Gospel of Mark: Jesus The Saving King

and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus said to two of his disciples, saying to them,

go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there,

which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, why are you doing

this? Tell them, the Lord needs it, and he will send it back here shortly. They went and found

a colt outside the street, and tied it at the doorway. As they untied it, some people standing

there asked, what are you doing untying that colt? They answered as Jesus had told them to,

and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it,

he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had

caught in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, Hosanna! Blessed is he

who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the

highest. Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since

it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. The next day, as they were leaving

Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing the distance, a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any

fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.

Then he said to the tree, may no one ever eat fruit from you again, and his disciples heard him say it.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and

selling there. He overturned the tables of money changers and the benches of those selling doves,

and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise to the temple courts. 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. Chief priests and teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him,

for they feared him, because the whole crowd were amazed at his teaching. When evening came,

they went out of the city. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from

the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, look, the fig tree you cursed has withered.

Have faith in God, Jesus said. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,

go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will

happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,

believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying,

if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Please keep your Bibles open there, and we'll look at that in just a sec.

Well, let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word together. Let's pray.

Father God, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for having a gospel, the gospel of Mark,

which has been written down, recorded for us, so that we can learn about who Jesus is,

and all that he has done for us. We pray now, Father, that you would speak to us through your word.

Help us to listen well, and help us to be people who see Jesus for who he is,

and that we may be encouraged and built up. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen.

Our present government are now halfway through their five-year term.

But with another tough budget proposed next month, the support is most definitely dwindling.

Recent polls show that they have lost points, while the opposition have all gained points.

Now, how different that is to the early days.

They were welcomed into office with enthusiastic cheers, the saviors of our land.

But great expectations have come crashing down.

One moment, they are the hope of the nation.

The next, they are public enemy number one.

Well, the crowds that were following Jesus towards Jerusalem were expecting great things.

They had lived under foreign rule for the best part of 600 years, most recently under the might of the Romans.

But now Jesus had come displaying his supreme power and absolute authority.

He had raised the dead.

He had controlled nature.

He had fed the hungry with just a few loaves and a couple of fish.

Expectations were high.

Look at verse 9, chapter 11.

Those who followed, or those who went ahead of Jesus and those who followed shouted,

Hosanna!

Which means save!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

The saviour of their nation had come.

But within a day, those expectations had crashed.

Look at verse 18.

The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him.

In fact, very soon, everyone would be on the side of the chief priests.

One moment, they were the hope of the nation.

The next, he was public enemy number one.

Was Jesus the king as he claimed?

Or was he some political failure?

Well, as Jesus arrives into Jerusalem, the final week before his death,

we see that he is a king, but not the kind of king we expect.

In fact, what he offers is greater than any of our expectations.

So first, the king has come.

Jesus has been slowly making his way towards Jerusalem.

And as he travelled, so his band of supporters grew.

So if you go back to chapter 10, verse 1.

Chapter 10, verse 1.

Jesus then left that place, that's Capernaum,

and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.

So he's making his step slowly towards Jerusalem.

Again, crowds of people came to him.

Now look at verse 46.

Then they came to Jericho, a step closer,

as Jesus and his disciples together with a large crowd were leaving the city.

So people were anticipating or expecting great things.

The crowds began to follow him.

What miracles was he going to do now?

How was he going to overthrow the occupying force of the Romans?

Well, to help us gauge the excitement,

Mark highlights three actions of great significance.

First, Jesus had come to the Mount of Olives.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 11.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethpage and Bethany,

at the Mount of Olives.

You say, what's so interesting about the Mount of Olives?

Well, listen to this from one of the prophets.

The prophet Zechariah.

It's on the screen.

This is what he says.

The Lord will go out and fight against those nations

as he fights in the day of battle.

On that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

east of Jerusalem.

Now, Jesus has just arrived, this self-proclaimed king,

and he's come to the Mount of Olives.

Second, Jesus tells his disciples to go and get a colt,

or which could be translated also as a donkey.

