We are in the last part of Mark which deals with the last week of Jesus' life.

Mark 11: 27-33
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.

28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Though the Leaders try to trap Jesus, he know scripture and He is the Word of God....

and His authority comes from the Father

v 33 Authority of God / Jesus

Mark 12:1–12Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.

2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

11 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

Ch 12

v 2 Generosity of God---look at ALL gifts / Nature, health, families, jobs

v 2 Trust of God in Humanity
• Genesis: Stewards / caretakers
• 5 yrs. renters had to raise crop and pay

v 3-5 Patience of God: 3 yrs. some, 5-6 yrs. consistent crop
• only asking for what was rightly His
• Give to Caesar 12: 13-17

v 6 History: Son dead: tenants inherit the land
• Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame of Prophets killed by Jewish leaders

v 9 Justice of God---70 AD destruction of Temple

Jesus
v. 6 Knew He was the Son/ not a servant
v. 8 Knew He came to die

Humanity
• Thought owner was “absentee”, no worry about His claim on their lives
- thought we can act against God and get away with it

• Our responsibility is to the Owner / Creator / Son
• if we do not submit there is a price to be paid
• God does not send us to hell, we chose ourselves

• John 3: 17: Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Christ is the Capstone
Psalm 118:22–23 (NIV) The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.