The Claim that Got Jesus Killed.

The World of Jesus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Theme: Jesus has Authority to Lead His People. Purpose: To Submit our part and our Leadership to the Lordship of Christ. Mission: Disciples grow in the lordship of Jesus. Gospel: Jesus is the fulfillment and reconstitution of Israel's Mission.

Notes
Transcript
Mark 11:27–12:12 NIV
They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Introduction: - Humans need hierarchical structures. - But just as we create hierarchical structures they also become problems.

Who Has Authority?

The Story of the how the current leadership became the current leadership.
- Maccabees to Jesus’ Day - 160 - 167 BC. - From a movement of preserving the people of God to political in-fighting. The Maccabees took control but not the right line?
- Hasmonean Kings - to Herod and the Romans
- High Priests and Sanhedrin not from that Zadocite priesthood.
Commonly understood as corrupt in some way
• Desirous of Power and Money
• In some ways in cahoots with the Romans - Herod appointed on behalf of Rome.
-They were not fulfilling the vision to lead the nation in being a light to the nations - Temple Clearing.
-This has often been Israel’s story - But it has been ours as well - We start with good intentions, but drift from God’s vision.
- Struggles with Ownership in Authority - The Greeter who insisted on saving seats in the back for the kitchen crew and would kick out new guests. After talking with him on multiple occassions, I had to take the Ownership from him. - Note the kitchen crew did not want those seats anyway, he was operating on an what he did at an older church.
Lynn Fischer - Dear Soul and servant of the Lord. He took over the position of Classis Treasurer as the previous guy was getting older and having a hard time remembering things, but he would not give over control. They had to basically take it from him, and it was painful. When I was in the Classis, Lynn was getting old as well, and he had all of the files at his house, and new everything about the finances, and he was beginning to forget things and have major health problems. It was really hard to pry the treasurer position from his hands as well.
- For us Pastors Authority is difficult as well - Ever since I have come here to South Blendon, I have heard, I don't want you working on this, this is the job of the congregation, they have to own it. And then there are times where people come to me for everything in which I am trying to empower people to make their own decisions. It is a dance, and it is easy to get into an ownership mindset and settle in instead of a stewardship mindset in which Jesus is head of the Church. "This is Our Church." Or "This is My Church." Maybe the Lord wants to change things up to be more effective, but we dig our heals in, "Not on My Watch." Well, you are a steward of the watch not the owner.
When the religious leaders challenged Jesus's authority in the temple, it was a little like this. They saw themselves as the owners, not the stewards.
But Jesus Confronts this reality.

Jesus Has Authority to Lead His People.

