March 12, 2014
Jesus Continues to Teach the Truth
Mark 12:28-44
I The Greatest Commandment-----12:28-34
II A Word of Wisdom------ A Word of Warning 12:35-40
III The Widow’s Mite-------12:42-44
There have been few people born, who have so affected history, that their births, and rebirths, marked the era, that they lived in….John
Wesley is one of the few……He was an 18th century Anglican preacher and theologian, who along with his brother Charles, began the Methodist, Evangelical Movement, in Great Britain, and the United States… If it hadn’t been for his conversion, and the ensuing revival, and “Great Awakening”, with it’s hugely, spiritual and social impact-----England, it has been said, would probably have gone through something like the French did, with their revolution.
Historians have cited, that John Wesley’s coming to faith, was one of the most important historical events, in the Western world.
John Wesley was born in 1703, the 15th child of Samuel Wesley, the rector of Epworth, and his wife Susanna. John enjoyed a good
up-bringing, under, his unusually talented, dedicated and godly mother-------and went on to a brilliant career at Oxford, including a post-graduate professorship, of Greek and Logic. He also served as his father’s curate twice, and was ordained as a priest in the Church of England, when he was 25.
While he was at Oxford, he joined a group of undergraduates, led by his
brother, Charles, and the soon-to-be-great, evangelist, George Whitefield----they dedicated themselves, to being a group, who were
striving, to build holy lives for themselves, and for the people, whose lives they touched…
He met with the group, every day, for prayer, the study of the Greek New Testament, and for devotional exercises. He set aside an hour each day, for private prayer and reflection. He took communion every week, and he set his mind, on conquering every sin. He fasted twice a week, visited the prisons, and assisted the poor and the sick….
John Wesley, admitted years later, that he wasn’t saved during that time period, he only thought he was…because of all of the rules he followed
and the works he did----
When he was 32….and still unconverted, he accepted an invitation, from the Society of the Propagation of the Gospel, to become a missionary to the American Indians in Georgia…….It was a great disaster------he was a terrible missionary to the Indians----he argued with his colleagues, and he almost died of disease…
When he got back to England, he wrote in his memoirs, “I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh, who will convert me.” The
missionary experience, taught him, just how wicked and wayward his heart was…and the blessing of his life was, that, on his way home from America, on board ship, he met some German, Moravian, Christians, whose simple faith, made a great impression on him…So much so, that when he got back to London, he sought out one of their leaders and through a series of conversations, admitted that he had never been saved….
It took 3 more years, but the morning finally came, when John Wesley,
Couldn’t deny the Lord Jesus, any longer, and he yielded himself, heart, mind and soul, to the Savior’s love and mercy and direction…
That morning, he opened his bible, haphazardly, and his eyes fell on the text in Mark 12:34--------“You are not far from the kingdom of God…”and he knew the Lord was speaking just to him…. it gave him great comfort and hope, because it pushed him over the edge, into salvation----and he said, for the rest of his life that it was his life verse---because, it never failed to remind him, of just how lost he had been, before he surrendered himself to the Lord Jesus.
The sweet thing was, that whole passage actually, paralleled John
Wesley’s situation perfectly, with the Scribe’s situation,….the Lord conversed with the scribe, a lost man of God, in the house of Israel----- and He conversed, with John Wesley, a lost man of God in a godly home----both men were professed clergymen; both were highly educated; both were bible scholars, who knew the scriptures, inside and out; and both were confronted by the Lord Jesus, with the words, “you are not far from the kingdom of God….”
It’s amazing how God’s word never changes---and that it is relevent to
every person in every generation----and that it’s power is mighty enough to change a heart and a life in an instant…
We are blessed, that the Lord spoke so candidly to the people he talked to, especially in the last days of His life-----the wisdom and the truth that He shared with them, is the same wisdom and truth that He wants us to understand----our blessing, is that we have the Holy Spirit, to make sure that we know Him, and understand His meaning, and that,He graciously, gives us the ability to trust and obey Him and His word, when we do…
I The Greatest Commandment 12:28-34
The scribe, who asked Jesus the all-important question, about the greatest commandment, seemed to be, much more sincere, than the other religious leaders had been, who had challenged the Lord that day…
The scribes, as a group, appear here and there, all throughout the scriptures….the early scribes functioned as secretaries to David and Solomon….and by the time of Hezekiah, they transcribed old records and became known for both their scholarship and their interpretation of the Law….They were proud of their ever-increasing wisdom and boasted about it----they were a dominate force among the repatriates, after their return, from the Babylonian captivity----Ezra was a scribe…They gave themselves, so carefully, to the study of the Scripture and developed such stringent rules for transcribing it, that , in time, the words of the scribes, took precedence, over the words of the Scripture…By the time of Jesus ministry, their misapplication of the scripture, was evident in the clever tricks they used, to help them sidestep, even the most simple duties, imposed by God’s Law….as we’ve seen over and over again…
A typical scribe began his training around the age of 13----he would journey from wherever he was born, and enroll in one of the Jerusalem, rabbinical schools----- his studies would last, until he was 30, and then, usually, after becoming a priest, he would be inaugurated into his office. Successful scribes could and would, rise to high positions in their culture---they were doctors of the Law and family lawyers----scribes, who didn’t do as well, and weren’t able rise to prominence, were able to work at copying the scriptures, being notaries, and writing legal documents, sales contracts and bills of sale…The scribes , as a whole, had a passion for public recognition, at formal functions-----and they loved, being called by imposing titles, as they walked in the marketplace---
A favorite topic, for the scribes to debate among themselves, was a discussion about, which of the commandments carried the most weight. The Jews recognized 613 commandments of the written Mosaic Law….
