Chapter 15: Den of Thieves
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And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves? Mark 11.17 As the truth of Mark 11 and 12 hits my soul, may it serve as a reminder to never allow my life to be as a fake tree. Never allow my life to have the appearance of godliness and the appearance of obedience when in reality,

There is no fruit of it in my life. At this moment, I am making the conscious choice to allow my words and my actions to remain in alignment. Give me the boldness to stand up for righteousness, like Jesus in the temple courtyard, to oppose anything and everything that is counter-cultural to the Word of God. Let me speak with the authority of heaven behind me.

Let me speak with the love of Jesus within me, and let me speak with a caring heart to restore people back to the rightful place with you, God. I decree and declare that I will not be intimidated nor silenced by those who give the appearance that they are in power, but who are corrupt in heart and deed. From this moment on, I will live with a full assurance that whatever I speak in your name

I will be able to receive it because I live in direct obedience to you and your word. In Jesus' name, amen. Stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told from Pray.com's podcast, Heroes in the Bible. Hi, I'm Dr. Tony Evans, and I'm excited for you to join me on Heroes in the Bible, Jesus.

Please follow this podcast on Apple or Spotify to get the latest episodes so you can continue strengthening your relationship with Jesus. Welcome to The Greatest Story Ever Told. It is a story of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness. This is a story that continues to shape and mold the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God right into the hearts of you and me.

This episode gives us a side of the Savior we don't usually see, angry Jesus. I do not mean to give him this title in a demeaning way, but once you listen to this episode, you will understand what I mean.

Jesus seems to be on a warpath in this episode, literally and figuratively flipping tables over. It would seem that he is trying to burn away as much as he can before marching up to the cross so that a new work can grow from the ashes where he rises again. Jesus is on fire.

passionately prodding at the pious priests and Pharisees. As much as I love it when Jesus puts the religious leaders in their place, we must all take heed lest we stumble. The words pointed at the priests can easily be pointed at you and me. Surely there have been times when we have been self-righteous and antagonistic. Take Jesus' words seriously so your souls may be satisfied. We will begin this story with a prelude, a story captured from a different time and space.

Our prelude today is a reminder of what just happened, a commentary on what's past and a vision for what's ahead. My prayer for you today is that the coarse words of Jesus would smooth your souls like sandpaper to wood.

I pray that the passion of Jesus would enliven your hearts and inspire you to walk righteously in all you do. Here is episode 15, Den of Thieves. Hey, who doesn't love bacon? And did you know Oscar Mayer smokes their delicious bacon for 12 hours over real hardwood? That's a really long time to perfect the smoky flavor and the flavor of the bacon.

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Prelude to Chapter 15. With arms up to heaven, they shouted his name. They cried out with cheers.

The people of Israel lavished praise upon Jesus as He rode into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. Their worship echoed forth from a time long ago when King David walked those same streets. David's sword had defended Israel from turmoil, his leadership had provided a time of unprecedented power, and his heart had helped connect them to their Creator.

Now, fourteen generations later, a descendant of David himself walked into the great city of Jerusalem. Prophecies of old had foretold his coming. It was said that the Messiah would spring up from the stump of Jesse, and salvation would pour forth from the city of David. Yet this was not the Messiah people had envisioned. David was a man of bloodshed.

With his sling, sword, and shield, he tore through the ancient enemies of Israel. Now, as Israel sat under the boot of yet another enemy, they expected the son of David to ride forth with a glorious army of angels behind him. They looked for lightning to pierce through the heavens and strike down Rome. They did not get the conquering warrior they expected.

Instead, they found a man who knelt down to change the bandages of lepers. They found a teacher content to mingle in the city streets with tax collectors and prostitutes. His vision of a reformed nation did not require the overthrowing of a government or the usurping of a throne. To Jesus, it required a listening ear and tender heart. They praised him now. They threw their coats to clear a path for him.

They sang and danced as he entered the gates. Yet their praises would soon disappear into the quiet night as their new king hung bloodied and beaten on a wall. Nails would be his scepter and thorns would be his crown. Their songs of glee would be silenced as the thunder above would roll over Golgotha. The people would stand in complete dread as their conquering messiah cried out to the heavens and breathed his last.

