Shabbat Shalom, everyone. Please open your Bibles to the Gospel of Mark. We are continuing the beautiful Gospel of the Servant of Jehovah, the Servant of the Lord, Yeshua the Messiah, of whom we have learned much thus far, and we're going to continue today in Mark chapter 11. We read from verse 27, and then we'll enter into chapter 12, and we read from verses 1 to 12. So, please follow me. And so we read: "And then they came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, "By what authority dost thou these things?

And who gave thee this authority to do these things?" And Yeshua 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." The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we shall say from heaven, he will say, "Why then did ye not believe him?" But if we shall say of men, they feared the people. For all men counted Yohanan, John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Yeshua, "We cannot tell." And Jesus, answering, saith unto them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things." Chapter 12, verse 1.

"And he began to speak unto them by parables: "A certain man planted a vineyard, "and set an hedge about it, "and digged a place for the winepress, "and built tower, "and let it out two husbandmen, "and went into a far country. "And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, "that he might receive from the husbandmen "of the fruit of the vineyard. "And they caught him, "and bit him, "and sent him away empty. "And again he sent unto them another servant. "And at him they cast stones, "and wounded him in the head, "and sent him away shamefully handled. "And again he sent another, "and him they killed, "and many others beating some and killing some.

"Having yet therefore one son, "his well beloved, "he sent him also last unto them, "saying they will reverence my son. "But those husbandmen said among themselves, "This is the heir. "Come, let us kill him, "and the inheritance shall be ours. "And they took him, "and killed him, "and cast him out of the vineyard. "What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? "He will come and destroy the husbandmen, "and will give the vineyard unto others. "And have ye not read this scripture? "The stone which the builders rejected "is become the head of the corner. "This is the Lord's doing. "And it is marvelous in our eyes.

"And they sought to lay hold on him. "But fear the people, "for they knew that he had spoken the parable "against them. "And they left him, "and they went their way." "I read here up to verse 12 of chapter 12, "and I think I'm going to stop with that "so we can get the whole connection here "of this chapter. "a very moving chapter, "because reading this 11th chapter, "and of course chapter 12 now, "the first 12 verses shows us "how hard was the heart of our own people Israel "some 2,000 years ago "when Yeshua the Messiah arrived to Jerusalem "and he sought to reveal himself "to our own nation Israel at his first coming.

"But you know, beloved brothers and sisters, "we learn from this passage "that God is actually showing to us "that he had all these known from past history. "He planned it. "He knew what was going to happen "when a Messiah will come at his first coming, "that he will be rejected and despised "and ultimately set aside. "As the Lord Yeshua himself said this in chapter 10, "if you remember, behold, verse 33, "we are going up to Jerusalem, "and the Son of Man shall be delivered "unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, "and they shall condemn him to death "and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles." Verse 34 of chapter 10, "And they shall mock him, "and scourge him, "and shall spit upon him, "and shall kill him, "and the third day he shall rise again." So when we study the Gospels and we see the life of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, we know that he knew ahead of time that which will happen to him when he will finally arrive to be among our nation Israel and that Israel as a nation will not accept him as the Messiah at his first coming.

So this particular passage, Mark 11:27 to Mark 12:12, we really learn that Yeshua the Messiah is the stone which the builders rejected. In Hebrew we say, "Ha'even asher ma'asu habonim bo." This is the stone which the builders rejected. And so we concluded in our previous ministry in verse 26 when he reminded the disciples the importance of praying for one another and forgiving the people of God and mankind. And by saying that, he really looked to the future where eventually he will forgive the nation of Israel and will restore him unto himself as we read in Hosea chapter 14 and the first seven verses. But now we are entering nearer and nearer to the time where the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, the Mashiach will be rejected, despised and ultimately going to die on the cross, on the tree.

And so chapter 11 verses 27 to verse 33 we can see that he is there in Jerusalem before the spiritual leaders of our nation Israel and there he is challenging them and they have this conflict against the person of Yeshua the Messiah. So Israel's spiritual leaders now asking him this interesting question. The question had to do with authority. You know, authority is given by God. The nation of Israel, the spiritual leaders did receive the authority from God to lead the nation, to instruct the nation and to give them spiritual guidance. Now here come a man by the name of Jesus, of Yeshua, claiming to be the Mashiach, the Messiah and he does certain things in the temple which were never ever done before.

