WEBVTT

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 You may be seated.

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 Good morning.

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 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

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 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.

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 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.

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 We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,

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 but because we're following Jesus together as one community.

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 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced there's no one so good,

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 they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it,

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 which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word.

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 We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark,

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 and you'll remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus and His life and His death and His resurrection.

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 And we are continuing the story we began a few weeks ago, which is the story of Holy Week.

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 You'll remember day one of Holy Week, Sunday.

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 Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, and then He finishes out the day by inspecting the temple.

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 And then Monday, He shows right back up.

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 He saw all the things that were going on in the temple, and so He curses the fig tree,

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 then cleanses the temple.

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 And then day three, Tuesday, in the morning, they're heading out,

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 and they see that the fig tree's been withered all the way to the root,

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 and He talks about the mountains being cast into the sea by great faith.

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 And so that takes us to today's passage.

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 Now, His cleansing of the temple in chapter 11, verse 18,

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 actually sets the stage for what's about to happen in this passage,

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 and the passages to follow because He has finally sort of thrown down the gauntlet

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 and let the religious leaders know He is here for a conflict.

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 He's come in as the king without apology in His triumphal entry.

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 He's come in as the one to cleanse the temple.

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 And so He has truly taken the baseball bat to the bee's nest.

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 And so that's why we see the religious leaders coming after Him now.

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 The focus of the Gospels, of course, is on Jesus' second coming, or His first coming.

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 But as we look at this passage, we're also going to see Him hint at,

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 look forward to talk about His second coming as well.

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 And so as we jump into this passage, we're at Mark chapter 11, starting verse 27.

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 This is the map. This is where we're headed.

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 I'm going to tell you the story.

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 And after we talk about the story, I'm going to tell you three things.

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 Okay? Story, three things.

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 With that, I invite you to turn with me in God's Word.

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 You can turn in your worship guide.

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 You can turn on your phone.

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 You can turn in your Bible.

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 No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word.

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 And God tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path,

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 which means that He has not left us to stumble alone in the dark,

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 but instead He's given us His Word to show us the way to go.

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 And so that's why we read now Mark chapter 11, starting at verse 27.

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 And they came again to Jerusalem.

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 And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him.

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 And they said to Him,

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 By what authority are you doing these things?

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 Or who gave you this authority to do them?

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 Jesus said to them,

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 I will ask you one question.

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 Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

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 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?

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 Answer me.

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 And they discussed it with one another, saying,

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 If we say from heaven, He will say,

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 Why then did you not believe Him?

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 But shall we say from man?

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 They were afraid of the people,

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 for they all heard that John really was a prophet.

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 So they answered Jesus,

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 We do not know.

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 And Jesus said to them,

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 Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

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 Chapter 12.

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 And He began to speak to them in parables.

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 A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it

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 and dug a pit for the winepress

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 and built a tower

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 and leased it to tenants and went into another country.

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 When the season came,

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 He sent a servant to the tenants to get from them

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 some of the fruit of the vineyard.

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 And they took him and beat him

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 and sent him away empty-handed.

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 Again He sent to them another servant

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 and they struck him on the head

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 and treated him shamefully.

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 And He sent another and him they killed.

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 And so with many others.

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 Some they beat and some they killed.

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 Verse 6.

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 He had still one other, a beloved son.

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 Finally, He sent him to them saying,

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 They will respect my son.

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 But those tenants said to one another,

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 This is the heir.

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 Come, let us kill him

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 and the inheritance will be ours.

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 And they took him and killed him

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 and threw him out of the vineyard.

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 What will the owner of the vineyard do?

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 He will come and destroy the tenants

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 and give the vineyard to others.

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 Have you not read this scripture?

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 The stone that the builders rejected

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 has become the cornerstone.

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 This was the Lord's doing

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 and it is marvelous in our eyes.

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 And they were seeking to arrest Him

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 but feared the people

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 for they perceived that He had told the parable

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 against them.

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 So they left Him and went away.

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 I invite you to pray with me

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 as we come to this passage of God's Word.

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 Our Father in Heaven,

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 the psalmist asks you in Psalm 119

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 to open His eyes

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 that He would behold wondrous things

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 out of your law.

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 And we ask the same thing this morning.

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 We know that without your help,

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 we can't understand your Word.

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 And so we ask that you would send

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 your Holy Spirit now,

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 that you would give us clarity in our minds,

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 you'd give us tenderness in our hearts,

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 that we would be able to hear and receive

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 everything that you've written in your Word,

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 that you would cast a spotlight on Jesus for us

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 so we would see His beauty and His glory

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 and His holiness and His love,

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 and that we'd follow after Him

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 with faith and joy and obedience.

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 We ask these things

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 in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

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 Amen.

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 As we begin this story,

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 I mentioned we're doing it

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 against the backdrop of Jesus' confrontation

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 that He's already had

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 with the religious leaders.

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 First of all, He ticks them off

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 by having His triumphal entry

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 and being willing to say,

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 yes, He is in fact the King.

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 And then to add insult to injury,

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 He goes and cleanses the temple

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 of those who are selling things

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 and exchanging money there.

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 And so that helps us understand

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 as we begin this confrontation,

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 the scribes and the elders

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 and the chief priests ask Him,

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 verse 28,

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 by what authority are you doing these things?

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 These things here is a reference

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 to everything that's come before.

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 By what authority are you rolling into the temple,

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 turning over tables,

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 driving out money changers?

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 I mean, you're acting like you own the place.

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 And so what gives you the nerve?

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 What gives you the right to come in

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 and behave this way?

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 Jesus turns it back on them

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 and He says, look,

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 I'm gonna ask you a question.

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 And the question Jesus asks them

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 is not random here.

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 He is saying, essentially,

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 the answer to my question

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 is the answer to your question.

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 Now, this might sound foreign,

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 but we actually do the same thing today.

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 So if you were to ask me,

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 Matthew, are we having church on Sunday?

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 I might say, is the sky blue?

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 Do bears poop in the woods?

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 Yes, of course we're having church on Sunday.

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 The answer to my question

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 is the answer to your question.

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 This is what Jesus is pushing them with.

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 In other words,

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 John's authority is my authority.

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 If you understand John,

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 you will understand me.

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 If you know what authority he acted under,

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 you will know what authority I acted under.

