Tawa Baptist

A New Heart

Scripture: Mark 13:14-27

Video Link: https://youtu.be/mOK3ojB1xyU

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • A new heart
  • A new security
  • A new King
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

New Zealand law stipulates that church buildings with an occupancy of 100 people or more must have a fire evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand. This auditorium has an occupancy rating of 200. Therefore, we have an approved scheme.

Part of the scheme requires us to provide fire warden training on a six-monthly basis, which we do. The door stewards, sound and projector operators, pastors, deacons, kids’ church leaders and service leaders all have specific areas of responsibility to help the congregation safely exit the building in case of a fire.

If you hear the fire alarm ringing, then you need to leave immediately by the nearest safe exit and report to the assembly point on the corner of Lincoln Ave and the Main Rd. Don’t go back to get your purse or your phone, just get out before the smoke and fire overwhelms you. Following the emergency evacuation scheme will save your life.

Today we continue our series in the gospel of Mark. Last Sunday we heard how Jesus predicted the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. In today’s reading Jesus outlines the emergency evacuation scheme for the people of Jerusalem. Jesus tells his disciples what warning sign to look out for and what they should do when they hear the alarm bells ringing. From Mark 13, verse 14 we read…

14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’standing where itdoes not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equalled again. 20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. 24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’  26 “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

If today’s reading sounds a bit scary, that’s because it is. We need to keep in mind that Jesus was speaking about the fall of Jerusalem which took place in AD 70. So, from our perspective, the events described by Jesus have already happened. They are in the past. But, from the disciples’ perspective, these events were still to happen, 40 years in the future.     

That said, history has a habit of repeating itself. Some say the judgement that fell on the temple in the first century is a foretaste of the judgement that will one day fall on the whole world.

Where then is the good news? Well bigger picture, God is making all things new. He is giving the world a new heart, a new security and a new King. Let’s begin by considering God’s gift of a new heart.

A new heart:

The heart of a car is the engine. Without an engine, the car cannot fulfil its purpose of taking you from one place to another.

The heart of a chocolate cake is cocoa. Without cocoa powder in the mix, it’s not a chocolate cake.  

The heart of an apple is its core, where the seeds are found. Without the seeds, we wouldn’t be able to grow more apple trees and the fruit would be lost forever. 

The heart of a marriage is commitment. Without commitment to one another’s wellbeing the marriage won’t last.

The heart of worship is love for God. Without love, all our singing and giving and talking is just white noise.

The heart of ancient Israel was the temple building. The temple was the engine of Jewish values and identity. The temple was the cocoa powder in Israel’s chocolate cake. The temple was the center of Israel’s worship. The temple carried the seeds of Israel’s faith and covenant commitment with Yahweh.

Sadly, as we heard last week, the Jerusalem temple had become corrupt and so the nation of Israel was rotten at its core.

God’s remedy was to give Israel a new heart. As the Lord says through the prophet in Ezekiel 36…

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.     

From our individualistic 21st Century cultural context, we tend to read these words as applying to us personally, individually. And that’s okay. The Scripture is spacious enough to accommodate that sort of interpretation.

But if we think more collectively, if we think in terms of we rather than me, we understand that the Lord is probably talking about giving his people, the nation of Israel, a new heart. That is, replacing their temple of stone with a temple of living flesh.

I believe Ezekiel is talking about Jesus here. Jesus is the new heart of flesh who replaces the old stone temple building. Jesus is the engine driving, not just Israel’s values and identity, but the values and identity of all humanity.     

Jesus is the cocoa powder in the world’s chocolate cake. Jesus is the center of our worship. Jesus carries the seeds of humanity’s faith and covenant commitment with God Almighty.

The question is: where is our heart? Who or what is driving the engine of our values and identity. Where does our loyalty and commitment lie?

A new security:

God is making all things new. He is giving the world a new heart, and a new security. Jesus is the new heart and Jesus offers a new kind of security. But there’s a catch; the security Jesus offers doesn’t feel that safe at first. Jesus’ security feels like a risk.

Human development experts tell us that small children have a need for enclosure. By creating boundaries and building enclosures, children start to feel a sense of control over their environment which leads to a sense of security and comfort.  

This need for enclosure often finds expression in children’s play. A child might, for example, build forts out of cardboard boxes or huts out of furniture and blankets. Or they might wrap up their dolls or toys. Playing hide and seek also helps a child to meet their need for enclosure. 

The need for enclosure often remains with us into adulthood. We have an unfortunate but understandable tendency to insulate ourselves against fear and disappointment. We might surround ourselves with small empty comforts, taking refuge behind a wall of cardboard box confidence.    

Enclosure and the sense of security it brings was a deeply felt need for many Jews during the first century. In verse 2 of Mark 13, Jesus predicted the complete destruction of the temple building in Jerusalem. And in verse 4, Jesus’ disciples ask him when this will happen and what will be the sign?

It’s not until verse 14 that Jesus answers their question. After telling his disciples to keep calm and carry on, Jesus says, “When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those in Judea flee to the mountains.”      

Verse 14 summarises Jesus’ emergency evacuation plan for Jerusalem.