And so in verse 27 they came to him, notice, as they come again to Jerusalem. By the way, this is now the third day that he entered the city of Jerusalem into the temple. We find him in chapter 11 earlier in verse 11 that he entered into Jerusalem and into the temple. But he left this the previous days. Then we find him again a little bit later in verse 15. He came again to Jerusalem the following day. He went into the temple. He did what he did and he left again the temple in Jerusalem. He went out of the city back to where he was staying on the Mount of Olives.

And now he's coming the third day and he's entering as it begins with verse 27. He came again to Jerusalem and as he was walking in the temple, look what happened, beloved brothers and sisters. We read, as he was walking, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him. And in verse 28, they said unto him, "By what authority does thou these things? And who gave you this authority to do what you just have done on the previous day?" Now, let me remind you that God gave Israel what we know today is called the Sanhedrin. Sanhedrin were the 70 men who were the leaders of Israel from the time of Moses when God gave to Moses in Numbers chapter 11.

He commended him to choose 70 godly men from among all the tribes of Israel. the 70 plus Moses are 71. They are the Sanhedrin, the highest court, you might say, the spiritual court among the people of Israel. They were responsible to guide the nation of Israel with respect to any spiritual life. They were to be the one that are the heads over the tribes. They are responsible to lead spiritually the people of Israel in a godly manner. Moses was their 71st one, but all the other 70 leaders were to follow God and give instruction to our people Israel of old. So, when someone come into the temple and does what Yeshua have done, which I'm going to mention in a moment, they come to him and they question him.

"You are not one of the Sanhedrin who give you," notice again, they said unto him, "By what authority," this is verse 28, "you have done these things? And who gave you this authority to do these things?" Now, what things there I'm speaking about? Well, if you just go back, please, with me to verses 15 and 16 of this 11th chapter of Mark, the previous day when Yeshua came to Jerusalem, it says in verse 15, "And they come to Jerusalem and Yeshua went into the temple and he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple and he overthrew and he overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves." Verse 16, "And he would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel throughout the temple." Can you imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, here come this man by the name of Yeshua, the multitude come before him and they said to him, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord in the previous day." They, if you remember, placed him on a donkey and he says, "The king of Israel have come unto you.

O Jerusalem, just accept him. Hosanna!" they cried. "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." He come into the temple. He stopped the whole system of worship during that day. He casting out all the tables. He casting out all the money changers. In fact, what he does, he stopped the worship that had been done during that day. In fact, if you notice, we read in that verse 16 of our chapter, "He would not allow that any man would carry any vessel throughout the temple." They could not go to the altar of sacrifices there. They couldn't carry any vessels. They couldn't offer anything anymore.

He stopped the whole activity in that temple in Jerusalem on that day when he had arrived. And everybody is puzzled. Everybody is wondering by what authority does he have these things that he can do such a thing. Who is this man that can do such a thing? And so the spiritual leaders of Israel, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, these are, you might say, the responsible element over our own people of those days, 2,000 years ago in the temple. They are the leaders. If there is any changes that were going to happen in the temple in Jerusalem and any decision making to do anything in the temple in Jerusalem, they had a biblical right to do so.

Had they followed God themselves and wanted to please God themselves. But you remember what Yeshua said to them on the previous day? He taught them and he said to them, "Is it not written, my house should be called of all nations the house of prayer and ye have made it a den of thieves?" The temple, Beit HaMikdash, should have been a place where God, the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is being honored and praised and all the nations will gather there to worship the true and living God. But when he comes to the temple, what does he find? They are buying for selling.

The spiritual state of Israel during the time of the first coming of the Messiah was apparently not that which was pleasing to the Lord. And so he came and he turned all the tables around. He chased the ones who were buying and selling and the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves and so on. And beloved brothers and sisters, amazingly, verse 16, it said that he did not allow, for he would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And activity has stopped. And so now he is coming the following day. And so the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, these are the Kohanim, the Sofrim, the Zkenim, the elders of Israel, the spiritual elements of our own people, Israel, approaching Yeshua, the Messiah, and they are telling him, "By what authority dost thou these things?

