Jesus Knows
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
There are various reasons why we believe the Bible is God’s word.
One of these reasons has to do with certain parts of the Bible known as prophecy.
When we think of prophecy, we think of foretelling the future.
For example, there are passages in the Old Testament that foretold various historical events such as:
Israel’s time of slavery in Egypt
The reign of King Cyrus
The revolt of the Macabbeans during the reign of the Emperor Antiochus
The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem
This argument says that the Bible is God’s word because it contains predictions of future events that came to pass just was they were foretold.
Only God knows the future from the beginning.
Therefore, the Bible is God’s word because many of its prophecies have been fulfilled.
This means…we can trust God because he knows all that will come to pass.
He knows the end from the beginning.
He is sovereign over every event in history.
Today, we turn our attention to Mark 11 where we will see how Jesus, being God’s eternal son, knows everything that will come to pass - and this gives us comfort. Today, we will consider:
The historical setting
The command
The lesson for us
The historical setting
The historical setting
Mark describes the setting:
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,
Cuando se acercaban a Jerusalén y llegaron a Betfagué y a Betania, junto al monte de los Olivos, Jesús envió a dos de sus discípulos
We are now entering the last week in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The day is Sunday and the Bible tells us he and his disciples are approaching Jerusalem.
He is traveling in food, approximately 2 miles from Bethany to Jerusalem.
Many of us are familiar with the events of this day as it is commonly known as the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem where Jesus goes into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey.
Jesus will be crucified five days later, on Friday.
However, Jesus is firmly set on entering Jerusalem.
He is walking into the lion’s mouth - fully aware that the religious authorities in Jerusalem seek to destroy him.
Jesus will not be deterred from entering Jerusalem, for his is on a mission - to give up his life to save his people from their sins.
The command
The command
As he enters Jerusalem he gives a command to two of his disciples.
saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
con este encargo: «Vayan a la aldea que tienen enfrente. Tan pronto como entren en ella, encontrarán atado un burrito, en el que nunca se ha montado nadie. Desátenlo y tráiganlo acá.
Y si alguien les dice: “¿Por qué hacen eso?”, díganle: “El Señor lo necesita, y en seguida lo devolverá.” »
Jesus tells his disciples to go into the village and to untie a donkey (that no one has ever ridden)…but a donkey that belongs to someone else.
Sometimes our kids are reluctant to ask for a drink refill - let alone go into someone else’s property and unchain their bicycle or electric scooter.
But Jesus is firm in his command.
He tells his disciples exactly where to go, what they will find, and what they must do with it.
He also tells them that the owner will ask for an explanation of why they are untying the donkey.
…and Jesus tells them how they should answer - the Lord needs it…and he will bring it back.
If it were me…I think the story would end here because I would start to think about ways to get out of doing what Jesus had commanded.
I may go into the village and buy someone’s donkey.
I may go to a friendly looking neighbor and offer money to rent their donkey for a few dollars.
Mark sets us up to be curious about what the disciples will do:
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,
some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”
They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.
Fueron, encontraron un burrito afuera en la calle, atado a un portón, y lo desataron.
Entonces algunos de los que estaban allí les preguntaron: «¿Qué hacen desatando el burrito?»
Ellos contestaron como Jesús les había dicho, y les dejaron desatarlo.
The disciples found exactly what Jesus said they would find - a donkey in the village, tied up.
Then…as they were untying the donkey, there were curious people nearby that asked for an explanation of what they were doing.
…but they answered precisely as Jesus had told them - the Lord needs the donkey and we will bring it back.
…and just like that the two disciples went back to Jesus with the donkey.
I can see their faces beaming with excitement after this experience.
I can see them walking, hurrying to get back to Jesus, surely to share of how Jesus was right on all accounts.
As soon as the disciples returned, they through their garments over the donkey so that Jesus could sit on the donkey and ride into Jerusalem.
The lesson for us
The lesson for us
What does God want to teach us through this interesting but somewhat unusual story?
We started this message explaining how God knows all things.
God knows the end from the beginning.
God knows the course of human history because he is all knowing.
This story affirms this reality - God knows all things.
Jesus, who is God, knows all things.
Jesus knows all things such that even in these small details are not hidden from his knowledge.
Jesus is entering Jerusalem during the last week of his life.
Five days later, he will be arrested, tried, and condemned to die on a cross.
…and yet, even these small details about the tied up donkey, a donkey that no one had ever ridden before, the people that would ask for an explanation of why the disciples were untying the donkey, and what the disciples should answer…none of these details were hidden from his understanding.
Jesus knows…he knows all things.
So…the first lesson to us is to trust that Jesus knows.
Jesus knows our future.
Jesus knows all that will come to pass.
Jesus knew that our beloved Pastor Daniel Ozuna would no longer be with us.
Jesus knew that he would call him home on October 2, 2023.
…and sometimes I wonder:
Why could I not find a job in 2015 to stay in California and not have to move to Idaho.
Why was there no one at the church on Franklin Ave., when we arrived in Idaho and were looking for a church home.
Why was pastor Dan so willing to let me preach three weeks after we visited Agua Viva for the first time.
…that has been my experience and it is something that I frequently meditate on.
…well I have my answer - Jesus knows.
Jesus knew our beloved congregation would be without a shepherd after he called his servant Daniel home.
…but guess what - why are you here?
Why did you start coming to this church?
…to be part of a body that would seek to comfort one another as we begin to learn what it means to serve God knowing that pastor Dan has stepped into eternity.
So my brother and sister, ultimately why are we gathered here?
We are here because Jesus knows.
Every family is here because Jesus knows that we need one another as we encourage each other after this great loss.
Sometimes, things happen that we think are simply coincidences…but let me read to you a text message that I received from Pastor Dan on Sunday.
May the Lord continue to the bless the church and your family. We were blessed.
Why? Jesus knows…Jesus knows that this would be the last word of encouragement that we would receive from our pastor.
Why? Jesus knows...
If the first lesson is to believe that Jesus knows all things…the second lesson is that we must trust his command.
We will continue serving God just as he commanded.
We will continue to encourage one another unto good works just as he has revealed in his word.
We will continue to pray for one another…as he has called us to do.
…we will follow the commands of our Lord - who knows all things and will be with us until the very end.