The kings of earth, as mighty and great as they may be, ultimately got to live and rule from a golden throne. Yet the son of David, the Messiah, would conquer the earth from a rugged cross. Chapter 15: Den of Thieves The morning fire crackled over wood and stone. Its flames cut through the crisp morning air like a hot blade through ice.

Jesus warmed his hands by the fire, waiting for his disciples to wake. He watched them all rise to their feet, stretching their arms and rubbing their eyes. As they began to compose themselves, Jesus caught a glimpse of a fig tree blooming in the distance. It was not the season for figs, so the tree stood peculiarly like a sore thumb amidst many dead trees. Jesus held his stomach. It growled incessantly.

He rose to his feet and walked towards the tree. As he approached the tree, he examined that, despite its lush blooms, there was no fruit growing from its leaves. The leaves were vibrant and green, yet no figs hung from its branches. Jesus touched the tree and paused for a long moment. A few of the disciples could see Jesus pondering. He plucked one of the leaves and balled it in his fist.

He furrowed his brow and cursed at the tree. "May no one ever eat fruit from you again," he whispered. Jesus turned from the tree and stormed off. The disciples watched Jesus sit back at the fire, then they turned to the tree. Its leaves rustled lightly in the breeze. They could not quite understand what about this tree warranted such a curse. Jesus and his disciples weaved through the busy city streets, making their way towards the temple.

Merchants and beggars laced the alleyways, grabbing the attention of visitors. Jesus passed through the busy streets and entered through the archways into the temple courtyards. In the middle of the courtyard were stairs leading up to the inner place where sacrifices were made unto God. Surrounding the stairs and the walkways were temple merchants selling sacrifices. The money changers were there as well, exchanging temple currency.

Need temple coin?

Jesus said nothing. Instead, he bent his knees down, grabbed the bottom of the stone and flipped the table. Coins spilled everywhere, colliding with the dust below. Jesus set his gaze on the cages of doves and pigeons and released them into the air. He darted to the other stone tables and one by one flipped them over. The commotion was beginning to stir as people watched Jesus cleanse the temple of greed and corruption.

He broke open cages, released animals, and drove out merchants. It didn't take long for the priests and scribes to come bolting out into the courtyard. "What is the meaning of this?" they yelled. "What have you done?" The crowd was silent, standing at a distance from Jesus on every end. Jesus flipped his last table, breathing heavily from the strain of lifting stone. He turned around to look at the priests standing above him on the stairway.

His eyes portrayed righteous anger. He planted his feet and faced them. "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer.'" Jesus said, gesturing to the temple. Jesus picked up a sack of coins lying on the ground and lifted it up to the priests. He tipped it over, allowing the coins to trickle out one by one.

But you, chosen priests of Aaron, have made it a den of thieves! Jesus released the rest of the coins and threw the sack onto the ground. The priests and scribes glared at Jesus for a long while. The crowd began to surround him, asking him to teach them more. As the crowd pressed into Jesus, the temple guard unsheathed their swords to arrest him. The priests stopped them. Jesus was too popular with the crowd to touch.

If they arrested him now, their reputation would be ruined. They needed to wait for the perfect moment to strike. They perused the group of disciples following closely behind Jesus. One of them met their eyes with a look of curiosity. Judas met their gaze, then turned back to Jesus. The high priest Caiaphas tilted his head and smirked. Perhaps he had found a chink in the armor.

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Jesus and the disciples left the temple. On the outskirts of the walls were pathways filled with people visiting for the Passover festival. Families from Macedonia, Samaria, Greece, and Rome had filled the streets to celebrate. Vendors found their freshly baked bread into the streets, giving off a sweet-smelling aroma as the group passed through. Philip and Andrew walked behind the group, assuring that the temple guards were not trailing them.

