The Text

Mark 11:15–19 (CSB)
15 They came to Jerusalem, and he went into the temple and began to throw out those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,

16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple.

17 He was teaching them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!”

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

19 Whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

The Devotion

Numbers 21:4-9 (CSB) Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people became impatient because of the journey. The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!” Then the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.

The people then came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so that he will take the snakes away from us.” And Moses interceded for the people.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover.” So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.

If you are angry at God. If you wanna wage war against him because you think he is preventing from living your life. Or worst still, you have a vision for your life that only includes what you want and you just want God to come and bless you. But he didn’t because He is God and loves you too much to enable you in your sin and death.

And you find yourself at war with God. But you are not at war with God. God is all powerful and all might. You wage war and you will not win. You are hopelessly outmatched.

God might your enemy but he is not at war with you. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die so that you might be reconcile to him.

Christ is not inviting you and me to look upon him so that we might live.

Christ is commanding you and me to look upon him and live forever.

The Discussion

1. Will you obey the Son of God?

The Prayer from the Psalms

Psalm 11 (CSB)
For the choir director. Of David.

1 I have taken refuge in the LORD. How can you say to me, “Escape to the mountains like a bird!

2 For look, the wicked string bows; they put their arrows on bowstrings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

3 When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD—his throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his gaze examines everyone.

5 The LORD examines the righteous, but he hates the wicked and those who love violence.

6 Let him rain burning coals and sulfur on the wicked; let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.

7 For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds. The upright will see his face.

I have seen the volley of artillery rain down all around me and You, O Lord, my precious shield, have absorbed their attacks. Yet, the enemy’s sharpshooters have taken careful aim at my heart. Their fiery bullets have pierced my chest. Their lies have penetrated my mind. Their blasphemous words have laid weight upon my soul.

It hurts me so.
O God 
You are endlessly faithful:

  Faithful to save.

  Faithful to heal.

  Faithful to restore.

  Faithful to equip.

  Faithful to send.

My Commander of Hosts, help me in my moment of despair.
  My feet, which are strapped with Your gospel of peace,
  have been firmly planted into the Rock of Ages.
  I will and cannot retreat. I shall not be moved.

You see, your victory is complete.

Your finished work continues to grow in ranks by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit,
  the swelling of our hearts and the changing of our minds.
  
Your kingdom presses against the gates of hell.

I can now hear the rivets popping from the weight of your awesome glory.

May I continue to herald your great works and your great name for the rest of my days.

In your name, I pray.

Amen.

The Resources

Calvin’s Commentaries.
by John Calvin.
Baker. 2009.
Olive Tree

Mark: An Expositional Commentary
by R.C. Sproul.
Reformation Trust Publisher. 2011.
Goodreads

New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Mark
by William Hendriksen.
Baker. 1981.
Goodreads

The Gospel according to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
by William L. Lane.
Eerdman’s. 1974.
Goodreads

Mark (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT Volume 2)
Edited by Thomas C. Odin & Christopher A. Hall
IVP Academic. 2005.
Goodreads

Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary Series)
by Timothy G. Gombis.
Zondervan Academic. March 9th 2021.
Goodreads