In the early days, they decided that the ceremonial laws were the most important ones---later, they decided that the moral laws were the most important----and by Jesus’ day, the scribes and the Pharisees placed, the most importance on…. Sabbath-keeping, tithing, and the dietary requirements of the law, ignoring, the more vital aspects of the Law, like justice, morality and truth.
This particular scribe seems to have been an honest man----and dissatisfied with what was going on in his world---he seemed to have been on the same page as Jesus, and not afraid to let everyone know it…He didn’t seem to be trying to trap the Lord, like the other leaders had been…he seems to have been genuily interested in the Lord’s answer…
The Lord quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5. There is only one God. The Lord restated, that very simple fact, which is the foundation, for the whole Law of Moses, and is the first, of the 10 commandments…
The Lord didn’t address the 10 commandments, in answering this scribe---He took him to the basic truth that God is God; He alone, is God, there is no other. There is only one God----- He has ever been, He is now, and He forever will be…He must be enthroned, Jesus reminded the scribe, in the life of the individual, so sovereignly and so supremely, that every emotion, is a God-centered emotion, every thought, is a God-centered thought, every decision ,is a God-centered decision, and every deed, is a God-centered deed. This means, that our whole being---- heart, soul and mind, is to be centered on God, and He is to be loved and served, with every ounce of strength, that we possess.
Then, the Lord quoted from Leviticus 19:18, telling the scribe, that second only to our love for God, should be our love for our fellowman…
Jesus took the 10 commandments, and reduced them to 2 commandments… and, if we could just obey those 2 commandments, then everything else should fall into place…
This particular scribe’s heart was transparent----he heartedly endorsed the Lord’s words, and then, he added his own comment----evidently, he had a mind of his own and he answered the Lord, intelligently….he was in a better place, than the rich young ruler, who had allowed his money to get in the way of his salvation----Jesus said, that this scribe “wasn’t far from the kingdom”-----
but, it’s clear, that he wasn’t in the kingdom, yet, either---he needed to be careful, that he didn’t let his reasoning mind, get in the way of his salvation…to get into the kingdom, the scribe had a decision to make… he had to say yes, to the king….
And the blessing, for the scribe was that the Lord Jesus, was passing by him, just at that moment----…
Jesus was complementing the scribe when he told him that he wasn’t far from the kingdom…He could tell that the scribe was capable of thinking for himself----Jesus could tell that the scribe understood that the Law was more than a system, that it was a matter of the heart…
Jesus’ words were also a warning---even though the scribe, was close, he had not crossed over the line---and there’s an old adage which says, that “a person can be within an inch of heaven, and still go to hell…”
Jesus could tell that the scribe believed that loving God and loving his fellowman were more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices could ever be….and He could see that the scribe was willing to pause, and truly think, deeply, about eternal things…and that he believed that the love of God is the highest priority of all------facing this truth, has a way of smacking a person in the face, because, in our own strength, there’s no way that we can love God with our whole hearts, no matter how hard we try to…only the work of the Holy Spirit, in a person’s heart, can teach and equip a person to love God, first and foremost. The fact that the scribe realized this, placed him very close to heaven’s door…
The scribe was honest---he didn’t allow his allegiance to the other scribes and Pharisees, keep him from acknowledging the truth---and he was not a coward---he was willing to step out and step up and to let everyone know where he stood…
That’s how John Wesley was----sitting at the feet of one of the most famous mothers, of all time… he was taught that the love of God, was the highest priority, for any life, in any time----Susannah Wesley’s children, every one, lived their lives, serving the Lord----- and she always maintained, that it was because she spent regular time, with each of her 19 children, instructing them, in the things of God. Wesley was a thinking man, and he was honest----honest in personal matters and honest in spiritual matters---after his experience in America, he was willing to bare his soul, without guile, to the people he thought that he could trust to help him-----and he found the way to cross over into the kingdom of God….and he believed, finally, with his whole heart that loving the Lord, his God, with all his heart, mind , soul and strength and his neighbor as himself was the only way to live his life----and he changed his world----and we can pray that the scribe did too.
