Mark 14:17-19

When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely not I?”

Pastor Art Barrett
New Life Christian Fellowship (Concord)

The challenge is to be honestly there with the Twelve and hear Him say, “One of you will betray Me.” You are there. You don’t know precisely to what He is referring, but you know you are guilty enough. You know at some level you have betrayed Him. You have not believed, not enough, not the way He believes. He says, “If you believe if you have faith you can move mountains.”

You walk with Him, pal around with the others, this eclectic band of wannabes.
You are one of His inner circle, but you know you have never budged a mountain. You hope He never challenges you to do it. You know you would not measure up; you would not make the cut. If He knew what was really in your heart, you fear He would cut you from the team. You would cut you.

You want to walk with Him; you want to be there when He cashes in and takes the throne, and you know there is something of a betrayal even in your self-interested fellowship. You know your heart is not like His, though you wish it was. No wonder you are saddened as He raises the specter of exposure.

What does He mean? What does He know? What doesn’t He know? To which of us is He referring? You figure we are all in the same boat. Like the time all twelve of us were in the same boat in the storm. Without Him, we would have sunk. It’s no different in this room. Whatever is going on, He knows, if I were left to lead, I would sink us. It’s best to go with the corporate bluff; the odds are 111 He’s talking about one of the others. So you go with the flow. “One by one they said to Him, `Surely it is not I?’” The challenge is to be honest, to believe and be honest to Jesus, Honest to God.

Jesus, You already know everything about me. Help my faith to become strong enough to be honest with You.

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.