"The End of Pretending" | Mark 11:12-25 | Matt Carlson

Have you ever been drawn in by something that looked amazing, only to be let down when you got close? That’s exactly what Jesus walks into in Mark 11. A fig tree that promised fruit but had none. A temple that promised God’s presence but had been hijacked by religious performance.

In this message, we see Jesus confront fake appearances, empty religion, and the systems that keep people from truly knowing God. He isn’t interested in leafy looks without fruit or hollow rituals without heart.

Jesus didn’t come to improve the system. He came to end it.

He came to bring the end of pretending.

This is a call to stop performing, stop faking, and start living in the real freedom Jesus offers. It’s time to trade appearances for authenticity.

It’s time to rest in His finished work.

📖 Mark 11:12-25

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What’s an area of your life where you’re tempted to focus more on appearances than authenticity?
2. What “spiritual scorecards” do you tend to keep? In what ways do we still try to relate to God through performance, routine, or systems instead of trusting Jesus?
3. The temple was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations, but it became a barrier. What are subtle ways we can unintentionally become exclusive or keep people at a distance from God?
4. What does it mean to have “faith in God” now that Jesus has moved the mountain of sin and separation? How does trusting His finished work change your view of prayer, forgiveness, or fruitfulness?
5. “Jesus didn’t come to curse you; He came to be cursed for you.” How does this truth reshape the way you respond to failure, sin, or shame in your life, and help you stop pretending and walk in freedom?

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