Jesus Questioned | Mark 11:27-33 By Krista Vaughn Let’s talk about the big “A” word. No, not that one… I’m talking about AUTHORITY. There are many types of authoritative figures: government, teachers, managers, bosses, parents. They regulate laws. They guide us through life. They provide jobs…but why do we struggle with authority? In a nation that encourages individualism, we have the tendency to defy authority, but is individualism the root of the problem? Not entirely. The main concern in individualism is when people lean towards the aspect of not wanting to live a life on other peoples’ terms. This is especially dangerous when we let that mentality bleed into our relationship with Jesus.
Now let’s talk about Mark 11: 27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (See also, Matt. 21:23-27 and Luke 20:1-8) In this passage, Mark mentions authority again. Again? Yes. How about a mini recap? Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” Mark 2:7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Mark 3:14-15 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. Mark 4:41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark cannot emphasize the authority of Christ enough. He has authority over all, including your life. “Most of us want enough teaching just to get by and remain in control of our lives. Jesus taught with authority because holiness is not up for debate. Jesus taught with authority because the gospel is not an opinion.” (The Fellowship.site)
Jesus taught with authority because the gospel is not an opinion.
So why authority? Not just because Jesus IS authority, but because He also GIVES authority. If we truly let go and let God, doesn’t that mean we should also respect the authority around us? We honor up, we honor down, and we honor all around, so let’s live a life on God’s terms. (Additional Reading: Ray Stedman, The Fellowship, Preston Highlands Baptist Church)
Turning Over Tables | Mark 11:15-18 By Zack Massa "And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching." -Mark 11:15-18
When we read this it seems counter to what we normally think about how Jesus lived. For most of us we view Jesus as calm and peaceful, we think of "Turning the other cheek". While true, there is also the aspect of God that hates sin, and hates corruption in His church. I believe that because of the vastness of His love and forgiveness, we can lose sight of His hatred of evil. This passage of Scripture is a picture of how the Lord wants us to deal with sin in our lives. The people in the temple had become comfortable with not honoring the Lord. While they were in the temple, they were not operating under the standards of the temple. Jesus went through and upended tables, and drove the people out of the temple who did not belong there. It was a vigorous, violent action. When we have sin in our lives we are not supposed to accept it. We are not supposed to tolerate it and keep on with our walk with the Lord as if it is okay.
When Jesus did these things, He did them as a Son in His own house, as one having authority to remove what did not belong. When we accept the Lord as Saviour, He forgives us of our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. He also gives us the authority to violently refuse and remove any sin that would try and make it's way into our lives. We don't have to accept the little compromises that want to comfortably fit in our lives. We have the authority, through Jesus, to flip over those tables of compromise and uphold the standard we are meant to follow.
He also gives us the authority to violently refuse and remove any sin that would try and make it's way into our lives.
I want to encourage you today, what are the areas of compromise you have allowed to enter your life? What are the things that need to be removed with righteous vigor? Spend some time with the Lord today and upend those tables and don't accept the compromise in your life.
1. Jesus rebukes a fruitless tree Mark 11:12–14(ESV) 12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
We are not called to a fruitful season but a fruitful life.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT). 7 “Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
Our fruit is not dependent upon our season but on our depth.
2. Jesus cleans a fruitless temple Mark 11:15–18 (ESV) 15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.
Prayer had been replaced with profit. Jesus is re-establishing purpose!
3. Jesus teaches on fruitful prayer Mark 11:19–25 (ESV) 19 And when evening came they went out of the city. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Fruitful Prayer 1. Have Faith in God
The lack of fruit from prayer is often the lack of root in prayer.
John 15:4–7 (NLT) 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
Fruit is not forced; it is yielded. 2. Say to this mountain -Identify mountains: Distractions / Hindrances.
We focus on hindered prayer, but What is hindering you from prayer?
Jesus identifies the mountains of Doubt and Unforgiveness.
- Speak to the mountain
We don’t ask mountains to move we tell them to move