Verse 2.

He says to the disciples,

Go to the village ahead of you,

and just as you enter it,

you will find a colt tied there,

which no one has ever ridden.

Untie it and bring it here.

Verse 4.

They went and found a colt outside in the street,

tied at a doorway.

Verse 7.

When they brought the colt to Jesus,

they threw their cloaks over it,

and he sat on it.

Well, you think,

well, what's so interesting about that?

Well, again, listen to the same prophets.

Look at what it says on the screen.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.

Shout, daughter of Jerusalem.

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and having salvation,

gentle and riding on a donkey,

on a colt,

the foal of a donkey.

Do you see what Jesus is beginning to say

to all the crowds of people?

And then there was the shouts of the crowd.

Verse 8.

Many people spread their cloaks on the road,

while others spread branches

they had cut in the fields.

And those who went ahead

and those who followed shouted,

Hosanna!

Which means, save!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Blessed is the coming kingdom

of our father David.

Hosanna!

Salvation!

In the highest!

Now, verse 9,

this Hosanna,

is actually a quote

from Psalm 118.

And if you were to read that psalm,

it's all about being surrounded by an enemy

and looking forward to a king

who's going to save.

Look at what some of that psalm says

on the screen.

Shouts of joy and victory

resound in the tents of the righteous.

The Lord's hand has done mighty things.

O Lord, save us.

O Lord, grant us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Now, can you feel the expectation building?

The Mount of Olives.

Jesus riding on a colt.

Shouting, Hosanna!

Save the rescuer!

The long-awaited king

has finally come.

The great deliverer.

The mighty warrior.

All the crowds are gathering around him.

He's ready for battle.

The saving king has come

to overthrow the might of the Romans.

The stage is set.

And look what he does.

Verse 11.

Jesus entered Jerusalem.

If you're going to have a revolution,

it might as well be in the capital

where everybody knows.

Jesus entered Jerusalem

and went to the temple.

He looked around at everything,

but since it was already late,

he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Sorry, did we miss something there?

Is that it?

Is that it?

He just wanders around the temple.

He says nothing.

He does nothing.

He just walks around.

And then he just heads out of town.

The king has come.

But not as we expect.

You see, we too have our expectations

of Jesus, don't we?

I guarantee if we were just to ask everybody now

what you expect Jesus to do for you,

there'd be a whole list of things.

And like the crowd,

our concern is very usually physical

and it's temporal.

It's all about me in the here and now.

We want Jesus to heal us now.

We want Jesus to give us a better job now.

If Jesus is king,

well then surely he'll listen to my wants

and my demands and do what I say.

Well, Jesus is concerned about the physical.

He is concerned about the temporal.

But he offers us so much more.

So much more.

For Jesus had come to establish a kingdom.

But an eternal kingdom.

A kingdom of peace and justice,

beauty and joy.

Where we live in perfect relationship with God

for all eternity.

And Jesus had come as a warrior king

to fight a battle.

But he came to fight not a physical one,

a spiritual one.

For he came to fight our greatest enemy,

destroying sin and death

and defeating Satan as he would die on a cross

so that we could be forgiven

and welcomed into his kingdom.

The king has come.

But he's not always the king that we expect.

The problem is not that our expectations of Jesus

are too high.

Our expectations of Jesus are too low.

We're focused on the here and the now

when he's offering us something far greater

for all eternity.

What Jesus offers is greater

than we could ever dream or imagine.

So the king has come.

Second, the king has spoken.

Verse 12.

The next day as they were leaving Bethany,

Jesus was hungry.

Didn't have time for his porridge that morning.

Seeing in the distance a fig tree and leaf,

he went to find out if it had any fruit.

When he reached it,

he found nothing but leaves

because it was not the season for figs.

Then he said to the tree,

May no one ever eat fruit from you again.

And his disciples heard him say it.

Now it seems like Jesus got out

on the wrong side of the bed, didn't it?

He's a bit upset.