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 verse 28 or verse 29,

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 verse 30,

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 was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?

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 And so Jesus might have well asked them,

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 is my authority,

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 do you think it's from heaven or from man?

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 Of course, we have this revelation

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 of where their hearts truly are.

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 Verse 33, we do not know.

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 And so Jesus says,

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 basically, I'm wasting my time here.

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 You didn't understand John,

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 you're not gonna understand me.

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 You didn't recognize John,

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 you're not gonna recognize me.

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 You didn't repent when John told you to repent,

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 you're not going to repent when I tell you to repent.

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 You are not asking sincere questions.

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 You're not seeking understanding.

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 You're here just to trick me and trap me.

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 And so this is a waste of my time.

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 There's no time on my calendar

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 for this sort of conflict.

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 In fact, they've already played their hands.

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 They've revealed where their hearts truly are.

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 They are not interested in truth.

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 They're interested in power and reputation,

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 what serves them best.

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 Truth is irrelevant

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 since their concern is self-protection.

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 They're trying to trap Jesus,

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 not to learn from Jesus.

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 And really what Jesus is about to do here,

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 he's about to return to the lesson of the fig tree.

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 We talked about a few weeks ago from chapter 11,

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 that this is all leaf, no fig.

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 The religious leaders are all show, no substance.

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 And while Jesus has told them

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 he's not going to answer their question,

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 he then turns around and proceeds

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 to answer their question,

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 except he does it in the form of a story, of a parable.

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 Remember the question is by what authority?

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 That word authority repeats over and over again

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 between verses 27 and 33.

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 And so Jesus now decides to tell them a story

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 about authority, the story of the vineyard.

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 Now you may be familiar,

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 you may remember from chapter four,

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 when Jesus spoke in parables,

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 often he would need to provide this explanation

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 afterwards to the disciples.

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 He would pull them aside into his private gathering

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 to help them understand what it was

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 he was actually talking about.

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 In this incidence though,

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 there is no need for such a thing.

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 Jesus has burning clarity.

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 In fact, his clarity is so burning,

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 verse 12, we're told,

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 instead of being confused immediately,

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 these religious leaders understood

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 exactly what Jesus was saying.

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 They knew,

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 they perceived that he had told the parable against them.

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 easy for the religious leaders to understand,

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 also easy for us to understand.

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 It's not an accident that we read

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 from Isaiah chapter five this morning,

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 which presents this image of Israel as a vineyard.

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 And this image shows up not just in Isaiah chapter five,

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 but in other portions throughout the Old Testament.

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 And so it was easily recognizable

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 that when we're talking about a vineyard,

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 we're talking about Israel.

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 Then we have these tenants.

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 These tenants are supposed to watch the vineyard

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 for its owner.

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 And we have to understand the logic of this,

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 how a tenant in that time

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 when they were given a vineyard

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 would sort of share in a portion of the crop

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 in return for watching after the vineyard.

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 It was common for owners to leave

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 and to have someone

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 that that would be essentially a renter from them.

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 And they would split the profits

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 or share the profits.

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 So the tenants would get some of the grapes,

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 some of the wine.

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 And then the owner would get some of the grapes,

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 some of the wine.

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 They would share the proceeds.

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 There would be the one

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 who has the capital investment,

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 who's able to set up this vineyard.

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 And then there's the one

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 who doesn't have the resources,

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 who's just there to watch over it.

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 The tenants here are the Jewish religious leaders.

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 They are not the ones

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 who set up the sacrificial system.

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 They're not the ones

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 who came up with the idea of the temple.

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 No, God was the one who did all of that work.

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 He was the one, chapter 12, verse one,

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 who put a fence around the vidyard,

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 dug a pit for a wine press,

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 built a tower.

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 God here is the great investor.

00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:17.779
 And so these priests and tribes

00:12:17.779 --> 00:12:19.699
 are ones who are simply there

00:12:19.699 --> 00:12:21.819
 to watch over what God has set up.

00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:23.599
 And there's an expectation

00:12:23.599 --> 00:12:25.339
 that they're going to have fruit,

00:12:25.419 --> 00:12:26.339
 that they're going to accomplish

00:12:26.339 --> 00:12:27.740
 God's mission for Israel,

00:12:27.839 --> 00:12:30.120
 that Israel would be a light to the nations,

00:12:30.219 --> 00:12:31.919
 a show people that the nations

00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:32.939
 could look around and say,

00:12:33.079 --> 00:12:34.919
 oh, that's what it actually looks like

00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:37.479
 when God's people walk in God's ways.

00:12:38.179 --> 00:12:40.279
 That's what a society actually looks like

00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:41.579
 when it's filled with justice

00:12:41.579 --> 00:12:43.379
 and mercy and love and goodness.

00:12:43.699 --> 00:12:45.139
 That's what it looks like

00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:46.559
 when people treat each other

00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:49.059
 as created in the image of God.

00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:52.639
 And instead of doing that,

00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.199
 the religious leaders chose instead

00:12:56.199 --> 00:12:58.059
 to serve themselves.

00:12:58.059 --> 00:13:01.839
 They chose instead to look

00:13:01.839 --> 00:13:03.679
 for their own profit.

00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:06.899
 They didn't care about the owner.

00:13:07.439 --> 00:13:09.039
 They didn't care about God

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:10.579
 and his purposes and his ways

00:13:10.579 --> 00:13:11.739
 and his mission.

00:13:14.019 --> 00:13:15.279
 And so then we find out,

00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:19.379
 okay, this owner sends his servants

00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:20.039
 to check in.

00:13:20.119 --> 00:13:21.479
 Verse six on what's happening.

00:13:21.579 --> 00:13:22.939
 Actually, verses two through six,

00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:24.839
 he sends these servants in

00:13:24.839 --> 00:13:26.399
 over and over to go check

00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.459
 and see how is the vineyard doing?

00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:29.659
 What's happening there?

00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:31.600
 Am I getting the profit that I want?

00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:32.779
 Is the fruit that's supposed

00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:34.139
 to come from these plants

00:13:34.139 --> 00:13:35.659
 actually materializing?

00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:37.480
 And instead of being treated

00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:38.899
 with honor as the servants

00:13:38.899 --> 00:13:39.740
 and representatives

00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:41.100
 of the owner of the vineyard,

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:41.939
 of God himself,

00:13:42.079 --> 00:13:43.559
 they're beaten and killed.

