Mark Chapter 11- Bible Study - 12-30-2020

Opening prayer:

Dear Lord, I pray you will guide our minds and hearts for even the next few minutes. Draw us close to You. As we open your Word, let the Holy Spirit guide us to truth. 

Amen

Mark Chapter 11

And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

2And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

Jesus 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.

He sent forth 2 of his disciples at a time to get the colt which was unspoiled and pure without the forces of man upon him for no man had ever sat upon him.. Some people believe that Jesus sent out his disciples 2 by 2 because it was a “training secession”…. This seems to be quite the superficial explanation after considering it fully..

His purpose in sending them out together was for spreading the Good News and growing the Kingdom of God.

In this second of the five major discourses of Jesus in Matthew, Jesus summons the twelve disciples and formally hands over to them his same authority to preach the good news of the kingdom and to heal "every" disease (10:1, 7-8), but not, tellingly, the authority to teach! That will come only at the end of the Gospel after the resurrection (28:18-20).

Along with the authority came instructions for conduct consistent with the disciple mission, instructions that would seem to offer some transparency to the situation and mission.. It suggests a situation of wandering missionaries, relying on the hospitality of those who receive them and not lingering long with those who do not (10:9-15). It warns of the need for wisdom amid the tough realities of their mission for those who go as "sheep into the midst of wolves" (10:16). It gives encouragement to face certain persecution as well as rejection, showing that the Father's Spirit will be with them and that in their suffering they are only imitating their master (10:17-25). It comforts them with the promise of the Father's presence and concern and with the value and hope of rewards for faithful endurance (10:26-42).

In the old testament God sent Arron with Moses.. In the conversation between God and Moses,following Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh, God persists in his alternately tender and seemingly impatient wooing of the reluctant emissary, while Moses insists that he is unfit for the task. As before, Moses’ feelings of inadequacy centre on his difficulty with speech, now captured, ironically, by his poetic lament: “I am uncircumcised of lips” (Exodus 6:12).

Moses’ Impediment

The Torah does not identify the nature or origins of Moses’ difficulty. It has been postulated that Moses had an actual speech impediment–perhaps a stutter or a severe lisp. Another explanation is that Moses’ impeded speech dated from infancy when the angel Gabriel had guided him to place a hot coal in his mouth. Perhaps Moses was deeply shy, a shepherd who preferred the company of animals over people with their insatiable demand for words.

Lending further obscurity, Moses’ impediment is wholly self-described. We learn of it only through his own protests at having been chosen as Israel’s liberator. The absence of this narrative corroboration implies that Moses’ impediment may have loomed larger in his own mind than as a handicap perceptible to others.Of this we cannot be sure..

Whatever the impediment’s nature, it is clear that each utterance exacted a painful toll on Moses. And the point is that God therefore sends Aaron to be his brother’s mouthpiece, and Aaron remains at Moses’ side as the two heap threats and plagues upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Indeed, it is Aaron who initiates the first three plagues, stretching his rod over the waters to bring forth blood and frogs and hitting the earth to summon lice. They tackled this awesome task together.. not alone… He sent them together, each with power and talent that the other did not have .They supported each other And completed and impossible task that God had required of them.. A task that required the ultimate faith and obedience to achieve. A task that required the comradeship of 2 rather than one in isolation because God knows our every need… God requires of us that which is seemingly impossible everyday, if we listen to his calling. He required it of his disciples and he requires it of us in our daily lives.. This is why fellowship is so important in our lives.. It is God’s will that it be so and it is by our very God given nature that we need it in our lives…God’s solution of Aaron as translator contains the answer: Aaron’s role as mediator was critical to the success of Moses’ leadership. Aaron’s translation not only smoothed away his brother’s stutterings, but also bridged a vast existential difference that stood between Moses and the slaves whom he was charged with liberating.

Think of it….

Moses, raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, grew up in privilege. He had not been beaten for stumbling over his own exhaustion. His mind had not been numbed by the monotonous horror of slavery. Moses could certainly feel righteous rage for the bitterness of the Hebrews’ servitude, but their burdens had never been his. Their pain was not his desperation. He had simply never been a slave.

