Untitled Sermon

Jesus is challenged. (11:27-33)

They wanted Jesus to say that he had no authority and he did it on his own. This would give them a reason to put him to death. But they had to be tactful because they feared the people, and they also heard Jesus (18). And their fear often drove their decisions.  

The religious leaders true beliefs were hidden in their questions. (v. 28)

The motives of the questioners were mixed, for revenues from the Temple were highest at feast times. But the question itself was religious.

Ex. Who else will be there? We also question Jesus authority when we ask that same question. Even when we sin against him. 

Jesus’ authority always demands a response. (v. 30)

 cf. - Church at Laodecia neither hot nor cold. 

Be careful not to let pride or fear prevent you from encountering Jesus.  (v.33)          

The pharisees had no faith, only fear. All the religious leaders could do was simply say “We don’t know.” Had the pharisees answered that it was from heaven then they would have been condemned by the people because they didn’t accept John the Baptist and now they don’t accept Jesus as the Messiah. But then they would have seen the wrath of the people if they said it was not from God because they liked Jesus so much. 

Fear drove their decisions. No matter what it was, fear drove it. 

Jesus is rejected. (12:1-12)

Although Jesus spoke in a parable, it was not meant to veil the truth. 

Here are the characters that are used in the parable. 

Man/ Builder: God the Father

Vineyard: God’ People

Tenants: Religious Leaders

Servants: Prophets

Son: Jesus

We can also see the reasons from this parable. 2 Cr. 24:19, ,

19Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.  ESV

“Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.  ESV

And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.  ESV

Look at - The leaders would have caught the parallel from . However, different things are highlighted in Jesus’ parable. Look at . 

In Isaiah the problem is a fruitless vineyard, in Mark the problem is wicked tenants. (v.1-5)

In Isaiah, the vineyard (Israel) will be judged because of her unfaithfulness to the Lord, in Mark, the tenant farmers are Israel’s religious leaders, who will also be judged for their rejection of Jesus, the son of the vineyard owner. 

Jesus was rejected not because he was misunderstood, but because he was understood all too well. (v. 6-8)

It is clear from their reaction in vs. 12 that they knew exactly who Jesus was. 

“It was not through their failure to recognize the Son that they killed him; that would have been pardonable. It was, as in the parable, precisely because they recognized him for who he was … We reject the claims of Christ not because we misunderstand them, but because we understand them only too well”

Last week we looked at the triumphal entry,  While the triumphal entry marks the beginning of passion week, it also marks the beginning of judgement. The parable of the wicked tenant farmers symbolizes a history of Israel’s rejection of God’s messengers, climaxing with the murder of God’s Son, Jesus. 

Rejection of Jesus leads to destruction, but acceptance of Jesus leads to resurrection. (v. 10-11)

There is a point of finality in the act of sending the Son. If the leaders would not respect the son, why should he send more prophets? The time for judgment had arrived. How they treated the son would determine their judgment. This is the story of the gospel and this point leads us to a for in the road. We have 

But again, their fear of the people, with whom Jesus was popular, kept them from taking action at this point.

Rejection turned to the cornerstone It is marvelous!