Who Do You Think You Are (Mark 11:27-33)
Do you remember these bumper stickers? When I’d pull up behind someone and see this, I’d start asking questions. Questions like…
Who’s authority?
All authority?
Just bad authority?
The authority of people over 30?
Whose authority, exactly, are we talking about?
“Be more specific with your bumper stickers!” I’d yell in my head and maybe out loud.
Authority is a tricky thing because it’s power, it’s influence, and that can be used for good or for harm. In the gospels we see examples of both.
Thankfully, the one who wields the most authority is Jesus. And he uses it to heal, not to harm.
Hope to see you Sunday when we’ll continue our study of Mark (11:27-33).
- Pastor Tim
27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
- Mark 11:27-33