00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:46.120
 This is supposed to represent

00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:47.600
 God sending his prophets

00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.819
 throughout the Old Testament

00:13:48.819 --> 00:13:49.679
 to his people,

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:52.199
 sending them to warn them

00:13:52.199 --> 00:13:53.899
 about their lack of spiritual fruit,

00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:55.600
 to rebuke the spiritual leaders

00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.759
 for feeding themselves

00:13:56.759 --> 00:13:58.240
 rather than feeding the people.

00:13:58.879 --> 00:13:59.740
 And so we can think of

00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:01.440
 just a few examples out of many.

00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:03.480
 Elisha, one of the Old Testament prophets,

00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:05.379
 was persecuted by Jezebel,

00:14:05.680 --> 00:14:07.360
 who was the queen of Israel.

00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:08.500
 She wanted to kill him.

00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:10.159
 If you want to read about that,

00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:10.860
 you can read about it

00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:12.420
 in 1 Kings chapter 19.

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:16.159
 Then we hear about Manasseh,

00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.620
 the king of Judah.

00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.600
 Tradition holds that Manasseh,

00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:20.960
 this king of God's people,

00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:24.120
 decided he was going to saw Isaiah in half.

00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:27.779
 Which is a great way to end as a prophet.

00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.759
 And then in case we haven't forgotten,

00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:32.299
 remember we see the last prophet

00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:34.480
 before Jesus here in the Gospel of Mark.

00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:35.659
 Mark chapter 6,

00:14:35.740 --> 00:14:37.100
 what happens to John the Baptist?

00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:39.799
 He's beheaded.

00:14:41.560 --> 00:14:42.759
 And so these religious leaders

00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:44.159
 know all too well

00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.220
 what Jesus is telling them.

00:14:45.299 --> 00:14:46.840
 Look, God has sent his representatives

00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:48.299
 over and over again

00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:49.720
 to warn you.

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:52.759
 And all you did was reject them.

00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:57.679
 It was a bad deal

00:14:57.679 --> 00:14:59.519
 to be an Old Testament prophet.

00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:01.679
 It was a thankless job.

00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:03.500
 In fact, this is not in the Bible,

00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:04.980
 but church tradition holds

00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:05.779
 that at one point,

00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:07.000
 the prophet Isaiah

00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:09.319
 applied for term life insurance.

00:15:10.580 --> 00:15:11.720
 And he was denied

00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:12.980
 just based on his vocation.

00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.500
 He was unable to qualify.

00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:18.819
 He was laughed out of the building.

00:15:18.820 --> 00:15:21.680
 That's how bad it was

00:15:21.680 --> 00:15:23.520
 to be one of the servants.

00:15:25.260 --> 00:15:27.460
 And so Jesus is taking this long route,

00:15:27.580 --> 00:15:28.500
 this long story

00:15:28.500 --> 00:15:30.100
 to get to the answer

00:15:30.100 --> 00:15:31.260
 of their question.

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:32.660
 Remember, they want to know

00:15:32.660 --> 00:15:35.660
 by what authority.

00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:38.420
 And after laying out

00:15:38.420 --> 00:15:39.360
 the history of Israel,

00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:40.640
 after reminding them

00:15:40.640 --> 00:15:42.200
 of the way they've treated the prophets,

00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:44.580
 he finally gets to the point.

00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:48.860
 I am the son

00:15:48.860 --> 00:15:50.780
 of the vineyard owner.

00:15:53.400 --> 00:15:54.879
 I am the one

00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:56.400
 who's supposed to receive

00:15:56.400 --> 00:15:57.400
 the inheritance.

00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:59.220
 I am the one

00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:01.580
 to whom all of this belongs.

00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:03.000
 By what authority

00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:04.300
 do I cleanse the temple?

00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:07.720
 I cleanse it as the son

00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:09.420
 of the owner of the temple.

00:16:09.420 --> 00:16:11.700
 I cleanse it as one

00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:13.780
 to whom it belongs.

00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:16.400
 There is no

00:16:16.400 --> 00:16:18.220
 higher authority.

00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:20.320
 I do it

00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:21.139
 in the authority

00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:22.200
 by the authority

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.780
 of God himself,

00:16:24.540 --> 00:16:25.680
 an authority

00:16:25.680 --> 00:16:26.540
 that you

00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:27.360
 don't

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:28.400
 care about.

00:16:31.400 --> 00:16:32.820
 Jesus here

00:16:32.820 --> 00:16:33.400
 could

00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:34.220
 not

00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:34.980
 be

00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:36.080
 clearer.

00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:37.900
 Again,

00:16:38.020 --> 00:16:38.560
 verse 12,

00:16:38.640 --> 00:16:39.160
 they perceived

00:16:39.160 --> 00:16:40.480
 he told the parable

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.200
 against them.

00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:41.620
 The meaning

00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:42.440
 is not hidden.

00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:44.300
 Jesus has not

00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:45.380
 been subtle here.

00:16:45.620 --> 00:16:46.340
 He's told this

00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:47.440
 obvious story

00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:48.540
 and the religious leaders

00:16:48.540 --> 00:16:49.960
 understand it all

00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:51.340
 too well.

00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:53.640
 He is telling them this,

00:16:53.760 --> 00:16:54.720
 you rejected

00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:55.680
 John the Baptist,

00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:58.500
 you have rejected

00:16:58.500 --> 00:16:59.080
 me,

00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:02.060
 and you will

00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:02.780
 kill me.

00:17:02.779 --> 00:17:07.839
 that's not all

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.119
 though.

00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:10.700
 Verse 9,

00:17:11.779 --> 00:17:12.639
 because of all

00:17:12.639 --> 00:17:13.019
 that,

00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:14.180
 judgment

00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:15.359
 is

00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.119
 coming.

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:20.279
 What will the

00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:20.940
 owner of the

00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:21.619
 vineyard do?

00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.000
 He will come

00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:23.839
 and destroy

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.579
 the tenants

00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:25.839
 and give

00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:26.819
 the vineyard

00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:27.980
 to others.

00:17:27.980 --> 00:17:31.440
 your time

00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:31.779
 here

00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:32.200
 has an

00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:33.220
 expiration date.