It was a contentious time to meander around the city. Jesus was sure to draw attention wherever he went. Philip spotted a few Greek men trailing them. He looked back, concerned about their intentions. Philip nudged Andrew and gestured to the men behind them. The two of them placed their hands on their hips, daggers tucked under their robes. However, as the two men walked closer, there were smiles on their faces.

Philip and Andrew sighed in relief as the two men approached. Kind sirs, they shouted. We would love the opportunity to meet Jesus. We've heard that he holds the secrets of the world tucked away in Hebrew texts and he could restore sight to blind men. Might we speak with him? Philip and Andrew smiled and went to the front of the group to meet Jesus. Master, there are a few Greek Gentiles who wish to speak with you, Philip said. Shall we turn them away or bring them to you?

Jesus looked back to the two Greeks standing at attention a dozen feet away. He nodded to them and smiled. He looked to his disciples and said, "The Gentiles are searching for hope. The hour has surely come for the Son of Man to be given up and glorified." Jesus raised his voice for the Greek men to hear as well, beckoning them forward. A small crowd began to form around Jesus as he spoke. He opened up his arms and said,

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls and dies, it cannot grow in the earth and bear fruit. Whoever holds his life dear to him will surely lose it, but whoever forsakes it for my sake will gain eternal life. The clouds began to roll in over the city, and the wind was awakened from the east. The crowd watched as Jesus looked to the skies. He breathed in the crisp air rolling in from the hills.

He tilted his head to heaven and spoke loudly, saying, My soul is indeed troubled, but how shall I respond? Shall I ask God to save me from what is to come? Surely not. It is for this very purpose I have come. The storm clouds marched in from the horizon, yet no rain fell. The darkened skies loomed over the holy city like an army of giants. Jesus lifted his voice again with his arms raised to heaven, saying, Father! Father!

Glorify your name. As Jesus said this, a flash of lightning whipped forth from the heavens, followed by thunder. The boom was strong enough to shake the earth below them. The crowd gasped in fear. They heard a voice bellowing out from the thunder, saying, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. The people stared at one another, asking if they had also heard a voice in the thunder.

They bickered and questioned each other as to whether it was thunder or a voice. The clouds continued to rage in a chaotic dance, yet no more lightning or thunder broke free from the skies. The people gazed up in awe, infused at what they had just heard.

Jesus looked at them with compassion and said, "This voice has trumpeted from heaven so you might understand. Now is the time when the judgment of the universe will pour forth from heaven on the Son of Man. The enemy of this world will be cast aside and I will be delivered up to death and draw people to me." The people looked at the skies for a little while longer, then looked down to Jesus.

It was difficult for them to comprehend the glory of the Messiah coming in the form of a humble carpenter. Not only this, but they thought the Messiah was supposed to be immortal. But Jesus kept speaking of his death. "'Teacher,' the crowd said, "'it is prophesied that Christ will live forever. How can you say that the Son of Man will be given up to die? Who is the Son of Man?' they asked. Jesus turned his head towards the hills outside the city."

A small peak could be seen resting slightly above the city walls. It was Golgotha, the place of the skull. He sighed. There was no use explaining it further. The time for preaching was drawing to a close. The time was coming for him to turn towards Calvary.

He turned to the crowd. "Understand the light is among you for a little while longer. Walk in the light as long as you have it, for those who walk in darkness will stumble and those who believe in the light will become sons of the light." After saying these things, Jesus departed. The disciples desired to follow him, but he had to be alone. Jesus walked the roads leading out of the busy areas and sat on a small hill.

He gazed into the heavens, watching the clouds choreograph their final march. It was as if the earth itself was preparing for what was going to happen next. Jesus closed his eyes and felt the favor of God fall upon him. Many had seen him perform signs and wonders, but still did not believe this was foretold by Isaiah.

Jesus whispered his words, saying, O Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Their eyes were blinded, their hearts were hardened, so they will not see or turn their hearts to be healed. Jesus looked down at the marketplace, resting below the hills. He looked at the busy streets filled with people walking towards the temple. They had come to worship God.

not knowing that God Himself was in their midst. It broke Jesus' heart, knowing that so many people would miss the real purpose of His coming. There were many people in power who believed, men like Nicodemus, but they feared the backlash of the Pharisees. They loved the glory that came from mankind rather than the glory revealed by God. He set His sights on the temple. He stood to His feet and lifted His arms high.

