The Farmer's Son | Mark 11:27-12:12 | Pastor Don Krafft

A.W. Tozer once wrote, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

That quote is worth sitting with for a moment. What do you really believe about God? And how has that understanding shaped the way you live each day? Are there distorted or warped views of God that may be keeping you from fully experiencing His love for you and the abundant life He so desires for you?

In Mark 11 and 12, the religious authorities come to Jesus demanding, "By what authority are you doing these things?" Their question reveals something deeper about how they saw Jesus—and how easily our own view of God can become distorted from fear, shame, disappointment, or past experiences all shaping the way we see Him. When our view of God becomes warped, it can keep us from fully receiving the grace and love He so freely gives.

Scripture gives us a clear picture of who God is. In Exodus 34, He reveals Himself as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. If this is who He truly is, then the question isn't simply what we believe about Him, but whether He holds first place in our hearts and lives.

As we journey through this passage of Scripture in Mark, our hope is that we wouldn't simply learn more about Jesus, but that we would see Him more clearly, know His heart more deeply, and grow in our trust of His love for us. As Pastor Don asks an important question "Is Jesus Supreme in Your life?" we need to ask ourselves, is His authority highest, or are we still trying to live life on our own terms—our way, our will, our agenda?

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Mark 11:27-12:12

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,  and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"  Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me."And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'From man'?"—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.  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.

12

And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence ar