What did the tree ever do to him?

You're not having fruit anymore.

Well, as we've seen,

every action of Jesus in this event

is loaded with significance.

And what Jesus says to the fig tree,

May no one ever eat fruit from you again,

becomes a visible image.

It's like a mini parable

for what Jesus is about to say

to the temple and its leaders.

You have become fruitless

and I am going to put an end

to your practices.

Look what Jesus does

in verse 15.

It's really radical.

On reaching Jerusalem,

Jesus entered the temple area

and began driving out those

who were buying and selling there.

Instead of starting a revolution,

he begins a demolition.

He overturned the tables

of the money changers

and the benches of those selling doves

and he wouldn't allow anyone

to carry merchandise

through the temple courts.

Now, in our minds here,

we've got to picture

hundreds upon hundreds,

even thousands of people

all coming into this

outer court area of the temple.

It's a bit like a farmer's market

with all kinds of livestock

being sold for sacrifices

and people selling it

and people buying it.

It's noisy.

It's crazy.

And Jesus just bursts

into the middle of it

and starts kicking them out

all over the place.

Pandemonium.

Now, this outer court

where Jesus goes

and starts throwing things about,

was actually designed

to keep certain people out

and only let certain people in.

Foreigners and outsiders.

So if you weren't a Jew,

you weren't allowed past that area.

The only people allowed in

were the Jews who came to buy

an animal for sacrifice

or sell an animal for sacrifice.

In fact,

all around that area

where Jesus was kicking people out

or upsetting all their tables,

there were these signs

that were read

in all kinds of different languages

for all the foreigners

who ever came near.

This is what it said.

No foreigner may enter

within the railing

and enclosure

that surrounded the temple.

Anyone apprehended

shall have himself to blame

for his consequent death.

The temple

was meant to be the place

where people could come

and meet God.

This was the place

where you could come in

and talk and pray to God.

But if you were a foreigner,

if you weren't one of the special people,

then you were shut out

and if you even tried to get in

and you were caught,

you'd be killed.

It begins to explain

why Jesus got

understatement of the year

a little bit upset.

He came to confront it,

to put an end

to all their practices.

Verse 17.

As he taught them,

he said,

is it not written

my house will be called

a house of prayer

for all nations?

for all people?

Rather than welcoming people,

a sign of fruitfulness,

he's saying,

you are barring people,

a sign of being fruitless.

The prophets

had anticipated a time

when all nations,

when all peoples

would be welcomed.

Go back with me

to Isaiah chapter 56.

Isaiah 56 · chapter mention

It's about the middle

of your Bible,

thereabouts.

Isaiah chapter 56.

Isaiah 56 · chapter mention

If somebody's got a page number

using a red Bible,

they could tell me

and I'll shout it out.

Isaiah 56.

743.

743.

Look at what was anticipated.

Look what people

were looking forward to.

Isaiah 56.

And we'll pick it up

in verse 3.

Isaiah 56.

Verse 3.

Let no foreigner

who has bound himself

to the Lord say,

the Lord will surely

exclude me

from his people.

Verse 5.

To them,

that is,

the foreigner,

the outsider,

I will give within

my temple

and its walls

a memorial

and a name

better than

sons and daughters.

I will give them

an everlasting name

that will not be cut off.

Verse 7.

These,

these outsiders,

these foreigners,

I will bring

to my holy mountain,

that's to the temple,

and give them joy

in my house

of prayer.

Their burnt offerings

and sacrifices

will be accepted

on my altar,

for my house

will be called

a house of prayer

for all nations.

You see,

God's plan,

his great expansive plan,

was that through

Jesus Christ,

he would make it

possible for all people

to be able

to come to God

and to be part

of his kingdom.

No wonder.

Look back at Mark

Mark 11:18

chapter 11,

verse 18.

No wonder

the chief priests

and the teachers

of the law

heard this

and began

looking for a way

to kill him.

And soon,

all the crowds

would be on their side too.

