Mark Sermon Manu Week 26 - Faith to Move Mountains

Intro/Welcome

Welcome

Good morning

Good to be with you

Welcome you online

Intro

Did you all catch the Superbowl?

There’s this epic moment when the teams take the field

must be surreal

cheering!

Today Jesus and his followers are taking the field as the enter into Jerusalem.

There is no doubt as to the significance of how Jesus enters Jerusalem.

In many ways this is the climax for his followers

it has all been leading up to this moment.

The battle lines are drawn

It’s gametime.

We’ll see this battle play out over the next few weeks as the Religious Leaders come to attack Jesus.

But what is the true significance of Jesus coming to his Jerusalem? Into the very temple?

Jesus is going to demonstrate this for us today with the power of a prophetic word and a powerful teaching to his disciples

We’ll see that God’s blessing no longer resides in a building, but in a body.

We’ll see that life within this body, this Kingdom looks like:

Faith, Friendship and Forgiveness.

Bible

Mark 11:1-25.

Go there in your Bibles

Let’s pray

Pray

Isaiah 61:1–4 (ESV)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

Entering Jerusalem

Mark 11:1–11 (CSB)

1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ”

4 So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go.

7 They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.

9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

This is known as the Triumphal Entry

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey with crowds cheering his name.

The King has Returned.

This is a Sunday and begins what’s called the Holy Week

or Passion Week

Jesus rides in a “king” on Sunday, and is crucified by Friday.

6 days — one Hebrew Work Week

The Messiah

What is the significance of this?

Why does Mark record what he does?

Why the donkey? Whey the shouts? Why the palm branches?

Why the story about his disciples getting the donkey?

One Reason:

Jesus is clearly identifying what team he is on

This is the only place in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus allows himself to be publically identified as the Messiah.

This is what the donkey is all about

the crowds proclaiming ‘hossana’

Jesus is intentionally, deliberately fulfilling OT prophecies about the Messiah

Zechariah 9:9 (CSB)

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Psalm 118:25–26 (CSB)

25 Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success! 26 He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed. From the house of the Lord we bless you.

The Crowds

many thousands of people were in Jerusalem for the passover

This is the ‘superbowl’ of Jewish Feasts and Festivals

A huge money maker

Thousands would pour into Jerusalem each year.

Jesus’ Entourage

Not only that Jesus is entering with an entourage

We know from John 11, that just before entering Jerusalem Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany

many came to believe in Jesus b/c of this

John 11:45 (CSB)

45 Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what he did believed in him.

John 12:17–19 (CSB)

17 Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. 18 This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”

Jesus already had large crowds following Him

So this moment is set up to be epic.

Just like the President walking in to give the State of the Union

the pagentry, the show

Jesus rides into Jerusalem as the Messiah, just as was foretold centuries before hand.

Mal 3

The most stunning of which is the fulfillment of Mal 3:1

Malachi 3:1 (CSB)

1 “See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me.

John the Baptizer

Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies.

Jesus is the LORD GOD coming to His temple.

Jesus is clearly, emphatically, deliberately entering Jerusalem in fulfillment of OT prophecy as the long awaited Messiah.

The Religious Leaders

Obviously, not everyone is pleased with this.

The Religious Leaders have already opposed the majority of his minstry

They do not take this scene well.

In fact, they demand that Jesus tell people to ‘shut up’

Luke 19:39–40 (CSB)

39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”

Application

Jesus clearly identifies as the Messiah — the Savior

Lord and Savior

Have you believed?

This is most important

Have you personally recieved Jesus as your Lord and Savior

Your messiah?

there are only two teams: Team Jesus — Team Satan

This is meant to affirm who Jesus is

even for the disciples — they did not fully understand the significance of what Jesus was doing then, but they did later

John 12:16 (CSB)

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

But Jesus isn’t done yet, this is just the beginning.

But this establishes the authority for everything he is about to do

A question that the RL’s will bring next week.

