Have Faith in God First B Jackson 2022-06-13 Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record. ---- Alright. Hey. Good evening, everybody. How are we doing? Very well. Good to see you, and a big thank you to the Bonjourn Ladies small group, the Gambling Girls small group for for dinner. Really, that hit that hit the spot. Thank you so much. Love it. Love this summer food. And we're making our way through the gospel of Mark. It's conversation style. So at the end, we can bounce it around some more. But before we do and if you're eating, keep eating. But before before we get into Mark, can we sing a couple of songs together? We'll start with evidence. Don't be afraid, little this is one of my very favorite verses. Jesus says, don't be afraid, little flock. It gives your father great happiness to give you the kingdom. And that's that's what I love so much about Mark right now is because Jesus is ushering in the kingdom. He's well, we'll get into it a little bit later, but let's first sing together Evidence. And if you can, stand, and if not, sit, and we'll worship. Your faithfulness is what beside me. The winter storms made way for spring. Every season from where I'm standing, I see the evidence of the goodness all over my life, all over my life. And I see your promises in fulfillment all over my life, all over my life. Help me remember when I'm weak. Fear may come, but fear will leave. You lead my heart to victory. You are my strength and you always will be. I see the evidence of the good news all over my life, all over my life. And I see your promises in fulfillment all over my life, all over my life. The cross, the empty grave. See the cross, the empty grave. Yeah. That ends his end. All my sin rolled away because of you, oh Jesus. See the cross, the empty grave. Yeah. But in season, all my sin rolled away because of you, oh Jesus. I see the evidence in so many good means all over my life all over my life I see your promises in fulfillment all over my life, all over my life. So why should I feel? So why should I feel? God, as we sing that song, it is so true, but we can look back through all the years of your faithfulness and your kindness and your goodness toward us and say, Lord, if you've taken us this far, will you not take us the rest of the way? So, Lord, would we have that in mind here as we worship you together? In Jesus' name. Amen. And only there were wonders and signs, and you're still the same. I believe every word that you say. I believe there's scars in your hands. That your goodness is good without end. You'll never change. I'll tell of your wonders, and I will tell of your wonders, sing of your grace. God of creation knows me by name. The Lord is faith generations bow down in praise. The Lord is faithful yesterday, now, and always all who wakes. I believe you were here even now. In your presence, I know there's power power to save, and I'll tell. God will tell of your wonders, sing of your grace. God of creation knows me by name. The Lord is faithful. Yesterday, now, and always, all who raised. Your mercy is mighty. Age after age, all generations bow down in praise. The Lord is faithful. Yesterday, now, and always you were you are. You were you are. You always will be God. Let's sing that again. You were. You are, you always will be God. Yes, you've always will be God. And I will tell of your wonders, sing of your grace. God of creation knows me by name. The Lord is faithful. Yesterday, now, and always, all the ways. Your mercy is mighty. Age after age, all generations bow down in praise. The Lord is faithful. Yesterday, now, and always, always. The Lord is faithful. The Lord is faithful. Yesterday, now, and always all the way. Amen. God, thank you for your faithfulness to us. And, God, may we see it tonight in the scripture as we read and walk away encouraged in Jesus' name. Amen. Got it. Almost landed in the water. Friends, it's good to be together. I am I'm I'm very glad you're here, and I'm I'm excited to share this with you. I think that we will walk away encouraged. If we're paying attention to what it says, we'll walk away encouraged. So gospel according to to Mark. Tonight, we are in chapter 11 verses 20 to 33 where Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer, faith, forgiveness, and the religious leaders challenge Jesus' authority. So that's what's happening in these verses. This is all happening, on a on Tuesday of passion week, where Jesus shows his passionate commitment to go to the cross to give his life as a ransom for many. So this is it right here. Let's if if we walk away with anything, let's walk away with this right here that Jesus didn't come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. That's why he came. But then Mark also describes how it is that Jesus sorry, Blake. That how it is that Jesus became king. So beginning here's just a little a little illustration, a picture. Beginning with his royal entry into Jerusalem, this is what we studied last week, as a peaceful king riding in on a donkey, ushering people into the kingdom of God. Jesus was always ushering people into the kingdom of God, but he sees just the opposite when he enters Jerusalem, finding the temple