Turn with me in your scriptures to the gospel according to Mark. We have before us this morning the closing verses of chapter 11. If you are able, I invite you to stand as I read in your hearing verses 27 through 33 of Mark chapter 11. Let us stand together in honor of God's word. Mark 11 at verse 27. Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him. And they said to him, by what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things? But Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one question, then answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? But if we say from men, They feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. So they answered and said to Jesus, we do not know. And Jesus answered and said to them, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. Thus ends the reading of God's word. Let us ask his blessing on the preaching of it. Let us pray. Most Holy Father, we pray that we may feed upon Christ and his word, bless the preaching of it, that we may be built up, that we may be strengthened, that we may be formed after our Savior. Do this for his glory, we pray. In his name, amen. You may be seated. Having recorded the Lord's enacted parable, of judgment pictured in the cursing of the fig tree, we were given clearer understanding of the purpose, by Mark, of Christ's cleansing of the temple. As the Messianic king, Christ was exercising kingly authority and priority in relation to worship. But as the fig tree portrayed, Christ was also exercising prophetic authority in manifesting the judgment that was coming to unfruitful Israel right at the heart of her self-identity there in the temple. Afterward, as Peter noted, the dried up fig tree, Christ took the opportunity to expound to his disciples principles of faith, prayer, and forgiveness that form a pattern of the Christian life. In the passage before us, Christ and his disciples return to the temple where our Lord is confronted and questioned about his recent actions. And we'll consider this account in three points A demand, a dilemma, and a declaration. A demand, a dilemma, and a declaration. First, a demand. We'll note that they return to the temple, as Mark states in verse 27, then they came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him. We need to consider the situation as Mark sets the stage here for what is about to happen. When Christ cleared the marketplace out of the court of the Gentiles, where it had no business being, he was disrupting a profit-making enterprise that had been set up by those in positions of highest authority among the Jews. Further, Christ was restoring the approach of the Gentiles. The very thing these same authorities were happy to see prevented as they filled up the court of the Gentiles, making it impossible for its intended use. So Jesus had done far more than just upset the bankers and livestock traders. He had upset the people in charge. Who does he think he is? And then this renegade rabbi has the audacity to show up again in the very same place. By returning, Christ was putting the exclamation point on his kingly and prophetic labors. He was not apologetic for his work. He was owning his divine priorities with boldness. Consider how we should follow our Lord's example in this. It's not our calling to do what Messiah alone was called to do. No, but rather when we see him boldly own divine priorities, is that not how we should be when we're identified with his priorities. We should not be ashamed. We should not duck and run. We should not apologize when we have submitted and followed his priorities as king and sovereign in this place, his temple. We owe no apology by way of sorrow or any kind of shame for being weird. No, here we should be full of the glory of our Savior and glad to be out of step with that which is the priority of those who are not following Him, no matter what kind of authority they pretend to have. Oh, may we be like our Savior, gladly going over and again in following Him to His place of priority and living according to His priorities, His policies, unapologetically, unashamedly. So our Savior goes right back to the temple where He knows it's impossible not to be the place where He will be met with hostilities. And in doing this, he's not only showing his holy boldness for his priorities, he's also demonstrating here and in the coming passage, the very fruitlessness that was bringing judgment on this temple, on Jerusalem, and on Israel. The temple was precisely where Messiah should be, But those in charge came now to confront him. He's not given a warm welcome. He's given opposition in his temple. How worthy the judgment that is coming upon these. Here our Savior is met by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. We should remember this trio. as Christ mentions them in his prediction of the rejection that he would receive in the culmination of his ministry. He mentioned these three in chapter eight, verse 31. These three are significant because they are the Sanhedrin. This is what made up the highest ruling body of the Jewish authorities. You'll remember the chief priests, the leaders of the priestly caste, and the scribes, the experts in the law, had representatives on that highest assembly, as well as the highest rulers, the elders of the land. They had a seat on that ruling body. We see that rejection unfolding before us, and we're to be reminded of it. as these three are mentioned, they are not glad to see Messiah. Indeed, as it were, with arms folded, they have some questions that they demand that he should answer. This confrontation is described in verse 28, and they said to him, by what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority to do these things. Christ had not just thrown over the tables and thrown out those buying and selling. He had opposed this very highest authority at the temple. And they demanded an account of what he thought he was doing and just who he thought he was. But of course, is it not ironic These, the highest authority, they're not the highest authority, are they? How easily church authorities forget this. It wasn't just a problem with the