Today, Jesus picks up where He left off with these Jewish leaders, and as we’ll see, He instigates the indignation needed for these leaders to take action against Him.

This action will, in several days, result in His suffering and death and ultimately His resurrection, which we celebrate today.

Before we get started, let’s remember that Jesus came in the full authority of God the Father, and He exercised His authority by going to the cross for sinners like us.

But as we can see through the last several chapters, pride in the heart of man rejects this authority.

And this pride becomes the very path to hypocrisy and lack of fruit, as we have seen from the Jewish leaders.

The path to bear fruit, however, is full surrender, attachment, and dependence on the life of the tree, which is Christ.

And as we will see today, the people of God are called to bear fruit and render it to God.

Are you bearing fruit?

One day, He will return to gather the harvest.

And the only way we can bear fruit for His Kingdom ahead of His return is by fully surrendering to the authority He rightfully has.

Mark’s aim this morning to His audience is to show that Christ came in full authority to suffer and die for the sake of His rightful fruit, which are those whom He has called unto Himself.

And while the Jewish leaders thought they were removing authority from Him by getting rid of Him, He was actually stepping into His rightful place of authority through this very process.

This morning, our message highlights a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry—a significant shift as He enters Jerusalem. Until now, Jesus has kept His messianic identity private, focusing on teaching and healing without seeking fame. Even when Peter proclaimed Him as the Christ, Jesus instructed them not to share this revelation.Throughout His ministry, He avoided provoking the Jewish leaders while His popularity grew. We have followed His journey to Jerusalem, noted His teachings on humility and sacrificing for the Kingdom, as well as His acknowledgment of impending suffering.Now, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, He takes deliberate action to reveal His identity as the Messiah. This marks the beginning of the most important week in human history.[MAIN POINT]Today, we will witness Jesus as the initiator of prophecy, affirming His role as the Messiah. We’ll consider His royal entry into Jerusalem, the crowd’s superficial enthusiasm, and the hope we find in a Savior willing to die for us. On a Monday, Jesus received a king's welcome as He entered Jerusalem to shouts of praise, but by that Friday, He would be laid in a grave—His death cheered by those who had, just days earlier, welcomed Him with joy and called Him “Blessed.” Please stand as we read together: Mark 11:1-11.

Today, as we delve into the text, it’s clear that the disciples are still struggling to see. As Kevin likes to say, “bless their hearts”—but let’s remember to bless ours as well. Months ago, we explored the miracle of the blind man whose sight was restored in stages. This man was healed, but not instantly. Jesus first touched his eyes, and while his vision improved, he could only see blurry trees. After Jesus touched his eyes again, the man was able to see clearly.

Since we know that Jesus does not make mistakes in performing miracles, Mark uses this instance as a representation of our spiritual journey toward transformation. Following this, Mark presents a series of prophecies from Christ to His disciples regarding His coming death and resurrection. Each prophecy faced some form of resistance and was corrected through Jesus's patient teaching.

Mark then concludes this section with today’s miracle, which perfectly encapsulates what faith and dependence look like. It serves as a model for how we should approach and follow Christ. Given that Mark is often referred to as the Gospel of Discipleship, it’s no surprise that he uses the structure of his writing to demonstrate that Christ is worth following, even as our pride and self-focus often inhibit us from fully committing to Him.

The title of today’s sermon is “Can You See?” This question underlies all of the conversations Jesus has been having with His disciples during this section. Can you see yet? Can you grasp what I am trying to show you? Jesus has been striving to help the disciples understand that spiritual blindness and sin are intertwined, and one must possess humble faith in Christ to truly see and be liberated from sin.

The central message Mark aims to convey in our text this morning is the same one Jesus was trying to impart to His disciples: to be free from blindness and to follow Christ requires coming to the end of oneself and putting faith in Him.

Friends, Jesus Christ is worth following!

Over the past few weeks and months, we’ve observed how Mark uses this middle section of the gospel—while the disciples are on the road to the cross—to highlight Jesus’ teachings about the upside-down kingdom.

Jesus is guiding both His disciples and us from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. He demonstrates what it means to “deny oneself” and “take up one’s cross and follow Him.” He explains that the first shall be last and the last shall be first, emphasizing that it is better to serve than to be served.

Bless their hearts, the disciples just aren’t grasping these concepts. In Mark 8:31, when Jesus first informs them about His impending death and resurrection (very plainly, by the way), Peter rebukes Him. Then, in Mark 9:32, after Jesus speaks about His death and resurrection for a second time, the disciples still do not understand and are afraid to ask questions. Instead, they immediately start arguing among themselves about who is the greatest.

