Whose Authority, Mark 11

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Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Introduction

More Perfect Illustrations: For Every Topic and Occasion Authority: Fidel Castro Plays Baseball

In Cuba, nothing is bigger than baseball, not even the cigars. Nothing, that is, except Castro. Recently, the 74-year-old dictator grabbed an aluminum bat and walked to the plate in an exhibition game against Venezuela. When Castro approached the batter’s box, the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, left his first-base position to take the mound. His first pitch didn’t even reach the plate, and Castro kept his bat on his shoulder. The next pitch was a strike, but Castro missed. A couple more balls and an attempted bunt later, the two heads of state were locked into a full count. Castro watched the 3–2 pitch sail through the middle of the strike zone and listened as the umpire called him out. “No,” Castro said, “that was a ball.” And he took first base. No one argued. President Chavez said nothing. The opposing team said nothing, and the umpire said nothing. Later Castro joked, “Today just wasn’t his [President Chavez’s] day.”

It is hard to get a batter out when he has the power to overrule the umpire’s calls. Dictators can get away with that. The rest of us can’t. In God’s economy, dictators can’t either. Everyone will face God’s ultimate judgment, and when we do, his word will be final.

Text

Mark 11:27–33 ESV

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Observations and Background

This event happens after Jesus cleanses the temple and the priest, who are planing to kill him are willing to do anything to defame Jesus

Their authority, their power had been challenged. These according to Jesus are the robbers. I had shared last week that the better translation I think of this word would be rebels or insurrectionists. Thee are men who had went into their own paths over that of their God. the fruit of their actions would lead to the Jewish revolt in 70 AD.

They had revolted against their God, they’re the men Jesus speaks about in Mark 12:7-9

Mark 12:7–9 ESV

7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.

They had perceived authority from their station, but they had squandered it for their own gain. Sound fimalier to anything in our day?

Castro was told he was out and he said no. The reality is that That is stolen authority this is true authoirty

Point 1 A. Their demand (11:27–28): They ask Jesus what authority he has to drive the merchants out of the Temple and from where this authority has come.

The Outline Bible (Section Outline Eleven (Mark 11))

IV. THE CONFLICT (11:27–33): The wicked Jewish leaders now confront Jesus.

The constant issue of Jesus - demonstrate repeated challenges to his authority

These are just from Mark alone

Mark 1:22–27 ESV

22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

His teaching and this miracle demonstrate his authority.

His teaching was not of the scribes. This was a threat to them. You may recall that they were so threatened that in

Mark 3:22–30 ESV

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

These men who saw for a long time now, three years, that this person, this Jesus was casting out demons because he was empowered by one.

That was how they perceived him they couldn’t allow themselves to think that this person is God. Look at the question

Mark 11:28 ESV

28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”

These are the same people that saw Jesus heal the paralytic in Mark 2:1-12

Mark 2:1–12 ESV

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

So they again attacked him and asked by what authority

Today

The challenge you and I have today (give the problem not the answer) People will question why you do the things you do, but what authority. Let me give you a few questions

is your Bible true

Who are you to tell me how to live

I define myself

Point 2

B. His defense (11:29–30): In return, Jesus asks them from where the authority of John the Baptist came—was it heavenly authority or human authority?

Jesus - The foundation of it is from his father

Give a the offices of Christ and his mission

He was given authority by his father

Long before the creation of the world God the father appointed God the son to Mediator between God and Man.

God the Father appointed to Jesus the three offices he holds

Prophet, Priest, and, King.

He id this before all of creation:

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

1 Peter 1:20 ESV

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

He was prophet from the beginning Deut. 18:15

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

Priest Heb. 3:1-2

Hebrews 3:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.

King Psalm 2:6

Psalm 2:6 ESV

6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

IT was this commissioning and appointing from the father that is why Jesus has authority.

Jesus himself testifies to this

John 6:39 ESV

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

John 10:18 ESV

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Paul, who I believe preached the sermon of Hebrews says this

Hebrews 10:7 ESV

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ”

So when you read these words of Jesus, no that before time God had a plan to redeem a people to himself. That is you and me.

Answering the questions of earlier

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Romans 15:4 ESV

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

So when someone questions shy you act or believe the way you do go to the word.

A Friend asks you about entering a relationship, the Bible is how you come to that answer. Equally yoked.

Why do you operate this way in your family?

How are you pro-life?

Why do you vote that way?

Point 3

C. Their dilemma (11:31–32): They realize whatever answer they give will trap them!

If they agree then they undermine their authority, if they don’t they no the people will hold them accountable. An example this week was Trump and Elon Musk had a conversation on twitter, and now over a billion people have listened to it. The legacy media, had to brand this as a faliure and attack the platform and call names as it threanthedn there position as the gatekeepers of information.

The Jews saw that JEsus was threathening their power. They knw the problems and still acted dumbe, played the fool

Application:

people will dodge the hard questions you give them intentionally.

I had a professors in college, smart guy, and when pressed about how things in world history happened he would admit some sort of serendipity, which is like luck but with more intention, but didn’t want to grant that it was the Christian God. though you could tell he was struggling with that.

We run into that person every day the truth is looking them in the eyes and he will do whatever possible to look at it. I had this happen the other day, my son was so upset, because cooking takes time and wanted to eat, that when we laid the plate in front of him he looked as hard as he could the other way, because he got that upset. The very thing that he needed when given to him, because he was so consumed with his situation he didn’t take. (he’s 2 so he did eat a minute later! Kid get’s hangry!)

But let’s be real when people are pressed with God they will say things they know aren’t true. The person will give excuses, pretned not to get it

the reality is that John 3:19

John 3:19 ESV

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

They’re lovers of darkness this is the human condition

So you must pray. (god does the converting) (you must seek God in sharing the faith), but here is some hope, I believe that you will be suceceful in your sharing in the faith. Eph 1:3-6

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

That means that your sharing is not a role of the dice, but a gurantee of sucess. you justmust be faithful as called in the comission to do the work of sharing!

Application for Today

Point 4

D. Their defeat (11:33)

1. Their response (11:33a): “We don’t know.”

2. He says (11:33b): “Then I won’t answer your question either.”

Why does the world do everything to not ackonlegede JEsus authority.

(give the gospel)

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

2 Peter 1:2 ESV

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.