As you find your seats, if you'd also find your scripture, whether your own from home or the Pew Bible that's there in front of you, I'll be reading from the Pew Bible on page 847. Page 847, or actually starting on 848, I'll be reading chapter 11, verses 27 to 33. Hear now the holy, inerrant word of God. 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. And they said to him, by what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them? And Jesus said to them, I will ask you one question, answer me. And I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me. And they discussed it with one another, saying, If we say from heaven, he will say, Well, then why didn't you believe him? But if we say from man, they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 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. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let's pray. Jesus, thank you that you are the all wise God. That you have given us this your word that we look at and read and study and now listen to preached We cling to your promises that you have said Lord Christ that your word will not return void but it will accomplish that which for you have purposed it. We also know that you have purposed your word to both cut through to the very core of our being to reveal to us ways in which we have sinned against you. And as you lay us bare this morning, Lord, we pray that you would help us to acknowledge and confess to you our sin, to receive from you the only healing balm of Christ's blood, that we might be more and more emboldened to speak and to live out the truth of your word. For we pray all this Lord Christ in your name and for your glory, Amen. This has been a time of reflection and nostalgia for our family as we are grieving the loss of both my only brother Jay and and then also my dad. And I hope you will come to Dad's memorial here on Saturday at 1 as we look together to Christ as our only sure foundation. And as we've been thinking on those things and the people we love and those that the Lord has taken home to himself. One of the memories that I was reminded of was one of the first times, it is the first time I remember my parents going out on a date night and leaving my brother and I in the care of a babysitter. And in this case, our babysitter was the woman we always called Auntie Norma. It was my mom's best friend. And I remember Norma lived just down the street from us there in Vestal, New York at the time, and I was I'm sure it will shock you, but a precocious child. And at four, when Norma was watching us and my parents had left and she told my brother and I something that we were supposed to do, cleaning up after dinner or some, you know, very ordinary thing, I looked at Auntie Norma and declared, you're not the boss of me. And Auntie Norma, of course, being a wise woman and loving and kind, Told me to knock it off and do what she had told me to do. I don't know if you've ever struggled with being told something, or being reprimanded, or being corrected, and you're wondering whether the person doing the correcting was actually in a position that you should receive that, or if you could just ignore it. We have something of that going on here in our passage where the chief priests and the scribes and the elders whom God had appointed to oversee his temple are belatedly but responding to someone that they see acting without proper authorization. Remember that Jesus has come into the temple and he is knocking over tables and throwing people out of the temple and not allowing people to walk in because of the travesty of what they were engaged in that they had misused the very temple of God. And this is the third time in this passage according to Mark's account that Jesus has come to the temple and that the chief priests and the scribes and the Pharisees that should have been rejoicing at his presence, and we talked earlier about the utter silence of when he first came in, and they don't do anything when they should be praising God. And now, after Jesus has come the third time, they do do something, but it's entirely the wrong thing. they question Jesus's authority. So in your order of worship you'll find these three points of what we're going to look at together in this passage. The first is what does it mean that Jesus is the Lord of his temple? So we'll try to unpack what that means. And then second we'll see how Jesus silences the Sanhedrin, that group of religious leaders there in Jerusalem. And then third I want us to wrestle with our response and to see how according to the scripture we need to bow before our sovereign Lord Jesus. Let's look at each one of these in turn. First, what does it mean that Jesus is the Lord of his temple? That's part of what's going on here in this question of authority. Who's really in charge here? And we're going to see how Jesus rules in his temple with wisdom. Grace. You see this power struggle that's going on. The chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, they're undone. They don't know what to do because Jesus who has been in their eyes a threat already now has come into their home turf and completely upended the operations of the temple. He's taken over and everyone is listening to what Jesus says and doing what Jesus tells them to do. And so they come rushing in finally to say, who put you in charge? Why are you doing these things? What were the things that he was doing? He was cleansing the temple. He was undoing the wrong things that they were engaged in so that the temple could serve the purpose for which he, Jesus, God Most High, had built the temple to accomplish. And so we need to understand the significance of the temple