00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:34.160
 Your authority

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.000
 over the temple

00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:35.599
 is coming

00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:36.700
 to an end.

00:17:36.860 --> 00:17:37.599
 Your era

00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:38.220
 of power

00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:38.980
 and control

00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:39.740
 will not

00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:40.299
 last

00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:41.140
 much

00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:42.019
 longer.

00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:46.259
 Now,

00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:46.680
 this raises

00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:47.140
 a question

00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:47.720
 for us.

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:47.980
 Remember,

00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:48.440
 I told you

00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:48.660
 I'm going

00:17:48.660 --> 00:17:49.019
 to tell you

00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:49.460
 the story

00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:49.680
 and then

00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:49.839
 I'm going

00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.079
 to tell

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.420
 you three

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:50.819
 things.

00:17:51.620 --> 00:17:52.360
 You all,

00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:53.200
 believe it or

00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:53.480
 not,

00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:54.160
 are not

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:54.960
 chief priests,

00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:55.839
 scribes,

00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:56.259
 or rulers

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.799
 of the temple.

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:58.740
 And this

00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.359
 passage is

00:17:59.359 --> 00:17:59.799
 meant to

00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:01.259
 explain the

00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:02.259
 overthrow of

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:02.639
 the temple

00:18:02.639 --> 00:18:03.119
 leadership.

00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:03.519
 And so,

00:18:03.659 --> 00:18:04.240
 what is it

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:04.619
 that we're

00:18:04.619 --> 00:18:05.019
 supposed to

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:05.579
 draw out

00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:05.859
 of this

00:18:05.859 --> 00:18:06.259
 as people

00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:07.000
 in 2022

00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:07.980
 reading this

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:08.639
 story about

00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:10.159
 Jesus explaining

00:18:10.159 --> 00:18:10.940
 his cleansing

00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:11.559
 of the temple?

00:18:12.399 --> 00:18:12.779
 Well,

00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.019
 I'm going

00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:13.500
 to give you

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.440
 three things

00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:15.180
 for us to

00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:16.159
 hold on to

00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:16.720
 from this

00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.740
 story as

00:18:17.740 --> 00:18:18.119
 people who

00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:18.940
 look forward

00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:19.759
 to Jesus'

00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.099
 second coming,

00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:21.559
 people who

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:22.500
 follow after

00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:23.059
 Jesus,

00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:23.980
 things that

00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:24.399
 give us

00:18:24.399 --> 00:18:25.519
 hope and

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.119
 challenge

00:18:26.119 --> 00:18:27.000
 from what

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.599
 Jesus tells

00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:27.759
 us.

00:18:27.859 --> 00:18:28.299
 First of

00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:28.519
 all,

00:18:28.959 --> 00:18:29.719
 we find

00:18:29.719 --> 00:18:30.579
 out in

00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:31.419
 this story

00:18:31.419 --> 00:18:32.399
 the end

00:18:32.399 --> 00:18:32.799
 of the

00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.139
 story.

00:18:34.219 --> 00:18:34.859
 How is

00:18:34.859 --> 00:18:35.539
 everything

00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:36.119
 going to

00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:36.659
 turn out?

00:18:37.819 --> 00:18:38.519
 At the

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.239
 very end,

00:18:39.339 --> 00:18:39.879
 we know

00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:40.519
 the owner

00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:41.059
 of the

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.500
 vineyard

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:42.479
 is coming

00:18:42.479 --> 00:18:43.199
 back.

00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:45.559
 Verse

00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:45.979
 nine,

00:18:46.139 --> 00:18:46.439
 what will

00:18:46.439 --> 00:18:46.859
 the owner

00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:47.159
 of the

00:18:47.159 --> 00:18:47.399
 vineyard

00:18:47.399 --> 00:18:47.639
 do?

00:18:47.719 --> 00:18:47.959
 He will

00:18:47.959 --> 00:18:48.559
 come and

00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:49.279
 destroy the

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.139
 tenants and

00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:50.639
 give the

00:18:50.639 --> 00:18:51.219
 vineyard to

00:18:51.219 --> 00:18:51.599
 others.

00:18:52.219 --> 00:18:52.619
 Now,

00:18:52.719 --> 00:18:52.959
 yes,

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.239
 when we're

00:18:53.239 --> 00:18:53.779
 hearing about

00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:54.139
 the owner

00:18:54.139 --> 00:18:54.379
 of the

00:18:54.379 --> 00:18:54.639
 vineyard,

00:18:54.719 --> 00:18:55.059
 it's talking

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.419
 about the

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:55.700
 Jewish

00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:56.120
 leadership.

00:18:56.320 --> 00:18:56.519
 And so,

00:18:56.600 --> 00:18:57.019
 in a sense,

00:18:57.080 --> 00:18:57.440
 what Jesus

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.180
 says here has

00:18:58.180 --> 00:18:58.840
 already been

00:18:58.840 --> 00:19:00.180
 done, and

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:01.200
 it foreshadows

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:01.940
 and follows

00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:02.700
 after what we

00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:03.519
 also know is

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.160
 going to happen

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.800
 at the end of

00:19:04.800 --> 00:19:05.200
 the age.

00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.720
 We may see

00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:08.180
 injustice and

00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:08.960
 oppression and

00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:10.039
 selfishness happening

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.539
 now from the

00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:12.320
 tenants of the

00:19:12.320 --> 00:19:12.900
 vineyard, from

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:13.779
 those who are in

00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:14.880
 charge in the

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.759
 religious world or

00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.700
 the secular world

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:17.600
 who are looking to

00:19:17.600 --> 00:19:18.660
 use rather than

00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.220
 to love.

00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:22.339
 and we know it

00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:23.440
 will not last

00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:23.960
 forever.

00:19:24.120 --> 00:19:24.880
 The owner is

00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:25.640
 coming back.

00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:28.539
 He is going

00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:29.519
 to clean

00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:30.319
 house.

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.019
 Now, there's a

00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:33.720
 flip side to

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:34.420
 that that's also

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:35.180
 in this passage

00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:35.779
 because when we

00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:36.539
 talk about the

00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:37.100
 fact that Jesus

00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:37.799
 is coming back,

00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:38.220
 there's this

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:39.240
 question that

00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:39.980
 arises that was

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:40.720
 also true for

00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.440
 the early church,

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:42.039
 which is this,

00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:43.100
 why hasn't he

00:19:43.100 --> 00:19:43.880
 come back yet?