Sanhedrin. It wasn't just a problem with the chief priests and the scribes. It's a recurring problem for church authorities, even in our day. Forgetfulness grips those who lead as they set themselves up in the same way, completely ignoring the one who is truly in charge, pursuing their own priorities and purposes, deeply offended by any challenge to their own personal agenda, their own vision casting. These authorities confronting Messiah, King. They should have been falling before him to be corrected and to do his bidding, shouldn't they? It was not Christ who was audacious for coming there and presenting himself where these who were in charge, as it were, come and confront him. No, these religious authorities are the ones who are out of line as they confront Messiah. But their sense of self-justified outrage would soon be undone as Christ responds to them by posing a dilemma, which takes us to our second point. Now let's hear Christ's response to them as he poses to them a question. Verse 29, but Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one question, then answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me. Now, this was a typical rabbinical technique A rabbi would often respond to questions with more questions that were intended to lead to the answer. But here the technique was not welcome, certainly, for those hearing it. Because a rabbi would do that as an expression of his teaching authority, as he would lead those who were following into greater truth. These had presented themselves as in authority, demanding an accounting from this one they considered a lesser. But he's not the lesser, and when that becomes clear by his posing a question, he's exercising that prophetic authority that the people already readily acknowledged. So this question from Christ puts them on the horns of a dilemma. Again, we should consider how easy it is for religious authorities to fall into this sinful pit. rather than being ready to be questioned so that the answer may be given because the Lord. Church authorities, rather, behave like this, frustrated and offended, looking for a way out because it's their authority being challenged and they hold it precious. It's that which they were exerting. pressure upon others to recognize and acknowledge. And yet Christ demands an accounting from those who exercise authority in his name. Oh, may we, who have been called to lead by Christ, avoid this sinful pit as it's on display here. in these who made this pretense of authority over Messiah. And what is that dilemma upon which they're now fixed? Christ puts that to them in terms of the authority of John. And he asks the question, referencing the baptism of John. This referred to the whole of his prophetic ministry because the teaching ministry, the prophetic ministry, when it was received, he had been given an outward ordinance. The baptism that he was to exercise was a manifestation of the receiving of the fullness of his message and ministry. And so it represented that message and ministry. As Christ asks regarding the baptism of John, where it came from, he's talking about that whole, the acknowledgement of his message and ministry. And he asks if it was from heaven or from men. Again, what this represents is a well-known division for these leaders. And a great deal is packed into the question. This difference between heaven and men is asking, did the mission and ministry of John, did it find its origin in the divine, in God? Did it come from heaven? from God or did it find its origin in the heart of man? Was it just his good idea as he saw it? That familiar framework, that difference was something the Sanhedrin knew. Remember Gamaliel mentioning that very distinction with regard to the apostles later in Acts chapter five. It's full of implications, and they were familiar with what it meant, but they ignore the implications. When Gamaliel posed this division, remember what he said, chapter five of Acts, verses 38 and 39, and now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you even be found to fight against God. Same question, same understanding. If it finds its origin in the good ideas of men, it'll fail. If it is of divine origin, it cannot fail. If you oppose it, you will fail. This is the question Jesus is posing to them. Should it not have gripped them, humbled them, brought them into a right perspective on the one standing before them? They should have stopped to ask this very question of their own exercise of authority and of their opposition to Christ. But they are too blind. Concerning John's ministry, it was a preparation for Christ, pointing to him. If they had considered that ministry and answered the question honestly, would it not have answered their own question about Christ? John said his ministry was about the one who would come after him. Mark chapter one, verses seven and eight. Jesus is the one prophesied by John, fulfilling the things preached by John. John's authority was exercised to conduct the outward initiation of Christ's ministry. Again, that's plainly stated, and we find Mark recording that, chapter one, verses nine through 11. All these questioners should have been gripped with the reality that this rebuttal of a question made plain, but instead, All that they have in mind is that this question puts them in a bind. So they regroup. Verses 31 and 32. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? But if we say from men, and it doesn't even finish it, we know it. They feared the people. for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. Notice their motivations. They are concerned not with the substance of the question and the truth behind it. They have no concern for truth. They're concerned to avoid correction. There's a name for that. It's called a fool. And notice secondly, another motivation. Not the fear of the divine, not the fear of the Lord. That's completely missing. They fear the people. They need to manage the message out there for their own sake. Their pride and hypocrisy is on full display. They're not concerned with the truth. As self-serving pragmatists, they are only concerned with preserving their agenda and managing the consequences. If John's ministry had divine authorization, then Jesus' ministry, which fulfilled John's, is also from God. The answer is right in front of them. But that's the very thing they are determined to deny. They finally conclude their deliberations and respond, verse 33a, the first part, so they answered and said to Jesus, we do not know. They lie. This is a humiliating admission. Notice how their pride and lack of fear of God so rules they're willing to have any shame other than be corrected and reverence the true God in his message and messenger. Such is the dark heart of man. Their pride and self-interest outweighs their submission to the will of God. In response, Jesus declares their claim to authority empty before him. Here, our final point, the declaration. And Jesus answered and said to them, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. The tables have been turned completely on these usurpers. He won't speak that word, but it has been made unavoidably clear to them in the question he asked, and that they refused to answer. We need to consider the implications of all of this as Mark sets it before us by the inspiration of the Spirit. This same Christ now reigns above all authorities, and this account from Mark frames an inescapable confrontation that is everywhere present. All authorities are faced with this confrontation. Will they recognize and acknowledge the authority of the Son of God? We should have in mind Psalm 2, where the warning goes out to have a reverence for, to show and acknowledge the authority of this God-man, the King, lest he, in his anger, destroy the rebel. There's no escaping that reality. As we know, will come That destruction manifests the fruit of their rebellion. The temple is destroyed. Jerusalem is destroyed. Israel is destroyed. To be born again as the new covenant Israel, for sure, in the divine outworking of the new covenant. But here, the pressing question reminds us that it's inescapable and worldwide. He is. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, above all, an account will be given. The question is inescapable. The confrontation is inescapable. Every king, every despot, every tyrant, every president, every governor, every mayor, every council member, every parent, Anyone who exercises authority will give an account because there is one who rules above all. We're reminded of that, powerfully packed into this confrontation here. Now, this is an especially urgent warning where the focus comes here in the heart of the church. This is the old covenant heart of the church and the temple. And so this warning is particularly intense with regard to church authority. Only Messiah's priorities and agenda have a place in His temple. That was true in the Old Covenant, that's true in the New Covenant. Only His methods, only His message, only His ministry are to be exercised by those called to be His stewards. Rule in his church is what? He demonstrated it, he emphasized it over and over. It is to be service. Service to Messiah and service to his people. There is only one king in his holy nation. There is only one great high priest. Only one ruler. in his kingdom, the church, it is Messiah. Those who lead, he said, must do so by way of service. They are his stewards. They don't own it, he does. And they answer the question of the confrontation because he said so. Because what we've judged has been judged to serve him for your good. And so all those who rule, who lead, who minister in the church have to be mindful of this confrontation to avoid the pit of the Sanhedrin. God forbid that his church should experience that profanity. It's obvious when we look at them, full of hypocrisy and their own agenda. We lose sight of it in our day. We have those who are building their own kingdoms inside the borders of the visible church. Such as to be members, as it were, of a spiritual Sanhedrin. And may the Lord rescue from that and preserve his precious loved ones, his flock. Such men are usurpers. Let this account crush pride and self-interest in the church amongst those called to lead. But of course, that's not the stopping point, right? This same thing comes to the heart of every one of us. For every one of us are called in the gospel covenant to lay down arms daily to have this confrontation. Who's am I? Who is my king? Who rules me? And when we consider that, are we like the Sanhedrin? Oh, may the Lord preserve us from such sin. No. Let us respond rather by banishing pride, banishing hypocrisy, gladly yielding to our Savior's rule in every detail. Such is our calling. This lesson teaches us that. Packed full of lessons at every level of life, right down to our little rebel heart. May this lesson give the death blow to our pride. Jesus, as it were, presents himself to us and says, I need to ask you a question, precious flock, loved one. Who do you consider me to be? Am I just a good suggestion in your life? Or am I God the Son, in the flesh, your God, your Savior? Our answer, unlike theirs, must be one of full and glad submission. You are the mighty God, the Lord, and I gladly yield to you all your authority. It's all yours by right. Rule in my life. Ferret out every vestige of shadow, sin, rebellion. Take dominion. I yield, Sovereign Lord, in love. Let us pray. Holy Father, what a remarkable challenge this sets before the people of God, the shepherds of the Lord's flock, who are under-shepherd stewards. Indeed, truths that echo throughout the world, and all the way back down to our very hearts. May we be well taught, may we marvel at the power of Messiah, and may we gladly yield to him that which is his, that true, dominion and authority, which is his by right, which he exercises now. We long to see that answer go out loudly, clearly, in every sphere. May it be abundantly manifest here in his household, the place of his dwelling, his temple, where he has claimed his divine right. Oh, may we gladly yield as his redeemed followers. We thank you for this lesson. We thank you for our savior, for this inspired account. We ask that it should grip our souls for Christ's sake. In his name, amen.