Insights on American Views on Religion and Church Attendance

The Withered Temple Stories that Knock Your Socks Off Mark 11:15-26

Less than half of Americans say they belong to a house of worship. Religious membership has fallen to just 47% in 2020. Only 39% of the American public view pastors as honest Only 37% of American s have confidence in the church as an institution. Churchgoers are twice as likely to be 65 or older, than the average American. 3 in 10 unchurched Americans say that a Christian has shared the Gospel with them.

57% of Americans think at least monthly about how they can find more meaning and purpose. 41% of Americans want to avoid fear, more than shame (24%) or guilt (22%). 53% of Americans say churches in their community were helpful during the Covid-19 pandemic. 15 % of Americans who do not normally attend church, watched online during the pandemic. 69% of evangelical Christians who attend chuch are looking for the opportunities to share with their neighbors.

His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out. Luke 3:17 HCSB

But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! Romans 10:14 15 HCSB

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV

that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV

Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Matthew 24:11 HCSB

False messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24 HCSB

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Peter 2:1 HCSB

Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. John 15:2 HCSB

The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Mark 11:12 13 HCSB

He said to it, May no one ever eat fruit from you again! And His disciples heard it. They came to Jerusalem, and He went into the temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers tables and the chairs of those selling doves, Mark 11:14 15 HCSB

and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex. Then He began to teach them: Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves! Mark 11:16 17 HCSB

Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching. And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city. Mark 11:18 19 HCSB

Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Then Peter remembered and said to Him, Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered. Mark 11:20 21 HCSB

Jesus replied to them, Have faith in God. I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:22 23 HCSB

Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for believe that you have received them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing. Mark 11:24 25 HCSB

[But if you dont forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.] Mark 11:26 HCSB

Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for believe that you have received them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24 HCSB

Then Peter remembered and said to Him, Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered. Mark 11:21 HCSB

curse [2672] kataraomai - means to give over to ruin, to with evil or ruin .

After He says above, You did not want or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law ), Hebrews 10:8 HCSB

You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering. Psalm 51:16 HCSB

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart. Psalm 51:17 HCSB

Jesus will bring to ruin an unfruitful church.

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 ESV

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV

and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:4 ESV

Sermon in a Sentence: Jesus curses and closes churches that are fruitless, that not places where believe, and non-believer alike, can encounter the presence of God, being blessed, belonging, and believing.

Therefore be alert, because you dont know either the day or the hour. Matthew 25:13 HCSB