Whose Authority? Part 1

Sing all hail the power of Jesus name. Hymn number 42. Amen. If you'd look up here on the screen with me or if you'd like, you can look in your hymn book on 334 and we'll sing together, be thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart. Amen.

Praise the Lord. It's wonderful to be here to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior today. Let's open our service with the word of prayer. Brother Steve Altman, would you lead us in prayer please? Father God, we are just delighted that we can have time to praise you, to thank you, and to hear the word of God here this morning, Lord.

Help us to take every word that's said here, put it on our heart, and follow what you would have us to do. As pastor, as he presents the word God Amen. You may be seated. If you have a bulletin, want to follow along, announcements this morning, do keep the Valentines in your prayers. These are missionaries that we support with Bibles International.

You say, well, what is that? Well, it is a translation wing of Baptist Mid Missions and they translate the word of God into languages that do not have the word of God already and so pray for them. Joe is sort of a coordinator for all these different translation projects that are going on all over the world and they travel a lot. So, do keep them in your prayers. We will be in Mark chapter chapter 11 in just a minute.

Mark chapter 11. Whose authority? Part one. So, Mark chapter 11, if you want to go ahead and find that. We're having a wonderful time going through study on walking in the spirit in Sunday school.

Appreciate those that have come. We had a good class this morning but if you can, come up, get up just a little early and join us for Sunday school or even earlier than that at 09:30 and come join us for prayer time. We had a good good group for prayer this morning as well. We would love to have more join us to start out our Sunday in prayer with the Lord and so that's at 09:30. Tonight, we have a service at six.

We'll continue with part two of this message. Taxes, husbands, and greatest commandments. If you want to know what that's about, you can read Mark 12 or you can come tonight or both preferably at 06:00 for evening service and then Joy Club on Wednesday night for the kids. We have a Tuesday Bible study at eleven. Everybody is welcome to that.

That isn't a particular age group or gender. Everybody is welcome to come who obviously isn't working at 11:00 on Tuesdays for that Bible study as we go through. We're studying through the Old Testament at the moment. We get through about a book a month. It is it's a good Bible study and I'm enjoying it.

I hope those who are coming are as well. There is a church business meeting tonight following the evening service. There will be a special offering being taken up on April 14 for a church van. Appreciate those who have already given to that. If you'd like to go ahead and give, you can give at any time.

Just designate on the check or the envelope when you give it that a particular portion of the money is for the band fund. So, we will know that. Hope you're reading through the Bible, the Old Testament or the New Testament or both but just want to encourage you to do that and so we put that in the bulletin each week and we do have fifth Sunday service the end of March which means in the evening service, we will be celebrating the Lord's supper and we will have a testimony and song service combined with that. So, come and join us that Sunday evening in particular for our fifth Sunday service. Next men's Bible study, April 12, that's a week later than normal.

So, men take note of that. The reason is because the missions conference is the sixth and the seventh and the Bible study would have been the fifth. So, we put it off a week but don't forget about missions conference. It begins with international supper at 05:30 on Saturday and then continues through Sunday in all of our services. We will have three missionaries with us to speak in those services beginning on Saturday evening and so I hope you can come and join us for those.

This this thing that looks like a clock up here that actually is how we are doing in meeting our missions goal for the year and we're doing quite well. A matter of fact, since or since last month, I think I've gotta turn it a little bit more. We've almost already reached our goal and we have two months left and so praise the Lord for that. And that God can use that to support the 11 missionaries that we have taken on here at the church to help them with their ministries and the proclamation of the gospel in other parts of the world. We'll talk more about that during missions conference and explain a little more our missions ministry here.

Alright, I think that's all the announcements I have. If you'll stand to your feet and can you sing let's see. Let's go ahead and stand to your feet and let's sing 261. The first verse of 261 in your hymn book. Standing please, 261, trust and obey.

