Today is Holy Tuesday, the second day of Holy Week, and it commemorates the day Jesus curses a fig tree and it withers down to the root. This event symbolizes the judgment of Israel's corrupt religious leaders and the birth of a new global Church. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of Holy Tuesday and how we can apply its lessons in our lives.
Rejecting Dead Religion
Israel's priests and temple were God's intended plan to extend His love and blessing to all nations. But the priests of Jesus' day made it impossible for foreigners to worship God (Matthew 21:13). The faith of the religious elite had departed from its original purpose and was now a dead religion. Jesus challenged the religious establishment of Israel, with a whip in hand, and prophesied the destruction of the temple system.
Creating a New Global Church
Jesus invites us to join him in rejecting dead religion and creating a new and indestructible Church. The Church is not just a building or an institution; it is a global community of believers who follow Jesus' teachings and carry out His mission. Through the disciples' faith, Israel's corrupt leadership will fall, and Jesus has come to cleanse the temple of its dead religion.
Doing Battle and Building Through Prayer
Jesus says the way we both do battle and build is through prayer. When we ask God, in faith, to tear down dead religion, He will. And when we ask God to build in its place a global Church that cannot be destroyed, He will do that too. Prayer is the foundation of the new global Church that Jesus is building.
Action Items
- Reflect on your own faith and evaluate if it has become a dead religion or if you are actively following Jesus' teachings and carrying out His mission.
- Pray for the Church to be renewed and transformed into a global community of believers who follow Jesus' teachings and carry out His mission.
- Engage in acts of service and mission to build the Church and extend God's love and blessing to all nations.
In conclusion, Holy Tuesday is a reminder that we must reject dead religion and actively participate in creating a new global Church. This Church is not just an institution or a building, but a community of believers who follow Jesus' teachings and carry out His mission. Through prayer and acts of service, we can participate in the building of this new Church and extend God's love and blessing to all nations.