This morning, as we examine the disciples’ response to Jesus’ third prophecy about His death and resurrection, we see that they remain uninterested and focused on other things. We shouldn’t be too hard on the disciples, as Jesus’ teachings are revolutionary. He stands in stark contrast to the Jewish understanding of the kingdom and offers teachings that reflect the opposite of worldly wisdom.

In the world, one is often expected to self-promote and step on others to “get ahead” or achieve success—even when pursuing what is considered “good.”

As we unpack the text this morning, I pray that we are encouraged to align our hearts with God’s will:

• That we seek to serve instead of being served;
• That we put to death the sin in our lives so that we may walk by the Spirit;
• That we focus on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, instead of our own exaltation or reward

The Gospel of Mark is filled with action and moves at a fast pace. Mark intentionally guides the audience alongside Jesus and the disciples as they travel from place to place, engage in conversations, witness healings, and discover profound truths.Jesus is constantly on the move—doing, speaking, teaching, healing, and leading! The disciples, in turn, react, question, and learn, though they always follow His lead.There’s a palpable energy in the Gospel of Mark. As we progress through the text, the tension increases, raising the stakes as we approach the climactic event of the cross—the pivotal moment upon which all eternity hinges.Adam and Eve were promised this moment. The patriarchs anticipated it, and the prophets foretold it. Now, we find ourselves on the brink of redemption, with the kingdom of God at hand.You can truly feel this urgency as you read the text.Today's sermon is titled "The Leadership of the Suffering Servant."

While we will also explore the reactions to Jesus and learn how to apply these lessons to our lives, our main focus will be on Jesus as our leader, our teacher, and the author and perfecter of our faith!

As we turn to today's passage, it’s important to note the two significant interactions Jesus had just before. In the first interaction, while teaching the crowd, parents were bringing their children to Him for blessings. The disciples, however, tried to send them away. Jesus rebuked the disciples, teaching them that children exemplify the subjects of His Kingdom. Children are inherently dependent and full of trust, believing that those who care for them will provide for their every need.

This message set the stage for the second interaction. A rich ruler approached Jesus as He was about to leave. This man, a Jew striving for holiness and righteousness before God, revealed that his self-reliance and self-righteousness had led to the accumulation of great possessions that ultimately captured his heart, taking the place of God. Despite showing humility by running to and kneeling before Jesus in search of eternal life, he could not let go of the kingdom he had built for himself to enter the Kingdom that Jesus was offering.

The prospect of relinquishing what he had acquired was too overwhelming, and he went away disheartened.

To enter the Kingdom of God, one must submit to the authority of Christ, demonstrating a child-like dependence and reliance on Him rather than on oneself.

This morning, Mark encourages us to recognize that receiving and functioning within the Kingdom of God is only possible through God’s grace. And, receiving entry to this Kingdom brings significant implications for those who choose to enter.

The disciples have been following Jesus for over two years now. They have left everything behind to follow Him, completely trusting that He is the Messiah. However, their understanding of the Messiah is one of a Roman conqueror, rather than a sacrificial lamb. They believed that following this Roman-conqueror Messiah would grant them a favorable position in the Kingdom, where status, power, and authority would be within their grasp.

If we take a step back, we can see that the disciples share much in common with the man we will focus on in this morning’s text. They are zealous for what is right, eager to do good, and want to be part of the Kingdom they think Jesus has come to establish. However, there is something deeply rooted in their hearts that needs to be addressed.

Jesus has been working to help them understand that, like the Rich Ruler in this morning’s text, they too have an obstacle in truly seeing what it means to follow Him. Following Jesus requires a full surrender to the authority He has demonstrated as the Son of God and the King of the Kingdom. It means being humbly dependent and fully reliant on Him, much like a child, as we learned last week. It also entails laying down the things that we cling to so tightly. For the disciples, this was their desire for titles and positions; for the man we will discuss this morning, it was his earthly possessions.

We can find the foundation for the standard that Jesus set in Mark 8:34-38, where He states that anyone who wishes to follow Him must be willing to take up their cross, surrender everything, and follow in His footsteps. We must remember that Jesus used these situations to teach His disciples and the people about what it means to follow Him.

The author of the Gospel, regardless of who it may be, arranged these events in a specific order to help the reader understand what it means for them to follow Jesus as well. Through these teachings, Jesus has been demonstrating how difficult this is for both the disciples and the Rich Ruler. To follow Christ means that nothing else can take precedence over Him; if anything else is in focus, it can become a form of idol worship.

This is the upside-down kingdom of God.

The first eight chapters of Mark establish Christ’s authority, while the last eight chapters illustrate how that authority is challenged as He endures suffering all the way to the cross. So, what serves as the bridge between these two sections?

