Mark 11:25-33

Intro

Read Mark 11:25-30

Mark 11:25–30 ESV

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” 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, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

Transition

Forgiveness vs. 25-26

Jesus deals with the issue of forgiveness

Notice it isn’t asking someone for forgiveness

Its something much harder, forgiving someone who has wronged you

The Jews used to go to the temple during feasts and pray

Today the go to the Western Wall and pray because there is no temple

Wall

Jesus tells his listeners that they need to stop praying and forgive the person

This may necessitate you going to the person

It may just mean you settling in your heart that you forgive them

A modern day application to this would be, if you go to church and start to worship and there is a rift between you and someone else, go make it right

We do this so God will forgive our sins

There are three words in the bible for sin

Sin = Miss that mark

Iniquity = Immoral behavior

Trespass = going somewhere you are not supposed to go

Jesus Questioned vs. 27-28

Jesus is going into the temple to minister during one of the feasts

The chief priests come up and question him

They question his authority

Here is the interesting part

They know where his authority comes from

Jesus wouldn’t be able to do the miracles and teach the way he does without an anointing from God

John 5:26–27 ESV

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

They’re upset he hasn’t gotten permission from them

So they try to embarrass him in front of the crowd

Jesus’ Reply vs. 29-33

Mark 1:4 ESV

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.