The CROSSroads: Personal Lessons from Mark's Gospel by Rev. Mitch Schultz

Updated
2001-05-26; 14:34:22utc

Lesson Thirty-six: A GOBSMACKING RESPONSE (Mark 11:27-33)

"They feared the people" (vs.32)

Have you ever wished you would have given a stunning comeback to something someone said to you but only thought of it afterwards? I mean the sort of response that leaves the other person speechless, or gobsmacked as the British would say? I can only boast of one such experience but one that I know the Lord was giving me the words to say. Colin was a friend of mine who worked as a newsagent at the local shop where we once lived in England. Colin was very religious. His religion was soccer and he attended his church faithfully every other Saturday afternoon - the soccer stadium. Having been open with my faith on many occasions Colin was also not shy to share about his faith; that is, his love for soccer. Neither was Colin hesitant to let me know what he thought of my God. One day tapping me on my shoulder Colin said, "Mitch, you have your God and I have mine and it is soccer." And here is the gobsmacking response the Lord led me to give. "That may be so Colin! But I know the final score and in the end the Bible says that my God wins." Please understand I did not reply in this way to win one over on Collin, but rather to get him to think about eternal issues.

Jesus' reply to the religious leaders in this story left them speechless. If this had been the script to a movie the audience would have burst out in cheers and applause. It was a stunning and perfect answer to people who were very narrow and temporal in their thinking. Let me quickly underline the main points of this interchange and follow that up by digesting some points for application as it relates to our lives.

The circle of opposition tightens around Jesus as he moves further into Jerusalem. Those holding hands to form the circle are not the Romans or Zealots but the spiritual leaders and shepherds of Israel. Mark tells us in verse 27 that while in the temple courts Jesus is confronted by "the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders.". This group made up of 72 individuals formed what was called the Sanhedrin - Israel's ruling political and spiritual body. It is significant that they confront Jesus in the temple courts for this is where their authority had been undermined when the Lord turned the tables of the sellers and traders. So it is the issue of authority that they raise. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they ask. "And who gave you the authority to do this?" (vs.28) In other words, what right do you have to come barging in here and acting like you can tell us how to live our lives. Being the spiritual leaders it was they who were seen to have that authority and in the presence of the people Jesus had seriously undermined that authority.

Jesus' response to their arrogance leaves them speechless and more determined to kill him. "I will tell you if you tell me one thing," he says. "Where did John the Baptist get his authority to baptize? Was it from God or from man?" As the leaders gather together to form a reply it becomes obvious that truth is not the measure used for their response. Pride was! "If we say 'from heaven', he will say 'then why didn't you believe him'. But if we say 'from men' they feared the people." (vs.31-32) Forced to say "we don't know" Jesus walks away, again unscathed, and you can picture the leaders shaken and left humiliated in the dust of this interchange.

Pride can often drive people to resist God and sometimes even to resist violently. We often do not want to acknowledge his authority over us. Like the leaders we will say what right do you have to come here and tell me how to live my life? In the end as spiritual as we might think we are (even if we are in positions of spiritual leadership), we would rather exercise authority over our own lives. I have chosen as my year verse for 1999 James 4:10 which would have been appropriate also for the Jewish leaders in their contention with our Lord. "Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up." Humility is often best demonstrated when we have nothing left to say in response to Jesus except to say to him, Lord I acknowledge your authority over my life and I will submit to it.

This interchange with the spiritual leadership could have gone the other way and I wish it had. Had it, the gospels would have been written as a different story than the one we know. The opportunity to repent of their pride was given but sadly they cared more for themselves and for their reputations. Like stubborn horses refusing to be broken, they dig in their heels in resisting the authority of the almighty God. It does not have to be that way with you. If Jesus has entered the courts of your heart and turned some tables, don't argue. Don't fight it! Don't demand what right does he have to come tell you how to live your life? Rather submit to it. Say nothing! Let him have the last word! It will be the best response you could give to him.