WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.040 That's Mark chapter 11. We're going to read from verse 11 to the end of the chapter. 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:06.280 Let's hear God's word together. 00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:10.380 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. 00:00:11.019 --> 00:00:16.160 He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:20.100 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:25.839 Seeing in the distance a fig tree and leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:31.600 When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.759 Then he said to the tree, may no one ever eat fruit from you again. 00:00:37.219 --> 00:00:39.000 And his disciples heard him say it. 00:00:39.620 --> 00:00:45.939 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. 00:00:46.379 --> 00:00:51.200 He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:55.600 I would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 00:00:55.840 --> 00:01:06.880 And as he taught them, he said, is it not written, my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of robbers. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:17.600 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:21.140 When evening came, they went out of the city. 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:26.140 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 00:01:26.839 --> 00:01:32.819 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, look, the fig tree you cursed has withered. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:35.899 Have faith in God, Jesus answered. 00:01:35.900 --> 00:02:05.880 I tell you the truth. 00:02:05.900 --> 00:02:08.180 They arrived again in Jerusalem. 00:02:08.760 --> 00:02:15.939 And while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:19.920 By what authority are you doing these things, they asked. 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:22.099 And who gave you authority to do this? 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:26.200 Jesus replied, I will ask you one question. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:31.040 Answer me and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:32.439 John's baptism. 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:35.520 Was it from heaven or from men? 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:36.500 Tell me. 00:02:37.300 --> 00:02:43.639 They discussed it among themselves and said, if we say from heaven, he will ask, then why didn't you believe him? 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.079 But if we say from men? 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:48.640 They feared the people. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.580 For everyone held that John really was a prophet. 00:02:52.020 --> 00:02:54.860 So they answered Jesus, we don't know. 00:02:55.640 --> 00:03:01.640 Jesus said, neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:08.239 We are continuing to follow Jesus' journey to the cross. 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:11.359 Here is Jesus, the king. 00:03:11.679 --> 00:03:13.419 The king who comes with authority. 00:03:13.559 --> 00:03:20.859 And we're going to see that he uses his authority both to confront some and to comfort others. 00:03:20.860 --> 00:03:30.860 Just as we begin, we probably recognize that questions of identity and authority sometimes go together. 00:03:31.540 --> 00:03:37.740 Maybe you remember using words like these, who are you, to tell me what to do. 00:03:38.100 --> 00:03:42.240 Perhaps you've heard them spoken to you by somebody else. 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:49.520 Well, back in 2017, those very same words were uttered in a court down in England in Canterbury. 00:03:50.060 --> 00:03:55.659 An angry defendant was in the court and he was scuffling with some security guards. 00:03:56.180 --> 00:03:58.080 And he was in the middle of an angry tirade. 00:03:58.420 --> 00:04:02.240 And the judge asked him to be quiet and show order in court. 00:04:02.540 --> 00:04:04.740 And the man responded, who are you to tell me what to do? 00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:10.400 The judge's response was this, I'm the judge and I am tasked with maintaining the dignity in court. 00:04:10.860 --> 00:04:12.780 And he ended up in jail for two weeks. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:17.860 Recognizing the authority of a person can be very important. 00:04:18.460 --> 00:04:28.379 What we see in the Pharisees and the religious leaders is that they often use this kind of, who are you, language. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:30.340 Who do you think you are, Jesus? 00:04:30.339 --> 00:04:36.359 Jesus, verse 28, by what authority are you doing these things? 00:04:37.359 --> 00:04:43.539 One of the reasons Mark writes his gospel, one of the themes that keeps coming through in the words of Jesus, 00:04:44.060 --> 00:04:47.039 is that he is the one who is from heaven. 00:04:47.459 --> 00:04:50.459 Mark begins, this is the gospel about the Son of God. 00:04:50.979 --> 00:04:54.699 And therefore, he has absolute authority. 00:04:54.699 --> 00:05:04.740 And so we're going to see how Jesus uses this authority, first of all, in confronting the false worship in the temple. 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:08.099 And then to bring some words of comfort. 00:05:08.980 --> 00:05:12.800 So first thing, Jesus can use his authority to confront us. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:14.500 Look at verse 11. 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:20.240 Here we see Jesus entering Jerusalem and journeying to the temple. 00:05:20.339 --> 00:05:23.959 Now, lots of people at this time of the year were journeying as pilgrims. 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:25.459 It was time for the Passover feast. 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:28.079 Jesus isn't like all the other pilgrims. 00:05:28.159 --> 00:05:32.859 He's coming as the Lord of the temple, coming to inspect it. 00:05:33.739 --> 00:05:44.179 And what Jesus is going to do is he is going to use his authority to confront those in charge in the temple for robbing God. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.959 And we're going to hear him confront us about robbing God. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.359 So he arrives in the temple. 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:52.000 It's late. 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:53.219 He goes back out to Beth. 00:05:53.259 --> 00:05:54.799 And then he comes back in the next day. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:04.819 And as he's on his way, verses 12 to 14, we see Jesus and this encounter with the fig tree. 00:06:04.899 --> 00:06:07.259 And we get a parable of the fig tree. 00:06:07.339 --> 00:06:08.519 What's going on here? 00:06:08.799 --> 00:06:13.339 As Jesus sees this fig tree with leaves, but there's no fruit, and he curses it. 00:06:13.339 --> 00:06:16.959 He's trying to make a point about the temple in Jerusalem. 00:06:17.679 --> 00:06:20.319 Here is a fig tree that flatters to deceive. 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:25.679 Here is a fig tree that looks good, but fails to deliver. 00:06:26.599 --> 00:06:27.979 And so Jesus curses it. 00:06:28.060 --> 00:06:30.679 Verse 14, may no one never eat fruit from you again, 00:06:31.359 --> 00:06:37.120 in order to make a powerful point about the temple that he's about to revisit. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:40.840 Some things look good, but they flattered to deceive. 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:45.120 This week in the news, there was the story of the new Samsung folding phone. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:46.420 I don't know if you saw the reports. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:51.819 This really expensive, £1,800 for a phone that has a folding screen. 00:06:52.280 --> 00:06:57.699 Well, a number of reviewers were given it, and a number of those reviewers smashed said folding phone. 