00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:46.320
 If Jesus is

00:19:46.320 --> 00:19:47.040
 coming back to

00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:47.900
 make all things

00:19:47.900 --> 00:19:48.780
 right, why is

00:19:48.780 --> 00:19:49.200
 he waiting?

00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:50.660
 It seems like

00:19:50.660 --> 00:19:51.480
 things are getting

00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:52.100
 pretty bad.

00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:52.580
 It seems like

00:19:52.580 --> 00:19:53.480
 now would be a

00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.680
 great time.

00:19:55.540 --> 00:19:56.860
 If you remember

00:19:56.860 --> 00:19:57.500
 when we went

00:19:57.500 --> 00:19:58.360
 through 2 Peter,

00:19:58.440 --> 00:19:59.000
 we looked in

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:00.200
 2 Peter 3,

00:20:00.520 --> 00:20:01.280
 and Peter actually

00:20:01.280 --> 00:20:02.080
 addresses this

00:20:02.080 --> 00:20:02.480
 question.

00:20:02.600 --> 00:20:03.060
 He says,

00:20:03.540 --> 00:20:04.260
 the Lord is not

00:20:04.260 --> 00:20:05.100
 slow to fulfill

00:20:05.100 --> 00:20:06.020
 his promise as

00:20:06.020 --> 00:20:07.320
 some count slowness,

00:20:07.620 --> 00:20:08.540
 but is patient

00:20:08.540 --> 00:20:09.120
 toward you,

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:10.500
 not wishing that

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:11.400
 any should perish,

00:20:11.540 --> 00:20:12.460
 but that all should

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.780
 reach repentance.

00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:17.080
 What do we see

00:20:17.080 --> 00:20:17.760
 here from the

00:20:17.760 --> 00:20:18.380
 vineyard owner?

00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:22.420
 He is incredibly

00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:23.580
 patient.

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.140
 Verses 2 through 6

00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:27.900
 is him sending

00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:28.860
 his servants

00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:30.520
 over and over

00:20:30.520 --> 00:20:31.600
 again and

00:20:31.600 --> 00:20:32.500
 watching them get

00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:33.360
 beaten or killed.

00:20:33.580 --> 00:20:34.960
 It's almost

00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:35.780
 nonsensical.

00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:36.300
 You would think

00:20:36.300 --> 00:20:37.160
 if you owned a

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.140
 vineyard and you

00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:39.400
 sent one servant

00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:40.080
 and that servant

00:20:40.080 --> 00:20:40.640
 was beaten or

00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:41.160
 killed, what would

00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:41.620
 you do?

00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:43.000
 You'd probably be

00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:43.760
 posting on next

00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:44.160
 door.

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:44.920
 You guys would

00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:45.640
 not believe I

00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:46.259
 sent my servant

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:46.799
 in and he got

00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:47.140
 beaten.

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:48.519
 Never hire these

00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.119
 people as your

00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:49.799
 tenants at your

00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.200
 vineyard.

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:52.319
 Yet God just

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.160
 keeps sending them

00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:53.859
 again and again.

00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:55.099
 He's sending the

00:20:55.099 --> 00:20:56.359
 prophets over and

00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:58.000
 over showing his

00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.400
 forbearance, his

00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:00.579
 patience, his

00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:02.420
 long-suffering with

00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:03.099
 his people.

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:05.480
 Often you'll hear

00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:06.599
 folks talk about how

00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:07.359
 God in the Old

00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:08.420
 Testament is a God

00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:09.180
 of wrath.

00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:10.339
 Then we have God of

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:10.879
 the New Testament,

00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:11.759
 this God of love.

00:21:11.859 --> 00:21:12.599
 Yet that's not the

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.240
 picture the Bible

00:21:13.240 --> 00:21:13.719
 gives us.

00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:14.579
 The picture the

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.740
 Bible gives us of

00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:16.639
 this God who is

00:21:16.639 --> 00:21:18.279
 just patient decade

00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:19.159
 after decade,

00:21:19.459 --> 00:21:20.219
 century after

00:21:20.219 --> 00:21:21.719
 century, millennia

00:21:21.719 --> 00:21:22.719
 after millennia.

00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:28.100
 God is more patient

00:21:28.100 --> 00:21:29.180
 than you.

00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:33.039
 God is more long

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:34.059
 suffering than you.

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.079
 God has more

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:36.440
 forbearance than you

00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:37.819
 do even if you are

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:39.640
 the nicest person I

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.980
 have ever met.

00:21:42.860 --> 00:21:44.440
 And God does it for

00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:45.960
 the sake of repentance.

00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:48.319
 He gives his people

00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:49.740
 time and time again

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:51.579
 opportunities to turn

00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:53.200
 back and return to

00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:53.440
 him.

00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:56.559
 And so the vineyard

00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:58.019
 owner is coming

00:21:58.019 --> 00:21:58.299
 back.

00:21:58.460 --> 00:21:59.759
 God is coming back

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.740
 to this world to set

00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:01.640
 all things right.

00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:04.200
 And his delay

00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.799
 shows his patience.

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:07.360
 It shows his love.

00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:09.319
 It shows his

00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:09.779
 wisdom.

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:15.819
 And he is not

00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:17.359
 patient forever.

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:19.859
 He's not patient

00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:20.899
 forever.

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.720
 So I told you I was

00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:22.319
 going to tell you two

00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:22.559
 things.

00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:23.359
 The second is this.

00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:24.240
 Well the first was we

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:24.899
 know the end of the

00:22:24.899 --> 00:22:25.200
 story.

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.940
 God's patience does not

00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.859
 mean he's not coming

00:22:27.859 --> 00:22:28.099
 back.

00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:29.059
 The second one is that

00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:31.220
 ultimately his patience

00:22:31.220 --> 00:22:32.099
 ends with him

00:22:32.099 --> 00:22:33.240
 returning and there are

00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:34.279
 two and only two

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.720
 options.

00:22:34.899 --> 00:22:36.279
 There are only two

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.220
 ways to live.