II A Word of Wisdom---A Word of Warning 12:35-40
The scribes all agreed, that the Messiah was going to be, a son of King David, descended from his line---they believed what the scripture said about it…..
And there was no doubt, that Jesus was a Son of David, because the genealogical records, which were kept in the Temple, could verify that fact…..the problem was, that even though Jesus kept telling them who He was, the religious leaders, just could not accept, that Jesus was both the Son of David and the Messiah----He was the fulfillment of the prophecy that they claimed to know so well, even though they kept denying, what was right in front of them…
Jesus, in trying to get the scribe to give his heart to him, and to try, one more time, to get the leaders’ attention, hoping they would see just a glimmer of light…quoted from Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said, unto my Lord, sit at my right hand….” The Jews acknowledged that this verse was part of a messianic psalm. In the psalm, David heard, the One, whom he knew to be God, inviting, the One, whom he knew to be his Lord, to come and sit with Him on His throne, the very throne of God. This meant that his Lord, had to be God----no one else could share God’s throne----it had to be the Messiah---- and God told David, that, on earth, the One sharing His throne, was going to be David’s descendant, one of his sons…David was awed and astounded and humbled, that the Messiah, was , somehow, going to be his son!!!
As He said this, Jesus, wound up capturing everyone’s attention again----He was David’s son, and He was the Messiah----there wasn’t any reason to hide His identity any more, because, Calvary, was getting closer and closer…… Jesus wanted them to realize, that, either David was mistaken, about what he had heard, and what God had said to him, and the scripture was a lie, and Jesus was nothing more than just a mere human descendant of David-----or, He was both---- David’s son and the Son of God----Jesus left it up to the scribes, and the other religious leaders ,to choose the truth, about who they believed that He was.
That’s what the scribe who had discussed the Law, with Jesus, had to decide, for himself…If he wanted to become a member of the kingdom of God, he had to take the step of faith, from just giving intellectual acknowledgement, to the truth------- to personally surrendering his heart, mind and soul, to the Lord Jesus, as his Savior.
What would he do with Jesus, was the fundamental question, that had to be answered----I love what Peter said when he was faced with the same question, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And the confession that Nathanael made, when he had to give an account of his belief, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” and then, the wonderful declaration, that Thomas made, when he saw Jesus, after the resurrection, “My Lord, and My God.”
Jesus went on to issue a warning at this point----He wanted the scribe, and everyone listening, to understand that belonging to the kingdom of God, was a matter of the heart---and that it had nothing to do, with the outward appearances, that they so loved---they had a false sense of values, and they were eaten up with pride---their spirit was totally out of sync with the Lord’s Spirit of meekness and lowliness…they thought that the best seats in the synagogue and stylish and expensive robes made them godly----Jesus made it clear, with the next parable that He told His disciples, that that was a gross, misunderstanding of the truth…
(The turning of the calendar from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000----marked one of the most memorable events in human history----and it’s amazing how that event, was perceived by different people.
Recently, a pastor was talking about that day, to 2 people---one was from America and one was from another country, but they were both believers.
The American confessed, that he, and many other Americans, had been focused on the potential problems of the failure of the computer chips that wouldn’t be able to read the new centuries date…and they worried about everything, from gas pumps, to water supplies, to electrical-generating plants. And the other person, from Europe, told him, that in her country---the main focus had been that the world was celebrating Jesus’ 2000 birthday….
The pastor said that he was stunned by the contrast of what they had each considered important----and was reminded that 2000 years of history, have not changed the most important question, mankind has ever been asked…who do you say that Jesus is? And how important is he in your life?)