full of corruption, and people are being taken advantage of, and it's creating a barrier between people and God. And so Jesus clears it out, and he has the authority to to clear it out because he is the rightful king. But just before that, he curses a fig tree, and you think, well, that seems kind of strange, a little out of place. But there's a connection there between the temple and the fig tree. And the reason I'm bringing this up because tonight's scripture brings this up. A connection between the temple and the fig tree because from the outside, they both appeared fruitful. But in reality, the tree didn't bear fruit, and the temple was not a place of prayer and worship for the nations. And Jesus calls it a den of thieves. So that was Sunday and Monday of passion week, which brings us to the text tonight. So starting in verse 20 whoops. Here we go. I got it, Blake. Starting in verse 20, it begins with the next morning. So this is on a Tuesday of passion week. But just think about how fast the week went. So by Friday so this is Tuesday. By Friday, Jesus would be betrayed, arrested, mocked, beaten, put on trial, and crucified, and then on Sunday morning, raised from the dead just like he said he would. But isn't that quite a week? That's why we call it passion week. Jesus' passionate commitment to go to the cross. But on a Tuesday, as they passed by that fig tree that Jesus had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. It truly was cursed. And '21, Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day, and he exclaimed, look, rabbi, the fig tree you cursed, it's withered and died. But look, Jesus excuse me. I think am I gonna fight you on it? So should I just point you? Okay. I'll point at you. But look, Jesus doesn't even address the tree. He begins to teach them. He said to the disciples, have faith in God. Keyword faith there, and I cannot get enough of this definition. Every time we bring up faith, I like to bring sorry. I did it again tonight. I'll do it. I'll do it. We love each other. I can't get enough of this definition. I think I I could hear it every day. This is what faith is. It's to be persuaded by God. It's to come to trust him, to yield our will to his so that we can know what he prefers. That's real faith. When we when he says, have faith in God, he's saying to his disciples, be persuaded by him. As you yield your will to him, be persuaded by him. 23, I tell you the truth. You can say to this mountain I think they're on the Mount Of Olives at this time. So they have a picture in their minds of this, but Jesus is creating an illustration about it. May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and it will happen, but you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. And he's not kidding here because I I just wanna go back a couple chapters. In chapter nine, Jesus says, anything is possible if a person believes. And that specifically, I think he's talking about salvation. And this is true. But, church, we also know that Jesus I'll let you do it, Blake. That Jesus is not a magic genie. And and I just let's take a look at this verse here. This is the confidence that we have in approaching God that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Keywords being according to his will. Like, taught us to pray, your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So let's keep that in mind as we look at verse 24. I tell you, you can pray for anything. And if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. So there's a powerful lesson in faith. A powerful, powerful lesson in faith as we pray according to his will. Now 25, this is really, really important too, that when we are praying, assuming that we are, look what he says here. First, forgive anyone that you're holding a grudge against so that your father in heaven will forgive your sins too. Now that is a really big statement. He's saying forgiveness plays a major role in prayer. Forgiveness meaning to let go or release the person you're holding a grudge against. How many in this room would say that can be very, very difficult to do? Right? Right? There are smaller offenses that can be easier to forgive, and there are larger offenses that can be harder to give to forgive. But practically speaking, let's just think about this practically, forgiveness is for our own good so that we don't become bitter. You've heard the analogy of taking a poison pill of unforgiveness and expecting that other person to suffer when the person that is really hurting the most is ourselves. Jesus says, release. Release that person that you're holding a grudge against. Well, let God be the judge. We release. More importantly, we're to do this so that God will forgive us. I read something that said, no one deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is a deliberate act of love, mercy, and grace. Forgiveness is a decision to not hold something against another person despite what they've done to you. And Ephesians says it this way, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ has forgiven you. And and right there, that that's our motivation. That's our motivation to forgive. When we don't want to, there's our motivation. We consider