00:06:58.139 --> 00:07:00.939 So poor Samsung are left with something that looks great, 00:07:01.019 --> 00:07:02.340 but is fundamentally flawed. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:04.480 And they're back to the drawing board. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:10.280 Well, something much more serious is happening here as Jesus enters the temple. 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:17.060 Jesus entered the temple, verse 15, and began driving out those who were buying and selling. 00:07:17.640 --> 00:07:22.560 He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:29.920 This temple that looked glorious on the outside, on the inside, 00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:32.020 had become little more than a marketplace. 00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:36.219 Trading in items for sacrifice. 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:42.000 Here is a people who are going through the motions of worship, 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.719 but their hearts were far from God. 00:07:46.099 --> 00:07:49.259 An accusation that Jesus had leveled against them previously. 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:54.399 Jesus, in verse 16, actually describes the people that he meets 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:59.680 as those who have turned the temple, verse 17, into a den of robbers. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.259 And he borrows that language from Jeremiah chapter 7. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:08.879 In Jeremiah's day, there were people in Israel who were murdering, 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:13.000 who were oppressing the poor, who were worshipping false idols. 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:16.040 But they'd still turn up at the temple on the Sabbath day, 00:08:16.699 --> 00:08:20.240 and they'd still bring their offerings, and they'd presume that they were right with God. 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:24.540 And God sent Jeremiah to expose the folly of their hearts then, 00:08:24.780 --> 00:08:30.460 and Jesus is exposing the folly of religiosity now. 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:35.019 Like the fig tree, there was no fruit of righteousness. 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:38.460 In the temple, the worship was dead. 00:08:38.860 --> 00:08:42.519 Inside, though outside, the building looked great. 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:50.559 So bad is it that they're even preventing other nations from worshipping. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.879 For the sake of money and profit, 00:08:55.500 --> 00:08:57.720 they've turned the part of the temple that was, 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.439 so that non-Jewish people could come and worship God. 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:03.659 That had now become the prime marketplace, 00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:07.759 denying people access to the worship of God. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:10.580 So how does Jesus respond? 00:09:11.379 --> 00:09:14.379 Well, Jesus confronted this abuse of the temple. 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:19.259 Jesus comes as the Lord of the temple to clear it out, 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:22.799 to drive out those who are robbing God of his glory. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.120 To deliver the same curse that came on the fig tree. 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:32.659 If you don't change, if there's no repentance, 00:09:33.659 --> 00:09:35.879 then the same will happen to this temple 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:37.340 as happened to the fig tree, 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:39.919 which happened just 30 or so years later. 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:43.100 The people were robbing God of honour, 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:46.740 and Jesus comes as one who has great zeal 00:09:46.740 --> 00:09:48.460 for the honour of God. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.519 And so he uses his authority as God's king 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.340 to confront this abuse. 00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:59.320 This isn't just a historic issue. 00:10:00.100 --> 00:10:04.080 Jesus' authority, Jesus' words, confront us too. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:08.420 Some of the guys in this church 00:10:08.420 --> 00:10:10.520 are doing a thing called the spiritual decathlon, 00:10:11.040 --> 00:10:13.320 which doesn't involve any physical exercise. 00:10:13.420 --> 00:10:15.440 It's about spiritual exercises. 00:10:15.800 --> 00:10:19.120 And one of the things that that's trying to hammer home 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:21.080 in the early days is that spiritually, 00:10:21.900 --> 00:10:25.080 it's so very easy for us to be short-sighted. 00:10:26.420 --> 00:10:32.000 It's so very easy for us to find our joy in lesser things, 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.299 to be satisfied when we have a career that we enjoy, 00:10:37.740 --> 00:10:39.220 a family that we enjoy, 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:43.799 sufficient wealth or education to make life comfortable. 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:47.279 We can easily lose sight and be blinded 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:49.419 to the greater glory of Jesus, 00:10:51.220 --> 00:10:52.759 that our hearts can be content, 00:10:53.460 --> 00:10:55.820 so long as we have money in our wallet 00:10:55.820 --> 00:10:57.279 and a smartphone in our pocket 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:00.100 and a few friends to spend time with. 00:11:01.319 --> 00:11:04.759 We can be guilty of robbing God of his honor 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:08.579 and his glory when our hearts run to other things 00:11:08.579 --> 00:11:11.959 rather than to the living God. 00:11:12.860 --> 00:11:15.740 How do we fix that kind of blaming? 00:11:15.740 --> 00:11:20.940 I think it's as we look, meditate on 00:11:20.940 --> 00:11:23.340 what God has done for us in Jesus. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.659 Remember, this is Jesus on his journey to the cross. 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:30.919 It's as we remember the love and the sacrifice of Jesus, 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.240 that's what melts our hearts, 00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:34.620 that's what causes us to have true joy 00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:36.840 when we understand that God has done all this for us 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:37.860 so that we might know him 00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:40.840 and have eternal life with him. 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:44.440 So just as it was for the people then, 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.759 we need to be careful that we are not robbing God. 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:52.360 There's another way that Jesus uses his authority 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.040 to confront the people then and to confront us. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:58.160 That's in verse 27 to 33. 00:11:59.780 --> 00:12:02.759 There's the danger about rejecting Jesus himself. 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:06.360 So Jesus has just cleared out the temple. 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:10.160 He just cleansed the temple out of concern for God's glory. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:13.820 But the chief priests and the teachers of the law 00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:14.580 came to him. 00:12:14.940 --> 00:12:15.519 Verse 28, 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.320 By what authority are you doing these things? 