One moment,

the hope of the nation,

the next public enemy,

number one.

Why?

Why would people

turn so quickly?

Well,

they wanted a king

who would tell

the people

to get out.

They wanted a king

who was going to

kind of keep

themselves nice

and pure

and get all the foreigners

and the outsiders

away

and make it all

nice and comfortable

again.

But Jesus came

to tell people

that they could

come in,

that they were

welcomed in.

They wanted to

get rid of the outsiders.

Jesus is saying,

I have come

for the outsider.

The king

has spoken,

but not

as we

expect.

Now,

like the chief priests,

I think we too

can play

temple games,

can't we?

We don't think

this much

of a temple,

but we can still

play the game.

We don't like

to say it,

but we can sure

think it.

We don't want

their kind

coming in here.

We can't let

those sorts

of people

be part of

this church,

could we?

But who are we

to put restrictions

on people?

The only way

any of us

can come to God,

the only way

any of us

can enjoy God

and know God

is through

the once

and for all

sacrifice of Jesus.

It's the same

for us all.

When Jesus

barged into

the temple

and started

kicking tables

over and

chucking the

animals all

around the

place,

when he broke

up the place

for buying

and selling

sacrifices,

he was saying

to the people

loud and clear,

I am the

sacrifice

for your

sins.

I am the

way into

God's

kingdom.

You don't

need to do

this.

I am the

one who

will deal

with your

sin once

and for

all.

The way

is now

open for

all to

come,

regardless

of your

nationality

or your

background.

It doesn't

matter what

your race

is or what

your religion

is.

I welcome

all who

will come

to me.

And here's

the challenge.

how will

people ever

know they

are welcomed

if they

don't know

they're

welcomed?

There's no

point in

people saying

oh they're

all welcome.

How does

people know

they are

welcomed into

his kingdom?

Well Jesus

came into

the world,

the saving

king.

He came in

to invite

people,

to tell

people,

to show

people what

the kingdom

was all

about and

to say

that through

me you

can enter.

So we

too must

go into

the world

within our

communities,

within our

families,

around about

us,

to welcome

people to

Jesus.

So the

king has

come,

the king

has spoken,

and third,

the king

has commanded.

Look at

verse 20.

in the

morning,

so he's

kind of

going in

and out

of Jerusalem

in this

passage here,

in the

morning as

they went

along,

they saw

the fig tree

withered from

the roots,

and Peter

remembered and

said to

Jesus,

Rabbi,

look,

the fig tree

you cursed

has withered.

So here

was this

visual reminder

to his

disciples to

tell them

that look,

there is no

longer any

need for a

temple.

temple.

There is no

need for this

religious ritual,

there is no

need for all

these religious

rules anymore.

We don't need

all these

priests wandering

around in their

flowing robes.

It is fruitless.

It will produce

nothing in you

or for you.

It is dead,

it is lifeless,

it gives you

nothing.

Nothing.

Jesus says,

I am the

way to the

kingdom,

I am the

sacrifice for

your sins,

I welcome

all people

who come

to me.

So,

verse 22,

what's the

response?

Have

faith

in God,

Jesus

answered.

If Jesus

is the

king who

has come

to establish

his kingdom,

if Jesus

welcomes in

all people

to come

to him,

then the

only response

is,

have faith

in God.

This is what

the king

commands.

Trust me,

I can do

for you

what nobody

else can do

for you.

Look at

verse 23.

I tell you

the truth,

Jesus says,

if one of

you says

to this

mountain,

maybe it

was the

Mount of

Olives he

was looking

at,

if one of

you says

to this

mountain,

go through

yourself

into the

sea,

and does

not doubt

in his

heart,

but believes

that what

he says

will happen,

it will

be done

for him.

Now,

is Jesus

saying that

we're to

go around

and command

the mountains

and tell

mountains to

jump into

the sea?

I don't

think that's

what he's

saying.

What he is

saying,

or what he's

making clear

is that

he can do

for us

what nobody

else can

do for

us.