And who gave thee this authority to do these things?" The issue here, beloved brothers and sisters, is authority. Who has the authority? Now, it is fascinating that we find again and again in these passages that authority the Messiah had which those spiritual leaders did not have whatsoever any biblical authority. We read, for example, in chapter 1 of the Gospel of Mark and verse 27, they were all amazed inasmuch that they questioned among themselves saying, "What thing is this? What new teaching is this? For with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirit and they obey him." He had authority from God to command the unclean spirits and to chasten them from those who came to trust him.

authority that was given to him by God. While the spiritual leaders did not speak the way he speaks, they did not act the way he acted. The people of Israel were fascinated with the authority that Yeshua the Messiah had. Verse 27 of Mark chapter 1 is speaking about this as we just read. Notice chapter 2 and verse 10 we read again in our Gospel, "But that ye may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." Yeshua the Messiah said when he forgave sins for those who came to him in repentance. He had authority that was given to him from God. He is God the Son who became a man, the Messiah, Mashiach the Messiah and he had authority as men to forgive sins here upon the face of this earth.

Chapter 3 of the Gospel of Mark and verse 15 says this, listen to this, to have power to heal sickness and to cast out demons. This is authority that was given to him by God. Yeshua had authority from God. In fact, beloved brothers and sisters, Matthew ending his whole Gospel in Matthew chapter 28 where Yeshua said to the disciples, Yeshua came and he spoke unto them and he said, all authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. God gave these men, his own servant, the Messiah himself, authority to forgive sins, to cleanse the sick people, to deliver them from demonic activity. He gave him all power and all authority here upon the earth just as much as he has in heaven.

So, the issue here, authority. And that's why they came to him, the spiritual leaders of our own people, Israel, and they said to him in Hebrew, we say, Be'ezere shut. By what authority you do what you are doing. Who gave you authority to do what you just did? Cleansing the temple, overthrowing the tables, chasing the money, changes. And then, do not allow anyone to have any activity, any movement in the temple on that day. This is amazing. By the way, it never happened before. In history, it never happened before. Those leaders were responsible over the spiritual affairs of the nation of Israel. Israel, they detect what's going on in the temple in Jerusalem, and here come a man, and he's stopping everything that was going on there in the temple in Jerusalem.

So the issue here, authority. And so now, notice what Yeshua answered to them. When they come and we question him about what authority did he have, he responds to them in verses 29 and verse 30 by taking them back to an event that occurred a few years earlier. You remember, this is the last days of Yeshua's life. About three and a half years prior to it, he was baptized by John the Baptizer in the Jordan to begin his public ministry. And so what does he do in verses 29 and 30? He's asking them a question. This is so interesting because often times when you speak to our own Jewish people, when you ask a question from a Jewish person, they usually answer the question with a question.

And here, the Lord does it and we see that these things are happening in biblical days. There are questions being asked, so you answer the question, but first of all, you asking a question is part of the conversation. So Yeshua said to them, notice verse 29, Yeshua answered unto them, he said, I will ask of you one question and answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. And so verse 30 asked them his question. And he said to them, the baptism of John, Yohanan, was it from heaven or of men? Answer me, Yeshua is saying to them. Now it is interesting because he is now taking them back back about three and a half years earlier.

And he asked them this interesting question about the baptism of Yohanan, of John. He says, really, the baptism that John, Yohanan, have done when he came and he presented himself before the nation of Israel, is the baptism, the tevila, that he commanded Israel to do, was it really from heaven or was it from men? Now, I want you to notice what was John baptism. John, by the way, they often mistakenly calling him John the Baptist, but John was not a Baptist. John was the baptizer. His family name is not Baptist. He was Yohanan the baptizer. His father was Zechariah. His mother was Elisheva. He was Yohanan ben Zechariah.

John, the son of Zechariah. He was a baptizer. He was called by God to come down to present the Messiah at his first coming. And so, in Matthew chapter 3, I'm going to read a few verses in this third chapter. we read in verse 1, "In those days came John the baptizer preaching in the wilderness of Judea." And notice what he said. He said to them, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight." And the same John, this is Yohanan, had his raiment of camel's hair and his leather and girdle about his loin and his food was locust and wild honey.