for us to really understand what's going on in this passage and quite frankly it's something that we often have difficulty doing. When we think of the temple in Jerusalem we largely dismiss it as irrelevant. I mean what relevance does that have now that Jesus has come? But sometimes we miss the fact that if we don't understand the role of the temple we don't truly understand the role of what Jesus is doing who is described time and again in the scripture as the fulfillment of this temple. John's gospel talks about Jesus' arrival, His incarnation, with the same word of tabernacle that was the inner part of the temple. He describes Jesus' coming as Jesus tabernacled among us. In fact, all throughout the scripture we find that God is consistently making sure that every facet of the temple is constructed in such a way because as he tells Solomon, who is his instrument for building the temple, the temple on earth is reflecting a reality of the temple in heaven. And so it must be consistent. It's got to be constructed exactly as God would have it so that it is a true and good and accurate reflection of what's going on in heaven. And one of the main things about what's going on in heaven is that it's a picture of the throne room of God. And unlike any of the other temples on the earth that were built by man, for man, according to man's visions, the true temple, the temple of the God of the Bible, was built according to God's command. You remember David who wanted to build the temple of God? And God said, no. I haven't chosen you to do that. I'm going to have your son Solomon build it. And then in every detail God directs how that temple is to be built. Because it is a reflection of the throne room of God. And the throne room of God is actually so great that this throne room of God in the temple is described as a footstool. It's only the littlest tiny bit of where the throne room of heaven comes in contact with earth. And so being a throne room of God, the key question of course is who's on the throne? And do you see how that's what the scribes and the elders and the chief priests are getting at? Here before them is the one whose throne this throne room is all about. who is cleansing the temple because it has been desecrated. It's been used in ways that go against what he, as the sovereign king, has directed the temple to be all about. And they have the gall to say, who are you? Who gave you the authority to do this? When all along, standing there before them, is the throne, the one whose throne they're discussing. The temple was built under God's command by Jesus's authority to address the problem that we have. That we're sinful people and God is holy. And how is it that we are to dwell with God as sinful people when he is holy without us being annihilated? How does that work? The temple was God's provision and example to show us how that works. And so all of those sacrifices were intended by God to show us the seriousness of sin. that sin always brings death, and that the lie of the evil one is, oh no, no, no, it's not that bad. It's not that bad. This whole reminiscing thing has got me thinking of not only times with my dad, but also with my brother. My brother Jay, when he first got his driver's permit, this is before he got his actual license, it's just his learner's permit. He went with his buddy in mom and dad's car and he figured, I've got a learner's permit and you've got a learner's permit, so the two learner's permit ought to equal a driver's license. Well, it doesn't really work that way. And he went around a curve too fast on some gravel and the car went over and over and over itself and landed upside down and skidded down the road on its hood. This was my brother's plea to my mom when he walked, concussed, and with a dislocated shoulder to the neighbor house down the street. He called mom and said, mom, don't tell dad. Just get some rope. And come to, and he gives the address, I'm sure we can pull the car back onto its wheels. My whole life that served as a vivid example of how we underestimate sin. The car was totaled. There was no riding it onto its wheels and everything would be fine. You know, just pull out some of the dents. No, no. Car's done. And yet we think, it's not that bad. No, it really is that bad. And the temple was one of the ways that God had set before his people a daily reminder. The sound of the doves, and the sheep, and the rams, and the bulls being sacrificed before Yahweh. Why? Because our sin really is that evil. There is nothing but blood that can cleanse, and ultimately the blood of the sacrificial lamb, the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus, that's able to wash us. All the other blood was was simply pointing forward to the need for Jesus's blood, and here before the high priests and the elders and the scribes is that Lamb of God who has come to sacrifice himself to fulfill everything that the temple stood for. They say, what gives you the right to do this? How dare you? That's really what they're getting at in questioning his authority. Jesus fulfills everything that the temple stood for. In fact he describes himself in this way. In John 2 he says that he is rebuilding the temple. That if they tear down the temple he will rebuild it in three days. He is everything that the temple stood for. He's the holy presence of God himself. He is the high priest making atonement for the sin of the people. He is the sacrificial lamb who was slain for our redemption. You see Jesus is the Lord of this temple and he silences the human leaders because they're rejecting the very one who is the temple himself. The second thing that I want you to see is how Jesus silences