WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.500 Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you that you sent Jesus Christ to this earth to show us what you are like. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:11.460 Father, we thank you that you give us your Holy Spirit so that we can listen and learn from your Bible, 00:00:11.859 --> 00:00:14.839 especially when we listen and talk about Jesus Christ. 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:18.440 Father, help us today to understand what's before us. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:21.320 And we ask this in your name. Amen. 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:27.820 I don't know about you, but I have been pulled over by the police on way too many occasions. 00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:33.500 The reason is because I used to have a car which was a bit like a sports car, but it wasn't really in good nick. 00:00:33.899 --> 00:00:38.179 In fact, it was multicoloured because I had a go at respraying it and it didn't quite work. 00:00:38.659 --> 00:00:41.920 That was after it got hit by a car when we were on the way to the zoo with the kids. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:46.320 Then my friend borrowed it and someone in the car park put a dent in the side door. 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:54.500 And then when I'd just finished fixing the mess of the zoo problem, another person ran into me while I was going through a green light. 00:00:54.500 --> 00:00:57.000 So this car was a bit rough, a bit ready. 00:00:57.140 --> 00:01:03.640 And so police would often pull my wife and myself over because I think they suspected that we were doing the wrong thing. 00:01:04.099 --> 00:01:11.500 More often than not, we'd get breath tested and they'd say thank you and off you go once they realised that we were upright and good citizens. 00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:22.719 But isn't it funny how when we face authority, if we're in the wrong, how different it is from when we face authority when we're not in the wrong. 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:25.579 I had no problems with police pulling me over. 00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:28.480 It was slightly inconvenient, but I knew I was okay. 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:37.439 Whereas when authority of the policeman impacts us personally, when we are subject to their authority, isn't it a little bit different? 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:40.140 But what about God's authority? 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:43.679 What do you think about God's authority? 00:01:44.579 --> 00:01:47.939 Over you or over the people around you? 00:01:48.679 --> 00:01:54.719 Well, I'm going to suggest that we're going to be looking at a passage here that tells us about God's authority. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:58.500 In fact, there's a really good verse in Mark 12 verse 10. 00:01:58.500 --> 00:02:06.159 It says that the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:17.659 In other words, the Bible is telling us that we are no longer rejected by God because this important cornerstone was rejected on our behalf. 00:02:18.139 --> 00:02:20.139 So this morning, let's look at three things. 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:24.879 Let's look at the religious leaders questioning authority. 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:27.900 Then we're going to look at these questionable tenets. 00:02:28.519 --> 00:02:31.259 And finally, we're going to have a rhetorical question time. 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:35.079 What does Christ's authority mean for us? 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:41.740 So, first of all, let's turn to Mark 11 verse 27 where it says, 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.820 They arrived again in Jerusalem. 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:53.020 And while Jesus was walking the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came to him. 00:02:53.660 --> 00:02:56.340 So these are the religious leaders of the time. 00:02:56.520 --> 00:02:57.900 And they came up to Jesus. 00:02:58.020 --> 00:02:59.520 They were about to confront him. 00:02:59.939 --> 00:03:01.560 And what were they going to confront him about? 00:03:02.100 --> 00:03:03.800 They were going to confront his authority. 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:05.420 Look at verse 28. 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:09.060 By what authority do you do these things? 00:03:11.939 --> 00:03:13.020 They asked. 00:03:13.219 --> 00:03:14.420 And whose authority? 00:03:15.600 --> 00:03:17.120 Now, what things? 00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:18.520 What are they talking about there? 00:03:18.900 --> 00:03:23.180 Well, you may recall that Jesus entered the temple just a few days before that. 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:27.560 And he saw the people selling cattle and exchanging money. 00:03:27.939 --> 00:03:30.740 And he got really, really angry. 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:36.420 And he did something that I'm sure the religious leaders knew he was not authorized to do. 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:38.360 He drove out the cattle. 00:03:38.620 --> 00:03:40.939 He overturned the money changers' tables. 