4^th Sunday in Lent

THEME:   IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST

SUB-THEME:  The Humanity of Christ (4)

TOPIC:         His Human Nature -1: Hunger

TEXTS:        Mark 11:12-14,20-24

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

²⁰ In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “Truly^[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

AIMS: To show that Jesus lived as a normal human being in His incarnate state

INTRODUCTION:

In His incarnation, Jesus Christ experienced all that every human being did (Heb.4:15). Today’s text states very clearly that “when they came from Bethany, He was hungry” (Mark11:12.) Again, our Lord was also desperately hungry of doing the will of His Father (John4:31-35). His being hungry, just like all of us do, is a further proof that He was truly like every human being during His incarnation.

STUDY GUIDE/QUESTIONS:

1. How the reaction of Jesus to hunger inMark11:12-14prove to us His humanity? Read againMark11:12-14,20-24
2. Why do you think Jesus cursed the fig tree; and what spiritual message do you think He was conveying by doing so?Matt3:10;7:18-19;John15:1-5.
3. Discuss the human nature of Christ in His hunger to do the will of God inJohn4:31-38, and implications for us who are His followers today. See also5:6

CONCLUSION: Christ was hungry to show that He was a real human being while on earth.

However, it must be noted that He did not allow His hunger to overshadow the hunger for God’s will in His life and mission on earth.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: To be hungry is real human nature and is not sinful.

MEMORY VERSE: Matthew5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they shall be filled”.