11 Jesus entered into the Temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

12 The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.

15 They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the Temple, and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold the doves. 16 He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the Temple. 17 He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers!”

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.

19 When evening came, he went out of the city. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21 Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”

22 Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”

Mark 11:11-26 - World English Bible

These verses from Mark 11 spoke to the importance of faith even in a stale religious environment. The curse of the fig tree (11:12-14) and Peter's witness to its withering (11:20-21) acted as bookends to the ejection of the money changers in the Temple (11:15-19). In other words, the cursed fig tree was a metaphor for activity in the Temple. Just as the tree would not produce fruit, the Temple was so polluted by commerce and politics that people could not truly offer the "fruit" of worship to YHWH. Railing against the corrupt leadership in the Temple was a popular pastime among the contemporaries of Jesus (the Essences were created to oppose the priestly cast in the Temple), so the cleansing of the Temple heightened Jesus' popularity. But this act placed the Lord in firm opposition to the religious elite.

The curse of the fig tree and the cleansing of the Temple described an environment lacking faith. In 11:22-26, Jesus described faith and some of its components. Faith in God gave one a sense of certitude what could be accomplished. Evangelizing the intractable was not impossible (like moving the mountain in 11:23), but it did require firm prayer (11:24). But, there was a caveat, firm prayer required forgiveness (11:25-26).

How can we measure true faith in a worship environment? Look to the power of forgiveness among the members of the assembly.

Who do you need to forgive today? Bring your forgiveness before the Lord.