We can

go looking

to everyone

else and

everything else

and they'll

offer all

kinds of

things,

but only

Jesus can

offer us

new life,

eternity

with him,

the gift of

his Holy

Spirit within

us,

being welcomed

into his

family,

giving forgiveness,

peace and joy,

transformation of a

whole life.

only Jesus

can do that

for you.

In other

words,

we should

expect from

Jesus what

we can't

expect from

anyone else.

Our problem

is not that

our expectations

are too high,

our expectations

are set too

low.

Jesus offers

to us more

than we could

ever expect

to imagine.

And the way

to express

our faith

is simply

through prayer.

Look at

verse 24.

How do I

show my

faith?

Verse 24.

Therefore I

tell you,

whatever you

ask for in

prayer,

believe that

you have

received it

and it

will be

yours.

Just pause

on that and

think about

that.

God's

eternal

kingdom,

forgiveness

of all

your sins,

welcomed

into his

family,

given the

gift of

the Holy

Spirit,

peace and

joy in

abundance and

grace and

mercy overflowing

to you every

single day,

his family,

the people of

believers around

you,

all of this,

how do we

get it?

Ask in

prayer,

a prayer of

faith.

prayer.

That's all

we have to

do.

Through

prayer we

exercise our

complete

dependence and

place all our

confidence in

Jesus.

We don't have

to do

anything.

Just pray

and ask

and you

will receive

it.

so let me

ask this

question,

have we

obeyed the

king's

command?

Have we

put faith

in Jesus

the king?

Well,

here's the

test for

each one of

us to

find out

if we

have faith

in Jesus.

Here's the

test.

Do I

have faith

in Jesus?

Well,

look at

verse 25.

And when

you stand

praying,

when you're

asking for

the kingdom,

when you're

exercising

faith in

Jesus,

if you

hold anything

against

anyone,

forgive him

so that

your Father

in heaven

may forgive

you your

sins.

Do you

see what

it's saying?

The evidence

of faith

in Jesus

is

forgiveness

of other

people.

An

unforgiving,

grudge

holding,

record

keeping

person

is a

sign that

you do

not have

faith and

are not

in the

kingdom.

Look,

if you

know the

forgiveness

of Jesus,

if you

have

experienced

the

forgiveness

of Jesus

in your

life,

you will

forgive

others.

And

nobody's

saying

it's

easy,

but if

Jesus

has given

us this

welcome

into his

family,

into his

kingdom,

if Jesus

has forgiven

you,

then you

will not

hold anything

against another

person.

In fact,

you will do

all that you

can to reach

out to them

and seek

reconciliation

and welcome

them just

as Jesus

has welcomed

us.

The

evidence of

faith in

Jesus is

that we

are forgiving

of others,

each other.

And then

lastly,

expect great

things.

The

King has

come.

He has

come to

establish his

eternal

kingdom.

The King

has spoken.

He opens

up the

way for

all people

to come

to God.

The King

has commanded.

He calls

us to put

our faith

and our

trust in

him.

If we

look to

Jesus and

demand the

King to

do things

our way,

we'll

always be

disappointed.

But if we

submit to

his way,

we will

discover he

will do

more than

we could

ever

expect or

imagine.

He is a

great saving

King who

does more

than we

could ever

expect or

imagine.

Let's talk

to him

right now.

Let's pray.

Father, thank

you so much

for your

word.

Thank you

for Jesus,

the great

King.

Please help

us to

understand

Jesus as

you portray

him and

as he

comes to

us.

help us

to have

right

expectations

but help

us to

see all

that he

has come

to do

and to

give to

us.

Thank

you,

Jesus,

that you

are our

great

King.

Help

us to

trust you

each and

every day.

Help

us to

follow you

where you

go and

help us

to live

for you

wherever

we are.

We pray

this in

Jesus'

name.

Amen.

Well, we're

going to

sing our

final song

in response

to

to

up.

You

will

be

a