Removing Barriers: Accessing God's Love and Grace

Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into Mark chapter 11, focusing on a unique and powerful scene where Jesus displays anger by clearing out the temple. This event, recorded in all four Gospels, shows Jesus driving out the money changers and those selling animals for sacrifices, declaring, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." This scene challenges our often sanitized and culturally tailored images of Jesus. We explored how our perceptions of Jesus can be skewed by cultural depictions and religious traditions, leading us to create a version of Jesus that fits our comfort zones rather than the biblical reality.

Jesus' anger in the temple was not about the mere act of selling goods but about the corruption and exploitation that denied people access to God. The money changers and sellers were inflating prices and cheating pilgrims, making it difficult for them to worship. This exploitation angered Jesus because it obstructed people's access to God. This theme of access is crucial; Jesus' actions were driven by a desire to remove barriers between people and God.

We also discussed how religious traditions and man-made rules can similarly obstruct access to God today. Examples include legalistic interpretations of scripture that burden people with unnecessary rules, such as prohibitions against tattoos or specific dress codes. These traditions can repel seekers and create unnecessary barriers to experiencing God's grace.

The core message is that God loves us with a pure and perfect love, and He hates anything that denies us full access to Him. This includes religious traditions, man-made rules, and hypocrisy. We are called to hate what God hates, love what He loves, and run toward Him like children, embracing His unconditional love and grace.

### Key Takeaways

1. Jesus' Anger and Our Perceptions: Jesus' anger in the temple challenges our often sanitized images of Him. We must strive to see Jesus as He truly is, not as we want Him to be. This includes recognizing that Jesus can be angry at injustice and corruption, especially when it obstructs access to God. [01:53]

2. Religious Traditions as Barriers: Man-made religious traditions and rules can become barriers that prevent people from encountering God. These traditions often stem from a desire to control or maintain purity but can end up repelling seekers and creating unnecessary obstacles to God's grace. [10:03]

3. God's Pure and Perfect Love: God loves us so much that He hates anything that denies us full access to Him. This includes not only external barriers like corrupt religious systems but also internal barriers like sin, addiction, and self-loathing. We must identify and remove these barriers to experience His love fully. [16:29]

4. Unity and Divisiveness: God hates divisiveness within the church because it obstructs His glory and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Unity among believers is crucial for experiencing God's blessing and presence. We must be vigilant against gossip, slander, and divisive spirits that seek to disrupt the unity of the church. [25:49]

5. Running to God Like Children: To fully access God's love and grace, we must approach Him with the innocence and trust of a child. Children recognize unconditional love and are quick to forgive and forget. Similarly, we must run to God, embracing His love and allowing Him to remove any barriers in our lives. [32:51]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[01:53] - Jesus Clears the Temple
[03:12] - Skewed Images of Jesus
[04:28] - Crafting an Acceptable Jesus
[05:58] - Jesus' Harsh Words
[07:23] - The Scene in Mark 11
[08:44] - Jesus Observes the Temple
[10:03] - Misapplication of Scripture
[11:20] - Legalism and Tradition
[12:39] - The True Motivation of Jesus' Anger
[13:51] - Scamming the Pilgrims
[15:05] - Denied Access to God
[16:29] - God Hates Barriers
[19:10] - The Early Church and Legalism
[20:27] - Vision Statement for the Church
[21:52] - Tradition vs. Access
[23:09] - Removing Barriers
[24:27] - Grace and Transformation
[25:49] - Unity and Divisiveness
[27:17] - Personal Reflection
[28:45] - God's Desire for Intimacy
[30:14] - Identifying Barriers
[31:31] - Children and Unconditional Love
[32:51] - Running to God
[34:19] - Grace in the Midst of Sin
[35:44] - Response and Reflection

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
1. Mark 11:15-17 (NIV): "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, 'Is it not written: My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.'"