00:03:40.939 --> 00:03:48.579 Now, I don't know about you, but if I was making some good money at the temple and Jesus came up to my table, I'd sort of go, yeah, yeah, come on. 00:03:48.939 --> 00:03:49.599 But no. 00:03:50.079 --> 00:03:52.439 No one challenged him at all. 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:54.879 He just went and he cleared out the temple. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.599 How dare you turn my father's house into a marketplace? 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:03.199 It was this that the authorities, the religious leaders were challenging. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:05.039 How can you do that? 00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:06.959 By what authority can you do that? 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:09.359 And does Jesus answer their question? 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:11.400 No. 00:04:11.500 --> 00:04:13.500 For some reason, he asks a question. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:14.500 Why? 00:04:14.959 --> 00:04:17.800 Why does Jesus ask a question when they've asked him? 00:04:18.980 --> 00:04:23.719 Well, I want to suggest to you that Jesus was bringing up the main point here. 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:26.620 He was asking them to think about authority. 00:04:26.620 --> 00:04:36.620 Was John the Baptist's mission and what he did under the authority of God or was it by the authority of man? 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:38.540 Now, let's think about it. 00:04:38.840 --> 00:04:45.259 What would have meant for them if John the Baptist, what he did, was actually divine? 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:50.800 Well, I want to remind you that these Jewish leaders were appointed by Herod Agrippa. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:57.079 And they were often appointed for political reasons, not because they were necessarily the right people. 00:04:57.800 --> 00:05:13.100 Which reminds me, if you are a 1980s Yes Minister fan, of an episode in Yes Prime Minister where Humphrey, who was the administration person, wanted to become the dean of a high-prestige university. 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:16.939 But the existing dean had to go somewhere for him to do that. 00:05:17.280 --> 00:05:19.300 So they were offering him a bishophood. 00:05:19.820 --> 00:05:22.320 And the Prime Minister was the one who appointed the bishop. 00:05:23.180 --> 00:05:29.980 And so this gentleman called Sir Humphrey was saying to the Prime Minister, you've got to go for this person from this university. 00:05:30.520 --> 00:05:32.400 Yeah, he doesn't really believe in heaven. 00:05:32.520 --> 00:05:34.080 He doesn't really believe in hell. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:37.859 In fact, he doesn't believe in the virgin birth or necessarily that Jesus was God. 00:05:38.300 --> 00:05:39.639 But he's a good man. 00:05:39.719 --> 00:05:40.839 He actually loves trains. 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:43.120 And that means he's a really good person. 00:05:44.060 --> 00:05:52.599 And so there's this very humorous conversation, much more than I could bring out to you, about how these people were politically assigned. 00:05:53.659 --> 00:05:55.959 So Herod Agrippa is these guys. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:57.439 He's their boss. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:03.879 And can you imagine what would happen if Herod heard that those he had employed were saying John the Baptist was divine? 00:06:04.339 --> 00:06:05.879 Because what did Herod do? 00:06:06.899 --> 00:06:09.100 Herod decapitated poor old John. 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:10.899 It beheaded him. 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:13.259 And so these guys were there. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:18.699 And if they said, yes, John the Baptist was divine, then, whoops, our boss killed him. 00:06:18.819 --> 00:06:20.060 That's not such a good look. 00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:26.100 Or maybe it's a fact that John the Baptist was saying, look, here is Jesus. 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:28.379 Jesus is the Messiah. 00:06:29.200 --> 00:06:38.160 So if John the Baptist was actually divinely appointed by God to tell the truth and the whole truth, he was saying Jesus is authorised the Son of God. 00:06:39.780 --> 00:06:44.020 So Jesus must also be divine if John the Baptist was divine. 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:48.960 What if John the Baptist was just a human and he was just under human authority? 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:51.000 What would be the implications there? 00:06:51.960 --> 00:06:54.860 I want to suggest to you that then maybe John was a false prophet. 00:06:54.860 --> 00:06:57.060 Maybe he wasn't religious. 00:06:57.259 --> 00:06:58.600 Maybe he was just a hypocrite. 00:06:59.080 --> 00:07:01.720 Maybe he was someone who was proclaiming what he shouldn't. 00:07:02.540 --> 00:07:06.639 And if that's the case, what can we say as religious leaders? 00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:09.939 Because let's look quickly at what it says here in verse 29. 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:12.280 Jesus said, I'll ask you a question. 00:07:13.100 --> 00:07:13.600 Answer me. 00:07:13.660 --> 00:07:16.840 And then I will tell you by what authority I'm doing these things. 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:18.340 Verse 31. 