Listen to this, beloved brothers and sisters, "Then went out unto John or to Yohanan Amatbil, Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan and they were baptized of him in the Jordan confessing their sins." You see, beloved brothers and sisters, when Yohanan Hamatbil, John the baptizer came down, he was sent by God and he was sent to call the people of Israel "Repent" as he said in this chapter, "Repent" verse 2 of Matthew chapter 3. Why? Because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. God is going to establish the promised kingdom. Just repent and be ready. The Messiah is coming. So all, as it says here, the regions round about including Jerusalem, everyone came to him and you can just imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, thousands upon thousands came down to the Jordan River and they were identifying with the baptism of John called the baptism of repentance.

Shuvu, in Hebrew we say, turn around, Shuvu, repent, turn back to God. John commended the people of Israel, the Messiah is coming, the kingdom is going to be established. And you notice what happened. When the spiritual leaders of Israel, the Pharisees and the Sadducees came down to John the baptizer, he said to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, all generations of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the rest to come? Bring forth therefore fruits which is meat for repentance. You need to repent. That's like the rest of the people repented. You need to repent. So John the baptizer's baptism was a repentance baptism. They needed to confess their sins to turn back to God and await the Mashiach that would come to establish the kingdom.

But unfortunately, while many of them waited for the Messiah and did repent and identify with John the baptizer's baptism, the spiritual leaders did not. And so while they come to him and they said unto him, "By what authority do you do what you do?" Yeshua turned around and he asked them a question and he said to them in Mark chapter 11, "I will also ask of you a question and then if you will answer me then I will tell you by what authority I did these things?" and he said to them, "The baptism of John, was it from heaven or was it of men?" And you notice he takes them back.

Had they have accepted the baptism of John, then he could give them additional truth. Additional truth. Why was he the one that had turned the tables around? Why was he doing what he did? But apparently, beloved brothers and sisters, they did not accept what John taught. How will they accept what Yeshua is teaching? There is a verse that is found in John chapter 7 and verses 15 and 16 and the Jewish people marveled saying, "How know this man letters having never learned?" And Yeshua said to them, notice in verses 16 and 17 John 7, he answered and he said, "My doctrine is not of mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he will know my teaching, whether it be of God or whether it is of myself." In other words, if you had responded to light that was given to you earlier, you would be able to continue on and get additional light and ultimately come to know who I am.

And you notice that God will never give us more light and more information if we are not willing to submit to the early information that we already received. Search the scriptures, John 5, "In them that you say that you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me." If you have accepted the prophet's testimony, if you accepted John the baptizer's testimony, then you would be able to accept me and recognize who I am. The more light you submit to, the more light you receive. But apparently, they didn't. And that's why the Lord answered them in such a way. He says, "The baptism of John, was it of heaven or was it from man?" You answer me.

Had you really accepted the testimony of John the baptizer, you would know whether I am truly from God and the reason, the authority that I do what I do. But beloved brothers and sisters, sadly, they did not accept John's testimony, neither they have accepted who the Lord Yeshua the Messiah was. These are the spiritual leaders of Israel. And so notice their answer. In the last three verses of Mark, chapter 11, they reasoned with themselves and they said, "If we shall say from heaven John's baptism is," he will say, "Well, why didn't you believe what John said?" John said. Then verse 32, "But if we will say it is of men, they fear the people for all men counted John, Yohanan, that he was a prophet indeed." So you see what they are reasoning among themselves.

They are not seeking to submit to the authority of the Lord, but they are reasoning. They figure out, "Well, if we're going to tell him that it was from heaven, then he will tell us, why didn't you obey what John told you?" And I will tell him, "No, no, no, no. It is really not from heaven. It is from men." Well, the people around them have accepted Yohanan's testimony and they repented. And therefore, they said to him, notice in verse 33, they answered him and said, "We cannot tell." They couldn't come with an answer. Of course, they knew very well what John the baptizer testified. And they also knew very well who Yeshua claimed to be, but they didn't give him an answer because they were trying to protect themselves and then notice what it says at the end of chapter 11, verse 33b, Yeshua said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things." If you are not ready to submit to already God-given information through Yohanan HaMadbil, John the baptizer, if you do not submit to what God said through John, then you will never be able and you will never submit to what I was going to tell you about myself.

