Mark 12:1-2

He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

Pastor Russ Belmont
Calvary Baptist Church (Concord)

God provides everything needed to produce good fruit. Look at the vineyard the landowner (God) prepares for the tenant farmer: he provides protection, production equipment and security to produce good fruit. It is comforting to know that God has a plan and purpose for our lives.

In this parable of the tenant farmer, Jesus showed that Israel had killed and rejected past prophets and that Israel would soon kill and reject the Son of God. This rejected stone would, however, become the chief cornerstone of God’s Kingdom. This parable was directed to the chief priests, teachers of the law and the elders. By what we read in Mark 11:27, we know that they struggled with giving Christ authority in their lives.

What are different ways we struggle with giving God authority in our lives? How are we like the Pharisees? What obstacles get in our way of giving back to God what he has already given to us?

Is it by retaining control and believing that my way is the only way?

Do I prefer to live legalistically rather than gracefully?

Am I willing to trust the truth of the scriptures 100% at all times?

Do I think that the gifts I have been given are for me alone?

Am I willing to be changed and transformed by Christ?

Lord, I don’t want to be religious; I want to be in a relationship with you. I want to be able to accept your plans and purpose for my life so that you can be glorified.

Mark 11:27-33

They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’….” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Pastor Kevin Murphy, Saint Matthew Lutheran Church (Walnut Creek)

As Jesus’ Passion rapidly approaches, this scene becomes all the more important because we see all three factions, which made up the Jewish ruling Council coming to Jesus to ask him the “authority question.” They are asking the question because there is no greater authority than their own, and they have not authorized Jesus to do what he is doing, especially healing on the Sabbath – their primary concern!

Mark’s Gospel tells Jesus’ story in a straightforward, almost journalistic, style. Mark presents Jesus’ teaching and claims and then reflects on those who come to trust in him and those who don’t. When Jesus answers the authority question with a question, he unmasks the religious leadership’s difficulty in recognizing any authority but its own. They can’t say John or Jesus was from God because then they would have to give an account of why they did nothing to acknowledge God’s presence in their midst. I love Jesus’ insistent, “Answer me.” But they refuse (see John 5:39).

The question is not “by whose authority?” but “are you refusing to come to Jesus?” The religious leaders (of every stripe) always refused – with rare exception. Sometimes I see religious leaders more tied to their traditions and church polity than aligned with Jesus, his message and his agenda. This is not just an issue two thousand years ago; it is still true today.

The “by whose authority” question can be answered by every baptized believer: “I have the authority of my Father in heaven and he promises the power of the Holy Spirit will attend to me all the days of my life.” Our authority is directly connected to our identity – we are children of the Most High God, the King of the Universe!

Gracious God, help us to claim your authority and boldly proclaim, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.” Amen.

Mark 11:20-24

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Pastor Jim Shields
Sanctuary (Concord)

It’s easy for Jesus to say, “Have faith in God.” He and the Father are one. In the most real sense, He is God. Of course, we are supposed to have faith in God. And I do.

I have more trouble with having faith in God doing what I ask. Jesus didn’t seem to struggle with this at all. He wanders by a leafy fig tree and almost casually condemns it to death, and the next day, no figs, no leaves, no tree. I, on the other hand, have a friend in a wheel chair who has been a focus of my prayerful concern for a few years. We go to movies to laugh together and make our life together seem more normal. But I am still pushing this God lover in his chair, so this situation causes me a lot of confusion.

So as we approach Easter, I want to look at my request a little closer. My friend’s wheelchair situation is a “mountain” for sure. I can’t believe it doesn’t beat out a non-producing fig tree in the mountain category. I have asked for this mountain to be removed. So here is where I get tripped up: Doubt in my heart. My heart is an interesting place. Sometimes it is full of faith and sometimes it cries out as if God doesn’t care about me at all. Most of the time it is somewhere in-between, and that is not a good place for my friend or me.

The “when you pray” jumps out in this passage like a lost slipper in a cluttered closet. I have been looking for this for awhile. Prayer is a conversation. It is two way, not just my pleadings, but listening, gathering input, changing my mind to fit His desire and purpose. This conversation with the Father is what Jesus had down. I do not. Jesus did only what the Father wanted and when He wanted it. They were one. Jesus gives me that same opportunity. It takes some time. Conversation takes time. Hearing and then understanding what I hear take time. So here I go to ask Jesus about what is to be done with my friend.

Jesus, help my faith where it counts. Help me listen and help me understand. Amen.