00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:19.500 Who gave you the authority to do them? 00:12:20.780 --> 00:12:23.660 So to clear the temple required God's authority. 00:12:23.800 --> 00:12:25.460 This was a well-established pattern 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:26.980 that came from the religious leaders 00:12:26.980 --> 00:12:28.280 that you could buy and sell 00:12:28.280 --> 00:12:29.940 and you could trade in the temple courts. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:30.399 And they're wondering, 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:31.580 well, who are you, Jesus? 00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:34.780 To break up what's been a long-established pattern. 00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:37.740 Ultimately, the religious leaders 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:40.060 don't see Jesus as the Son of God. 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:42.980 They don't see Jesus as God's Christ. 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:44.340 And so they don't recognize 00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:48.080 that his word should have any weight over theirs. 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:51.519 And that way, they're very like a man 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.060 ignoring the honor and position 00:12:54.060 --> 00:12:55.879 of a judge in his own court. 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:58.320 It's the height of pride and folly 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.439 that we see from these men. 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:03.399 So they challenged Jesus' authority 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.220 and Jesus uses a question of his own 00:13:05.220 --> 00:13:06.059 to challenge them. 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:07.039 In verse 29, 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:10.080 I will ask you one question. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:11.639 The question, John's baptism, 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.620 was it from heaven or was it from men? 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:16.279 What's Jesus doing here? 00:13:16.379 --> 00:13:17.820 Jesus is tying his own authority 00:13:17.820 --> 00:13:19.960 and his own mission to that of John the Baptist. 00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:22.980 What did John the Baptist come to do? 00:13:23.660 --> 00:13:24.800 John came to announce, 00:13:25.040 --> 00:13:26.100 here is the time to repent. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.560 Here is the time to get ready 00:13:27.560 --> 00:13:29.379 for God's promised king. 00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.240 He is coming. 00:13:30.340 --> 00:13:32.340 The kingdom of God is near. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:34.900 And then as Jesus arrived on the scene, 00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:36.280 John the Baptist announced him 00:13:36.280 --> 00:13:37.759 as the Lamb of God 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.340 who takes away the sin of the world. 00:13:40.180 --> 00:13:40.800 John who said, 00:13:40.920 --> 00:13:41.840 I must become less 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.240 so that he must become great. 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:47.540 The religious leaders are left 00:13:47.540 --> 00:13:48.560 in a difficult position. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.439 They don't want to deny 00:13:51.439 --> 00:13:53.039 that John came from heaven 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:54.500 because the people won't put up with it. 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:57.319 They don't want to say from men. 00:13:58.039 --> 00:13:59.259 The people will get really upset 00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:00.759 if he's from heaven. 00:14:00.959 --> 00:14:02.159 Why didn't the people listen 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:02.939 to John the Baptist? 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:04.239 So they're left in a quandary 00:14:04.239 --> 00:14:05.439 and they're unable to do anything. 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.259 They value their position over truth. 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:09.839 So they won't answer. 00:14:09.939 --> 00:14:11.000 They don't answer. 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:13.239 But the result for them 00:14:13.239 --> 00:14:17.319 is that they are unwilling to accept John 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:19.900 and they were unwilling to accept Jesus. 00:14:21.140 --> 00:14:22.820 And so like that fig tree, 00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:25.600 they stand under the curse of God 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:27.420 unless they are willing to repent. 00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:31.040 Jesus is too important a figure 00:14:31.040 --> 00:14:32.620 to ignore. 00:14:33.300 --> 00:14:35.020 There is this tension in Jesus' journey 00:14:35.020 --> 00:14:36.180 to Jerusalem and the cross 00:14:36.180 --> 00:14:37.780 about his identity. 00:14:37.920 --> 00:14:38.520 Who is Jesus? 00:14:39.800 --> 00:14:41.480 Will the people trust in him? 00:14:42.340 --> 00:14:43.879 Will they see that he is the one 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:44.940 who is sent from heaven 00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:46.240 in order to save them? 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.700 How does Jesus' authority 00:14:49.700 --> 00:14:51.700 confront us on that issue? 00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:52.759 Well, it's the same, isn't it? 00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:54.879 We still all have to reckon 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.300 with the identity of Jesus. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:58.980 Who do we say Jesus is? 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:00.320 We need to make a decision 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:01.420 on his identity 00:15:01.420 --> 00:15:03.779 because when we read the Gospels 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:04.740 for any length of time, 00:15:04.800 --> 00:15:06.879 we discover that he is just too important. 00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:09.100 His claims are too big 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:12.279 that we can simply put him to one side 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:15.080 as someone of marginal importance. 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:18.040 Either he's telling the truth, 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.000 in which case we need to listen 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:21.659 as he talks about being the son of God 00:15:21.659 --> 00:15:22.820 and the only savior, 00:15:22.920 --> 00:15:23.860 the only way to know God, 00:15:23.920 --> 00:15:25.940 or we can call him a liar, 00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:29.440 but we cannot remain apathetic. 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:31.139 Last week was Easter Sunday. 00:15:32.180 --> 00:15:33.860 Easter Sunday, we were remembering 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:35.259 that Jesus is the one 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:36.740 who claimed that he would die 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:39.539 and then claimed that he would be raised to life. 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:42.060 And then we thought about the empty tomb. 00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:44.240 We thought about the fact 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.500 that there was no dead body. 00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:48.899 The fact that there were numerous eyewitnesses 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:50.720 to the risen Lord Jesus. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:54.480 We saw the transformed life of his followers, 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:58.279 all pointing to Jesus' ultimate authority. 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:02.699 So if we have questions today 00:16:02.699 --> 00:16:04.779 about the identity of Jesus, 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:07.139 you're not sure who this man is, 00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:09.639 please read the Gospels. 00:16:10.299 --> 00:16:12.740 Discover for yourself his compassion, 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:14.579 his mercy, and his love. 00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:17.559 Hear his words of truth 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:19.360 that are unlike any other. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.639 See his sacrifice 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:25.279 and hear the promise of forgiveness 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.019 forgiveness and eternal life 00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:29.139 that comes from him. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:33.699 Because what we see in the story 00:16:33.699 --> 00:16:35.439 of the religious leaders 00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:37.339 is that to reject Jesus 00:16:37.339 --> 00:16:40.819 is to be on the outside of the kingdom. 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:42.759 It doesn't matter how religious they were 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:44.679 because they wanted nothing to do with Jesus. 00:16:44.819 --> 00:16:46.500 They were outside of God's kingdom. 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:49.439 And so we don't want to be in that place. 00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:52.759 Rather, we want to lovingly hear, 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.000 hear this loving invitation of Jesus, 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:58.360 who welcomes us in to God's kingdom, 00:16:58.519 --> 00:16:59.360 to God's family, 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:01.379 through trusting in him. 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:05.839 So Jesus used his authority to confront, 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.839 but he also uses his authority 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.700 to comfort us. 00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:11.940 The first way he does this 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:12.960 is in verse 17, 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.880 where he gives us this reminder 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.460 that he provides our way 00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:19.339 to know and enjoy God. 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:22.059 As Jesus is clearing the temple, 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:24.039 driving out the money changers, 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:25.359 he says, 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.159 is it not written, 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.659 my house will be called 00:17:27.659 --> 00:17:30.899 a house of prayer for all nations. 00:17:31.859 --> 00:17:34.899 What's happened in the temple 00:17:34.899 --> 00:17:37.440 is it's now a million miles away 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.980 from God's original intention, 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:39.819 from the temple, 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:41.899 and for the people of Israel. 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:44.159 From the very beginning, 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:46.500 as God decided to establish 00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:48.980 a people for his own glory, 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.519 and he called Abraham, 00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.599 he told Abraham that 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:54.160 one of your seed will be a blessing 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:54.799 to the nations. 00:17:54.940 --> 00:17:56.620 Abraham's family was to be a blessing 00:17:56.620 --> 00:17:57.380 to the nations. 00:17:58.380 --> 00:17:59.460 The nation of Israel 00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:00.400 in the Old Testament 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.039 was to function as a light 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:02.740 to the nations. 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:05.599 Light as opposed to darkness, 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:07.339 revealing the truth about God, 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:08.640 again, to be a blessing 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:10.120 to the surrounding nations. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.420 That Isaiah 56 00:18:12.420 --> 00:18:14.339 that Jesus is quoting from here 00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:15.199 of verse 17. 00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.179 It is a gospel message of hope 00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:21.799 for those who would be considered 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:24.480 outsiders to God's kingdom, 00:18:25.059 --> 00:18:27.519 including foreign nations. 00:18:28.399 --> 00:18:31.099 So Jesus is reminding the people 00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:33.259 that God's original intention 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:36.579 for his redeeming purposes 00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:38.480 is that he would use Israel 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.839 to draw people in. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.379 Jesus comes as the true Israel 00:18:41.379 --> 00:18:43.279 to draw all nations 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.799 to himself. 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.859 So as Jesus is confronting some 00:18:47.859 --> 00:18:49.419 about abuse in the temple, 00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:50.839 he's also comforting others. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:52.099 How? 00:18:53.059 --> 00:18:55.179 Because the goal of temple clearing 00:18:55.179 --> 00:18:57.819 is so that the Gentiles 00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:59.279 will be able to worship God 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.419 at Passover. 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:04.259 Previously, there's no access 00:19:04.259 --> 00:19:05.059 because there's no room 00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:06.159 because there's all these animals 00:19:06.159 --> 00:19:07.199 and things getting sold. 00:19:07.919 --> 00:19:08.959 But now there's space, 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:10.120 so now non-Jewish people 00:19:10.120 --> 00:19:12.360 can come and can worship God. 00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.940 Jesus creates the way 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:17.579 for us to know God. 00:19:18.180 --> 00:19:18.720 And remember, 00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:19.579 this is all happening 00:19:19.579 --> 00:19:21.220 at the time of Passover. 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:23.940 Passover, 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:26.620 when the people had been slaves 00:19:26.620 --> 00:19:27.940 in Egypt 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:30.059 and God had announced 00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:31.500 that he was going to deliver them 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.460 and give them freedom 00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:33.539 so that they might become 00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:34.160 his people. 