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:38.420
 Either we worship

00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:40.240
 Jesus or we reject

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:41.059
 Jesus.

00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:43.579
 Remember I've told you

00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:44.660
 over and over as we've

00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.299
 been going through the

00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:46.339
 gospel of Mark that as

00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:48.339
 the story moves forward

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.680
 as we get near the end

00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:50.940
 we're no longer going to

00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.259
 have three categories of

00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:52.519
 people.

00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:53.519
 At the beginning we had

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.640
 those who were on

00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:55.380
 Jesus' team.

00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.380
 They were pro-Jesus.

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.299
 We had those who were

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.180
 against Jesus.

00:22:58.339 --> 00:22:58.960
 They hated him.

00:22:59.220 --> 00:22:59.960
 And then we just had

00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:00.920
 these crowds in the

00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:01.860
 middle that didn't quite

00:23:01.860 --> 00:23:02.440
 know what to do.

00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:03.180
 They were intrigued.

00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:03.900
 They were curious.

00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.680
 Now we're getting to the

00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:06.360
 point where that middle

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:07.200
 category disappears.

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.900
 which is the narrator's

00:23:08.900 --> 00:23:09.700
 way of telling us.

00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.440
 Mark's way of

00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:12.000
 underscoring that in

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.420
 the end as you get to

00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:14.420
 know Jesus, as you

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:15.460
 understand him and

00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:17.220
 study him, you have to

00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:18.019
 make a choice.

00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:21.380
 There are only two

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:22.059
 options.

00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:24.120
 Those who love Jesus

00:23:24.120 --> 00:23:25.700
 and those who hate

00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:25.980
 him.

00:23:26.600 --> 00:23:27.440
 That's part of what

00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:28.640
 Jesus is getting at

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.920
 here when he cites

00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:31.299
 Psalm 118 in verse

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:31.660
 10.

00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:33.019
 The stone that the

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:34.220
 builders rejected has

00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:36.380
 become the cornerstone.

00:23:37.220 --> 00:23:39.079
 A cornerstone is the

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:39.839
 stone of a building

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.140
 that's laid first.

00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:42.420
 It's the stone that has

00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:43.420
 to be laid perfectly

00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:44.779
 because everything else

00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:46.079
 matches it and aligns

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:46.360
 with it.

00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:48.400
 Every other stone exists

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:49.980
 in reference to the

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.620
 cornerstone.

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.880
 Everything is submitted to

00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:52.920
 it, aligned with it,

00:23:53.100 --> 00:23:54.200
 in agreement with it.

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:57.420
 This quotation then from

00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:59.160
 Psalm 118 is reminding

00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:01.000
 us either we align with

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:02.279
 Jesus or we don't.

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.680
 Either we love the

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:05.180
 cornerstone or we reject

00:24:05.180 --> 00:24:06.620
 it, either we build on

00:24:06.620 --> 00:24:08.560
 it or we trip on it.

00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:10.940
 Either you harden your

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.880
 heart or you repent.

00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:13.180
 Either you decide you're

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:14.400
 going to try to be God

00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:15.500
 or you submit to God.

00:24:15.860 --> 00:24:17.400
 Either your heart is hard

00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:18.440
 or it is tender and

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:18.980
 responsive.

00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:21.320
 Either you serve yourself

00:24:21.320 --> 00:24:22.799
 or you serve the owner of

00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.279
 the vineyard.

00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:26.120
 Either God's word confirms

00:24:26.120 --> 00:24:28.100
 judgment or it confirms

00:24:28.100 --> 00:24:28.759
 salvation.

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:33.299
 There are no other options.

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:35.220
 Either you reject God's

00:24:35.220 --> 00:24:37.420
 messengers or you receive

00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:37.740
 them.

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:42.119
 When it comes to Jesus, as

00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:43.940
 we get closer and closer to

00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:46.140
 the end of the story, you

00:24:46.140 --> 00:24:47.740
 must make a choice.

00:24:49.379 --> 00:24:50.759
 Are you going to build your

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:52.859
 life on the cornerstone or are

00:24:52.859 --> 00:24:54.579
 you going to reject it and

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:55.039
 fight it?

00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:56.660
 I warned you at the

00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:57.859
 beginning as we began, Mark,

00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.939
 it is not an intellectual

00:24:58.939 --> 00:25:00.479
 exercise that we're taking

00:25:00.479 --> 00:25:02.139
 part in, but instead the

00:25:02.139 --> 00:25:03.459
 author here, Mark, is

00:25:03.459 --> 00:25:05.000
 pointing the finger at us

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:05.539
 more and more.

00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.159
 He's asking the question of

00:25:07.159 --> 00:25:08.619
 us over and over again.

00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.839
 What are you going to do

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:10.659
 with this information?

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:12.159
 How are you going to

00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.159
 respond to it?

00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:15.419
 Remember Jesus' questions

00:25:15.419 --> 00:25:16.299
 in chapter 10.

00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:18.319
 He asked twice, what is it

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:19.419
 that you want from me?

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.359
 A question of the heart.

00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:23.639
 Here the same question of

00:25:23.639 --> 00:25:24.639
 the heart is coming up.

00:25:24.719 --> 00:25:26.179
 How are you going to

00:25:26.179 --> 00:25:27.240
 respond to me?

00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:29.219
 Are you going to receive

00:25:29.219 --> 00:25:30.459
 my servants or are you

00:25:30.459 --> 00:25:31.139
 going to beat them?

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:33.240
 Are you going to build your

00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:34.740
 life on my cornerstone or are

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.719
 you going to reject it?

00:25:36.199 --> 00:25:37.519
 Are you going to run towards

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.979
 me or run away from me?

00:25:40.439 --> 00:25:42.619
 There are no other

00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:43.839
 options.

00:25:48.639 --> 00:25:50.740
 So first, we know how the

00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:51.299
 story ends.

00:25:51.379 --> 00:25:52.179
 We know the vineyard owner is

00:25:52.179 --> 00:25:52.679
 coming back.

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:54.959
 Second, we know there's two

00:25:54.959 --> 00:25:56.539
 and only two ways to live.

00:25:56.539 --> 00:25:58.619
 Either we receive the king

00:25:58.619 --> 00:25:59.740
 or reject the king.

00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:02.779
 And the third and final thing

00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:03.259
 is this.

