Sharper Iron — The Gospel in Action: Jesus Has Divine Authority to Save

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Rev. Mike Newman, president of the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Mark 11:27-33.

On Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus’ enemies begin to confront Him. Threatened by the Lord’s actions in Jerusalem the previous two days, they come to Jesus with the false belief that they have authority of their own. They do not trust that authority is God’s gift by which He provides for service for His people, and so they think that they can trap Jesus. As He responds, Jesus does not only masterfully evade their trap; He speaks the Word of God to them in love. Jesus puts the question about Himself to them by asking them about John the Baptist. As the forerunner of the Christ, the Baptist’s ministry is connected intimately to Jesus’ ministry. To believe what John preached is to believe Jesus. Tragically, the religious leaders stubbornly cling to their unbelief instead of honestly answering Jesus’ call to repentance and faith. Throughout the exchange, the Savior is not distracted from His mission and continues resolutely toward His death and resurrection for the salvation of sinners.

“The Gospel in Action” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the Gospel according to St. Mark. The Evangelist hits the ground running with the very first verse of his Gospel account, and he never lets up the pace. As one deed of Jesus comes right after another, always paired with His authoritative Word, St. Mark proclaims the good news that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, revealed conclusively by His death on the cross.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Mark 11:27-33

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

27 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, 28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. 33 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.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.