Monday Morning

Mark 11:11 (CSB)

11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Mark 11:12–14 (CSB)

12 The next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs.

14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it.

Ok, that’s interesting

It is significant, we’ll come back to it

Mark is making us a Fig Sandwich here — literary technique to make a point.

Cleansing the Temple

Mark 11:15–17 (CSB)

15 They came to Jerusalem, and he went into the temple and began to throw out those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple.

17 He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!”

Jesus is cleaning house

why?

Why is this so important?

This is Jesus’ Temple and it is being misused and abused.

The Temple was to be the place where God was worshipped

A place to commune with God, to be reconciled with God through the sacrificial system

A place where Gentiles could come and meet the God of the Universe

But particularly in the outer courts, where this business was happening was the place where gentiles could encounter God

Instead it is a “den of thieves”

the modern day stock market / wall street

a place for people to get rich — to exploit others

it is Idolatry right in the temple

the worship of money of mammon

imagine coming here on a Sunday morning and being bombarded with market stands trying to sell you stuff

that’s what it was like

would you want to come and worship here?

no!

Modern Church Abuses

Sadly, some churches do become all about the pomp, the greatest gadgets, the best show, the most compelling brand,

some are just trying to bring in more money

we are here to worship God!

we want to be a place where the lost can find their way home.

so we are very intentional about everything we do here, to make it a welcoming place

try to avoid any extremes

Jesus cares about his church

and as we gather here in this building

we gather to Worship Jesus alone!

not the band, not the music, not the preacher, not the building

Psalm 69:9 (CSB)

9 because zeal for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

Jesus cares about his church.

this doesn’t go over well with the religious leaders

The Religious Leaders

Mark 11:18 (CSB)

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

they are jealous of Jesus

they are blind to who Jesus is

they are worshipping the work of their hands (the temple)

they are relying on their understanding of the scriptures

They are holding on to their position and power

and Jesus is a threat to that.

Application:

If Jesus came into your house, is there anything he would need to overturn?

Are you relying on the works of your hands?

Are you relying on your ability to understand? or your particular interpretation of the scriptures?

Are you relying on your power, position or possessions for what only Jesus can give you?

He may come in to overturn those things

becuase he loves you

and he loves his church.

Teaching

Let’s go on and see what happens b/c Jesus is about to teach on the significance of these events

Mark 11:19–25 (CSB)

19 Whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

20 Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Then Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

The Fig Tree

What is the significance of the fig tree?

Sandwich:

Jesus rebukes the fig tree

Mark 11:14 (CSB)

14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples heard it.

Jesus goes into the temple and rebukes the people and jewish leaders

they see the Fig tree withered — completely

Almost all commentators see this shriveled fig tree as a metaphor for Israel/and or the temple

The people of Israel were often referred to as a fig tree

Jeremiah 8:13 (CSB)

13 “I will gather them and bring them to an end.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “There will be no grapes on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and even the leaf will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.”

I think that’s true, but I think it is more specifically an indictment against the temple.

God has come to his temple in the man Jesus

he has rebuked it / he will remove it

He’s saying, God’s blessing (presence and power) no longer resides in a building but in a body.

The temple and the people of Israel have been fruitless

Fruitfulness will come through a new order

through a death and resurrection

the a new kind of people (a new creation)

Through the Body of Christ.

his literally body and the the church as the body of Christ on earth

the dwelling place of God

You say,

“how do you get that?”

I get that b/c of what Jesus said next

The New Order

If you read it strait up you have to wonder why is Jesus saying this?

How is this a response to the fig tree?

Mark 11:22–25 (CSB)

22 Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”

Jesus essentially says three things here:

Have faith in God

Have friendship with him

practice giving and receiving forgiveness

But how is this a response to their observation?

This is the question I struggled with most of the week

It’s one of those “How is this an answer Jesus?”

What does this mean?

This is the only place in Mark where Jesus teaches on prayer.