And beloved brothers and sisters, this is rising up to the climax. This is the climax between Yeshua, the Messiah, and the spiritual leaders of our own people who have had such a privilege, a chosen nation, a nation that was called by God. The Lord gave them the scripture of the word of God by inspiration, the Torah, the Nevi'im, the Ketuvim, the Tanakh, the Old Testament, the five books of Moses, the law, the prophets of Israel from Isaiah on and all the writings, the Psalms and the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. God gave these spiritual leaders of Israel plenty of information that they should have received the Messiah and acknowledge Him that indeed He was that promised one of Israel.

And so now there is really no break between chapter 11 and chapter 12 because He is still at the temple. It is still the same day. He is still speaking with the same people. He is showing to them the national judgment that is going to come upon the nation of Israel which is demanded by God because their disobedience and rebellion against Him. Though God loved the nation of Israel He had to discipline His beloved people of Israel. He had to lay upon them that which He knew that would happen because of their unbelief. their unbelief. And so the next chapter 12 the first 12 verses Yeshua is speaking to the leaders of Israel in a parable.

Again to remind you the word parable in Greek is parabolo. Parabolo in the Greek and mashal in Hebrew simply means to cast alongside. You are telling a story from earth from here and now and apply it to a spiritual spiritual lesson that He wanted to teach and to present before them. So in verses 1 to 8 of Mark chapter 12 Yeshua tells the leaders of Israel a parable of the vineyard and the vine dressers. Listen to the parable. I read the first 8 verses. And He began to speak unto them by parable. A certain man planted a vineyard and He set a hedge about it and digged a place for the wine press and He built a tower and He let it out unto a husbandman and He went into a far country.

And at the season He sent to the husbandman a servant that He might receive from that husbandman husbandman of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught Him that servant and they beat Him and they sent Him away empty. And again He sent another servant and at Him they cast stones and they wounded Him in the head and they sent Him away shamefully handled. Verse 5 And again He sent another and Him they killed and many others beating some and killing some. And then notice in verse 6 Having yet one son His well beloved He sent Him also less unto them saying they will reverence my son.

But those husbandman said among themselves this is the heir come let us kill him that the inheritance shall be ours. and they took Him and killed Him and cast Him out of the vineyard. Now the Lord Yeshua the Messiah spoke in parables to the leaders of Israel intending to somehow show them that this is not new. In Israel's history God has already showed in various periods of time in Israel's history how Israel or the spiritual leaders were responsible to lead the nation in a way that it is pleasing to the Lord. In fact while they didn't have any New Testament Brit Hadashah in their hand because there was no Brit Hadashah they had the Tanakh the Torah the Nevi'im the Ketuvim the law the prophets and the writings.

they knew very well of what Yeshua is speaking because they knew what Isaiah in chapter 5 spoke of the leaders of Israel some 750 years before the Messiah was even born. Turn to Isaiah 5 and look what we read there. Well just read the first few verses of this 5th chapter. Isaiah is speaking and he's saying to Israel just before Israel were going to be taken captive by the Babylonians. He warned the people of Judah the people of Israel that soon God will come in judgment because you rebel against God and I'm going to send you away to be taken by the Babylonians for 70 years. And so we read now will I sing to my well beloved a song.

The song of my my well beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And he fenced it and he gathered out the stones thereof and he planted it with the choices of vine. And he built a tower in the midst of it. And also made a wine press therein. and he looked that he should bring forth grapes and not his beloved brothers and sisters and he brought forth wild grapes. Verse 3 of Isaiah 5. And now all inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you between me God is saying and my vineyard. you be the judge. You be the judge.

What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it. Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes. And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedges thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the walls thereof and it shall be trodden down and I will lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged but there shall come up briars and thorns. I will also commend the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the man of Judah his pleasant plant.