this group of leaders, what we know as the Sanhedrin. These particular leaders that ruled over Israel. Now I want you to see how Jesus in this passage silences them with wisdom. But he could have silenced them with power. They come after completely missing the opportunity to praise Jesus and to worship before him as the temple was designed for them to do. And he could have simply revealed the glory that we saw in the Mount of Transfiguration. Or one of the ones that I love is when the Judas goes to betray Jesus and he takes with him the soldiers with clubs and swords. And he's got, Judas has got this whole thing rigged to show which one they're to arrest. And when he goes to do that and says, who is this? Jesus says, I am. And just his using his covenant name, Yahweh, I Am, it says that the soldiers fell to their faces. Or when Jesus is resurrected, and it says that the soldiers who were there guarding the tomb fell asleep as dead men. He could have just, wow, shown them his glory. He is the God who's come from heaven and has every right to demand their joyful obedience. And yet notice the tenderness that he asked them a question instead of simply giving them a command. He turns the tables on them with a question by saying, let me ask you a question. It's as if he's saying, oh, oh, you think there's someone here that's able to ask a question to silence or to stop what's being done here in my temple? Well, if there is, I'm the one to ask the question. We see this all the time. As parents, we ask our children questions. They're not questions because we need an answer. Who made this mess? It's not because mom or dad doesn't know who made the mess. It's showing authority. This is my house, and I'm calling you to the carpet for the mess that you've made. And so Jesus says, let me be clear. If anyone here is going to ask a question, it's me. And so I'm asking you this. Now he could have asked any number of questions. Why does he ask about John the Baptist? Notice how it's related to what they're asking. They're asking, who gave you this authority? Under whose authority are you doing these things? In relationship to Jesus, who was John the Baptist? He was his forerunner. He was the one declaring, this is the Christ. Why? Why was John doing that? Well, just because God sent him to do that. Well, yes, God sent him to do that. But in all the Hebrew scriptures, when there's a question of authority in a court, in giving testimony, What has God set up to make sure that those things are done rightly? Witnesses. John the Baptist was there as a witness. Now did Jesus need a human witness? On one level, no, not at all. He's God. And yet notice how Jesus as God follows the rules of what he set up for us. The king is not above the law, nor should anyone ever be. Jesus refers to John the Baptist as the witness that God had provided, the Father had provided for Jesus, that his testimony was true. And so this question, was John the Baptist's baptism from heaven or from man, is getting it the same thing as what the Pharisees are asking him. Who gave you this authority? Well, who do you think gave John the Baptist authority? And then notice their deliberation. He asked them a question and then demands an answer. Answer me, he says. And then Mark says, they discussed it with one another. Mark is showing us the ridiculousness of what's going on here. It's not like Herod the Great's advisors, when asked a question about Jesus the Messiah, what did they do? They consulted the word. They looked at the Word of God and said, well, the son of David is to be born in Bethlehem. Here, Jesus asks the high priests, the scribes, and the elders, those who are to lead God's people with God's Word, and when they need to deliberate about how to answer, all they've got to do, all they seem to have is themselves. How often do you find yourself or others doing that? Someone asks you a question, that's a good question, let me think about that. And we may go through the entire deliberation and thinking about how to respond without ever considering the word of God. hear the very leaders of God's people who should be leading them into the Word of God. Instead, take a straw poll. What do you think? Well, if we say this, there's no question of what's true. What is the actual reality? Who did authorize John's baptism? They're dealing with, instead, opinions. What do you think? And then notice, as they deliberate about that, the thing that they're most concerned about is what the people will respond. Well, if we say this, then we've got this problem. He'll respond, well, why didn't you believe him? And if we say the other, then the people will be all upset. It's by design a no-win Question. Jesus is calling them out for the fact that they have betrayed the authority that God had given them. Instead of doing what they were required to do because of their office, they're instead looking out for themselves. How do we avoid getting in trouble? And quite frankly, I know a lot of times that can be one of the challenges that we face is our ethics can be, how do I avoid getting in trouble? You ever dealt with children or grandchildren who that's what their biggest concern is? Well, if I tell the truth, then I'm gonna get in trouble. One of the things that we would often do with our kids is to say, listen, you'll get in more trouble for lying to us about this than whatever the original thing was, right? Have you ever done that? You need to tell us the truth, what's going on. There's no concern here for truth. Was his baptism from heaven or from man? They refused to accept what God had already provided for them in John. And this is a corollary that we find again and again in