00:07:18.339 --> 00:07:20.979 They discussed the question amongst themselves. 00:07:21.099 --> 00:07:25.399 If we say it's from heaven, then he will say, why didn't you believe? 00:07:26.139 --> 00:07:28.060 Why aren't you followers of Jesus? 00:07:28.060 --> 00:07:30.839 Because John was pointing to Jesus as the Messiah. 00:07:31.419 --> 00:07:32.959 Why didn't you believe John? 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:35.199 And then in verse 32. 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:38.879 But if we say of human origin, and what were they scared of? 00:07:39.659 --> 00:07:41.099 They were scared of the crowds. 00:07:41.539 --> 00:07:42.079 And why? 00:07:42.719 --> 00:07:45.219 Because the crowds thought that John was a prophet. 00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:48.939 The crowds thought that John the Baptist was the real thing. 00:07:49.599 --> 00:07:51.699 And so they were scared of the people. 00:07:52.819 --> 00:07:53.839 And so what did they say? 00:07:54.099 --> 00:07:56.379 They answered, we don't know. 00:07:56.719 --> 00:07:58.039 In verse 33. 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:01.240 We don't know when they knew. 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:02.620 They discussed it. 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:04.600 And Jesus knew that they had discussed it. 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:09.760 And so Jesus was showing them by asking them a question about John the Baptist's authority. 00:08:10.580 --> 00:08:14.720 Do you think that I'm also authorized by God to do what I'm doing? 00:08:14.960 --> 00:08:16.680 To clear the temple and more? 00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:22.939 So I want to suggest that Jesus shows us that his authority was definitely heaven sent. 00:08:22.939 --> 00:08:29.600 that he was authorized by God to do what he was doing because he was the Son of God. 00:08:31.259 --> 00:08:34.360 And I believe that we who believe and trust in Jesus, 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:41.779 we also are very happy to acknowledge that Jesus is the authorized person from God to do what he did. 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:42.559 And what did he do? 00:08:43.100 --> 00:08:46.100 He died on the cross and rose again for us. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:51.000 So we don't fear God's authority when we trust him, do we? 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.539 We don't fear Jesus' authority at all. 00:08:53.620 --> 00:08:54.720 In fact, we welcome it. 00:08:54.820 --> 00:08:55.679 We acknowledge it. 00:08:56.700 --> 00:08:58.419 I had a friend who was a policeman. 00:08:59.100 --> 00:09:02.440 And we were walking down the street one day, happily talking in the middle of the city. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.299 And we came to a set of lights. 00:09:04.820 --> 00:09:06.480 And the little red man was flashing. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.019 But I was so engrossed in the conversation, 00:09:09.220 --> 00:09:12.200 I didn't even think about the little flashing red man. 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:14.500 And I kept on walking across the road. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:15.840 Because there was no cars about. 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:17.480 So I just kept walking. 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:26.259 And, of course, my friend who was a policeman in his full blue uniform stopped because of the red man who was flashing. 00:09:26.620 --> 00:09:31.700 And the crowd who were there in the streets, they all stopped because there was an authorized person there. 00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:33.159 And they didn't want to get into trouble. 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:39.000 I want to suggest to you that my fear of authority was just non-existent then because he was a friend. 00:09:39.779 --> 00:09:41.200 He was a great guy. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:43.720 And I'm a friend of Jesus. 00:09:44.800 --> 00:09:48.340 In fact, I welcome Christ's authority because he's my friend. 00:09:48.900 --> 00:09:52.720 And it helps me in my life to live under his authority. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:59.560 To do the things he asked me to do because I know that Jesus has asked me to do these things. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:04.800 So why did Jesus not answer the question? 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:10.179 Well, I want to suggest maybe he did answer the question in the parable. 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:17.299 I want to suggest that maybe this was a very good tactical response of Jesus. 00:10:18.019 --> 00:10:21.919 Because he was sufficiently indirect so that they couldn't accuse him of anything. 00:10:22.319 --> 00:10:23.740 They couldn't arrest him of anything. 00:10:24.079 --> 00:10:29.959 But if you look at the parable, I think Jesus is clearly telling them by whose authority he was doing it. 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:32.179 But let's look at that parable. 00:10:32.179 --> 00:10:34.439 So what I'm going to do is I'm going to retell the parable. 00:10:34.899 --> 00:10:37.219 But I want to pretend that I'm a religious leader. 00:10:37.719 --> 00:10:40.259 So I'm going to tell it from a religious leader's point of view. 00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:41.079 So I'm a Jew. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:42.459 I'm a religious leader. 00:10:42.599 --> 00:10:45.399 But I've seen the death and resurrection of Christ. 00:10:45.819 --> 00:10:49.319 So I'm now a firm believer in Jesus Christ. 00:10:49.579 --> 00:10:53.000 So as I go through this parable again, I want you to think. 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:58.519 Is Jesus answering the question about whose authority he could do these things? 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:04.360 So there once was a man, Jesus said, who planted a vineyard. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:09.419 Now whenever I hear the word vineyard, I'm automatically going, Isaiah 5. 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:15.779 Isaiah 5 is a beautiful chapter about how God planted a vineyard for the people of Israel. 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:20.179 I remember that God let them come into the land of Canaan. 00:11:20.299 --> 00:11:22.259 And they inherited built towns. 00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:24.860 They inherited planted crops. 00:11:24.860 --> 00:11:27.960 God prepared everything for these Israelites. 00:11:28.139 --> 00:11:31.700 It was an awesome place for them to go into the promised land. 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:37.259 So when Jesus says straight away, there's a man who planted the vineyard, I'm thinking, 00:11:37.779 --> 00:11:39.759 great, this is about God. 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.039 God the Father has planted a vineyard for Israel. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.720 He has provided for them. 00:11:45.460 --> 00:11:46.940 And so this man planted the vineyard. 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:48.120 He put in the watchtower. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.120 He put in the walls. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:50.100 He put in the ditch. 00:11:50.220 --> 00:11:51.560 And he put in the winepress. 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:54.399 And then he rented it to some tenants. 00:11:55.199 --> 00:12:00.919 And these tenants, or farmers, were to look after the vineyard to produce the crop. 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:03.399 And then he went on a journey. 00:12:04.119 --> 00:12:08.659 And my mind automatically thought when I was hearing this story, well, who are the tenants? 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:09.679 It's us. 00:12:10.139 --> 00:12:11.179 The religious leaders. 00:12:11.339 --> 00:12:13.259 We're the ones responsible for the vineyard. 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:15.059 We look after Israel. 00:12:15.059 --> 00:12:19.319 We're authorised to do everything we can to help Israel flourish. 00:12:19.819 --> 00:12:20.759 That must be us. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:21.539 We're the tenants. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:22.199 Awesome. 00:12:22.439 --> 00:12:23.699 Jesus is talking about us. 00:12:24.500 --> 00:12:27.639 But then he said something that just made my heart sink. 00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:37.659 He said, so God, at the time of the harvest, authorised a servant to go and collect what was the owner's due. 00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:47.179 God had the father, God the father, had organised and authorised a servant to come to Israel and to tell them about him. 00:12:48.219 --> 00:12:50.939 But what did we do to this prophet, to this servant? 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:58.399 Well, Jesus said in the parable that this man was beaten and went away empty-handed. 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:06.199 So the owner of the vineyard authorised another servant to go down and to collect the crop that was due him. 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:11.920 But this servant they beat and they shamefully looked after him. 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:16.480 And so he authorised another servant to go down and that one was killed. 00:13:16.940 --> 00:13:21.700 And he authorised another servant to go down and that one was also beaten and killed. 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:26.940 So the owner of the vineyard said, ah, I'll send my son. 00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:32.200 I expect that they will respect him because he is my son. 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:38.800 So the owner authorised his son to go down to the vineyard and to collect the crop that was due him. 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:40.860 And what did they do? 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:47.920 When the servants and the tenants heard and saw him coming, they're going, ah, the son, the son, let's kill him. 00:13:48.140 --> 00:13:49.140 It's our inheritance. 00:13:49.920 --> 00:13:54.740 Because we have this custom in Israel that if a property is left abandoned by the owners, 00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:58.940 then those who occupy the land inherit it. 00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:04.139 So if we kill the son and the dad's not around, this is our vineyard. 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:07.259 So they did that and they killed the son. 00:14:07.539 --> 00:14:09.580 They threw him out of the vineyard. 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.039 And that's what we did to Jesus. 