- Just a couple of days earlier Jesus cleared the temple, because of its mis-management. They have come to challenge his authority to do so.
Jesus does two things
1. Challenges their ability to discern what is from God and what is from man. The John the Baptist question exposes this inability, and therefore Jesus does not allow their positional authority to speak authoritatively on what they do not know.
3. Jesus answers their question through the parable of Mark 12:1–12 which calls special attention to Jesus’s authority.
Isaiah 5 Imagery - Aha, so the allusion of verse 33 comes from Isaiah 5 - a prophetic word from the Lord about Israel being the vineyard, and the Lord cutting it down because it does not produce fruit - reminiscent of what Jesus did to the fig tree in chapter 20. - So, Perhaps those listening to the parable already have this connotation in their head when Jesus brings it up.
• The Tenants are Israel’s Leaders entrusted to care for the Vineyard - They usurp their power for their own exploitation.
• The Owner is God - who sends prophets to check in and are beaten or killed
• The Son is Jesus - Who is also killed
• Capstone - Comes from Psalm 118 and the stone as a rock that crushes Daniel 2
Psalm 118 - a Messianic Psalm
Daniel 2 - in the story of a statue that 4 kingdoms the last a mixture of earth and iron - Many people interpret this in the future, but this is not how Jesus interprets it here, nor if you read Daniel closely how he interprets it either.
• Jesus crushes the Roman/Israel mix and starts a new Kingdom that spreads across the earth the earth and will last forever.
Is Jesus replacing Israel?
• Not replacement: - Leads to Anti-Semitism, Jesus is not against Jewish people by any means. nor is the church a replacement for Israel. What Jesus is against is the corrupted structure and leadership of Israel of his day that was not producing fruit for God’s Kingdom.
• Not two sets of People of God: - The Jewish people are God’s people, and the Church is God’s People who are gentiles. This is not Jesus’ Vision.
• Reconstitution: Share Graphic - The People of God are all people, First the Jewish people (Disciple’s - Christianity was first a jewish movement), and second the Gentiles grafted in (image of tree) who accept Jesus as their King. - This is the new nation he speaks of. It is not the Roman Empire, it is not the U.S., it is not even a new Jewish state. - It is the promise given to Abraham that all Nations will be Blessed Through Him.
In Matthew 28:18, Jesus declares, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.' This was not merely an assertion; it was a revelation of His divinity. The disciples, who had witnessed His miracles, understood that this authority meant they could step out in faith to spread the gospel, secure in their leader's power and presence.
Jesus’s interaction with the religious leaders and the parable that follows remind us that the opposition to Jesus was as much Hebrew as it was non-Hebrew. The world to which Jesus offered redemption began with people who should have been looking for him. Their job was to prepare the people for his arrival—it had been the prophetic message their ancestors had spoken about—and yet they failed to see Jesus for who he was. We must be cautious that we, living after the resurrection, are not guilty of similar oversights or outright denials when it comes to Jesus. He is still the Son who represents the owner of all things.
Application Point: We must see ourselves not of owners of God’s Kingdom, but as Stewards.
And therefore we are callted to

Submitting to Jesus’ Authority.

Point at things around the church - Who owns this? - Kids in Family Night thinking I own the church building. - Who owns this?
Steve Thomason reminds people about this vineyard for which we are responsible: “Today we learn that Jesus is the vineyard owner’s Son. God has entrusted this world and the church to us. We are blessed to be a blessing to the nations, so that all people can see the love and grace of God through us. This is not our property. We are working for God to serve the world, not to serve ourselves” (Steven Thomason, “Rejected Stone: A Sermon
If we don’t allow Jesus to be the center of our lives, then we will become like so many who know of Jesus but don’t know him. We need a true transformation that shows we are depending on Jesus alone—even if he allows us to make our own choices. Tim Keller explains, “He is both the rest and the storm, both the victim and the wielder of the flaming sword, and you must accept him or reject him on the basis of both. Either you’ll have to kill him or you’ll have to crown him. The one thing you can’t do is just say, ‘What an interesting guy.’ Those teachers of the law who began plotting to kill Jesus at the end of this episode in the temple—they may have been dead wrong about him, but their reaction makes perfect sense. Please don’t try to keep Jesus on the periphery of your life. He cannot remain there. Give yourself to him—center your entire life on him—and let his power reproduce his character in you” (Timothy Keller, Jesus the King: Understanding the Life and Death of the Son of God [New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 2011], 160, Kindle).
If we view ourselves as owners of the people of God instead of stewards of God's people than we are going to have a clash with Jesus. When we recognize and honor him as the Owner and Ultimate Authority, then we line up our designated Authority to His Will, no matter how painful that may seem.
Soldiers rely on their commanders for direction and assurance. There was a young soldier who, despite his fears, followed his captain into battle, knowing he could trust his authority to lead them safely. Jesus stands as our Captain, leading us with the authority not only of a ruler but of the utmost love and sacrifice, ensuring our safety and victory in spiritual battles.
Check our Attitude: Do we see ourselves as Owners or Stewards. Being indifferent to all, but God’s Will
Seeking Jesus’ will, authority
Involves studying Him learning who he is and what he wants.
And it involves prayer - constantly listening to him and recognizing his voice and direction. - Like a Soldier taking our orders from him.
Conclusion:
What do you need to submit back to God today that you have taken excessive ownership of? How can you shift your position from owner to Steward?
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