And he looked for judgment but behold there is oppression for righteousness he looked but behold a cry. You see God is showing to us already 750 years before Yeshua the Messiah came to this world he showed us that he already gave these warnings to the people of Israel the people of Judah some 750 years before Yeshua came into this world. And he as we read in Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 7 for the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. Israel the nation was chosen by God. Israel the nation was a people that was set in the promised land. Israel the nation were brought from a far land from Egypt being redeemed and brought into the promised land.

God had placed them in the choicest land. He fenced the land. He gathered out the stones. He planted it with the choices of vine. He built even a tower in the midst to protect that vineyard and he made winepress and he looked that there would be some grapes but instead of proper grapes sour grapes came. What does this tell us beloved brothers and sisters? That God had expected from Israel to bring fruit for him. He wanted them to honor him, to praise him, to live as a nation that will be a testimony to the world around them. And as sad as we read it that God promised that he will discipline his people and here we can see how clearly I will tell you what I'm going to do as he says I will take away the hedges and I will not allow anyone, no protection.

I will break it down. He said everyone is going to come and trod down upon my vineyard. I will lay it waste. I will even tell the clouds not to bring rain down so it will become dry. And then he said that he will allow others to come and trod upon the vineyard. And you know it did happen beloved brothers and sisters. 586 BC the Babylonians came and they took our own nation, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, took the Jewish people to Babylon and the nation of Israel at that time went to Babylon there for 70 years. And all because of rebellion and disobedience to the Lord.

and so now coming the Messiah later. And he is now appealing before the nation claiming to be the Messiah reminding them that God said that my house shall be called of all the nations the house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves. And they did not recognize and accept the fact that the Messiah has come. Charging him and challenging him saying to him by what authority you do these things. Who gave you this authority to cast the money changers to break the table and do what he did to stop the service at the temple. Who gave you this authority? They rebelled against God denying the Messiahship of Yeshua rejected him from being the one that has the right to the people of Israel.

I want you to read me another psalm for a moment. Please. Psalm 80 it's in a sense the confession of Israel recognizing that they were this vineyard as Isaiah said and they rebelled against the Lord and they wanted the Lord to forgive them. Notice Psalm 80 in verse 7. It says there "Turn to us again O God of hosts and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved." verse 8 "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt." This is Israel. "Thou hast cast out the heathen and you planted this vine." Verse 9 "Thou preparest room before it and did cause it to take deep root and fill the land.

The hills were covered with the shadow of it and the bows thereof were like the bodily cedars." "She sent her boughs unto the sea and her branches unto the river." And then notice I'm reading verse 14. "Return! We beseech thee O God of hosts look down from heaven and behold and visit the vine." They were praying according to Psalm 80 to be restored to be restored because they have gone astray. And now again beloved brothers and sisters as we come to Mark chapter 11 and 12 the spiritual leaders have gone so far astray that they rejected the Messiahship of Yeshua. Yeshua and Yeshua is telling them this parable to illustrate the condition that prevailed when they rejected the Messiah.

And so notice that in verse 1 of our chapter he began by telling about the vineyard in verse 2 he says that the owner of the vineyard sent servant to receive some fruit from that vineyard from that vineyard from the vine dresses. And so notice when he sent that servant in verse 3 what did they do to the servant? They caught him and they beat him and they sent him away empty. Instead of accepting the servant that the owner of the vineyard sent and giving the fruit that belonged to the owner what did they do? They take the servant they beat him they throw him away. Then verses 4 and 5 they sent another servant him what they do they cast stones against him and then wound him in the head and send him away shamefully.

Verses 5 we continue and he said again another servant was sent and they killed them and many others beating them and killing some. You see what the Lord is saying. These servants beloved brothers and sisters are the prophets of all the leaders of Israel the godly men who were sent by the Lord to lead Israel back to himself. But always opposition. The first servant they did not receive. The second servant they chased him away. The third servant they killed. The other servants they beat him and killed some. killed some. And you see that was the history of our own nation Israel. And for a moment I want to say don't forget that it is a very similar history during the church age in which we live in today.

from the days the church was born in Acts chapter 2 when the Holy Spirit of God descended up till today 2000 years of church history is a repetition of the very same thing. It was the apostle Paul who said in 2 Timothy that the people in the last days will like preachers that have itching ears. They want to have preachers that are suitable for their pleasure. Otherwise they will chase them away. Look at what happened throughout the 2000 years. In fact beloved brothers and sisters Revelation chapter 3 speaking about the Laodicean church in the last days of this church age that the Lord is outside he is knocking behold I stand at the door and knock.

