holy Name…
Wow. YES! That felt good. That’s what He wanted me to say. I thank Him for the message and I appreciate you reading it. I hope it offered you something you might need. If you have any prayer requests for me, please lay them on me. You matter.
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[…] Mark 11:12-14 falls in a very important part of the Gospels. Jesus had just left the Temple. He got there late in the day and realized that things were closing. (Mark 11:11) Jesus had gone there with the intent to flip tables and let them know they’d turned the “House of Prayer into a den of robbers”. I wrote a prayer/blog about this powerful section too, JESUS THE JUSTICE FIGHTER. […]