So a couple connections:

Jesus goes into the Temple

The Temple was to be a house of prayer

a place for gentiles to meet God

Jesus is the true temple

the one we pray to

the one where all people need to go

The Church would be the temple of God (1 cor 6, eph 2) after Jesus left.

What would characterize the church?

to be a house of prayer

to be a place/people for gentiles to meet God

a light to the nations.

What would characterize this church? this new temple?

Faith in God

Friendship with God

Forgiveness of God

b/c the presence and power of God would no longer dwell in a building but in a body.

So let’s look at these in turn:

Steps so far:

Jesus clearly identifies as the Messiah

Jesus clears the temple / sets up the new order

The new order is characterized by 3 F’s

Faith in God.

Mark 11:22–23 (CSB)

22 Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.

23 Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

The first thing he says is have faith in God, not ourselves

Trust, confidence

Proverbs 3:5–6 (CSB)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

Rather than trust in yourself

Your works, your wonders

Now this isn’t entirely new, but it has shifted

it is now all about Jesus Christ

not the temple, not the sacrificial system, not the ceremonial law

All things are clean in Jesus

Trust in Jesus.

2. To do the impossible

If we trust in Jesus we can do the impossible

or rather God can do the impossible in and through us.

“moving mountains” was a common way to say ‘do the impossible

3. Do not waiver

If we believe/trust and do not doubt/waiver

James 1:5 (CSB)

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.

James 1:6 (CSB)

6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

Mark 11:24 (CSB)

24 Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

If we pray and believe that we have recieved it will be yours, it will be done for you

The power is not in us, but in the one who gives, the one who does

the power is in Jesus, in God

4. This kind of faith is a gift

This is not word of faith — not name it and claim it

Faith is a gift from God

Faith is assurance from God a gift from God

This kind of faith

What is the nature of this faith then?

I think God gives it

He initiates, we respond

If we ask for things that God has put on our hearts - we ask in faith — in assurance

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

If we don’t have the assurance we can’t muster it up, but we can cask for more faith

Mark 9:24 “24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!””

he says I have faith, help my lack of faith

The Disciples ask elsewhere “increase our faith”

Paul teaches that God has given each a measure of faith

and that when we exercise that faith, it can grow, beyond measure

This is what Jesus is pointing to, that can be ours.

Friendship with God

Mark 11:24 (CSB)

24 Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

he initiates, we respond.

What is our job? — to respond

that is to ask.

This is called prayer

and this is friendship with God

that we can ask and receive

that our wills would align with his

We can be friends with God

have a conversation with him in prayer

ask him for things

learn his voice

Jesus calls his disciples friends

Moses talked with God face to face as a friend

this is what this new order looks like

no longer do you have to go through a preist

no longer do you need to go to a place

Jesus said the father is seeking those who worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:21-24

John 4:21–24 (CSB)

21 Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem... 23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

No longer do you need to perform the right ritual sacrifice to atone for sin

Jesus Christ is the eternal atonement to reconcile us to God

so we could be in relationship to him again

this is friendship with God

this is forgiveness

Forgiveness

Mark 11:25 (CSB)

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”

God has forgiven us in Christ

We then ought to forgive one another.

Unforgiveness may be the number one thing hindering the power of God in the church today

Who are you holding sins against?

all sin was held against Jesus

unforgiveness is about you

Christ died for all sin once for all

forgiveness is trusting do with the results

Who do you need to forgive?

Where do you need to forgive?

Where do you need forgiveness?

The Final day

B/c the day will come when it is too late

the kind of people who can forgive, who do forgive

are those who have been forgiven by God

who have experienced his grace and forgiveness

so that “the father will forgive you”

My team lost the superbowl this year

what a terrible feeling

the loss, all that work, all taht excitement

the loss — the finality

God impressed upon me this is what it will be like after you die

time has expired

it is final

receive forgiveness now, before it’s too late

be the kind of person who forgives others

We receive this by faith so that we can be friends of God

and be apart of his work in the world.

Closing ??

Prayer