It was the heart of a shepherd that compelled him to continue his work. Although so many had rejected him, he would still serve them. He would still pray for them, bless them, and walk with them. Despite their failure to understand, despite their stubbornness, and despite their pride, he would march up to the place of the skull to make the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus blared his sermon into the city.

As people walked by, they could hear him proclaiming from the hills, "Whoever sees me sees him. I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me would not remain in a pit of despair and darkness." Jesus yelled. He dropped his hands and fell to his knees. The breeze made the tall grass beside him dance. A few tears fell down his face as he looked longingly at the

to those who hear my words and still fail. No, I do not judge you. I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. The night had come and gone, and Jesus rose early with his disciples to return to the city. As they walked along the road, the disciples noticed a withered fig tree. Peter saw it and knew it was the one Jesus cursed. Its branches were rotted, and its leaves had died and fallen.

Its roots had shriveled up and ceased their clinging to the earth, making the tree bow into the dust. Peter took notice of the tree. Its blighted frame sent chills down his spine. With a single word, Jesus was able to remove the life from this tree. Lord, look! Peter said. The fig tree you cursed has died. Jesus looked back at the tree and nodded.

"Have faith in God, Peter," Jesus answered. "If you say to a mountain, 'Be gone,' and cast into the sea with faith in your heart, and no doubt, it will be done for you. Whatever you ask in prayer, believe truly, and it will be given. And be sure not to harbor unforgiveness in your heart. Forgive others while you pray, so that the Father may forgive you." The group continued to follow Jesus, looking back at the tree. It had once given the appearance of bearing fruit, but bore no fruit.

At least now it was exposed for what it truly was: dead. They entered the temple a second time, and the chief priests and Pharisees were waiting for them like a pack of wolves. The moment Jesus' face was seen walking from the shadows of the gates, they pounced. "By whose authority do you walk in such a way?" the priests said. "You saunter in here and dictate how we should worship, but you still have not told us where you get such authority."

Their barrage of questions did not fluster Jesus. He grew tired of their constant toiling. Their hearts were far too callous to listen. "Answer me this question," Jesus replied. "By what authority did John baptize the masses? Was it from heaven or from man?" The priests looked at one another. They were trapped. If they answered, "From heaven," Jesus could claim the same authority.

If they answered, "From man," the crowd would be angry with them, since they believed John was a prophet. So they stared blankly at Jesus a while before replying, "We cannot say." Jesus nodded his head and shrugged. "Well then, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." By this point a crowd had gathered around them, making an arena for Jesus and the religious leaders. They looked around, fearful of what Jesus would say next.

The son of man grinned and looked at the priests. What do you think of this parable? A man had two sons. He went to the first son and asked him to work in the vineyard.

At first the son refused, but later changed his mind and obeyed the father. The second son was asked to work and he immediately stood to his feet and said, Yes, I will go, father. However, he did not go like he said. So, which son approved and did the will of his father? The priests paused again, fearful that their response would expose them. They lifted their heads and said, The first son. Jesus nodded.

You scoff and lift up your noses to the tax collectors and prostitutes, yet they will inherit the kingdom of heaven before you. For you were told of the righteousness of God far before they were. When John proclaimed repentance, they turned from their ways and honored God. However, you stood there and did nothing. The priests and Pharisees snarled at Jesus, but the crowds were growing in number and they could not lash out at him.

Jesus walked around the priests. They had made the mistake of thinking Jesus was a guest in their temple. However, the opposite was true. It was Jesus' temple, His house.

Jesus planted his feet and continued to teach them a lesson, saying,

beat one servant, killed another, and stoned the third. So the owner sent more servants, but the tenants killed them as well. Finally, the owner sent his only son, thinking the tenants would listen to him. However, they took him and they killed him as well. Jesus opened his hands and looked at the religious leaders. Answer me this. What fate do you think awaits the tenants?