we didn't do anything to earn or deserve that forgiveness, and yet Christ made that choice to forgive us. Romans five eight says, while we're still sinners, he he died for us. Didn't wait for us to me to to come to him. He he he did that all for us first. And now we are to do the same. We're to forgive as God's forgiven us so that our father in heaven would forgive our sins too. And I know you've heard this before, but let's let's hear it again and just just let it soak in and let it soak in. So that's Jesus' teaching on prayer, faith, and forgiveness. Then on to '27. This is where the religious leaders challenged Jesus' authority. So, again, they entered Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking through the temple area, the leading priests and the teachers of the religious law and the elders, they came up to me and you think, oh, good. It's pastor's a convention. This is wonderful. But no. No. '28, they demanded, demanded, by what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them? In other words, who gave you the right to clear this temple yesterday and drive out this business that we were making? 29, Jesus' response, I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question. Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? You answer me. So their question on authority that's meant to condemn Jesus, he's turning back toward them. 31. They talk it over among themselves. I find it kinda interesting that they this isn't pry this isn't publicly among everybody. Like, Jesus taught publicly so everyone could hear they're they're discussing this privately. Said if we say it was from heaven, he'll ask us why we didn't believe John. But do we dare say it was merely human for they were afraid of what the people would do because everyone believed that John was a prophet. So either they respond by acknowledging that John's ministry was from God and that Jesus is the Messiah, just like John said, and stand condemned because they rejected Jesus. Or they deny that John's ministry was from God, and they risk their credibility with the people that they feared, who believed John was a prophet, while still being condemned for rejecting God's messenger. So in other words, his question forces their hand. They either come to the really the realization, Jesus is who he says he is, or they remain in darkness. And sadly, verse 33 reveals that they remained in darkness. They finally replied, we don't know, or they chose not to know. And Jesus responded, then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things, which is so sad to me because there were so many opportunities, so many opportunities to acknowledge Jesus sent from God. John prepared the way. They could have, accepted John's message of repentance and and and turned to God. They could have accepted that when there was a first try. And then to see Jesus do miracle after miracle after miracle, but they remained in darkness. So here are just a few takeaways. Short sermon here. Here's just a few takeaways that stand out to me. First on prayer, faith, and forgiveness. What I find interesting here is Jesus is connecting all of them together. When we pray in faith, yielding our will to his, Jesus promises it will be given. Let's hold on to that. Let's hold on to that. But let's hold on to it knowing that God may have different plans than we do. Has that ever been the case in your life where the Lord has different plans than we do. And we've we've prayed earnestly, but it's a different plan than we've had. Like Jesus praying in the garden, father, if there's any other way, let's do that. Let's let this please, let this this cup of suffering pass from from me, yet not my will, but yours be done. That's a tough prayer to pray, isn't it? But when we pray in faith, we are yielding our will to his and going, God, I I know what I want, but I what I really want is what you want for me. So also keeping in mind that prayer doesn't just include faith, but it includes forgiveness. Not just for our own peace of heart, but so that God will forgive us. Faith connects to prayer, which connects to forgiveness. And the second part here, in light of the religious leaders challenging Jesus' authority, they demanded a response from Jesus. But here's a takeaway from that that that I saw in here. Jesus also demanded a response from them. And I believe the gospel demands a response from us. They would either come to the realization that Jesus is who he says he is or remain in darkness. And and apply and and the same applies for us, that we either come to the realization that Jesus is who he says he is or we remain in darkness. The takeaway there, we too have the opportunity to respond. We just do. As long as it's called today, we have an opportunity to respond. Which brings me to this psalm, and I I I wanna end with this. Psalm 95, this stood out to me today as I was reading this. And it says, oh, come, let us sing to the Lord. I that that's part of the reason why I like to be a worship leader. And I'd like to do that in a minute. We close out in a song. It says, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let's come into his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise to him, songs of praise. Why? For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods. Just think about this. Jesus is riding into Jerusalem as a peaceful king. He's the great king above all gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth. The heights of the mountains are are his also, and the sea is his because he made it. In his hands, they form dry land. Everything that we see, everything that we could that that when we look out into the Tetons, everything around us, it's God's handiwork. Here's more. Oh, come, let us bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God. And I love this part. We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. I I I really, really love the analogy of Jesus as as the great shepherd, as the good shepherd. And with that in mind, today, here's here's the the part I I wanted to just bold highlight underline. Today, right now, in this moment, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. And that would be our encouragement to have to maintain a tender heart, maintain a tender heart before the Lord, to come to him in humility. You know, it's saying, us bow down before the Lord, our God, our maker, in faith and prayer and forgiveness and a tender heart. So that's that's what I've got from the the scripture tonight. I hope that that you're encouraged by it. And I would like to, I'd like to hear your thoughts too. If there's anything from the scripture tonight that stood out to you, and you don't have to to share. Scripture speaks for itself. But if there's anything from the scripture that stood out to you, we could share it among among us. But before we do, can I pray, one more time? Lord, may that be us joyfully entering your presence with thanksgiving and with a tender heart to hear your voice and acknowledge you as Lord. God, would you keep us mindful of your love and your grace and your mercy and your forgiveness toward us so that we can stand ready to extend the same? In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Alright. Well, would anybody have here, can I Blake, would you mind just the the heading again? The those two parts, teaching on prayer, faith, and forgiveness, and then Jesus the religious leaders challenge Jesus authority. So from there, were there any ideas, any verses that stood out to you from that that you might comment on? Barb, have you got one? Can I give you this? So I think it's interesting that so much in this was about, to me, giving to receive. So you started with, he came not to be served but to serve. When you serve, you get so much in return even though you're the one doing, you get so much in return. Forgiveness is not about the other person, it is, but it's what you get. You get that piece. You get forgiven because you have forgiven. And I think the same with stewardship. You know, we give, we tithe, we give, we help, but it's not so much for the other person but for what you're going to receive in return. So I just think it's interesting the the correlation between all of them. Amen. And I love that Jesus always sets the example. He doesn't ask us to do anything that he hasn't first done himself. Any other any other comments from the scripture? I like just the reminder that prayer forgiveness should be a big part about your prayer. And when Jesus tells us how to pray, don't pray as the heathens do, pray this way. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and how that's a good reminder that forgiveness should be a part of our prayers. And that's his will too. May his will be done here as it is in heaven. So I think that's a really good reminder. Any others? Ray, have you got a little something? You kinda hit it when you went back around. I wrote it on the bottom of this cup. When when the Pharisees, they're just chickens. Mhmm. They're really, really trying to think how are we gonna get out of this one? Mhmm. And he says, well, just answer me this. Was John's baptism from heaven or was it just man? And their answer, when they huddle up, it's almost comical. Well, if we say this. But when when they say that, he'll say why didn't you listen to him? Every one of the people around you knows that John was a prophet. Every all and he knew that. He knew the crowd he was in. But when they looked around and thought, we don't wanna we don't wanna alienate the people. It's so political. It is so nonsensical. And the the real question for them because John's message yeah. It was he must increase and I must decrease. And, yes, I'm not worthy to undo his sandals, but more than that, it was one of repentance. And when he said even now the axe is being laid to the root, right, he was talking to them and he had already called them all the names that Jesus eventually called them. And and they're being called out and they they had the moment where they could have repented. And it it is it's sad just like you had said. It's sad that they They doubled down. They went with well, but they went with we don't know. Mhmm. Which is like they know everything. All the time, they know the answer to everything. What is your answer? How is your reading? Jesus is constantly asking them for their opinion biblically on it. And he knows sometimes it's because they're against the sadducees, and sometimes it's against sometimes they're just trying to trick him. But it's interesting that they that they're like, never mind. Mhmm. We don't know. Just move on. Yeah. You know, it's just terrible. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah. As long as it's called today, the the tenderheartedness and that posture. I think that's something that stood out to me is that posture before God with a tent with tender with a with a tender heart that when we hear his voice, we hear the voice of the good shepherd that that that would pay attention. You know? And and the the faith, forgiveness, and prayer, they're all they're all connected together. And I think the forgiveness there so that our hearts would remain tender, that we're not praying with a hard heart This is another thing that stood out to me as well. But it's difficult to do again, isn't it? The human side of us wants to say, no, I will not release you. But the more we think about that, the more we don't release it. It means that we've bottled it up right here. And that does not lead to peace of heart and peace of mind like Jesus is giving. And he he wants to release us from that. So the the other thing about that don't harden your hearts, that's a good message for us today and every single day. But for them in particular, the very next line there is don't harden your hearts like y'all did at Meribah. Like you did in the wilderness. Like you kept on doing over and over again and providing you, leading you down the path and yet don't harden your hearts. It it didn't go well for those people and you know this. Yeah. He was I I see Jesus as pleading with them earnestly wanting them. Just like the yesterday's message was the father goes out for the older son too and is pleading with him and trying to get him, but he's having none of it. Yep. Yep. Steve, have you got a comment? Yeah. It's not nearly as spiritual as that. Oh. Oh, no. Really? No. Just that it doesn't relate to that, what's on the board right there. But but what really did hit me earlier is when you said this happened on a Tuesday. And and then we know come Friday, they were gonna kill him. And that the thing that hits me is I I've got my I don't know about you guys, but I got my agenda for this week. I know what I'm doing tomorrow. I know what I think I'm doing the next day and the next day, and I've got all these plans and schemes going. And I don't even know if I'm gonna be alive tomorrow. But this Jesus that we serve, he went through that and he said these things, and I think he fully well knew what the rest of his week was gonna look like. And it wasn't as fun as mine's gonna be. Yep. Yep. And he he did it anyway. And he continued to try to draw people to him, to have them pay attention to what's really important. And it it must have been heartbreaking to him when, like you said, they wouldn't even answer him because they're so wrapped up in their agenda. And I hope this week, I'll have a little I'll take a little bit of time, you know, to put my agenda aside and say, well, you know, maybe I ought to give God a little bit more thought. Maybe I ought to answer Jesus' questions to me about what I believe and what I should be doing. So that's it. That's what I had. I like your takeaway. Thanks for sharing that, Steve. I like to be funny. Which day is it you're coming to do my deck, Steve? To serve and not be served. You know what came about to me is the discourse that Jesus had with these high ranking priests. And he didn't back down from what the word of God tells him. And he defended his faith and what he what his purpose was on earth. And I think about us in this world, it's so easy to be embarrassed if someone questions you about your faith, and you're afraid to stand up for it, for what it really means. And I just said to myself, well, he surely didn't back down. He confronted he confronted them with his power, and they couldn't do anything. They couldn't say anything, but we don't know. So I think the victory went to Jesus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I love the conversation part. It's it's it's edifying. Should we stand and sing one more song? Take my life and let it be. A hymn. My consecrated and take my moments and my days let them flow in ceaseless praise let them in ceaseless praise and take my hands and let them move at the impossible lily and take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee, swift and beautiful for thee. And take my will and make it thine. And take my will and make it thine. It shall be no longer mine. And take my heart. It is thine own. It shall be thy royal throne. It be thy royal throne. And we'll end with I surrender all. And I surrender all. I surrender all. Lord, I wanna make that our prayer as we go throughout the will the the week that you would take our lives and let them be consecrated to you, our moments, our days. Lord, use our hands. Use our will. May we live in that posture of of surrender, faith, humility. Remind us in Jesus' name. Amen. And I'll I'll just leave you with this verse right here. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. And I'll say this, he is near. He is here. Amen.