Video teaching coming soon
There is no online teaching for this study yet, but the written notes and any available study resources are still below.
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Introduction…
- Mark – the Gospel to the Gentiles – showing Jesus as the servant of all – Mark 10:45
- Mark 10:1-52 – The Final trip to Jerusalem…
- 6 months passed – the cross is only weeks away – Jesus begins his final trip to Jerusalem
- Jesus reveals for a 3rd time the events that would occur when they arrived in Jerusalem
- Mark 11:1-26 – The Triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)…
- 4 days before Passover – Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey – the Messiah!
- Jesus did not come to setup His Kingdom – He came to make peace between God & man
- He came to be the Lamb of God – who would take away the sin of the world!
- The next day – Jesus entered the temple – drove out the moneychangers…
- The Jewish leaders had made religion into a moneymaking business…
- The ‘House of God’ was to be a house of prayer – they made it a den of thieves
- The religious leaders decided the only solution for Jesus – was to kill Him…
- The fig tree – a picture of the nation of Israel…
- Jesus was hungry and went to eat some figs – no fruit – He cured the tree…
- The next day the tree was dried up from the roots up – John 15:4-5
- Israel had missed Jesus – without Jesus they would never bear any fruit
The problem with Israel’s leaders…
- Seen in their words… Vs. 27-33
- We are now only 3 days before the crucifixion of Jesus…
- Having left the dead fig tree (a picture of Israel – no fruit) – Jesus returns to the temple
- The Chief Priests, Scribes, and elders confronted Jesus there in the temple…
- These 3 groups represented the Sanhedrin – the ‘congress’ or rulers of Israel…
- They asked Him 2 questions regarding “cleansing of the Temple” the day before…
- “By what authority (power) did you do these things? Who gave it to you?”
- They were the ‘authority’ in Israel – they certainly had not given Jesus permission
- They asked not looking for an answer – they were looking for a fight…
- There is a difference between a real question – and someone looking for a argument
- I have had Mormons come and want to ‘talk’ about Jesus…
- But they are not looking to learn – they are looking to prove they are right…
- I love when people have real questions – they want to learn about Jesus
- I will spend as much time – anytime – when someone has a real question
- I have little patience for questions that are set ups for an argument…
- Jesus did not buy their question – instead he said: “I have one question for you…”
- The Baptism of John – was it from Heaven or from men – ANSWER ME! (Imperative)
- The Pharisees had already asked John the same question – John 1:19
- John had told them exactly whom he was – one who prepared the way for the Lord!
- They knew John was sent from God – but still they had rejected him
- The same way they knew Jesus was from God – but also rejected Him
- So they reasoned (through logic – imperfect) how to answer Jesus
- If they said John’s baptism was from Heaven – then why didn’t they believe
- If they said from men – they feared the people who believed John was a prophet
- The people might have even killed them – Luke 20:6 – “All the people will stone us…”
- They were caught in their lie – knowing who John was – but having rejected him
- So they answered Jesus – “we don’t know”
- Therefore Jesus would not tell them by what authority He did things either!
- Jesus showed their dishonest words – by showing their dishonest question…
- Like the person who comes up at lunchtime to ask you ‘how are you doing’…
- But you really know they are asking you – ‘what’s for lunch’…
- You could not trust what they religious leaders said – they had ulterior motives…
- As believers we should not have ulterior motives to our words
- We are called to be men and women of our word
- Matthew 5:37 – “But let your ‘Yes‘ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.”
- Their actions… Matthew 21:28-32
- The Baptism of John – was it from Heaven or from men – ANSWER ME! (Imperative)
- The Parable of a man who had two sons (only recorded for us in Matthew’s Gospel)
- Jesus continued: now listen to this story (Imperative)
- The 1st son was commanded to go and work in the Vineyard (campo) but he refused…
- Afterwards he “repented” and choose to go and work after all
- The 2nd son was also commanded to go and work – and he answered, “Yes, Lord!”…
- But then he did not go and work after all
- If you had two kids – and asked both to do a get water from the well…
- One said no – but did it – the other said yes – but did not – who was obedient…
- It was the 1st son who was obedient – not in words – but in actions!
- Jesus point – it is not about what you say – but about your actions!
- The Religious leaders said all the right things – they said, “Yes, Lord!”
- But in the end their actions did not line up with their words…
- I could tell you all day long that I am the president of the Philippines…
- But in the end you would want proof – the evidence is in the actions
- We can say all the right things to sound like a Christian
- You might come to church every Sunday…
- But just like being in a Jollibee does not make you a hamburger…
- Neither does being in a church make you a Christian…
- It is not about what we say – it is about the actions from our lives
- Tax collectors (customs agents) and prostitutes said they would not obey God
- But if in the end they repented – then they would be the children of God
- We may have refused to obey our Heavenly Father in the past – rebelled against God
- We might have been the 2nd son – wanting to go and do our own thing…
- But when we choose to follow Jesus – we were no longer defined by our past
- We become the faithful son – the one who does the will of the Father!
- John the Baptist came showing the way of to get to heaven – pointing to Jesus
- The Religious leaders did not want to believe but the sinner did!