### Observation Questions
1. What actions did Jesus take when He entered the temple in Mark 11:15-17?
2. According to the sermon, what was the primary reason for Jesus' anger in the temple? [07:23]
3. How did the money changers and sellers exploit the pilgrims, according to the sermon? [13:51]
4. What does the term "house of prayer" signify in the context of Jesus' actions in the temple? [07:23]

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus' anger was directed specifically at the money changers and sellers in the temple? [07:23]
2. How do man-made religious traditions and rules create barriers to experiencing God's grace, as discussed in the sermon? [16:29]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of unity within the church and the consequences of divisiveness? [25:49]
4. How does approaching God with the innocence and trust of a child help us fully access His love and grace? [32:51]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own perceptions of Jesus. How might they be influenced by cultural depictions or religious traditions? How can you strive to see Jesus as He truly is? [03:12]
2. Have you ever experienced or witnessed religious traditions or rules that created barriers to encountering God? How did it affect your faith or the faith of others? [10:03]
3. What are some internal barriers (e.g., sin, addiction, self-loathing) that might be denying you full access to God's love? How can you begin to address these barriers? [16:29]
4. In what ways can you contribute to unity within your church community? How can you be vigilant against gossip, slander, and divisive spirits? [25:49]
5. Think of a time when you approached God with the innocence and trust of a child. How did it impact your relationship with Him? How can you cultivate this childlike faith in your daily life? [32:51]
6. Identify one specific man-made rule or tradition that you feel might be hindering someone's access to God. How can you help remove this barrier in your church or community? [20:27]
7. Reflect on a personal practice, attitude, or relationship that might be causing distance between you and God. What steps can you take this week to address it and draw closer to Him? [27:17]

Devotional

### Day 1: Jesus' Righteous Anger

Description:
Jesus' anger in the temple challenges our often sanitized images of Him. We must strive to see Jesus as He truly is, not as we want Him to be. This includes recognizing that Jesus can be angry at injustice and corruption, especially when it obstructs access to God. Jesus' actions in the temple were not about the mere act of selling goods but about the corruption and exploitation that denied people access to God. The money changers and sellers were inflating prices and cheating pilgrims, making it difficult for them to worship. This exploitation angered Jesus because it obstructed people's access to God. This theme of access is crucial; Jesus' actions were driven by a desire to remove barriers between people and God. [01:53]

Bible Passage:
"And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, 'Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.'" (John 2:15-16, ESV)

Reflection:
Think about an area in your life where you see injustice or corruption. How can you channel righteous anger to address it in a way that aligns with Jesus' actions and teachings?

### Day 2: Breaking Down Religious Barriers

Description:
Man-made religious traditions and rules can become barriers that prevent people from encountering God. These traditions often stem from a desire to control or maintain purity but can end up repelling seekers and creating unnecessary obstacles to God's grace. Examples include legalistic interpretations of scripture that burden people with unnecessary rules, such as prohibitions against tattoos or specific dress codes. These traditions can repel seekers and create unnecessary barriers to experiencing God's grace. [10:03]

Bible Passage:
"Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (Mark 7:13, ESV)

Reflection:
Identify a tradition or rule in your faith community that might be creating a barrier for others. How can you help to remove this barrier and make it easier for people to experience God's grace?

### Day 3: Embracing God's Pure and Perfect Love

Description:
God loves us so much that He hates anything that denies us full access to Him. This includes not only external barriers like corrupt religious systems but also internal barriers like sin, addiction, and self-loathing. We must identify and remove these barriers to experience His love fully. God's love is pure and perfect, and He desires for us to experience it without hindrance. This means actively working to remove anything in our lives that obstructs our relationship with Him. [16:29]

Bible Passage:
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, ESV)

Reflection:
What internal barriers are preventing you from fully experiencing God's love? Take a moment to pray and ask God to help you identify and remove these barriers.