III The Widow’s Mite
One of the duties of the scribes, was to make out wills and other deeds. Very often, they weren’t content with their fee for services, so they would try and get more money by preying on the fears and superstitions and the religious obligations, of the women who had been recently widowed-----they would promise them grace if they would deed their inherited property over to the Temple---when they did, the scribes would receive a substantial proportion of the proceeds----and they would cover up their fraudulent activity with hypocritical prayers, while leaving the widows destitute, with no other recourse, but to beg for hand-outs; or to throw themselves on the mercy of their closest, living, male relative…
It must have been late in the day----and Jesus was probably tired of all of the contention, and the verbal sparring, with the leaders, so, scripture says, that Jesus left Solomon’s porch, and went down into the Temple, itself, into the Court of Women, which was an area about 200 feet square. The treasury was located there, which was signified by the 13 trumpet-shaped boxes, with various inscriptions, designating their purpose-----there were nine, for legal duties and the temple taxes---- and there were four for voluntary contributions…
Jesus sat down, for a few minutes, to watch the way people made their contributions----
And as He sat watching, He could see, that some people were giving cheerfully, and some were giving grudgingly-----the poor were quietly taking care of business, and the seemingly, wealthy, were giving loudly and extravagantly, so that everybody knew they were throwing fistfuls into the coffers…
And Jesus was watching them all… how would we feel if the Lord was watching us make our contributions----would they be the same, would they be different? Would we give with a different heart attitude or a different look on our faces? Well, guess what? He is watching, and it should make a difference----- so, how cheerful are we with our giving? how free are we with our giving? how sacrificially do we give? and how quietly do we give?….
God weighs our motivations----which can be terrifying and comforting to us, all at the same time…
The Lord watched the pageantry, of it all, and then, something of eternal significance caught His eye…
In England, farthings were still used, until 1960. A farthing is a small copper coin, which is worth, one quarter of a penny. The mite, is a thin, small Jewish copper coin, that was worth about, half, of a farthing----and the widow, that Jesus was watching. had just 2 mites-----so we can see, just how poor she was…
Jesus knew, what was in the widow’s heart----He knew, how much it cost her to give those two little inferior coins-----He knew, what a sacrifice it was-----and He was delighted!!!
Little did the widow know, that the “Lord of Glory” was sitting in the treasury, that day….and little did she know, whose eyes were watching her that day---and little did she know, who was appreciating and applauding, her act of sacrifice and service, that day! And little did she know what joy she had brought to the Savior-----a ray of sunshine, on a dark and gloomy day, of controversy----- a glow, in the gloom that was gathering all around him, the closer He got to the cross. Little did the widow, know, that her gift, that day, would find its way into the Gospels, and that for the next 2000 years, her generosity would be talked about, and preached to the very ends of the earth!
God can do great things with tiny offerings----the two small mites, given quietly, with the widow’s motive, of love and obedience and generosity, have produced more, for the kingdom, in these 2000 years, than all the other gifts, given, that Passover week and ever other Passover since----Down through the centuries, those two miniscule coins, have been multiplied into billions and billions of dollars, for God’s work and the kingdom----as poor people, have given from what little they have; and wealthy people, have given, from how much they have, as they realize, that it all belongs to the Lord anyway, so why not give with a generous heart, and wait to see what He does with what is given…
Don’t you wonder what she found, when she arrived home, penniless, that day----I just can’t help but think, that the Lord blessed her, in some wonderful way----Maybe the Lord sent Judas, as the disciple’s treasurer, with a gift for her…or maybe he sent Zaccheus to put his money where his mouth was----the week before , Zaccheus had promised the Lord, ‘
half of his goods, to feed the poor.”
Unfortunately, until we get to heaven, we won’t know about any of it…but one thing we can anticipate, for sure,-----is that, we will all see her, when she gets her great reward in heaven….
I found on utube----a modern illustration of the parable of the widow’s mite…A little girl in a square in Sabadell, Spain put the only money she had, into a street performers hat---a bass player ---within minutes he was joined by a whole orchestra, 100 people strong and a choir…----she gave what she had and the orchestra poured love and joy and experience out on her extravagantly.
The street performer was playing, Joyful Joyful, We adore Thee---- And He celebrated the generous heart of the little girl. She gave a tiny token, only ,to be given back more than she could ever have expected….isn’t that just like Jesus….when we give what little we have to the Lord, He meets us with surprise after surprise …blessing after blessing…extravagant generosity after extravagant generosity… We need to put ourselves in the little girls shoes----are we giving all we have to Jesus? How is He continuously surprising us with His unbelievable generosity? It was amazing as each member of the orchestra joined him with their instruments, by the end, the whole crowd of people were singing at the top of their lungs, the little girl just stood awed in their midst…… That’s what God wants to do for us-----when we give out of the overflow of our hearts, what little we have---the Lord takes it and magnifies it, and then, blesses us extravagantly……
(Outdoor Leadership----with Ashley Denton---Street Level Experiential Learning/Modern Widow’s Mite Illustrations)
No comments:
Post a Comment