- Even when the religious leaders saw that – they still did not believe…
- They were full of hypocrisy – saying one thing but doing another
- They were hypocritical in their words and in their actions because of…
- Their Heart … vs. 1-8
- The Religious leaders said all the right things – they said, “Yes, Lord!”
- Jesus gave a 2nd parable to reveal the motives of the religious leaders hearts
- A certain landowner built a lavish Vineyard (campo)
- Wine press cut out of solid rock, a hedge for boundaries, tower for protection
- He then goes abroad leaving hired men to take care of the campo for Him
- The Landowner of the vineyard is not others than God Almighty
- The Vineyard refers to the nation of Israel – and the Kingdom of God
- Isaiah 5:7 – “For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel…”
- The hired workers are the religious leaders of Israel
- They were supposed to watch after God’s people – care for them
- God desired Israel – and His Kingdom – to bear fruit for Him
- John 15:8 – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”
- As the harvest drew near the owner sent servants (doulos) to receive the fruit
- The hired men beat one, stoned one, and killed another
- When more servants were sent – they did they same to them!
- The servants who were sent were the prophets of the Old Testament…
- They were sent by God to encourage Israel to turn back to God – bear fruit for God…
- Including John the Baptist – who was the forerunner of Jesus!
- Acts 7:52 – “Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute!”
- Finally the owner sent His only son – saying, “They will respect My Son…”
- But the hired men said – if we kill the son the vineyard will be ours!
- So they killed him – and cast him out of the Vineyard – Hebrews 13:12!
- The Son is none other than Jesus Christ – the heir to the Kingdom of God
- The religious leaders never wanted to serve God or His people (hired laborers)
- Their motivations were selfish – they only were looking out for themselves!
- Their problem was in their heart…
- The Religious leaders were not there to tell the people the truth about God – words
- Weren’t interested in living a life showing an example of how to life for God – actions
- They were only interested in what they could get from the people of God!
- Why are people not men and women of their word…
- Why would someone want to act (but not truly live) like a Christian…
- Because of selfishness – not wanting to live for Jesus – but to live for ourselves
- Acting religious – not to serve God – but so others can see how ‘holy’ they are
- A mirror never lies – our lives are the mirror of our heart…
- What we say (words) and do (actions) reflect what is in our heart!
- Luke 6:45 – “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
- Matthew 12:53 – “For a tree [person] is known by its fruit [actions].”
- If we are looking to Jesus – then Jesus will be reflected in our words and actions
- If we are only looking out for ourselves – then our lives will show it!
- The choice… vs. 9-12
- What will the owner do to these hired men – He will destroy those hired men…
- Then He will then give the vineyard to others who will give Him of the fruit…
- Israel was called to be a light to the world – Zachariah 4:11-14
- They were supposed to bear fruit for God – and teach others about the Lord
- Because Israel missed Jesus – God set them aside for a season – Romans 11:25
- God gave the vineyard to the church – to bear fruit for God!
- We are called to bare good fruit for God – what kind of fruit comes from our lives…
- John 15:8 – “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”
- When we bare good fruit – living our life for God in Words / Actions / and Heart
- We are a light to the world – and bring glory to our Father in heaven…
- John 15:6 – “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch…”
- But if like the Jewish leader we seek to serve ourselves and not the Lord…
- We can be removed from the Vineyard just like the Jewish leaders were…
- Then He will then give the vineyard to others who will give Him of the fruit…
- The stone that the builders rejected – Psalm 118:22…
- Jesus quotes from the Psalms regarding a story from the 1st Temple of Solomon
- All of the stones of the Temple were finished in the quarry – I Kings 6:7
- The 1st stone sent to the building site was the chief cornerstone…
- In construction – the most important piece – sets the angles and location
- When the workers received the stone – they were not ready – set it aside – forgot
- The stone the builders rejected – became the chief cornerstone!
- The Religious leaders had rejected Jesus Christ
- He was destined to become the Chief cornerstone in the church of God!
- There are only 2 choices…
- Matthew 21:44 – “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
- We can be like the 2nd son – the tax collectors & harlots – the sinners…
- Who see their need for salvation – fall broken on Jesus…
- Who repent of their sin – and fall broken on the Grace of Jesus…
- If we see our words and lives reflecting a heart that is selfish – fall on Jesus!
- Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.”
- He can change our hearts – give us new life! Abundant life!
- If we know other people who cannot be trusted – always have ulterior motives
- People whose lives (in spite of their words) do not reflect Jesus
- Don’t be frustrated with their words or actions – the problem is their heart
- We need to pray for God to change their heart
- Or we can be like the 1st son – like the religious leaders…
- And Jesus will fall on you – and you will be ground into powder (chaff – labhung)
- Full of ulterior motives, hypocrisy in actions, and selfish motives in the heart
- In the end Jesus will fall in judgment – we will be scattered and lost
- Both in this life – and for eternal life as well…
- Jesus quotes from the Psalms regarding a story from the 1st Temple of Solomon
- The Chief Priests and Pharisees knew Jesus was speaking of them
- Yet the did not do anything to Him (but they wanted to!)
- Not because they feared God, but they did nothing because they feared the crowd
- Sad that these men were more concerned about the moment – then eternity
- If we are more concerned about what people think of us – than what God thinks
- It is a good sign we need heart surgery – we need to fall broken on Jesus!
- We are now only 3 days before the crucifixion of Jesus…