How does one recognize Christ’s authority and then suddenly prepare to follow Him on a path that leads directly to suffering? This is where we find ourselves in the text this morning. The bridge, which we have been examining, is complete and utter dependence on Christ, who is the only one capable of faithfully enduring suffering to save us.

Let us never forget how dependent we must be on Christ. He is both our Savior and Sustainer. In these passages, Mark shows us that complete humility is the only way to follow the suffering Son and to receive His saving grace. In a few weeks, we will explore the story of blind Bartimaeus, who perfectly exemplifies what full surrender looks like from a position of complete humility and dependence. We will witness how he turns around and follows Christ.

Today, we will begin to unpack the upside-down Kingdom of God, better understanding both the posture of entry into the Kingdom and the community of the Kingdom.

We will find encouragement in knowing that Christ is both the saving grace needed for entry and the sustaining power of the community once we have entered.

Last week, we heard a strong warning from Jesus about avoiding sin and not misleading others. We concluded with a charge to be like salt, which was essential in the days before refrigeration for preserving food. However, the warning is that when salt loses its saltiness—meaning it becomes tainted or contaminated by the introduction of other minerals or chemicals—it is no longer useful. Salt that has lost its saltiness is tossed out and trampled on.

Another command from Jesus that we heard was to "be at peace with one another." This was both a charge and a challenge, not only to the prideful, self-seeking disciples who were arguing about who among them was the greatest, but also a reminder and a command for us: we must not allow pride or self-serving motives to hinder the work of the gospel.

After leaving Capernaum, where we concluded that part of His ministry, Jesus and the disciples traveled toward Judea for about six months. This interval is not detailed in Mark but is included in the accounts of both Luke and John.

Once again, while teaching, Jesus was confronted and challenged by the Pharisees, who sought to discredit Him because He threatened their authority and power. What we will see is the natural human desire to retain control and resist submitting all things to God.

Furthermore, we will observe that disobedience—specifically regarding divorce—is a symptom of humanity's fallen nature. This disobedience stems from a desire to exert control and is deeply rooted in our own ego and self-exaltation. Divorce occurs when individuals fail to die to self.

This week, we are continuing our walk with Jesus through the book of Mark. I have been meditating on this text for several weeks, and to be honest, it has been a uniquely humbling experience. If you will bear with me for just a moment, I would like to zoom out and remind us all about the scope and purpose of Mark’s Gospel.In Chapter 1, verse 1, Mark states, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” From this, we understand that the purpose of Mark’s Gospel is to share the good news of Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God.This statement carries significant weight. The story of Jesus is good news—indeed, the very best news. Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. He fulfills God’s covenant with Abraham, faithfully adheres to the law that Adam could not keep, and justifies His people before a holy and righteous God.Mark is writing primarily to:1. Establish who Jesus is (the Son of God and the Messiah).2. Explain why He came (to serve and redeem us from our sinful state).3. Exhort us to believe (because He is our only hope).In Chapter 1, verse 11, we hear God speaking audibly from heaven during Jesus’ baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.” Mark then spends more than eight chapters demonstrating Jesus’ authority over all things. This authority is confirmed in Matthew 28:18-20 when Jesus gives what is known as the Great Commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…”The culmination of this authority is seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, where God speaks audibly again in Chapter 9, verse 7: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” God commands us to listen to the words of Jesus—even when those words may be challenging to understand.Now, let’s zoom in a bit. In the middle section of Mark, where we find ourselves this morning, Jesus is intensely discipling His disciples. This section is intriguingly bracketed by two healings of blind men: the blind man in Bethsaida, who experiences incremental healing, and blind Bartimaeus in Chapter 10.Jesus is guiding the disciples from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. As He does so, He is also taking them “on the way” (in the Greek, “en te hodo”) to the cross. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Taking up our cross and following Jesus is essential for our spiritual eyes to be opened, and it is the only appropriate response for those who trust Him.As we focus a little more closely, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection for a second time in Chapter 9, verses 30-32. The disciples do not understand and are afraid to ask. Oh Saints, don’t be afraid to ask!As they journey from Caesarea Philippi to Capernaum, they arrive at “the house” (perhaps it was Peter’s house) in verse 33. The disciples are arguing about who is the greatest. Jesus begins to teach and correct them, saying, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Following Jesus is not about power, status, or reputation. We must be willing to lay down our lives as He did for us.In verse 38, John mentions another person, outside of their group, who is casting out demons and how he tried to stop him. Jesus corrects John, saying, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.”It is within the context of these two corrections that we come to our passage this morning. It is the same conversation, so let’s keep that in mind as we read together…