Take a moment and welcome somebody nearby to the service today. Amen. If you would please remain standing as you find your way back to your places and sing the chorus with me on the screen at the name of Jesus. Brother Ian, would you lead us in prayer for the offering this morning? Dear Lord, thank you and we can gather in your house, Lord.

Just take this offering and use it to honor and glory. Help it get the message of the gospel out here in our community and and around the world Lord and just be with the pastor as he brings a word and just enrich our hearts and minds through your word now in Christ name, amen. Amen. Amen. I I have a person who prepares the PowerPoint for my service every day and the person forgot to put the chorus at the name of Jesus up there for us to sing it to shake hands.

So, I did that while y'all shook hands. That person would be me by the way. So, so we we fixed that so we could sing it at the end but I I had to come up with something to sing and our next song we were going to sing is trust and obey and we already sang the first verse but I I like that verse a lot. So, let's sing it again and then some of those other verses. 261 in your hymn book, trust and obey.

Amen. Brother Ian, come on up. He has a song for us this morning entitled The Wonder of It All. Lord. That thrills my to soul is the one that God loves me oh the wonder of it all the wonder of it all just to think that God loves me oh the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all, just to think that God loves me.

Sun, but the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul is a wonder that's only begun oh the wonder of it all the wonder of it all just to think that God loves me oh the wonder of it all just to think that God loves me Amen. The wonder of it all Praise be to God. Thanks be to God for his for his indescribable, unbelievable gift of his son, Jesus Christ. Who gave his life for us. What a gift it is.

And what a wonder, amazing wonder that God loves sinners. Paul said, Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief. It's not a wonder that somebody might give their life. Christ says in Romans three for a righteous person or or a good person but Christ came and gave his life for his enemies. He came and gave his life for rebels.

He came and gave his life for sinners and through him, we have the wonderful privilege of becoming the children of God. Sad to say, many people are unwilling to take God up on that offer today and all throughout humanity's history. Humanity has a problem with authority. Ever notice that? Have a problem with authority and and all authority in the end comes from who?

Comes from God. In Psalm fourteen one and fifty three one, both verses begin with the fool has said in his heart, there is no god. There is no god. Romans three eighteen, when it finishes summarizing the wickedness of man, it finishes with this. There is no fear of God.

Before their eyes. No fear of God. No respect for God's what? For his authority and the book of Judges, Israel, was being oppressed and overrun by the enemy. God was allowing it to happen because of this problem.

And he tells us about it here in Judges seventeen six. In those days, there was no king in Israel but every man did that which was what? Right in his own eyes. Unconcerned with the eyes of God. So, I I don't know what that means, hon.

Oh, children's church. There we go. Children's church can be dismissed. Thank you. Alright.

Alright, good. I'm so anticipating my my message more. I completely forgot about that. Was there a king in Israel? Yeah, there was.

Who was to be king? Who was to be their king? God was to be their king. But they weren't following God. They were doing that which was right in their eyes, unconcerned about his.

Man's refusal to submit to God's authority as humanity's legacy down through the centuries. Following in the footsteps of who? Of the prince and power of the air, the God, little G of this world, who is that? That's Satan. Satan or Lucifer as he was known before he rebelled and lost his position in heaven was gifted by God with tremendous beauty.

He is described in Ezekiel and Isaiah. Tremendous musical ability. Power and authority. Yet, iniquity, that is sin and rebellion was found in his what? In his heart.

As he decided to refuse the authority of his maker. He thought to take for his own that which was not his to take or to rule over and so he was cast out. The demons, the angels that followed him were cast out. Of heaven and they were cast out to what? To Earth and so they brought their battle from heaven and they brought it to Earth.

Once again, Satan claimed that which was not his and that which he had no claim to. He deceived man into joining his rebellion and so began the struggle over mankind on the earth. Satan lost the battle in heaven so he tried to rob God. Of his creation. On Earth.