What shall the owner do to them? The priests pondered for a moment and then responded, "The tenants are clearly wretches. The landowner should put them to a miserable death and give the venue to other tenants." Jesus raised an eyebrow and nodded. He continued to pace around the priests. Have you not read the scriptures that speak of this? The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to those who did not reject. The priests and Pharisees knew Jesus was speaking about them. They boiled with rage against him. However, they could do nothing, since the crowd was too enthralled with Jesus. They shrunk back, still trapped in Jesus' current of parables.

Jesus kept his gaze firmly locked on his adversaries. The kingdom of heaven is compared to a great king who threw a wedding feast for his son. He sent out his servants into the city to call all those who were invited. Some of them rejected the invitation. They were too busy. Others shrugged at the invitation. They did not care. Others beat the servants who invited them, for they hated the king.

Filled with rage, the king lifted his hands and said to his servants, "Those who I invited were not worthy. Instead, go into the streets and invite as many people as you can find." So the servants invited everyone in the streets: beggars, merchants, sinners, slaves. The king clothed them in wedding garments and allowed them to enjoy the feast.

The wedding feast was filled with guests enjoying good food and laughter. One of them came in and rejected the wedding garment. This guest was cast out into darkness, never to see the light of day again. For he was willing to enjoy the good food offered by the king, but he refused his covering of grace. Jesus stepped closer to the priests and Pharisees. He leaned in and whispered, For many are called, but few are chosen.

With those words, Jesus departed from the temple with his disciples. It would not be long until the religious leaders would have their revenge on Jesus. However, even then, they would be mere tools in the greater work of God. The evil intentions of mankind were no match for God's cosmic rescue mission. He would bring in all those who had been cast out into the streets and invite them into his grand wedding feast.

He would clothe them with grace and call them beloved. The beggars, sinners, slaves, and outcasts would all find a home in the loving embrace of Jesus left the temple, more resolute in his mission to seek out and save the lost.

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That's knix.com promo code TRY15 for 15% off life-changing period underwear. That's knix.com. The prelude brought us back to our last episode when the people were praising Jesus with passion and joy. Why do we need the constant reminder that people's expectations were misinformed? The answer isn't pretty. To put it simply, it is because they represent us.

You and I continually project our desires onto God and praise him in light of those projections. Can I give you a common example? Oftentimes, people talk about God's provision as if financial prosperity is promised to believers, even though it isn't. So when a dollar comes their way, praise goes up. But what happens when the dollars stop coming? When the dollars stop coming, so do the praises. This same crowd that was praising Jesus will end up cursing him.

He didn't meet their expectations, so people turned their backs on him. May we not fall under this same trap, brothers and sisters. May we continually be looking to God's word to inform us of his will, and may we eagerly wait on him to fulfill it. If I were to pinpoint a theme of this episode, it would be hypocrisy.

The episode began with the fig tree. Jesus saw its flowers blooming, signaling that there should be fruit ripe for the picking. However, there was no fruit to be found. The tree had the appearance of fruitfulness, but no fruit at all. This fig tree is a grand metaphor for the Pharisees, priests, and religious system of the age. For all the religious festivals, ceremonies, and laws, there was no substance.

Just like the fig tree with flowers but no fruit, the system had all the religious frills without any of the fruitfulness. Jesus cursed the tree so it wouldn't bear any fruit, which seemed harsh. However, it is better not to bear fruit than falsely advertise you bear fruit. That was the meaning behind one of the parables Jesus taught to the priests.

What do you think of this parable? A man had two sons. He went to the first son and asked him to work in the vineyard. At first, the son refused, but later changed his mind and obeyed his father. The second son was asked to work, and he immediately stood to his feet and said, Yes, I will go, father. However, he did not go like he said. Which son approved and did the will of his father? The fig tree was like the second son.

Jesus, through his parable and the fig tree, is giving us a commentary on what he thinks about hypocrisy. In Jesus's eyes, it is better for someone to sin and repent than claim to have never sinned in the first place.