If any man open the door and let me come in I will come in and I will sup with him and he with me. He is outside. It is very similar in our days today. And what's going to happen? At the second coming of the Messiah as we read in Revelation 3 I will spew you out of my mouth the Lord said. Because of the condition that prevailed as well in the days in which we live. But notice what he said. In verse 6 he is going back and there he is mentioning about the owner of the vineyard who had one son. Notice that verse 6. Having yet therefore one son his well beloved son he sent him also less unto them said you know they will reverence my son.

They will accept my son. And you would think that these vine dressers will accept the son when he would come. and so notice what happened. In verse 7 and 8 we find out what Yeshua predicting that here what they have done to the son. It says here in these verses 7 and 8 but those husband men these are farmers or vine dressers they said among themselves this is the heir come and let us kill him and the inheritance will be ours. and they took him and they killed him and they cast him out of the vineyard. This is exactly what happened. When Yeshua was rejected he was sent out you might say we will have not this man to rule over us.

Israel the nation the spiritual leaders did not accept the Messiah at his first coming. and it was all predicted. The prophets of all have understood this and preached it to the nation and throughout our own history you can see it again and again and again rebellion against God disobedient against God when a Messiah came him they did not accept. And beloved brothers and sisters to the world in which we live in today if Yeshua is going to come today to the whole world today the world will reject him in the very same way. We will not have this man to rule over us. And now listen to what the Lord is saying.

The Lord take this parable and in verses 9 to verse 12 He explained that parable and eventually applied this to the leaders the spiritual leaders of the day. And you can see that they know eventually they realize that He is speaking unto them. Notice in verse 9 Yeshua asked the leaders what shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? You know here in the remaining of verse 1 it shows as if He is actually the one who gives the answer but actually if you are going to read Matthew chapter 21 you will notice that the answer was given by the Pharisees the spiritual leaders themselves they gave Him and answered themselves.

He asked what shall the Lord of the vineyard do? If you have a vineyard and you are the owner and you handed it over to someone to a worker to say you take care of the vineyard but I want to say to you I am going to come I am going to send my servant and I am expecting from you to give me some fruit. this is my vineyard we will share together you have some I have some. If you would have someone to whom you have delivered the vineyard into His hand and you send servants to get your share and they stone the one and they hurt the other and they kill the third and ultimately they send everyone away what do you think the owner will do when he is going to come?

Well Matthew chapter 21 says this look at the answer that they themselves said he said to them in verse 40 we read the same story it says when the Lord therefore of the vineyard will come what will He do to those husbandmen and here is the answer of the leaders they said unto Him He will miserably destroy those wicked men and He will let out his vineyard unto another husbandman which shall render Him the fruit in their season This owner of the vineyard will discipline the vine dressers because of what they have done He will chase them out and He will hand it over to someone else who will bring fruit for Himself and so

the answer in verses 9b it's not the words of the Lord really according to Matthew chapter 21 it is the answer that the leaders themselves have given unto Yeshua when He was asking them this question and so beloved brothers and sisters look what the Lord is answering there in verses 10 and 11 He charged the leaders of Israel and He is saying to them in verse 10 have you not read the scripture and what was the scripture He is quoting to them from Psalm 118 which we actually read it earlier the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner this was the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes

now you see we read in Psalm 118 about the stone and some of the stones when Solomon built the temple in the city of Jerusalem they were cutting the stones in a quarry below because they could not make any noise at the temple and they were bringing these stones one by one and they were situating them one upon the other as they were building the temple in the city of Jerusalem and apparently the story is going on being said over the years that when the builders who were building the temple in the city of Jerusalem when they received one of those stones that were brought up to the temple from the quarry they saw it

and they couldn't find a place where it will fit and they were taking that stone and they cast it down there by the valley of the Kidron Valley and they said bring some other stone this stone is not good we don't need this stone it's not suitable for us bring some other stones and sure enough they cast that stone to the valley there and they didn't see any need for that stone but you see notice that Yeshua says the stone this is the Mashiach the Messiah Ha'even which the builders this is the spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel the stone which the builders this is Israel have rejected became actually the chief corner or

the head of the corner the corner stone the building the building could not be finished until the corner stone was there and in that story when they finally finished the temple and they are looking for one stone that is missing and they say where is that stone?