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:17.720 We as the religious leaders, we threw Jesus out of Jerusalem. 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:23.580 We threw him on the cross and he died because of our disobedience to him. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.399 But it's an awesome thing. 00:14:26.800 --> 00:14:29.000 Three days later, he rose again. 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:31.800 And my eyes were opened to this parable. 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:37.420 Jesus was saying that because of our disobedience, he would be rejected. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:43.779 But because he was rejected, he would then provide the means of salvation. 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:52.120 Because he hung on the cross, because of that cross, Jesus promises life to us because he was rejected. 00:14:53.319 --> 00:14:56.919 And so I rejoice in Christ's authority. 00:14:57.779 --> 00:15:04.759 I rejoice that because of the authority of the Father, he came to this earth, he died on the cross and rose again. 00:15:05.439 --> 00:15:11.759 I rejoice in his authority because Jesus said when he had come, risen from the dead and he was talking to his disciples, 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:17.080 he said, under my authority, go and make people disciples of me. 00:15:18.059 --> 00:15:25.220 Jesus Christ's authority is what makes our jobs easier in regards to witnessing to our friends. 00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:31.879 It is difficult, it is hard when we do that, when we witness to our friends. 00:15:32.059 --> 00:15:33.799 I've had plenty of rejects as well. 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:38.120 But I know that it is by God's authority that I'm doing these things. 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:46.299 And I also know that it is by God's authority that I can not worry about the spiritual warfare that's going on. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:52.600 There are many countries in Africa and many people in the Aboriginal community of Australia 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:57.620 who are turning to Jesus because they know he has authority over evil spirits. 00:15:58.379 --> 00:16:02.580 And they are very oppressed by evil spirits in many of these countries. 00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:08.460 And they know that because of Jesus' authority, the evil spirits are condemned 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:11.740 and they have no authority over those who believe in Jesus. 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:15.060 They welcome and love Christ's authority. 00:16:15.920 --> 00:16:18.420 Not only that, I don't have to worry about things. 00:16:18.540 --> 00:16:21.600 I don't have to worry about what I'm going to wear or what I'm going to eat. 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:24.900 I don't have to worry about what's going to happen to my children 00:16:24.899 --> 00:16:32.419 because God's authority is there and his authority will help me to understand that he is in control. 00:16:34.699 --> 00:16:36.860 So let's ask ourselves some questions. 00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:39.039 It's time for question time. 00:16:39.860 --> 00:16:42.159 I want you to think about it in your own heart. 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:47.519 In verse 10, we read of chapter 12. 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:52.819 Haven't you read, Jesus said? 00:16:52.820 --> 00:16:58.820 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 00:16:59.680 --> 00:17:04.799 The Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:12.279 The stone the builders rejected has become the most important stone of the building. 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:17.100 There is a tradition that when Solomon's temple was being built, 00:17:17.099 --> 00:17:26.000 that the quarry where they got the stone from sent this cornerstone or this capstone to the temple area. 00:17:26.659 --> 00:17:31.279 You may recall that the temple area, not the sound of a hammer could be heard on the temple area. 00:17:31.659 --> 00:17:33.759 So all the chiselling took place in the quarry. 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:37.039 They sent this cornerstone to the people building the temple. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.859 But the people building the temple, they mustn't have looked at the plans or something. 00:17:40.959 --> 00:17:42.939 They didn't realise what the cornerstone was. 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:45.080 So they rejected it. 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:45.880 They put it aside. 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:47.140 We don't know what this stone's for. 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:52.640 Anyway, then it came to the important bit, the time to put the most important stone in the building. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:55.680 So they asked the quarry, please send us the cornerstone. 00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:57.799 And the quarry's going, what do you mean? 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.759 We've sent you the cornerstone. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.240 Ah, they said. 00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:03.680 Is that what that stone in the corner over there is for? 