God's dealing with people. Folks will ask me all the time, well pastor what about somebody who's never heard about Jesus? Well what Romans tells us is that God's already provided for them knowledge of his existence. There's no such thing as a true atheist. We all know in our heart of hearts that there is a real God. And yet, apart from the grace of God, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, we will always reject him. And so if folks reject what God has already provided, then they're already culpable. And God is not under any obligation to provide them more proof when they've already rejected what he has given them. And that's exactly what we see here of the leaders of Israel. Sometimes we might ask God for a sign. God, if this is really something that you're wanting me to do, would you give me a sign? But sometimes that can be while we're also refusing what God's already shown us. And so Jesus here is pointing out their obstinacy and with wisdom he reveals their own powerlessness to even answer the most basic question about John the Baptist whom everyone there knew was a true prophet. And it's because of their insecurity that they cannot stand the truth. So we've looked at what it means for Jesus to be the Lord of his temple and we've wrestled through or seen how Jesus silences the Sanhedrin, but last we need to wrestle through some what it means to bow before Jesus as our sovereign Lord. You see Mark is revealing the treasonous rebellion of the priests in part to question his audience. Remember Mark is writing to believers in Christ in Rome and they're struggling because of the persecution that's increasing evermore because of following Jesus. They're particularly near the capital where there's so much emperor worship and other kinds and forms of idolatry. And so Mark is not only showing them the sinfulness of the high priests and the scribes and the elders. But he tells them of their failure as a way of holding up a mirror to them. What are ways that you might be guilty of the same kinds of things? Of the same kind of questioning of the authority of God? Lord, why have you allowed this to happen? Why the trial? Why the difficulty? Again, I don't want to presume here. I'm not saying that you are asking those things or sinning in those ways, but as your pastor it's important for me to raise that as a possibility. Are there ways that you doubt God in those kinds of ways? And if so, what do you do about that? I know within evangelical Christianity, we all recognize that we're not supposed to doubt. That the whole life of following Jesus is through faith in Him. So sometimes there's this difficulty that the evil one can use to isolate us because we struggle with doubt. And in our doubt we can feel like, well I'm a bad Christian for even doubting this to begin with. So we don't want to talk to other Christians about that because then they'll know that we're not a great Christian. Again, I don't want to presume but Does that sound familiar? Have you struggled in those kinds of ways? Let me encourage you. One of the things that we find by looking at this passage is the way in which Mark talks about the high priests and the scribes and the elders questioning Jesus's authority. and how the scripture goes on to tell us that many of the priests after Christ's crucifixion and resurrection came to saving faith in Christ. See, sometimes we live as if doubt is the unforgivable sin. And when we find ourselves doubting, we just keep our heads down. and don't know what to do, when what the whole of the scripture teaches us to do is to run to Christ. He's not surprised by your doubt, if you doubt in that way, but he delights to save us, to forgive us, to cleanse us. He is after all the Lord of his temple. You remember all of that ways in which the temple and all the bloodshed and all the sacrifices and everything is to show us the seriousness of sin. Well in the same way Jesus coming to fulfill the temple and having accomplished all of that now once and for all. That's all been done away with. And that if we are in Christ, the scripture tells us, we are a new creation. We've been cleansed with his blood. The book of Hebrews tells us if we've been cleansed with his blood, there's no need for the blood of rams or goats or any other lesser thing. That Jesus has come not just as a Levitical priest, but he's come as the high priest in the order of Melchizedek. And the scripture talks about how all of the Levitical priesthood in Abraham in seed form bowed down before Melchizedek. And that his priesthood is what Christ takes upon himself. And that he is the fulfillment of everything of the temple. That's not just some interesting Bible trivia. You see how that's comfort, how that is the sweetness of knowing that Jesus as the Lord of the temple. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. And so that ought to give delight to our service of Him. That ought to be the thing that that frees us to confess where we have sinned and where we have doubted. Jesus comes as the Lord of the temple who wisely deals with the high priests and the scribes and the elders. But don't miss how he's come particularly to deal with you. to deal with me, to deal with us as he's remaking us in his glorious image. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, thank you. Thank you for being the Lord of the temple. Thank you for the way in which you have satisfied all of the law, all of the ceremony of the temple, all of these things you have done. to redeem your people, and we bow before you, acknowledging that you alone, Lord Christ, are in charge of all things. Help us to joyously submit to you, we pray, in Christ's name, amen.