John would eventually go on to say this in one of his letters. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. And if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

It is better to acknowledge our mistakes and repent than deceive ourselves by claiming we have never sinned. The religious structure and veneer built around the temple riled Jesus up to the point of anger. I would like to spend a good portion of our time here together talking about why he was so angry. There were many layers of corruption happening in this scene. First off, they had created a barrier between Gentiles and God. This was the only part of the temple where Gentiles were allowed to come to worship.

By filling it with a marketplace, they kept the Gentiles from worshiping God. Second, they created a barrier between the poor and God. The temple leaders were only accepting pre-approved animals for sacrifice.

People could buy those animals, but only with the temple currency, which had an outrageous exchange rate. The poor, therefore, were unable to come to worship God as well. This alone was reason enough to make Jesus angry. When we get angry, it is often because something we cherish was threatened. Our comfort, our ego, or maybe something more precious like our spouse or children.

So when it comes to God displaying anger, he is protecting something precious as well. In this case, he was protecting his purpose for humanity. Scripture was very clear that the outcast and foreigner should have access to God. It has always been God's desire to bring all nations to himself.

And it has always been his desire to create avenues for people to speak with him, to worship him, to be with him, and to walk with him. What we see Jesus doing here is violently driving out that which is separating the people from experiencing intimacy with God. It is a picture of what Jesus would do on the cross. The cross was the most violent upheaval of sin this world has ever seen.

So just as Jesus violently flipped the tables that were separating people from experiencing unity with God, he violently crucifies the very sins keeping you from him. The entire narrative of scripture is that we have so many barriers keeping us from a life of peace with God and that God will stop at nothing until all those barriers are flipped over and done away with. Romans 8, 38 and 39 says, For I am persuaded that neither death nor life

This theme of welcoming the outcast has been visited quite a bit during this series. Jesus gave the parable about the wedding feast to reaffirm that theme.

All the invited guests rejected their invitation, so the king invited people who would appreciate the invitation more. He clothed them, fed them, and accepted them. This is what Jesus did to you and me. We are the vagabonds, outcasts, beggars, and blind. We were far off from God, but because of his grace, we have been brought into his presence. I would like to end our time today by talking about prayer. Jesus, after flipping the table, said, My

My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you, chosen priest of Aaron, have made it a den of thieves. This grand table-flipping work Christ did on the cross allowed for prayer to have its full and unhindered effect in our lives. Jeremiah 29, 13 says, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. There is no actual impact we are able to make as Christians without stepping into unity with God in prayer.

Seeking him corporately and personally in prayer is how God desires his house to be used. He has made a way for us to access him. May our churches and homes never be houses for merely preaching and learning, but places where we take advantage of the unity provided us through the shedding of Christ's blood. Because Jesus has made a way, we can make prayer a priority.

Our next episode will feature love, service, sacrament, and betrayal. Join us next time for episode 16, The Last Supper. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers, and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to pray.com. And to expand your heroes in the Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at tonyevans.org forward slash heroes.

Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify to get the newest episodes right as they come out so you can strengthen your relationship with Jesus. God bless.

For 25 years, Brightview Senior Living Associates have been committed to creating a vibrant culture and delivering exceptional services, making Brightview a great place to work and live. If you're looking for a rewarding opportunity to serve your local community and grow, we want you to join our team. Brightview Senior Living is growing and actively seeking vibrant associates to join our community teams, including directors, healthcare, activities, hospitality, and dining. Apply today at careers.brightviewseniorliving.com. Equal employment opportunities.

Text BVJOBS to 97211 to apply.

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Get yours in coconut or other fabulous scents at a nearby retail store. Hey, who doesn't love bacon? And did you know Oscar Mayer smokes their delicious bacon for 12 hours over real hardwood? That's a really long time to perfect the smoky flavor and even longer than it takes to go on a long road trip from Chicago to Pittsburgh, stop for food along the way, and still get there while the bacon is smoking.

The point is, Oscar Mayer takes the best cuts and smokes them over real hardwood chips. There's no wrong way to enjoy it. So buy some Oscar Mayer thick cut bacon now.