00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:36.200 And God's people, Israel, 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:36.740 were told, 00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:38.180 in order to escape 00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:39.180 the judgment of God 00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.120 that would fall on Egypt, 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:41.299 they had to sacrifice 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:42.460 the Passover lamb. 00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:43.500 God's judgment 00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:45.460 passed over their houses 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.680 and their families. 00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:48.799 And what does Jesus come to do? 00:19:48.940 --> 00:19:50.180 Jesus comes to die 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:51.039 at Passover, 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:54.140 to be the true Passover lamb, 00:19:54.940 --> 00:19:56.400 the one who dies 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.519 in our place 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.360 so that the judgment 00:19:58.360 --> 00:19:59.519 of God against our sin 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:00.580 might pass over us 00:20:00.580 --> 00:20:02.360 and fall on him. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.500 And now this is open, 00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.660 not just to Jewish people, 00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:05.460 now this is open 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:08.080 to all of the nations 00:20:08.080 --> 00:20:10.160 because of Jesus. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.860 Jesus who comes 00:20:12.860 --> 00:20:13.380 into the world 00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:14.180 not just to be 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:15.519 the true Passover lamb, 00:20:15.600 --> 00:20:16.980 also to be the true temple. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.380 What was the temple? 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:19.420 The temple was the place 00:20:19.420 --> 00:20:20.340 where people could come 00:20:20.340 --> 00:20:21.380 to meet with God, 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:22.320 to worship God. 00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:24.000 And Jesus announces 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:25.440 that he is 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.140 now the way 00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:27.940 to know 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:28.779 and to meet 00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:30.240 with God. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:30.319 God. 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:33.319 I was out 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:34.339 at the start of the week 00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:34.940 having a walk 00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:35.579 with a friend 00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:36.700 and he was asking me, 00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:38.299 why doesn't your church 00:20:38.299 --> 00:20:39.279 do confession 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:41.200 like the Catholic church does? 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:42.480 And it gave me a chance 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.400 to talk about the fact 00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:44.500 that Jesus 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:46.279 gives us something special. 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:47.359 Jesus gives us 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:48.819 direct access 00:20:48.819 --> 00:20:49.980 to God. 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:50.460 The fact that we don't 00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:51.019 need a priest 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:51.980 because Jesus has come 00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:53.299 to be the great high priest. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:54.680 We don't need 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.660 intermediaries 00:20:55.660 --> 00:20:56.339 because now 00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:57.940 we have access 00:20:57.940 --> 00:20:59.039 to God 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:00.420 in heaven. 00:21:01.019 --> 00:21:02.480 So Jesus has opened 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.500 up this way 00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:04.700 for anybody 00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:05.759 to know 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:06.700 and enjoy 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.860 God. 00:21:08.600 --> 00:21:10.140 So how can we respond 00:21:10.140 --> 00:21:11.680 to this truth? 00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:13.640 Well, since Jesus 00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.320 has come 00:21:14.320 --> 00:21:16.360 as the true temple, 00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:18.140 announcing judgment 00:21:18.140 --> 00:21:19.740 on a corrupted temple, 00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:20.940 let's seek 00:21:20.940 --> 00:21:21.720 to lay aside 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:22.980 our idols, 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:23.600 those things 00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:24.380 that keep us 00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:25.740 from worshiping 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.660 and valuing God 00:21:26.660 --> 00:21:27.480 above all else. 00:21:28.600 --> 00:21:29.420 Let's repent 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:29.779 of that 00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:30.039 and seek 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:30.740 to give our hearts 00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.299 and our worship 00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.080 over to him. 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.660 And let's enjoy 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:34.140 the access 00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:34.920 that we have 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:36.420 to the one true God. 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.380 Sometimes we take 00:21:37.380 --> 00:21:37.960 that for granted 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:38.440 or we forget 00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:38.940 the privilege 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:39.700 that we have. 00:21:40.360 --> 00:21:41.400 We've got an incredible 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:42.960 right of access 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.700 through Jesus. 