Man built cities. Man did as he pleased, became corrupt in his thoughts, invented his own gods, made in his own likeness, and that of creation as man refused to bow before his creator as did Satan. So, what did God do? Well, he brought a flood and he wiped mankind off the face of the earth and he started back over with just who? Noah and his family.

It wasn't long after that. Just several generations after Noah that man once again rebelled and refused to scatter throughout the earth like God had told him. He he was going to build a tower. Said to reach the heavens. So, what did God do?

Well, he confused their languages and he forced them to do what he had commanded them to do which they had refused and so man scattered throughout the world. It seemed it would only take a few generations after God demonstrated his authority and power for man once again to turn to idols. And to refuse once again to bow to his creator God delivered Israel out of the slavery in Egypt. He he parted the Red Sea, brought him into the land of Canaan. He conquered it.

But it was only a couple generations later in Judges. It says, there arose a generation that knew not the Lord as man turned. As Israel turned their backs on the God who chose them in Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. Delivered them out of slavery in Egypt and gave them a land. So, God once again had to bring judgement upon Israel He took them back out of the land by the hand of Assyrian, the hand of Babylon.

And then, he brought them back to Jerusalem seventy years later. He rebuilt their beautiful city Yet, they still could not bow to his authority but changed his laws and perverted his word to fit their liking and when the Messiah came to claim his own, what did they do? They rejected him. The Bible says in John one eleven, he came unto his own and his own what? Received him God.

That's what we have here as we go through the book of Mark and we see over and over again of the leadership of the nation of Israel. Here is where we find ourselves with proud hearted, self righteous, self appointed judges, and know it all leaders, identified many times in scripture by the term scribes and Pharisees, sadducees, high priests, and elders. These were the leaders of Israel both political and primarily religious. They had no room in their heart for Jesus and they refuse to bow before their God and their creator once again. Jesus generally avoided these people.

He spent his time with the people who would hear his words but now being back down in Jerusalem, just weeks before his death on the cross. He was confronted with their hate, their schemes as they plotted and planned to find fault wherewith, to accuse, convict, and do away with Jesus. In the end, it comes, it continues to be about man's pride and refusal. To bow before his creator and Lord. That is why the way of salvation is in doing that very thing.

In faith, humbling ourselves to receive Christ as our Lord and savior. Romans ten nine, I think I have that. Here, let's see. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be what? Thou shalt be saved.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus. That is that Jesus is who? Lord. And accept him as your Lord in humility and faith. Then and only then, will the resurrected savior come into our hearts, save our souls, wash away our sins, and give to us the gift of eternal life.

Salvation is simple. But it is not easy for a proud humanity. That wants to do it their way. And will not bow. To the authority of their maker and we see that so plainly demonstrated in the life of these religious figures here in the book of Mark.

Let's read beginning in verse 27 of Mark 11. Mark 11 and verse 27 and they come again to Jerusalem and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priest and the scribes and the elders and say unto him, by what authority does thou these things? And who gave thee this authority to do these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one question and answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?

Answer me. They reason within themselves with themselves saying, if if we shall say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? But if we say of men, they feared the people. For all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed and they answered and said unto Jesus, we cannot tell and Jesus answering say it un them, neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more.

Lord, thank you for your word today and Lord, as we look into it, may you clear away the cobwebs in our mind that the world life is placed there. Lord, give us eyes to see by faith. Jesus Christ and all that we read and preach today that we might be drawn to you, that you might reveal in us anything that needs to change, that we need to repent of, that we might be more like our savior and we pray Lord most of all, there's one here today that's unsure of their salvation in Christ. I pray they might make sure of that before they leave even this day in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. As I said, this passage in the one following, we're going to finish it tonight. Has its root this issue of God's authority in the person particularly of his son, Jesus Christ here in our passage. As you can see, these leaders could not could not help but to reveal their proud and rebellious heart in the question that they came to Jesus with. Who gave you the authority or right to do these things?