we need that corner stone and the people at the quarry were saying but we have already sent it to you and they said oh this is the very stone that we had here but we didn't see suitable for us and we cast it down to the valley and now they had to bring again that stone and sure enough when the stone was brought it fitted in exactly the place that it should have been fitted as the corner stone and beloved brothers and sisters this is so interesting because the psalmist of Israel predicted of a time when the Messiah the Mashiach will come and he will be rejected at his first coming by the nation and

then later on we know in a future day they will realize that this is the stone which we the builders have laid aside have rejected at first but he is actually the head of the corner he is the one that if we are going to finish that building if we are going to be blessed we need that corner stone that stone that we once have rejected rejected and so the lesson beloved brothers and sisters is that Yeshua is communicating with the leaders of Israel that they were the one who rejected the corner stone the stone which is none else but himself the Messiah himself I just want quickly to tell you that in the Bible

in the Word of God in the Old Testament in the Tanakh the stone the Messiah is looked in three ways in according to Psalm 118 the stone is looked upon historically as a stone that was rejected by the nation of Israel Psalm 118 and verse 22 it does say the stone which the builders rejected or refused is become the head of the corner this is past history 2,000 years ago Israel as a nation did not accept the Messiah who is the stone the rock upon which Israel as a nation was built and the church itself upon this rock I will build my church Yeshua had said but it is not only then because in Isaiah

chapter 8 he is not only a stone that was once rejected in the past but in Isaiah chapter 8 we find out that Yeshua becomes for the people of Israel a stumbling block or a stumbling stone we read in verse 14 he shall be for a sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel Yeshua until today is still a stumbling stone for Israel for the Jewish people we know it in our own personal life with our own families we know very well that the person of Yeshua is a stumbling block to the nation of Israel today in past history he was a stone that was

rejected but in a present condition among the people of Israel is a stumbling stone but I want to suggest that all the prophets of Israel also look at Yeshua in the future tense and they said that he will be the one stone that one day in the future day he will come and he will be received by the nation of Israel listen to this Daniel chapter 2 "thou O king" verse 31 you behold the great image this great image whose brightness was excellent he stood before thee and the form thereof was terrible this image head was of fine gold and he gives us all the image that Nebuchadnezzar has seen about the whole future days

what when the end of the world empires will come to pass we read in verse 34 you saw a stone which was cut out without hand which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay and break it in pieces one day that stone is the Messiah himself who will come one day and will restore the rights of the kingdom to himself and Israel as well the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and he filled the whole earth as we find it in Daniel chapter 2 and verse 35 the stone which the builders rejected became the head of the corner there are many other passages that can be spoken

about that stone but notice it says in verse 11 of Mark chapter 12 this is the Lord's doing it is marvelous in our eyes this is not something that men thought upon on his own this was something that the Lord himself had planned he knew all along that it will happen and eventually in the end of the days he will accomplish what he promised to us in his words so they sought to slay him now notice in verse 12 they sought to lay hold of him but they feared the people and they knew that he spoke the parable the parable against them the leaders of Israel knew that the parable of verses 1 to 8

of chapter 12 is really about them they were the ones who were the builders who actually rejected the stone and they were the ones that were responsible to accept the Lord accept the Messiah rejected him ultimately the judgment have come upon them so they left him and they went their way and here from the next verses on there is a final conflict before eventually the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is going to be hung on a Roman cross and pay for the penalty of sins beloved brothers and sisters Yeshua is the stone which the builders reject we need to pray that people who hear the Gospel today will not deny him accept him

as their Messiah and be sure to have eternal salvation through the person of the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua the Messiah