Preaching in Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-12:44)

• Mark 11:1-11 – Fulfilled prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.
• Mark 11:27-33 – Authority of Jesus challenged. All authority is from one of two sources: man or God.
• Mark 12:-1-12 – Parable of the tenants.
• Mark 12:13-17 – Paying taxes to Caesar
• Mark 12:18-27 – “Sadducees,” no marriage in resurrection
• Mark 12:28-34 – Greatest commandment – love God and neighbor
• Mark 12:35-37 – Whose Son is the Christ?
• Mark 12:38-40 – Beware of the scribes and their hypocrisy
• Mark 12:41-44 – Widows offering – “gave more than all”
• Mark 13:1-2 – Temple would be thrown down, not one stone left on another. Josephus said there were some stones of the temple that were 8’ x 10’ x 70’!

Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple

Four different comings of Jesus in scripture:

• Physical, coming to earth – John 16:28
• Spiritual, come into hearts, mark abode with us – John 14:23
• Coming thru/via agent representative (Egypt, Assyria, Rome, etc.)
  • Isaiah 19:1 - Agents God used to afflict Egypt was Egypt from within, Israel, and Assyria
  • Mark 13:26 – The agent Jesus used in the destruction of Judaism, Jerusalem and the temple, was the Roman army.
• Second coming of Jesus

Introduction

• I Peter 1:3-5

I must first believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

• Acts 2:3, 24, 31
• Peter reached a spiritual low point after denying Christ.
• Luke 24:11-12, 17-27, 45-49 – The life work of the apostles would be to tell people about the risen Jesus.
• Acts 1:1-8
• Acts 2:36 – What changed for Peter? The resurrection!
• I Corinthians 15:12-17 – If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, how could we believe anything He said? But He did rise!

I must get to work!

• Acts 2:38; 3:15, 19-20
• Acts 17:18, 30-31 – This is the proof that we need to repent!
• Romans 1:4-5

I must die to sin and walk in newness of life!

• Romans 6:1-4

• Our goal should be to never sin again!
• Philippians 3:6-11 – However hard it is to put away the old life, it’s worth it!
• Colossians 2:12; 3:1-14
• I Peter 2:24

Imprisoned in Caesarea (Acts 24-26), continued:

Felix (Acts 24), continued:

• Acts 24:10 – Felix had been governor for 5-6 years at this point.
• Acts 24:24-27 – This seems to be moral procrastination on the part of Felix. Compare Acts 2:41; 8:36; 16:33. In those cases, baptism was immediate!

Festus (Acts 25)

• Acts 25:11-12 – We have known for a while that Paul would somehow end up in Rome. See Acts 23:11.
• Acts 25:13 – This is King Agrippa II. Agrippa and Felix were brothers-in-law. Berenice was Agrippa’s sister (with some rumors of an incestual relationship).

Agrippa (Acts 26)

• Acts 26:6 – Compare Acts 23:30-35.

Introduction

• Matthew 4:18; 10:2; Mark 1:16; Luke 6:14; John 1:40; 6:8
• Andrew was always described as Peter’s brother.
• John 12:20
• Mark 13:3-4
• Just because Andrew’s work was not mentioned much in the Bible does not mean his work wasn’t important.
• Mark 3:13
• Mark 14:6 – This small act was remembered!
• Mark 9:41

He spotted the truth and told others about it

• John 1:35-42
• John 1:15, 19-23, 29
• Am I open to truth like this? If we are waiting for the majority, we won’t be like Andrew!
• Andrew brought Peter to Jesus and Peter is still teaching many through his recorded words. Not bad work for the ordinary man Andrew!

He changed his life for Jesus

• Mark 1:14-22
• He dropped everything to follow Jesus!
• Acts 23:24-25 – Don’t be like Felix!
• We all have our own lives. So did Andrew. But he dropped everything to follow Jesus.

He was still a disciple after seeing what was involved

• Acts 1:13-14
• Matthew 10:16-23 – Their job was not a rosy picture!
• Matthew 13:20-21
• Being a Christian means persecution and enduring temptation.

Divorce and remarriage

• Mark 10:1-9 – Jesus went all the way back to the beginning to explain marriage.
• Mark 10:10-12 – The laws of marriage work the same way for both husband and wife.
• Compare Matthew 19:8-9.
• God’s plan was one man and one woman for life.
• Jesus re-affirms and re-establishes God’s original plan for marriage and gives God’s present law for mankind.
• All who are put away for any reason and anyone who has put away a mate for some cause other than fornication cannot remarry with God’s approval – their marriage is adultery!
• What are people to do who are in such marriages?
  • Some say, “well, they’re married, so it’s okay.”
    • Mark 6:17 – Herod was in an unlawful marriage and was rebuked for it.
  • Some say, “God wouldn’t break up families.”
    • Ezra 9:3 – Ezra was dismayed at the unlawful marriages.
    • Ezra 9:4-15 – They took this seriously!
    • Ezra 10:1-2 – Now there is hope!
    • Ezra 10:3-4 – They put away unlawful wives and children.
    • Ezra 10:11 – It took time, but they did it!
  • Repent or perish!
    • Repentance demands cessation of all sinful deeds and relationships.
• There are many false doctrines on divorce and remarriage.
  • Alien sinners and marriage
    • Do God’s laws apply only to Christians?
    • The Bible teaches:
      • Men in the world are guilty of specific sins.
        • I Corinthians 5:9-10; 6:9-11
      • We are to reprove the world of specific sins.
        • Ephesians 5:3-13, 11
      • All men are subject to the universal authority of Jesus.
        • Matthew 28:18
        • Ephesians 1:19-23
  • But doesn’t baptism wash away all sins?
    • Baptism does not allow any sinful relationships to be continued or carried over into Christ’s church.
    • Baptism without repentance is NO GOOD. Repentance demands the cessation of all sinful deeds and relationships.
    • Repentance and prayer do the same thing for the Christian (Acts 8:22; I John 1:7-10) that repentance and baptism do for the alien sinner (Acts 2:38 - remission of sins in both cases).
• Conclusion
  • The only God-approved “remarriage” whether involving aliens or Christians is when:
    • One remarries after his/her mate has died.
    • One remarries after putting his/her mate away for adultery.
    • All other remarriages are without God’s approval and are adulterous relationships.
  • There are three groups God will join in lawful matrimony:
    • Those who have never been lawfully married.
      • Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:3-9; I Corinthians 7:2
    • Those whose mate has died.
      • I Corinthians 7:3-9 (marriage must be according to God’s law)
    • Those who have put away a mate because of fornication.
      • Matthew 19:9; 5:32