Sounds a little bit like the question, who made you ruler over us? Because really that's what they're asking. They fancy themselves to be the authorities. And they were unwilling to bow to his. What did they mean when they said, who gave you the right or the authority to do these things?

What things are they talking about? Well, due to the fact that we're so close to Easter, I I skipped over the triumphal entry and part of that week that we'll come back to in a couple weeks. But there's several things that are happening around this time beginning or or just before Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus wrote in Jerusalem to the acclaim of a boisterous crowd that he was the son of who? The son of God, the son of David, the Messiah.

And you know what? Jesus welcomed it. Jesus did not deny their acclaim and so the Pharisees got angry. Who does he think he is? He entered into the temple courtyard and he took authority over it.

He ran out the thieves. He overturned the money tables. He condemned their abuse of his house and indeed, it was his house. He continued to teach the people the word of God and the way of repentance and faith while exposing the hypocrisy of their so called religious and moral leadership. Just prior, Jesus had healed blind Bartimaeus on his way to Jerusalem from Jericho as he had many others and without the consent and approval.

Of the elders and the scribes and the Pharisees. They wanted to know who gave him the right to do these things for he hadn't asked their permission. He didn't need to ask permission He being God in human form didn't need man's approval He is the God who instituted the system that they had abused It was his, not theirs. It was his and he who has the right to judge what was obedient or not. Obviously, they didn't get it So, he asked them a question once again to expose their hypocrisy You ask me who gave me the authority to do these things?

Well, let me ask you a question. He said, how about John the Baptist? Where did he get the authority to preach his message, to baptize people in the name of God? Who gave him that right and authority? Well, now, the wheels begin to turn.

In their minds. Because see, it it wasn't about the truth. The truth did not concern them. What concerned them is what concerns most politicians and rulers and that is keeping their what? Keeping their power.

And so they reasoned among themselves. Now, if we say, John the Baptist got his authority was his mission from heaven then Jesus will look at us and say, well, why didn't you receive it? Why didn't you obey it? Because they didn't they didn't. And they said, that'll get us in trouble.

So, we better not say that and then they thought, well, if we say that he he wasn't sent by God, but just men, then, the people will get angry with us because they believe that he was a great prophet sent by God So, we're stuck Jesus had a way of doing that and putting them between a rock and a hard place and when you start lying, you make it easy for that to be done. And so they played dumb. That's what they did. They came to Jesus says, we don't know. We don't know.

So, Jesus simply replied, oh then, I won't tell you where I get my authority from either. The point was obviously that the one who gave John the Baptist the authority also gave Jesus the authority and in reality, Jesus is the authority. He refused to play their game and treat them as these high and mighty authorities when they would not or could not answer a very simple. What's the problem? The problem is they weren't seeking the truth.

They were simply challenging the authority of Jesus Christ and God. Sad to say there are many people out there today that are in the same boat and some of them in religious circles. I can say with all my heart this that I hold in my hands is the word and carries the authority of almighty God and my savior Jesus Christ. But there are many people standing in pulpits today that would challenge and question God's authority. Even in churches.

We will all answer to who one day? To God. Is appointed unto man wants to die but after this the what? The judgment. The Bible says that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

To the glory of God, the father. Whether you recognize his authority or not here, you will be forced to. One day. But then, it will be too late. Continuing in Mark chapter 12, if you look in verse one, Jesus illustrated the problem here with a parable, an illustrative story to drive home the point.

If you look in verse one, he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard and set an hedge about it and dig the place for the wine fat and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a far country and after season, he went to the husbandman, sir, sent to the husbandman, a servant, that he might receive from the husbandman of the fruit of the vineyard and they caught him and beat him and sent him away empty. Again, he sent unto them another servant and him they cast stones and wounded him in the head and he and sent him away shamefully handled and again, he sent another and him they killed and many others beating some and killing some. Having yet therefore, one son, his well beloved, he sent him also last unto them saying, they will reverence my son but those husbandmen said among themselves, this is the heir. Come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours and they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

Watch shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do. He will come and destroy the husbandman and will give the vineyard to unto others and have you not read the scripture, the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner. This was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes and they sought to lay hold on him but feared the people for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them and they left him and went their way Jesus used these parables, these stories in amazing fashion as only God could. To drive the dagger into his detractors. The story very simple one, very common one that everybody in Jesus's day under understood.