00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:45.559 And since Jesus 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:46.860 is our sacrifice, 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.720 since he has dealt 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:49.480 once for all 00:21:49.480 --> 00:21:50.059 with our sins 00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:50.600 of our faith 00:21:50.600 --> 00:21:51.039 is in him, 00:21:51.080 --> 00:21:52.680 then we can be honest 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:53.559 with him 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.660 about the fact 00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:55.320 that we are 00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:56.160 unclean 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:56.880 and impure, 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.540 that we do sin, 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.880 that we do fail, 00:22:00.600 --> 00:22:01.340 and we trust 00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:02.180 that Jesus 00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:03.340 gives cleansing 00:22:03.340 --> 00:22:04.700 and so we accept 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:05.380 that washing. 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:07.400 And there's also 00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:08.100 a responsibility, 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:08.600 I think, 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:09.640 for us as a church 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:10.320 in light of this 00:22:10.320 --> 00:22:11.100 to be open 00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:11.920 and welcoming, 00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:13.460 to recognize 00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:14.940 that just as God's desire 00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:15.800 is that the nations 00:22:15.800 --> 00:22:16.720 would be brought in 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.220 to worship, 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.720 so as a church, 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:19.759 as a community 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.460 of God's people, 00:22:20.540 --> 00:22:21.320 we ought to be open 00:22:21.320 --> 00:22:21.940 and welcoming 00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:22.519 to those 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.799 who want to hear 00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:24.960 the truth for themselves, 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.820 to be careful 00:22:25.820 --> 00:22:26.840 not to put barriers 00:22:26.840 --> 00:22:27.460 in the way, 00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:29.080 that we want to both 00:22:29.080 --> 00:22:29.960 invite people in 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:30.680 but we also want 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:31.200 to go out 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.720 with the good news 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.240 of Jesus, 00:22:33.840 --> 00:22:35.240 to be sending 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.279 and supporting people 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.360 both in local mission 00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:40.120 and in global mission. 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:43.840 There's a second way 00:22:43.840 --> 00:22:45.259 that Jesus uses 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:45.880 his authority 00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:46.580 to comfort us, 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:47.680 not just in giving us 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:48.059 access, 00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:49.019 wonderful access 00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:50.320 to know and enjoy God, 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:52.599 but also he gives us 00:22:52.599 --> 00:22:54.539 the gift of prayer, 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:57.379 verse 22 to 25, 00:22:57.639 --> 00:22:59.720 and not just any prayer. 00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:01.319 By faith, 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:02.240 we have this gift 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.019 of mountain-moving prayer. 00:23:04.419 --> 00:23:05.720 Have faith in God, 00:23:05.819 --> 00:23:06.579 Jesus answered. 00:23:06.659 --> 00:23:07.659 I tell you the truth. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.319 If anyone says 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:10.000 to this mountain, 00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:10.919 go throw yourself 00:23:10.919 --> 00:23:11.539 into the sea 00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:12.319 and does not doubt 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:12.899 in his heart 00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:13.519 but believes 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:14.220 that what he says 00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:14.759 will happen, 00:23:15.159 --> 00:23:17.220 it will be done for him. 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:18.879 Jesus is calling us 00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:20.240 to confidence 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:20.359 confident, 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:22.920 faith-filled prayer, 00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:24.519 confident in the 00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.700 faithfulness of God, 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.400 confident in the 00:23:27.400 --> 00:23:28.359 goodness of God, 00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:30.319 confident in the 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:32.000 power of God. 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.839 Now we see some 00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:33.880 examples of this 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:35.039 all the way 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:35.579 through the Bible. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.400 We can maybe think 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:38.680 of when Peter 00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:39.640 was in prison 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:41.420 in the book of Acts 00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:42.359 and the church 00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:43.880 gathered to pray 00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:45.059 earnestly to God 00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:45.960 for Peter's release. 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:46.500 What happened? 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.019 At midnight, 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.880 an angel came, 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:48.839 the chains were loosed, 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:49.799 the door was opened 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:51.059 and Peter walked free. 00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:52.779 Or we can think 00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:54.240 about Jairus 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:56.039 asking Jesus 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:58.299 to come and heal 00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.899 and save his daughter 00:23:59.899 --> 00:24:01.279 so she might live. 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.220 It was a prayer 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.220 of faith, 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:03.980 no other hope 00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:05.359 other than hoping 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.039 in Jesus. 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:10.399 Over Easter weekend, 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.019 we were thinking 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:11.720 about the thief 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.379 on the cross. 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:13.579 His was a prayer, 00:24:13.679 --> 00:24:14.839 a cry of faith. 