Mark 11, The Message
27-28 Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up and demanded, “Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?”

29-30 Jesus responded, “First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I’ll present my credentials. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me.”

31-33 They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, “If we say ‘heaven,’ he’ll ask us why we didn’t believe John; if we say ‘humans,’ we’ll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet.” They decided to concede that round to Jesus. “We don’t know,” they said.

Jesus replied, “Then I won’t answer your question either.”

They failed. We fail when we think of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit in finite terms. We fail when we limit who God is by merely our own thinking of who God is and what He can do. God is God, no matter what we believe Him to be or how we poorly describe Him to others. He is Truth, in the person of Jesus Christ, no matter what we believe or how we behave. Only Jesus saves. We cannot. Only God creates something out of nothing. Only God. God alone.

Mark 12, The Message
12 1-2 Then Jesus started telling them stories. “A man planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, erected a watchtower, turned it over to the farmhands, and went off on a trip. At the time for harvest, he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect his profits.

3-5 “They grabbed him, beat him up, and sent him off empty-handed. So he sent another servant. That one they tarred and feathered. He sent another and that one they killed. And on and on, many others. Some they beat up, some they killed.

6 “Finally there was only one left: a beloved son. In a last-ditch effort, he sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

7-8 “But those farmhands saw their chance. They rubbed their hands together in greed and said, ‘This is the heir! Let’s kill him and have it all for ourselves.’ They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him over the fence.

9-11 “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He’ll come and clean house. Then he’ll assign the care of the vineyard to others. Read it for yourselves in Scripture:

That stone the masons threw out
is now the cornerstone!
This is God’s work;
we rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!”

12 They wanted to lynch him then and there but, intimidated by public opinion, held back. They knew the story was about them. They got away from there as fast as they could.

Jesus knows our true heart, mind and soul. Who are we to question the Son of God? Who are we to question His credentials? Who are we to even describe the Creator of the Universe. We do not have enough words in our knowledge and language. But we do know that God is enough for us.

Dear Heavenly Father, We respect, honor and praise You. We are grateful for Your salvation. We are brokenhearted when we think of what You went through for us. But You are the Victor! So, we rejoice in the victory that is ours by believing, trusting and following You and You alone. Go with us this day. Show us the path and we will walk with You. In Jesus Name, Amen