Still today, if you go to Israel, you see a lot of vineyards. In Jesus's day, they were even more common than they are today. Growing grapes was a large part of Israel's economy and so, this man, he he planted a vineyard. He built the buildings, towers, and constructed everything that was necessary to protect and to make the vineyard fruitful and then, he leased it out so to speak. He he hired people to take care of the vineyard and to harvest at the harvest time and then to turn over the percentage, the part of it that he was due seeing it was his vineyard that he had prepared.

When the time came, he sent his servants to get his part, his share, and what did they do? They refused them. They rejected. They said, no. We're not giving up our part, your part of the share.

We're keeping it all for ourselves. And so they they refused, they rejected, they beat the servants, they even killed some of them. So, the man thought, well, I'll send my son. Certainly, they'll respect my son. And in their blind foolishness, somehow they convince themselves in their mind that if they killed the son, the inheritance would be theirs.

How? You think, how dumb? I heard some of you even laugh when I actually read the passage. How silly is that? That's what sin does to the human mind and heart.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became what? Bulls. Romans chapter one. And of course, when the Lord of the master, the owner of the vineyard came, those hired husband paid the price for Now, again, Jesus didn't tell parables just to for a nice story. There's a point to the story.

The owner of the vineyard is God. The son is who? The son is Jesus. The vineyard is kingdom of God or particularly Israel of the Old Testament. God chose the nation of Israel, gave them the privilege of being his representatives on Earth and overseeing his kingdom.

But again and again and again, they rejected his what? His authority. He gave them judges. And soon as the judge would die, they turned. He gave them prophets.

They refused them. He even killed some. He gave them king. And again and again, they turned them away. They turned away God and they turned away his authority and they refused to give him the honor.

And obedience that he was due. In the nation and kingdom that he had made them Finally, when Jesus, when God sent his only begotten son into the world, he came unto his own in his own what? Received him not. There was no room found for him in the inn. The night he came into the world because sadly, there was found no room for him in the hearts of the vast Lord.

We're We're to midst going do storm. Storm. Talking about them. Oh, We're they should be cast out and killed. How terrible that is.

They condemned themselves. Indeed, they would be destroyed. AD seventy, their city would be destroyed. More sadly, God would turn his back on the nation of Israel because they turned their back. On his Messiah.

And his son. But praise God He turned the vineyard over to another group. The New Testament called the what? Church. We are now his people.

We know him through faith in his son, who have received by his grace forgiveness, and eternal life and have been welcomed into the beloved through Jesus Christ. Our savior. What was the problem with Israel and these? Unbelief and rebellion How does one become a Christian By faith and by bowing humbly before our God and creator and our savior Jesus Christ to receive him. As Lord and savior of our life This is still the issue in the world today.

This is still the need of the world today. They need to bow to Jesus and humbly by faith receive him For the Bible says, as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Jesus finish finishes by quoting from Psalm one eighteen twenty two and twenty three. I think I have that screen here. David writes in Psalm one eighteen, the stone which the builders refused has become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing.

It is marvelous. In our eyes. What is that? What is that passage mean? Well, the builders of a house would seek, search for a stone that they would use as the cornerstone of the house or the building that they constructed.

It needed to be fitting for such a purpose. Not any stone could be used. It needed to be square. It needed to be solid and trustworthy because everything else would be built off of that one stone and if that stone wasn't square, if it wasn't fitting, the house would fall, the house wouldn't be square, and so forth and so on. When this particular case, for some reason, the builders rejected the stone that was most fit to be the cornerstone.