Aaron, by contrast, was not raised in Pharaoh’s palace: He was raised as a slave, among a family and community of slaves.

Moses’ reliance upon Aaron’s translation served as a constant reminder that to advocate effectively for his nation, Moses needed to reach beyond his own personal experience and he did through Aron by God’s grace. Aaron could speak directly from the experience of oppression, and his role as translator helped Moses traverse the large divide between himself and the former slaves.

The disciples, as with Moses, braved the most daunting task of their lives and key themes of discipleship and mission are therefore noted…

As we know, worthy discipleship will mean to take up the cross and discover what it means that those who lose their lives for Jesus' sake will find it (10:37-39). Finally, disciples are given to realize that whoever welcomes them is actually welcoming the Messiah and, in turn, "the one who sent me." The Messiah's identity is constituted in the mission of his disciples. So it is significant that such welcoming is linked here to the theme of righteousness. Three times righteousness is specifically mentioned in connection with the disciple mission (10:41) and even a cup of water for these "little ones" in the name of a disciple merits reward (Matthew 10:42). The discourse concludes once again with the characteristic formula of disciple instruction and reference to Jesus' on-going ministry of teaching and proclamation (11:1).

It is obvious that Jesus used the power of his influence, the breadth of his encouragement, and nature of his wisdom and understanding to teach and direct his disciples down the path of righteousness. Jesus armed them for the task ahead as he also gave his disciples authority over demons, as well as the power to heal the sick., and each other. Moving forward Luke tells about this action of Jesus.

“One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money,or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.” (Luke 9:1-5) And they did it 2 by 2…

He asked of them what would be impossible for mere men who struggled in their lives alone.. They needed God to complete their tasks, Moses needed God to do what was asked of him and We need God today to complete or tasks as Christians and believers so that we may live in accordance with HIS will…

Mark 11 continues from this point by describing the journey into Jerusalem

“And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna ( meaning Savour) ; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.”

“12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.”

11:12-18 Christ looked to find some fruit, for the time of gathering figs, though it was near, was not yet come; but he found none. He made this fig-tree an example, not to the trees, but to the men of that generation. It was a figure of the doom upon the Jewish church, to which he came seeking fruit, but found none. Christ went to the temple, and began to reform the abuses in its courts, to show that when the Redeemer came to Zion, it was to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The scribes and the chief priests sought, not how they might make their peace with him, but how they might destroy him. A desperate attempt, which they could not but wish for ..There was an inward fear of fighting against God.

Jesus said…

Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.”

And finally in this wonderful chapter Mark records the following:

“27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28 and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? 29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Their audacious question,

“ By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you authority to do this?" But Jesus was steadfast and unshrinking as he faced the most powerful of men in the city. He set a living example for his disciples and also for us.. In our lives each day… Jesus taught by giving all of us a living example…

He instructs his disciples not to be afraid…

26 ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.* 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 ‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

Faced with the power of Satin we can remain steadfast when we are guided and protected by the power and mercy and wisdom of Almighty God…

Christians must be established in faith since we have been made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. We must not satisfy the wish of Satan, but resist him. We must recognize who we are in Christ and remain steadfast. 

Closing prayer:

As we pray lets us pray for the strength to be steadfast and fearless in our lives going forward…And we ask for forgiveness for our short-comings of the past…. 

Dear Jesus , please help us to remain steadfast in faith so that we can be crowned in heaven. Empower us through your Holy Spirit to be diligent and keep your testimony until the end. When the end comes, let us receive a warm welcome in heaven, and let us partake in your holy banquette. 

O Lord, please help us to serve you at all times with undivided attention, and let us faithfully direct our praises and prayers towards you always. Help us to remain consistent with you throughout the days of our lives… 

I give thanks this evening ,for the good gift of your word. Let my heart and mind be still in thanksgiving for this amazing gift. Every good gift, including your word, is a gift to me. I thank you for the wisdom you provide. I give you thanks for your love and mercy towards me. 

Bless our bible study and all of its members and their families tonight… 

We ask these things in Jesus name…. 

Amen.

Our meeting is now open…..