“May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” The Lord said this to the fig tree without fruit. This was like a preview of what He would do when He entered the temple of Jerusalem that day. The Lord entered the temple and arrived at a place called ‘the Court of the Gentiles’. As the prophet Isaiah prophesied, “For my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”, this place was provided so that gentiles could come and pray to God.

However, the Lord could not discover that the gentiles were giving praise or thanks for God’s grace. Animals were being sold to use for offerings and much more. The things happening there were packaged like acts of faith, but this place plainly showed the corrupt state of Israel. They even stopped the chance for the gentiles to meet with God for the sake of their own profit.

The Lord threw out those who were buying and selling, and overturned the tables of the money changers and those who sold doves. “My house should be where the gentiles meet with God, but you have made it a den of robbers.” Just like the Lord cursed the fig tree in the morning, He declared that He no longer expected any faith from Israel.

Does the church today have fruits which the Lord wants? If we focus our attention only on our accomplishments and try only to enlarge our merit, the Lord’s grace will be hidden and the preaching of the Gospel to the gentiles will be stopped. The church should have the best conditions to preach the Gospel. It should be where people come to confess that they are sinners and become blessed. Let’s not be obsessed with the outward deed of faith but possess a spirit worthy of repentance. Let’s build up a church where the Lord’s love will not be stopped but will be conveyed.