The Power & Authority of Jesus

Introduction: An Overview of Holy Week

Palm Sunday: After walking 20 miles uphill from Jericho, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey to a massive crowd shouting “Hosanna” and waving palm branches. Then he goes to the temple, looks around, and goes back to Bethany for the night.

Holy Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree and cleanses the temple.

Holy Tuesday: The fig tree is withered, Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple and teaches on the end times (Olivet Discourse), Judas strikes a deal with the religious leaders to betray Jesus.

Silent Wednesday

Maundy Thursday: Jesus has the last supper with his disciples, goes to the Garden of Gethsemane for prayer, Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, Jesus is arrested.

Good Friday: Jesus is crucified, dies around 3pm, is buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb.

Holy Saturday: Jesus is dead.

Easter Sunday: Jesus is resurrected!

Narrative (Mark 11)

Scene 1: On Sunday, Jesus tells two of his disciples where to find a colt never before ridden, and what to say when the owners ask why they’re taking it. The disciples find everything just as Jesus said and bring back the colt.

Scene 2: As Jesus rides the colt into Jerusalem, many people spread their cloaks on the road, wave branches, and shout, “Hosanna!” When Jesus gets to the temple, he looks around and then goes back to Bethany for the night.

Scene 3: The next morning, Monday, Jesus is hungry on the walk back to Jerusalem. He sees a fig tree in leaf, but without fruit because it wasn’t the season for figs. Nevertheless, he curses the barren tree.

Scene 4: Jesus goes into the temple and drives out the money-changers and people selling pigeons. He says they’ve made God’s house into a den of robbers. The chief priests look for a way to destroy him, but he returns to Bethany for the night.

Scene 5: Tuesday morning, as they are walking back to Jerusalem, they pass the fig tree and see that it was withered away to its roots. Jesus tells his disciples to have faith in God, and miracles like this will happen to them as well. He also urges them to forgive others so they may be forgiven by their heavenly Father.

Scene 6: Once again in the temple, the religious leaders challenge Jesus’s authority. Rather than answer them, Jesus asks them to judge John the baptizer. They cannot, so Jesus refuses to tell them the source of his authority.

Big Idea

Jesus is the king who brings judgment so that the world might be saved.

Implications

Jesus has the power and authority of a king—THE king. Jesus has the sovereignty and command of the Lord of lords.

Exposition: Mark’s emphasis is on the authority and power of Jesus.

Jesus is in control of every detail, every event, everything that happens.

Jesus conscripts the colt (Mark 11:4-6).

Jesus inspects the temple, like a commanding officer inspecting the barracks (Mark 11:11).

Jesus runs the money-changers and livestock market out of the temple (Mark 11:15-17).

Jesus doesn’t explain himself to the religious leaders (Mark 11:28, 33).

Jesus curses the fig tree… and it withers to its roots (Mark 11:20). He has the power and authority not just of A king but of THE King, the King of all kings, the Creator King.

Illustration: So many people view Christianity as a spiritual self-help program…

Jesus didn’t come to be your life coach.

Jesus didn’t come to be your therapist.

Jesus didn’t come to be your personal spiritual trainer.

Jesus didn’t come so that you could achieve your highest potential of self-actualization.

Jesus is the king.

Application: Many people think of Jesus as their Friend and Savior (and he is that). But have you sworn fealty to Jesus as your King?

Jesus has the power and authority of a judge—THE judge. Jesus has the warrant and jurisdiction to issue a verdict.

Exposition

The fig tree (Mark 11:12-14). Why would Jesus curse the fig tree for not having figs, when it wasn’t the season for figs?

The temple… Jesus wasn’t “cleaning up” the temple. He was proclaiming judgment of it. He didn’t come to reform temple but to abolish it.

Mark 13:1-2… This was Tuesday, the day after Jesus disrupted the marketplace in the temple.

The temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD.

Jesus issued judgment on the temple because it did not produce the fruit of genuine faith in God. It looked good but had no substance.

So many Christians today have no fruit in their lives. There’s no substance to their faith. If they stopped being a Christian, would anyone even notice a difference?

Jesus didn’t come to reform the temple but to shut it down. Jesus didn’t come to improve your life but to end it—and give you a new one. He didn’t come to reform you but to remake you—that’s why the Bible refers to becoming a Christian as being born again.

Illustration: Jesus used the fig tree as a visual illustration of the judgment he was bringing on the temple. Let’s stick with his example. Suppose a king planted an orchard… What good are fruitless trees in an orchard?

Application: What is this fruit and why does God care so much about it?

Why would the king plant an orchard that produces fruit? To feed hungry people so that his subjects thrive and prosper.

Here’s what he wants from us: He wants us to be an orchard that produces the fruit of love, grace, kindness, mercy, compassion, justice, humility, service, and forgiveness. He wants to grow these fruits in your life and send you out to feed the starving souls of a dying world.

Jesus has the power and authority of a savior—THE savior. Jesus has the ability and the right to save his people from their sins.

Exposition

An interesting detail in Mark 11:2… “on which no one has ever sat.” Why does that matter? Because the colt had never been used, it was appropriate to be used for a sacred purpose.

The crowd shouted, “Hosanna!” in Mark 11:9-10. “Hosanna” means “save us!” And they likened Jesus to King David.

But Jesus had the power and authority to do what David never could, and that’s not just to save them from the oppression of Rome but to forgive their sins and save them from Satan, sin, and death itself.

Jesus didn’t come into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday in a victory parade. He came into Jerusalem on an execution walk.

Summary: Jesus is the king, the judge, and the savior. He brings judgment against the fruitlessness and sin in our lives so that he can bring salvation, not only to us but to the world. If we want him as savior, we must also receive him as king, accept him as judge, and confess that his judgment of our sin is true. Only then can we receive his forgiveness and salvation and be sent by him to bring hope and help to those around us.

Conclusion: Communion

We need to examine our lives and confess any sin or selfishness that is choking the fruit in us.

Maybe someone needs to decide if Jesus is just their friend, or if they will receive him as king.

Maybe someone needs to admit that they need Jesus to save them from their sin.