Mark 11

July 9, 2023 · Ben Hoyer · 28:14

Continuing the summer series through the Gospel of Mark, this message moves into Mark chapter 11 and discusses the recurring theme of the Messianic Secret, where Jesus heals and casts out demons yet tells people not to spread word of it.

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For the rest of us, we're going to keep moving through Mark's chapter of the gospel, Mark William, Mark's chapter 11. And actually, we put up some verses on the lyrics page on the website if you're willing to click along on your phone and want something faster than typing it in. And I think you put some links up there to Mark's chapter 11. And a couple other verses that we're going to look at in this morning.

So we're making our way through the gospel of Mark. And we've said before, Mark's gospel is probably the shortest gospel and total number of words. Everything's moving really fast in the gospel of Mark. One of the things that's present in the books of the gospels, of a really prevalent in most articles, what we call the Messian speakers. We've come up with a couple times over the summer. We've been going through the gospel of Mark, but it's a plan for a group that will heal someone or will cast out a demon and be treated in a great, great, funny,

computer. And we've been moving through the central side because it's a group of mummies that's occurring from the book. And it's moving through the central side. And it's still a group of defenders that are working hard to keep their colleagues. And don't want people talking about it. And we've been happy to talk to the other people in these subjects. We've been happy, and we've been happy, and we've been happy.

And we've been happy, and we've been happy, and we've been happy. We've been happy, and we've been happy. We've been happy, and we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy.

And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy.

And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And we've been happy. And when they confer, we get a view of what they talked about. It's not, hey, did anybody hear John? Did anybody go out and see him? Did anybody encounter his message personally? Hey, does anybody know someone who was baptized by John the Baptist?

Was there any fruit there? Did it affect people's lives or change people's lives? The chief priests and the scribes were not interested in the reality of whether John's baptism was from heaven or from man. They were interested in protecting what their power, their prestige and their money back. What's the most expedient way here for us to answer this question and not interrupt our lives?

The chief priests and the scribes said, we have a pretty good system here. We know what to expect. We get the things we like. We avoid the things we don't like. We've got an agreement to keep just enough power and prestige for ourselves. We'd like to not interrupt our situation. And so, the Savior of the world asked them an honest question. This great primordial, the original spirit of God has been in their midst with John the Baptist and standing in front of them with Jesus of Nazareth and preoccupied with the situation of their own life.

They miss it completely. How did they answer? They were from man? They were afraid of the people for they all held that John was really a prophet. Verse 33, so they answered Jesus. We don't know. You can't retract. We don't know. Jesus says, neither will I tell you by what authority I do think.

You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. You can't do it. But it seems like he had a chance there, doesn't it?

Like, what if he just broke it down club? What if he just was like, look, here's the situation. Sin is a much bigger deal than you think it is. These doves, slams and heifers aren't going to undo what is broken in you. They only forestall judgment, but just for a towel.

And I'm not interested in patching the God of creation is an interesting, interested in simply patching your brokenness, but is interested in full restoration. The only way we can accomplish full restoration is for new creation. So I am the new Adam. God incarnate. I will sacrifice myself for your sin, where you've been doing lamps will do me now. And in the place I will then go down and defeat death.

The God in me, the life in me will not be swallowed by the death in you. Instead, like when I put my hand on the leper, the leper see leads them like when I call the lazors out of the tomb, the death runs away. When I go into the tomb, death leaves life emerges. And like the first one, I'll open my arms and welcome all of you into new life forever. Why does he just explain it? I'm saying.

I was thinking about that. Why don't you just reason with them? Explain the problem, recruit them, add them to the number and keep on teaching. And I realized it's almost, it's like very rare that someone approaches God in the scriptures with skepticism and has reasoned into faith.

I had trouble finding it. I made a little list. I made a little list on this thing here. Oh. Remember Abraham? No explanation. Like God comes to Abraham and is like, Abraham is like, Amen, you want to leave everything you got and come follow me? I'll give you everything. Land, Austrian blessing.

Abraham is not like, all right, it's interesting. How? Explain it to me. No, it's yes or no. Come or don't? Believe or stay. Trust me or trust yourself. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that.

I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that.

No matter how much money you stack up and sock away. Or one disaster away. From not having enough. One purchase away. From not being satisfied with the next one. The fairs. The chief priests and the scribes. Actually, they thought they had a pretty good situation. Taking a step back, they did not. They were grasping for money and power. Sure that it would bring them happiness and longevity. It would not. They pushed them to judge and exclude.

To exploit and to hoard. Saying like, look, we all have pretty decent lives. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. We all have pretty decent lives. In the scope of things, we need a God for a life that lasts forever. The only way you get the love, joy, peace, patience, kind of food and space will have gentle and self-control. Now and forever is in faith with the God.

And when you're in faith with the God, there are some things here that you'll have to let go of. Maybe some power, some prestige, or some money back. You can't take and let Jesus be the authority. So let's just look one more place here. I think we look two more places.

Let's look one. Ephesians. Relations, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians chapter two. I mean, this chapter is really great, but we're towards the end. So we're not going to read all of chapter two, just a couple of verses. Ephesians chapter two, verse eight. What about grace you have been saved, you've saved.

And this is not of your own gain. Well, it's the gift of God. Not a result of works, certainly, and they're gross. But we are His workmanship. Great. You do the good work in a day. Look, if you want to have the gifts of God, they come not by logic, reason, argument, negotiation.

They come by faith. I believe you are the authority, not me. Okay. Maybe you need some faith. Good news. You can ask for that as well. Maybe it's hard to believe he is the authority of the relationship. Or the future that you look at. Or the bank account that you have or the neighborhood that you live in.

Or the job you're engaged with. Maybe, I don't know. Maybe there are places where it's hard to believe that he is the authority. It comes not by logic, but by faith. You can ask for more things. In fact, we ought to. Let's do that together. Now, hey, Lord, thank you for the gift of your son and the promise of the resurrection.

For the authority you wield to provide and care and love and serve. Give us faith to submit to your authority today. In whatever area you call us. That we might have a sort of relationship with you that bubbles up in life now and forever. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.