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:16.179 Lord, remember me 00:24:16.179 --> 00:24:17.519 when you come 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.459 into your kingdom 00:24:18.459 --> 00:24:20.139 and Jesus promised 00:24:20.139 --> 00:24:20.779 today you'll be 00:24:20.779 --> 00:24:21.659 with me in paradise. 00:24:22.919 --> 00:24:24.119 Maybe you like to read 00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:26.220 Christian biographies, 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.839 the likes of George Mueller 00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:29.619 who set up 00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:30.819 Barnardo's, 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:31.659 the orphanages, 00:24:31.859 --> 00:24:33.259 and how so often 00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:33.919 in the story 00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:34.679 of that movement 00:24:34.679 --> 00:24:35.599 he had to pray 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:38.000 for food for the next day 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:40.199 or funds were empty, 00:24:40.379 --> 00:24:41.639 people needed to be paid, 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:42.359 buildings needed 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.019 to be looked at, 00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:43.639 and they would pray 00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:44.259 for funds 00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:46.379 and God always provided. 00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.619 There are lots of examples 00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:51.000 of faith-fueled prayer. 00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:53.279 And we have a promise 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:54.119 from Jesus 00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:55.559 that this kind of prayer 00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.759 and this kind of access 00:24:56.759 --> 00:24:57.799 to God's power 00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:59.139 is ours. 00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:02.379 One of the reasons 00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.460 why the Lord's prayer 00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:05.079 begins with a focus on God, 00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:05.240 you know, 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.559 begins, 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:06.740 our Father in heaven, 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:08.319 your kingdom come, 00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.200 your will be done, 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:10.519 is it reminds us 00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:12.000 who we are speaking to. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:13.839 And as we remember 00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:15.240 who we are speaking with, 00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.859 the Lord of the universe, 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:18.140 the creator and sustainer 00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:18.680 of all things, 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.500 and that increases 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:20.579 our faith 00:25:20.579 --> 00:25:21.019 in the one 00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:22.019 we are making 00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:23.299 our appeal to, 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.880 it strengthens 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:25.700 our asking. 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.039 And so we're called 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.059 to have faith, 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:29.740 Jesus said, 00:25:29.819 --> 00:25:31.900 have faith in God, 00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:32.960 get to know God 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:33.740 and his character, 00:25:34.019 --> 00:25:35.200 and that will strengthen 00:25:35.200 --> 00:25:36.900 our resolve 00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:38.740 to pray. 00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:40.740 So Jesus gives us 00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:41.799 this gift of prayer 00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:42.519 that we have access 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:43.920 to God as Father, 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.000 and he says there are 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.019 two things that this 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:47.620 effective prayer needs. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:48.500 It needs, first of all, 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:48.880 faith, 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.960 but also in verse 25, 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:51.900 it needs forgiveness. 00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:54.120 When you stand praying, 00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:55.019 if you hold anything 00:25:55.019 --> 00:25:55.880 against anyone, 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:57.099 forgive him 00:25:57.099 --> 00:25:58.279 so that your Father 00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:59.599 in heaven may forgive you 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:00.279 your sins. 00:26:01.120 --> 00:26:02.400 We need faith, 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.299 but we also need to be 00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:04.279 willing to forgive 00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:04.740 others. 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:08.140 Why is that important? 00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:08.759 Last week, 00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:11.040 I was watering the garden, 00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:12.440 lovely sunny week, 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:12.860 last week. 00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.860 So I was watering the garden, 00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:15.780 but we haven't used 00:26:15.780 --> 00:26:16.540 the hose for a while. 00:26:16.620 --> 00:26:17.360 You may have discovered 00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:17.600 this, 00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:18.460 that sometimes there's 00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.820 kinks that you find 00:26:19.820 --> 00:26:20.500 in your hose, 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:22.180 or perhaps there's knots 00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:22.780 if people have been 00:26:22.780 --> 00:26:23.240 playing with it 00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:23.980 a little bit too much. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.280 What happens when 00:26:25.280 --> 00:26:25.720 there's kinks 00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:26.340 or there's knots 00:26:26.340 --> 00:26:26.840 in your hose? 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:28.060 There's no water supply. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:29.420 You turn the tap on 00:26:29.420 --> 00:26:29.920 all you want, 00:26:30.020 --> 00:26:31.320 but there's a blockage. 00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:33.860 And Jesus is reminding us 00:26:33.860 --> 00:26:34.540 that bitterness, 00:26:35.800 --> 00:26:37.100 a lack of forgiveness, 00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:38.899 an unwillingness 00:26:38.899 --> 00:26:40.059 to be reconciled 00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:40.559 to someone, 00:26:40.859 --> 00:26:42.139 it is like that knot. