Seek First 365: A One Year Bible Reading Plan for Daily DevotionSample

Reflection:

• How did Jesus enter Jerusalem, and how did the crowds respond? What does this reveal about Jesus’ character, and how does it differ from what we would expect from powerful leaders today?
• When Jesus approached the fig tree, He expected fruit––but what did He find? What did His reaction reveal about the importance of believers bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives?
• What did Jesus do when He entered the temple courts? In verse 17, how did Jesus explain His actions?

Pray and Apply:

In Mark 11, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem was the beginning of the end of the Old Covenant. First, He defied the expectations of the Jewish people by arriving as a gentle and humble King. He declared that the fig tree (a symbol that resembles the covering of Adam and Eve after they sinned) would no longer bear fruit. Jesus then cleared the temple courts of self-seeking greed, purifying His House to prepare for the New Covenant He would bring. Reflect on the significance of these events. Meditate on what Jesus did for you on the cross. Take a few minutes to thank Him for His gentleness toward you, for atoning your sin on the cross, for covering you with His righteousness, and for continuing to draw you nearer and nearer to the heart of God.