### Day 4: Unity in the Church

Description:
God hates divisiveness within the church because it obstructs His glory and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Unity among believers is crucial for experiencing God's blessing and presence. We must be vigilant against gossip, slander, and divisive spirits that seek to disrupt the unity of the church. Unity is not just about agreement but about a shared commitment to love and support one another in Christ. [25:49]

Bible Passage:
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection:
Is there someone in your church community with whom you have a strained relationship? What steps can you take today to promote unity and reconciliation?

### Day 5: Running to God Like Children

Description:
To fully access God's love and grace, we must approach Him with the innocence and trust of a child. Children recognize unconditional love and are quick to forgive and forget. Similarly, we must run to God, embracing His love and allowing Him to remove any barriers in our lives. This childlike faith and trust enable us to experience God's grace more fully and to live in the freedom of His love. [32:51]

Bible Passage:
"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (Mark 10:15, ESV)

Reflection:
Reflect on your relationship with God. Are there areas where you struggle to trust Him fully? How can you cultivate a childlike faith and trust in your daily walk with Him?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "God loves you with such pure and perfect love that he hates any and everything in your life that is denying you full access to him. Look at that. He loves you so much. It's a pure love. And he has a holy, pure hatred against any and everything that's denying you full access to him." [16:29] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The gospel of grace says the table is open wide. Whosoever will can come. Doesn't matter where you've been, how much drugs you've done, if you've ever been to church, how many tattoos you got, what level of bondage you're in, the table is spread for whosoever will. That's who we are. This is an all-access event." [21:52] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You might have some sin in your life today. follower or not. You know what the word tells you? Where sin abounds or is evident, grace much more abounds. It doesn't matter what you're in. Grace is greater. It doesn't matter how you failed this week. Grace is greater. It doesn't matter how many times you've fallen and got back up. Grace is greater because the Lord says, come on, I just want my kids to come home." [34:19] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And for those who call unto him and come to him, he will in no way cast out. When you run to him, there's always grace. There's always forgiveness. But we've got to come to him and say, Lord, I'm accessing your love and your grace in this moment." [32:51] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "You see, God has a pure and holy hatred for anything that's keeping you from divine access. You know why that is? He went to great lengths to break down those barriers, didn't he? You know God's greatest desire for you? Just to be with you. Not to turn you into something or get you to go to seminary or keep all the rules. He wants to hang out with you." [28:45] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "We all have a propensity and a tendency to paint an image of God that fits our belief system or our experiences. The constructs of perhaps uninformed minds or religious minds, for example, there's a lot of people that push back the biblical teaching of a literal hell, which was a main topic for Jesus. And I've heard this sentence from a lot of people. Well, I don't believe in a God that could ever allow people to go to a place like that. Not my Jesus. My Jesus would never do that." [04:28] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "When you take Old Testament law and try to apply it as New Testament grace message, it's legalism, it's ridiculous, and it repels people from Jesus. Look at this verse here in Matthew 23, 4. The Pharisees, this is Jesus speaking. The Pharisees don't practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden." [12:39] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "What makes it difficult? Man-made rules, regulations, expectations that God is not putting on people. This is a gospel of grace. And the gospel of grace says the table is open wide. Whosoever will can come. Doesn't matter where you've been, how much drugs you've done, if you've ever been to church, how many tattoos you got, what level of bondage you're in, the table is spread for whosoever will." [20:27] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Legalism, a dead religion, tries to cause holiness from external, pressure and rules. Do this, don't do that. Say this, wear this, don't wear that. All those things. And it's been going on for forever. But grace works like this, a renewal of your inner man. And then it happens from the inside out. And transformation takes place." [24:27] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "What does God hate in your life? What does he see in your life? A practice, an attitude, a relationship that's denying you access. I hope you would all agree that God has your best interest at heart. The best version of you is what he's wanting to create in your life. But there are some things that we all carry that have limited our access or nearness and proximity to his voice and his grace and a revelation, of who he is." [27:17] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?