Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Mark 11:27-12:12

Theme: You will always be on the losing side when you attempt to debate truth with God.

Some people have an amazing ability to walk into any kind of situation and immediately take charge of it.

Stephen Spielberg’s movie Catch Me If You Can is about a guy who’s like that.

The movie is based on the real life story of Frank Abagnale, Jr.

This guy had one of those charismatic personalities that enabled him to charm his way into virtually any situation.

That ability made Abagnale one of the most famous con men in history.

Before his 19th birthday, he had posed as a pediatrician, a co-pilot for a major airline, and an attorney.

He cashed over $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in every state and 26 different countries.

He escaped from U.S. custody twice.

He was finally captured in France where he served several years in prison.

Upon his release, he was returned to the United States where he spent five years in jail, before being paroled to become a consultant for the FBI.

In fact, he’s still a security consultant to this day.

Frank Abagnale had the extraordinary gift of being able to walk into any situation and take it over.

He used this gift to live a life of adventure and deception.

Other people have used the same kind of gift to lead people astray into religious lies.

I think about people like cult leaders David Koresh and Marshall Applewhite, men who led people — not only into error — but death.

These guys also had an incredible ability to charm people.

They were able to persuade their followers to do things and believe things that under normal circumstances would seem irrational.

Whether you call people like this sociopaths, con men, or whatever, the world is filled with them.

And that’s pretty much how the religious leaders 2000 years ago viewed Jesus.

They believed he was a deceiver, a con man, a self-proclaimed messiah who was leading the nation astray.

Virtually everyone who came in contact with Jesus during his public ministry on this earth, at some point asked themself, "Who is this guy?"

This evening, I want us to consider two points: 1) The Debate in the Temple Courts, and 2) The Dilemma of a Pointed Parable.

Then we’ll look at the lessons we can learn.

I. THE DEBATE IN THE TEMPLE COURTS (Mark 11:27-33)

1. this debate comes on the heels of the most radical action Jesus did during his ministry

a. in Mark 11:15-17 Jesus had cleansed the Temple, driving the money changers and animal merchants out of the temple

1) this effectively caused the temple sacrifices to come grinding to a halt that day

b. that event sealed the conclusion of the Jewish religious authorities that Jesus as a dangerous man, and a potential threat to the nation

2. in response to Jesus’ actions, an official delegation from the Sanhedrin comes to Him demanding to know by what or who’s authority Jesus had made such a scene in the temple courts

a. the Sanhedrin can best be understood as Israel’s executive/legislative/judicial body all rolled up into one group of men

b. the Sanhedrin was composed of 71 members, and each member was either a priest, a teacher of the law or an elder

1) this group had absolute authority in the temple

c. the Chief Priests were the clergy, the professional ministers who drew their income from the temple — it included Joseph ben Caiaphas, the High Priest and Annas, the former High Priest and Caiaphas’ father-in-law

ILLUS.

It was Caiaphas who organized the plot to kill Jesus and presided over the trial of Jesus when he was brought before the Sanhedrin.

In November 1990, workers building a road in Jerusalem found an ornate limestone ossuary with an Aramaic inscription on the side that read "Joseph son of Caiaphas."

d. the Teachers of the Law were the Scribes and theologians — they were the ones who meticulously copied the Scriptures, and were considered the guardians of orthodoxy, the appointed experts in understanding and applying the Scriptures

e. the Elders were the lay leaders, most of them part of a renewal group called the Pharisees

A. THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY

Mark 11:27-28 "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.

28 “By what authority are you doing these things?”

they asked.

“And who gave you authority to do this?”

1.

I can only imagine the meeting that must have taken place among these religious leaders after Jesus has cleansed the Temple

a. they have repeatedly tried to trip Him up, but Jesus has always made them look like fools in the attempt

1) I have no doubt that the older men are saying, “Not me, brother.

I ain’t gonna confront him.

I’m not gonna be made to look like an idiot again.”

2) they probably choose straws — short one losing and having to go confront Jesus

2. their question of Jesus is a set up, intended to make Jesus vulnerable to accusation

a. by publicly demanding Jesus’ authority for his scene in the temple, they’re seeking to discredit Jesus without accusing him outright

b. nothing happened in the Temple complex without the express approval of the religious authorities, and obviously they had not approved of the melee Jesus had caused

1) and if Jesus didn’t have any human authority behind his actions, that could only mean that he’s claiming to act by God’s own authority

2) and if Jesus is claiming to act by God’s authority that was a very dangerous claim to make

3) and if they can get Jesus to admit that He has done this under God’s authority, then they can denounce Him for blaspheme, accuse Him of subversion, and turn Him over to the Roman authorities

c. it was all a very slick and well-thought-out scheme

3. Jesus’ response is totally different than what they expect

Mark 11:29-30 "And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.”

a. and the Temple complex suddenly got very quiet

1) by this question Jesus placed these religious leaders on the horns of a dilemma

2) these religious leaders suddenly got very nervous and huddled together to discuss their answer

b. by refusing to answer their question until they answer his question, Jesus takes charge of the situation

1) instead of being the accused on the defensive, Jesus becomes the interrogator on the offensive

2) don’t ya just love it?

B.QUIBBLING OVER TRUTH

Mark 11:31-32 "And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32 But if we shall say, Of men ... ; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed."

1. now, you need to remember who John the Baptist is

a. the common people considered John to be the first prophet Israel has heard in over 400 years

b.

Malachi was Israel’s last prophet

1) since his time, God has been silent

c. suddenly comes this messenger in the wilderness preaching that the coming of the Anointed One is close at hand

2. the Gospel of Mark begins by connecting John’s ministry with the predictions of the ancient prophets

Mark 1:1-4 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

a. in that passage, Mark cites two ancient Hebrew prophecies—one from Malachi and one from Isaiah — that describe John and his ministry

b. the reason that Jesus points these religious leaders back to John the Baptist is the Malachi 3 passage

Malachi 3:1 “See I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.

Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple.”

c. the promised messenger who prepares the way will be followed by the arrival of God himself in the Jewish temple

1) thus, if John was the fulfillment of the first half of the promise, Jesus is the fulfillment of the second half

2) that’s where Jesus gets his authority to make a scene in the temple, because Jesus is the Lord who follows the forerunner John

3. notice that these religious leaders never stop to ask themselves what the truth is — could Jesus actually be the Lord who has come to His Temple?

a. instead, like cynical politicians, they debate how their answer will make them look to others

b. if they admit that John’s ministry was ordained by God, then Jesus will ask, "Why didn’t you believe what he said about me?"

1) believing in John’s ministry was more than admitting that he was a prophet

2) it was also admitting that the Temple ritual was unnecessary, but repentance of the heart was

c. if they admit that John’s ministry was not of God, they risked the anger of the common people

1) the passage says that the people believed that John was a true prophet

4. in chess, this dilemma is called a fork — no matter what you do, you’re going to lose a piece

a. these men knew that whatever they said, they were trapped

b. so they take the path of non-commitment — they feign ignorance, pretending that they don’t know

c. of course what they really mean is, "We don’t want to tell you what we really think, because it will make us look bad."

b.

Jesus sees through their answer, and says, "Then I won’t tell you where I get my authority."