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:43.139 It's like that kink. 00:26:43.199 --> 00:26:43.980 It's a barrier 00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.279 to effective prayer. 00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:47.240 And so Jesus is saying 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:48.219 we need to act fast 00:26:48.219 --> 00:26:49.019 to untangle 00:26:49.019 --> 00:26:50.199 those knots. 00:26:50.379 --> 00:26:51.039 We need to seek 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.059 to be reconciled 00:26:52.059 --> 00:26:52.939 so that our praying 00:26:52.939 --> 00:26:55.259 might be effective. 00:26:56.619 --> 00:26:56.939 Now, 00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:57.740 how might this teaching 00:26:57.740 --> 00:26:58.299 on prayer 00:26:58.299 --> 00:26:59.579 change our lives? 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:01.119 Well, 00:27:01.139 --> 00:27:01.599 doesn't it give us 00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:03.000 a really positive incentive 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:03.579 to pray 00:27:03.579 --> 00:27:04.879 when we remember 00:27:04.879 --> 00:27:06.379 the access to God 00:27:06.379 --> 00:27:06.899 that we have 00:27:06.899 --> 00:27:07.419 and the power 00:27:07.419 --> 00:27:08.199 that God has 00:27:08.199 --> 00:27:08.779 and his willingness 00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:09.539 to answer? 00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:12.000 It helps us 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.619 to recognize 00:27:12.619 --> 00:27:13.339 prayer isn't just 00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:13.939 a duty, 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:16.000 it's also the great 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.220 blessing that we have 00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:18.000 as God's people. 00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.699 It was Martin Luther, 00:27:19.859 --> 00:27:21.019 the great reformer, 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.179 who used to get up 00:27:22.179 --> 00:27:23.220 super early to pray 00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.559 and he said, 00:27:23.619 --> 00:27:24.220 I'm too busy 00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:25.119 not to pray. 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:27.240 It reminds us 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:28.079 to be dependent 00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:28.740 on God, 00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:29.579 it reminds us 00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:30.179 to have faith 00:27:30.179 --> 00:27:31.099 in God's provision, 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:32.639 in God's purposes. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:34.820 Jesus' teaching 00:27:34.820 --> 00:27:35.900 reminds us 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:36.980 to invite God in, 00:27:37.560 --> 00:27:38.700 into our situation, 00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:39.340 the big things 00:27:39.340 --> 00:27:40.060 and the little things, 00:27:40.140 --> 00:27:41.100 to invite God in, 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:42.220 not to be self-reliant, 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:43.400 but to remember 00:27:43.400 --> 00:27:45.120 the gift of prayer, 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:47.240 to take opportunities 00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:47.780 to pray 00:27:47.780 --> 00:27:49.360 as a church, 00:27:49.900 --> 00:27:50.540 in your home, 00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:51.380 all through your day, 00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:52.000 as families, 00:27:52.120 --> 00:27:52.700 as friends. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.180 A few weeks ago, 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:55.800 we looked at 00:27:55.800 --> 00:27:57.080 the prayer of the man 00:27:57.080 --> 00:27:58.759 whose boy 00:27:58.759 --> 00:27:59.340 was possessed 00:27:59.340 --> 00:28:00.280 by an evil spirit 00:28:00.280 --> 00:28:01.700 and he prayed, 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:03.100 I do believe, 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:03.799 Jesus, 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.460 that you can help, 00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:05.480 help my unbelief. 00:28:06.420 --> 00:28:07.059 It's a prayer 00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.360 that can be really 00:28:08.360 --> 00:28:09.319 important for us 00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:10.140 as we seek to have 00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:11.080 the kind of effective 00:28:11.080 --> 00:28:12.460 prayer life 00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:13.180 that enjoys 00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:14.500 relationship with God 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.600 and sees prayers answered 00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.600 like Jesus is talking 00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:17.160 about here. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:19.279 So here is Jesus 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.059 on his journey 00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:20.660 to the cross 00:28:20.660 --> 00:28:21.360 and we're reminded 00:28:21.360 --> 00:28:22.039 once again 00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.940 that he is the king 00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:24.340 with absolute authority. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.380 How did he use 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:27.200 that authority? 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.559 Not like so many 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:30.120 other leaders. 00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.600 He didn't use 00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:32.100 that authority 00:28:32.100 --> 00:28:32.960 to get rich. 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:34.380 He didn't use it 00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.340 to exploit the weak. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.039 He didn't use it 00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:37.100 to make sure 00:28:37.100 --> 00:28:37.880 that he could show 00:28:37.880 --> 00:28:39.100 up power for himself. 00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:40.580 Rather, 00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:41.860 we find him again 00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.740 deliberately going 00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.360 on his journey 00:28:43.360 --> 00:28:44.100 to the cross 00:28:44.100 --> 00:28:45.160 so that people like us, 00:28:46.279 --> 00:28:47.460 people who rob 00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.460 God of his glory, 00:28:49.580 --> 00:28:50.420 people who worship 00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:51.340 the wrong thing, 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:53.200 people who have said 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.700 to him, 00:28:54.100 --> 00:28:54.600 who are you 00:28:54.599 --> 00:28:55.079 to tell me 00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:55.799 what to do, 00:28:56.619 --> 00:28:57.519 might be welcomed, 00:28:58.199 --> 00:28:59.059 might be honoured, 00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:00.500 might be forgiven 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.199 by God 00:29:01.199 --> 00:29:02.299 when we place 00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:02.919 our trust 00:29:02.919 --> 00:29:04.179 in Jesus, 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.659 God's true king.