Opposition to the Truth - Mark 11:27-33

Mark 11:27-33, 1 Peter 3:13-17

v27... He walks into the temple for the third time, and the high priests, the Sanhedrin, interrogated him.

v28-30... He answers with a question, brilliantly designed to give them no answer options they were willing to give.

Jesus doesn't talk about his theology or his miracles. He talks about baptism. At his baptism, he was revealed to be the Son of God. 

Jesus's authority also simply comes from himself. He is God! As God, he even gave Pontius Pilate his authority.

v32... They were afraid of the people! They were being like politicians. They desired their approval. But it's only the fear of the Lord that's the beginning of wisdom! Not fear of people.

If you want to live, you first have to die to yourself, pick up your cross.

v33... They won't answer, so he refuses to answer them. 

The Sanhedrin didn't care about truth, only about indicting Jesus. They're just looking for something they can use against him. 

It was believed that the time of the prophets was over. But they considered John to be a great prophet, which gave the people hope. This made the Sanhedrin nervous. They were spiritually blind!

Don't miss what God is showing you! God can be doing things around us, and we may miss it if we're not attuned to the Spirit of God. So read the Word, pray, seek counsel from fellow believers!

The great divide in our country is for political or social; it's spiritual. Christ has been removed from society. This world so badly needs Christ! The Holy Spirit will guide us into the truth. 

That's todays text!

Today's text covers two topics:

- The authority of Christ is attacked

- Unbelief

Apologetics: defending the faith or sharing the faith with unbelievers. 

1 Peter 3:13-17...

When you to the work of Christ, don't fear man! 

v15: always be prepared to give a reason for your faith with gentleness and respect! 

It may be God's will for you to walk through persecution. It's better to suffer for doing good and standing with Christ than to give in to popular opinion. 

Share your faith faithfully! Don't be a hypocrite. We are to live the words of Christ in addition to sharing them.

The world may hate us, but better to die in Christ!

Every Christian should want to see everybody they meet in heaven! 

It's not only about heaven and hell. People are miserable following their own hearts. We want the best for them now!

v15 again... 

In your heart, honor Christ as holy! He is Lord of all. He is the only path! 

Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope, with gentleness and respect. Hope looks forward!

We can face persecution because we have hope, that one day we'll be received into the Kingdom of heaven!

The hopeful are to be prepared to make a defense and give an answer for the reason for our hope. We don't need the perfect answer for every question. Just say why you love the Lord Jesus!

We're not personally responsible to save anyone. Only the Lord can save the dead. Yet we are to be ready to be part of that process! You may be the vessel today God uses to usher someone into eternity. What an honor!

So share! 

And do it with gentleness and respect.

Jesus was gentle with the Sanhedrin! As God, he had options, but he chose gentleness and respect. Also, a gentle answer turns away wrath! 

Be a faithful witness until the end.

Witnessing to non-believers is also about what we do, not just what we say. Don't be a hypocrite! Be a good representative of Christ to them! Be kind, be joyful. Who's going to want what we have if we show a bad example of Christ?

Have a peace that surpasses all understanding. Worship him through the pain! People will see the Gospel in your life. Our hope cannot be stomped out!

Christianity isn't true because it works; it works because it's true!