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.620 Now the lightbulb goes on. 00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:10.900 So the stone that they had rejected was the most important stone in the building. 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:17.380 And Jesus is using this psalm to help people understand and to help us understand 00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:23.180 that the most important thing, Jesus Christ himself, was rejected. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:29.480 Jesus Christ came to deliver us from our sin and to die on the cross. 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:38.660 And it was because of the rejection of the religious leaders that he did, in fact, go to the cross and die for our sins. 00:18:39.579 --> 00:18:43.299 Their rejection meant our salvation. 00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:49.180 Jesus also said something really strange. 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:51.799 Well, when I first heard it, it was a bit strange. 00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:56.339 He said, I have the authority to lay down my life. 00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:59.439 And I have the authority to take it up again. 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:03.439 He said this in John's Gospel. 00:19:04.419 --> 00:19:05.299 Now, what is it? 00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:08.779 Jesus had authority over his death and resurrection. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:11.559 It was under his authority that it took place. 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.039 That he had the authority to lay down his life and to rise again. 00:19:15.699 --> 00:19:20.439 So it wasn't like things were out of control and Jesus had a bad moment and there he was on the cross. 00:19:20.919 --> 00:19:22.199 That was the plan. 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:23.359 That was the design. 00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:25.299 That was what he came to do. 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:34.359 And the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul tells us that at one time, we too, we too were disobedient to God. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:43.359 But he says, we have now received mercy because of the result of the Jewish leader's disobedience. 00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:49.859 Can you see how Jesus has turned the whole situation up on its head? 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:52.139 He was challenged. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:53.759 His authority was challenged. 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:55.460 And Jesus says, no. 00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:59.859 You guys who are challenging me, I am the appropriate authority. 00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:05.039 And it is by my authority that I am going to bring salvation to the world. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:13.960 So in Mark chapter 12, verse 12, we read that they, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders, 00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:20.460 look for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:29.799 My original question at the beginning of our sermon was, how does God's authority impact you? 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:42.159 In your own life, does Christ's authority give you comfort and blessing and excitement because you know that under his authority you can have life to the full? 00:20:42.899 --> 00:20:47.419 That under his authority we can witness to our friends? 00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:58.400 And under his authority we have the power to overcome sin and to overcome the evil in this world, but only under his authority. 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:11.080 These religious hypocrites were afraid of Jesus' authority, I would say. 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:18.439 Because when they confronted Jesus' authority, they couldn't answer. 00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:19.899 They had no response. 00:21:20.059 --> 00:21:21.159 They had nowhere to go. 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:27.819 This morning when we come to this passage, what does God's authority mean for you? 00:21:27.819 --> 00:21:30.919 Let's pray. 00:21:35.419 --> 00:21:42.179 Our loving Father, we thank you that your word promises in Romans chapter 8 that all things work for our good. 00:21:42.939 --> 00:21:47.220 We know, Lord, that we suffer in this world, just as Christ did. 00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:53.559 But we know that there's a hidden plan behind our suffering, that you are in control of it all. 00:21:53.559 --> 00:22:03.319 We thank you, Lord, that it is through your authority that we can tell others about the great love shown by you on the cross through your death and resurrection. 00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:10.179 And Father, as we come towards Easter and as we think about your cross and your resurrection, 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:19.679 we ask, Father, that you'll help us to tell our friends that through your authority we will tell them about your great love. 00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:22.399 And we ask this in your name. 00:22:22.399 --> 00:22:23.339 Amen.