They cast it aside because they didn't want it. But Jesus said, nonetheless, it became the headstone of the corner anyway. What is this? Well, this is another story, another parable about Jesus Christ. For who is the headstone?

Who is the cornerstone? Jesus is. Who rejected the cornerstone? Israel did out of unbelief and they it aside. These men to whom he talked to had no stomach, had no place, had no faith.

Refused the stone that God provided to build the kingdom Instead they cried out what? Crucified They nailed him to a cross and they turned their back on him and they mocked his name But three days later, what did he do? He rose again from the dead and he has become the cornerstone. The church that he said he would build and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Turn if you would with me to first Peter chapter two.

First Peter chapter two. It describes this house, this this temple that God would build. The the physical temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70 when the Romans came in. But there is a church of God. That temple is every believer in Jesus Christ who is indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

We are God's temple today and God is constructing a more beautiful building in his name in the church the foundation stone of which is who Jesus Christ, our savior. First Peter two four, to whom coming, the whom there is Jesus, to whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. You also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Who is Peter talking to? He's talking to us.

He's talking to the redeemed in Christ Jesus We are God's house Our sacrifice are not the blood of bulls and goats but the sacrifices of praise and service to the king of kings and Lord of lords who has made us one in Christ Jesus and given to us eternal life. Verse six, wherefore also it is contained in scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore, which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient, unwilling to bow to his authority, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same as made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient where unto also they were appointed. But you are chosen A royal priesthood a holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Who is he talking about?

He's talking about the Gentiles that came to faith in Jesus Christ and make up the church today People from all walks of life, from every corner of the globe who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ We are built upon Jesus Christ our savior God's body and our churches that we might show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Who have bowed before God, our creator have given of ourselves in faith to Jesus Christ as our Lord. We are his building but sad to say there are many even religious people today We do not receive Christ as savior but stumble over him. And unbelief for their own destruction. That's sad to say was the case with these men whom Jesus was talking to.

Back in Mark chapter 12. That brings me to this verse here John three eighteen For Jesus Christ will either be your savior or he will be your judge. Jury, and executioner. Which will it be? It all depends on what you choose to do with Jesus And whether you will humbly bow.

To him as Lord and savior. For he that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already. Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten. Son of God.

These are not the words of man. They are the words of God. And the choice however is yours. Will you receive him as Lord today? Will you repent and trust in him?

Be the Lord and savior of your life. Or if you reject him your condemnation has already been declared Will you receive him today He will receive you No matter what you've done today He will receive you If you will come to him in faith but if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word for the opportunity to share it, to proclaim it and Lord, I pray today if there's one or two or three, Lord in here that if never trusted in you as savior, heaven, heaven made sure. Lord, maybe their doubts in their heart, maybe they're struggling today. Lord, I pray they wouldn't leave this place without knowing.

Lord, I pray that they would be willing to humble themselves and trust in you and you alone to do for them which they cannot do for themselves. They might be born again into the family of God By the power of your spirit and through your word by the grace of God and not the works of men. Lord, thank you that your invitation is open to all. Thank you Lord for saving my soul. Me and the others that are in here today.

Lord, I pray that we might each and every day bow to your authority Trust and obey your word. That you might be glorified. The lives of those who you gave your life to redeem. In Jesus name, we do pray. If you take your hymn book, turn with me if you would to 388.

388 and if you're here today, the Lord has spoken to you. There's you know, there's a need today. Maybe you're even unsure of what that need is but if you'll come as we sing this hymn of invitation, I'd love to pray with you. I'd love to show you how you can be saved today and know it. Standing please to sing with me, have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.

Is there anyone this morning on the second? Amen. We're going to end there with the singing but the invitation is closed If you have a need, if you have a question, please come see me after the service I love to pray with you and help you in any way I can At this time, I'd like like to ask brother Al if he would close our service with a word of prayer. Father, Amen.