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:05.000
 When we come to a passage of

00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:06.139
 scripture and it's showing us

00:26:06.139 --> 00:26:07.059
 things that are incredibly

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.799
 negative, when it's rebuking

00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:10.119
 people for sins that

00:26:10.119 --> 00:26:11.799
 potentially we don't share in,

00:26:12.899 --> 00:26:14.420
 it's likely that you're not a

00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:16.139
 religious leader who is using

00:26:16.139 --> 00:26:17.339
 the temple for your own

00:26:17.339 --> 00:26:17.759
 purposes.

00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:19.500
 What do we do with that?

00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:21.220
 Well, as I've mentioned to you

00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:22.399
 before, one of the ways we read

00:26:22.399 --> 00:26:23.420
 the Bible, when we see a

00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:25.059
 negative, we turn it positive.

00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:26.059
 So you look at the Ten

00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:27.079
 Commandments and you see,

00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.700
 thou shalt not commit adultery.

00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:29.980
 And you think, I'm doing great.

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.099
 I haven't committed adultery.

00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:32.799
 Well, no, there's a positive

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.399
 there for you.

00:26:33.419 --> 00:26:34.919
 And the positive is build up

00:26:34.919 --> 00:26:35.500
 your marriage.

00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:37.399
 Make it as strong as you can.

00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:38.879
 Do not murder.

00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:39.679
 You think, well, I haven't

00:26:39.679 --> 00:26:40.299
 murdered recently.

00:26:40.299 --> 00:26:41.079
 I'm doing great.

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:43.720
 What can you do to promote

00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:45.000
 and protect life?

00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:46.220
 That's the positive.

00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:48.079
 And so when we look at this

00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:49.240
 negative, when we see the

00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:50.559
 religious leaders beating

00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:52.779
 God's servants, killing them,

00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:53.879
 and throwing them away,

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.960
 what is our response?

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:56.259
 Our response is to look for

00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:56.879
 the positive.

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:59.759
 The way that we act on God's

00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:02.039
 word is we recognize his

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:04.000
 authority and his messengers.

00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:08.160
 We receive God's word not with

00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.819
 hardness or bitterness or

00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:10.359
 indifference.

00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:11.879
 We receive it with joy and

00:27:11.879 --> 00:27:12.139
 eagerness.

00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:13.879
 We have this anticipation and

00:27:13.879 --> 00:27:15.519
 this excitement about what God

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:17.339
 is going to tell us in his

00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:18.700
 word, what we're going to learn,

00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:19.660
 the ways that we're going to

00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:21.740
 grow and be shaped as people

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:22.960
 who look more and more like

00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:23.240
 him.

00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:25.120
 As Israel failed in their

00:27:25.120 --> 00:27:26.380
 mission to be a light to the

00:27:26.380 --> 00:27:27.900
 nations, as they failed for

00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.080
 people to be able to look at

00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:30.100
 them and say, that's what it

00:27:30.100 --> 00:27:31.400
 looks like when God's people

00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:33.000
 walk in God's ways.

00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:35.420
 We have a passion to say, what

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:37.000
 would it look like for this

00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:38.960
 people to be God's people who

00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.940
 walk in God's ways?

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.759
 What would happen, the light we

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:43.880
 would be to our community if we

00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:46.660
 were excited and zealous, filled

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:49.120
 with anticipation about what

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:50.140
 God's going to do in our

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:50.480
 midst?

00:27:51.580 --> 00:27:53.080
 Filled with the desires we

00:27:53.080 --> 00:27:54.160
 talked about with the fig tree

00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:55.779
 to grow in that fruit, to be

00:27:55.779 --> 00:27:57.340
 filled with the fruit of the

00:27:57.340 --> 00:27:57.640
 spirit.

00:27:59.040 --> 00:28:00.800
 What would it be like for us

00:28:00.800 --> 00:28:03.980
 not to try to kill the son of

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.340
 the vineyard owner, but instead

00:28:05.340 --> 00:28:07.540
 to look forward to his

00:28:07.540 --> 00:28:09.200
 appearing, to look forward to

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:11.360
 his coming and prepare for it?

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.960
 Many of you, if you have

00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:15.440
 someone who's coming over to

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:17.000
 your house, they're not a

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.279
 regular guest, you probably

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:21.080
 feel some obligation to try to

00:28:21.080 --> 00:28:22.660
 clean up and tidy up, right?

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:24.420
 You want it to be the most

00:28:24.420 --> 00:28:26.160
 hospitable environment it can

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:26.360
 be.

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.680
 You want to give them a good

00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.539
 and warm welcome.

00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:30.320
 Sometimes you can recognize

00:28:30.320 --> 00:28:31.400
 this when you go over to

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:32.440
 someone's house because you

00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.640
 look at the carpet and what do

00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:34.120
 you see?

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:37.120
 The fresh vacuum stripes.

00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:40.580
 And so you know, okay, this

00:28:40.580 --> 00:28:42.880
 person has done the prep.

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:45.360
 They've gotten ready.

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.740
 They cared about this event.

00:28:46.820 --> 00:28:48.240
 They want to honor the guest

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.160
 who's coming over.

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:51.820
 And so what I'm saying is

00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:52.300
 this.

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:54.980
 As we look forward to Jesus

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:58.240
 and his return, our hearts and

00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:00.240
 our lives have the stripes of

00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:02.000
 the vacuum cleaner on them.

00:29:03.320 --> 00:29:05.620
 Not out of guilt or shame or

00:29:05.620 --> 00:29:07.620
 fear, but because we're so

00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:09.860
 excited and joyful about the

00:29:09.860 --> 00:29:10.800
 coming of the king.

00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:13.440
 We want him to find everything

00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:14.519
 set in order.

00:29:14.899 --> 00:29:17.379
 We want him to be honored and

00:29:17.379 --> 00:29:18.740
 exalted and glorified.

00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:22.419
 We're doing the opposite of

00:29:22.419 --> 00:29:23.000
 these tenets.

00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:25.799
 We're preparing for his return.

00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:32.220
 Of course, this parable is also

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.940
 a type of prediction.

00:29:34.159 --> 00:29:35.599
 Jesus tells about the past, but

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.960
 he also tells about the future.

00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:41.240
 In verses 2 through 5, we hear

00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:42.259
 about the prophets who have been

00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:42.920
 beaten and killed.

00:29:44.120 --> 00:29:46.440
 And when Jesus says this, all the

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.660
 prophets have been either beaten

00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:48.299
 or killed.

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:51.259
 Jesus then tells them about

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.700
 something that hasn't happened.

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:54.819
 Verses 7 through 8.

00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:57.819
 But those tenants said to one

00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:59.039
 another, this is the heir.

00:29:59.220 --> 00:30:02.240
 Come, let us kill him and the

00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:04.279
 inheritance will be ours.

00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:06.779
 And they took him and killed him

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:09.299
 and threw him out of the vineyard.

00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:13.139
 Jesus is telling them, not only did

00:30:13.139 --> 00:30:15.079
 you kill the prophets in the past,

00:30:15.639 --> 00:30:18.619
 you will kill me, the son, in the

00:30:18.619 --> 00:30:18.960
 future.

00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:22.860
 That's how twisted and broken and

00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:25.259
 curved inward your hearts are.

00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:28.160
 And of course, that is the

00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:29.740
 sacrifice that makes it possible

00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:31.819
 for us to look forward with joy to

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.620
 Jesus' return.

00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:34.920
 To be the ones who long to have the

00:30:34.920 --> 00:30:36.640
 marks of the vacuum cleaner on our

00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:36.940
 carpet.

00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:39.039
 That we know that what Jesus has

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:40.579
 done for us when he came to this

00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:42.720
 earth, he lived the perfect life that

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:44.500
 we could not live and he died the

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.900
 death that we should have died.

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:47.900
 And so none of what Jesus is saying

00:30:47.900 --> 00:30:50.040
 matters unless we know how this

00:30:50.040 --> 00:30:51.940
 particular story in the gospels end.

00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:54.280
 And it ends with Jesus going to his

00:30:54.280 --> 00:30:56.360
 death and then rising again from the

00:30:56.360 --> 00:30:56.640
 dead.

00:30:57.540 --> 00:31:01.100
 He comes to die for hard-hearted

00:31:01.100 --> 00:31:03.080
 people who beat and kill the

00:31:03.080 --> 00:31:03.480
 prophets.

00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:07.540
 But who turn and follow him in

00:31:07.540 --> 00:31:07.920
 repentance.

00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:14.140
 He comes for hard-hearted people and

00:31:14.140 --> 00:31:17.540
 changes their hearts to hearts of

00:31:17.539 --> 00:31:17.980
 flesh.

00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:23.139
 He comes for people like you and me.

00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:30.000
 The house that I grew up on in, the

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:33.579
 front door had window panes, not in

00:31:33.579 --> 00:31:35.000
 the door, but on both sides of the

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:35.139
 door.

00:31:35.220 --> 00:31:37.000
 In fact, those windows are still there.

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:38.279
 They're called apparently double

00:31:38.279 --> 00:31:39.039
 side lights.

00:31:39.879 --> 00:31:41.059
 I just thought of them as windows

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:42.000
 along the side of the door.

00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:45.579
 And every Christmas, every December

00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:46.599
 really is before Christmas.

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.019
 And then at one point we shifted it to

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:48.599
 New Year's.

00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:51.359
 All of my dad's family would come to

00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:52.960
 our house from different parts of the

00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:53.299
 country.

00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:55.940
 And so we would spend several days,

00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:57.519
 maybe a week, getting ready because

00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:59.099
 there's lots of things that need to be

00:31:59.099 --> 00:32:00.599
 cleaned and cooked and prepared.

00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:03.519
 And then the day would come when we

00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:05.940
 knew our family was actually going to

00:32:05.940 --> 00:32:06.339
 arrive.

00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:08.599
 And so what would we do?

00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:10.599
 Well, I for one would look out those

00:32:10.599 --> 00:32:12.459
 side lights because I was so excited.

00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:14.379
 And even though I knew they weren't

00:32:14.379 --> 00:32:17.219
 going to get there until 2 p.m., I would

00:32:17.219 --> 00:32:18.240
 check it earlier than that.

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:20.299
 Because who knows, right?

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:21.559
 We didn't have, people didn't have

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:22.419
 cell phones back then.

00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:23.439
 This was in a different age.

00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:25.359
 So no one was texting you or sending

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.519
 you their PIN, you know.

00:32:27.039 --> 00:32:28.699
 You might get a call from a rest station

00:32:28.699 --> 00:32:30.139
 like, oh, we're two hours away.

00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:32.639
 So you never know the exact moment that

00:32:32.639 --> 00:32:33.339
 they might arrive.

00:32:34.099 --> 00:32:35.919
 But you knew that they were and that

00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:37.579
 when that time happened, you know, your

00:32:37.579 --> 00:32:38.519
 cousins would be there.

00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:40.279
 Both the awkward cousin and the fun

00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:40.579
 cousin.

00:32:40.819 --> 00:32:43.019
 And things would be more exciting than

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:44.539
 they had been at that moment before.

00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:46.319
 And so it was worth it to look out, to

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:48.500
 try to deal with the impatience, to

00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:50.719
 look and see when it was you would see

00:32:50.719 --> 00:32:53.019
 the car coming down the street.

00:32:54.059 --> 00:32:56.619
 Brothers and sisters, our Lord Jesus is

00:32:56.619 --> 00:33:00.599
 coming back to make all things right.

00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:06.199
 And so we prepare our hearts and our homes and our

00:33:06.199 --> 00:33:08.959
 churches and our lives for him.

00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:10.939
 Let's pray.

00:33:12.939 --> 00:33:15.859
 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you

00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:16.939
 again for your word.

00:33:17.079 --> 00:33:21.439
 We ask that you would not let it return to you void,

00:33:21.539 --> 00:33:24.159
 but instead it would accomplish all the purposes you have

00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:24.580
 for it.

00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:28.080
 That it would be at work, growing our longing and

00:33:28.080 --> 00:33:32.220
 desire for you to come back and that we would live in

00:33:32.220 --> 00:33:33.040
 light of your return.

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:35.360
 We ask all of these things in Jesus' name.

00:33:35.800 --> 00:33:36.040
 Amen.

00:33:36.039 --> 00:33:39.639
 I invite you to stand for our closing hymn.