The abomination that causes desolation is their fire alarm. It is a clear signal that they are in mortal danger and need to get as far away from Jerusalem as quickly as possible.

So, what was this abomination that causes desolation?

Well, an abomination is something that is highly offensive, loathsome or detestable. And desolation is emptiness, isolation, ruin and misery.    

The experts can’t agree on what historical event Jesus was referring to here. Some say Jesus is talking about the Roman legions surrounding the city during the siege of Jerusalem. The idolatry displayed on the Roman standards would be an abomination to the Jews, while the army itself caused desolation.

Others say Jesus was referring to the time shortly before the siege of Jerusalem when the zealots took over the temple building and murders were committed in the temple itself. Which was highly offensive and detestable. 

Whatever the case, the Jews of the first century understood what Jesus meant. God had left the temple building desolate, empty and unprotected, so the Romans could destroy the city. Jesus’ advice was to run for the hills, get away from Jerusalem.

In many ways Jesus’ advice was counter intuitive. The enclosure of the city walls made the people feel safe. Jews flocked to Jerusalem seeking security but also out of a misplaced sense of nationalism. They didn’t realise they would be safer in the wide-open spaces away from the city walls.

Staying in Jerusalem was like remaining in a burning building. History tells how 1.1 million people died in the siege of Jerusalem in the first century. Most were taken by starvation. Thousands were put to the sword or crucified. It was a disaster made more tragic by the fact it did not need to happen. If people had listened to Jesus, there would have been no siege in the first place.

Sadly, for many, Jesus’ voice was largely ignored. In verses 21-22 Jesus warns against false Messiahs and false prophets offering false hope. These false Messiahs were telling people to resist the Roman Empire and God would come to their rescue. Which I suppose is what the people wanted to hear.

Josephus, a first Century Jewish historian, tells how during the siege of Jerusalem several rival groups, with leaders claiming to be sent by God, struggled with one another for control within the city. [1]

Jesus warns against getting involved with these rival factions. Indeed, have nothing to do with the war, for God will not defend the city. This is like the time of Jeremiah when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, only worse.     

All of this goes to prove that true security is found through faith in Jesus.

It is by trusting and obeying Jesus’ word that we are saved, even when that word seems counter intuitive. We need the Holy Spirit to help us discern the voice of Jesus and give us courage to obey.

The question is, where do we find our security? Do we find it in the good opinion of others? Or behind a healthy economy and favourable trade agreements? Do we find it by aligning ourselves with a strong military force? Well, those realities are not unimportant. They can be helpful.

But real security, real peace and wellbeing, is the product of a just society.

We pray for leaders to govern with wisdom and fairness that we may live in respectful relationship with those around us.  

A new King:       

God is making all things new. He is giving the world a new heart, a new security and a new King. Jesus is the new heart. Jesus offers a new security. And Jesus is a King like no other.

For a long time, people thought the sun revolved around the earth. It wasn’t until 1543, when Copernicus published his theory, ‘On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres’, that people’s thinking started to change. Prior to Copernicus everyone thought the earth was the centre of the universe.

Often when we read the Bible, we think it revolves around us. And while the Bible certainly is relevant to us, it’s not primarily about us. The Bible is first and foremost about Jesus.

Jesus is the King at the heart of the universe, both the physical universe and the spiritual universe. Jesus is the centre. Everything in heaven and earth revolves around him. As we read in Colossians 1, verse 17: ‘He is before all things and in him all things hold together’.         

In verses 24-26 of Mark 13, Jesus says…

24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Some people assume that Jesus is talking about the end of the world in these verses. We human beings naturally think it’s all about us. But, as verse 26 makes clear, these words are primarily about Jesus, the Son of Man. 

It is unlikely that Jesus is talking about the end of the world here. If he was, what would be the point of his earlier advice to flee to the mountains? [2] Furthermore, we know he wasn’t talking literally because the physical sun, moon and stars are still above us today.

In verses 24-25 Jesus is quoting from the prophet Isaiah.[3] In the context of Isaiah, the sun being darkened and the stars falling from the sky is a metaphor to describe the end of the Babylonian empire. (The Babylonians being the great world power back in the day.) It’s a poetic way of describing political chaos.

Jesus is borrowing Isaiah’s metaphor, which his disciples were familiar with, and using it to describe the end of the temple system. As we have heard, the temple was the heart of the Jewish nation and religion. Everything revolved around the temple. To lose the temple was like losing the sun, moon and stars.

Jesus’ point seems to be that just as God passed judgement on the evil city of Babylon, so too he will pass judgement on the Jerusalem temple, which had become corrupt. This is a shocking reversal. [4]

Incidentally, in AD 69 four Roman emperors came and went in quick and violent succession: Nero, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian. These men were like falling stars. So, the metaphor might also refer to chaos in the Roman empire as well as chaos in the nation of Israel.    

Verse 26, which talks about the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory, is a reference to Daniel 7, where the Son of Man comes to God in great triumph and after great suffering.

The term Son of Man, in the book of Daniel, is a metaphor for the faithful people of Israel (the saints of the Most High).[5] Jesus uses the term Son of Man to refer to himself. Jesus is the true embodiment of God’s faithful people.

Jesus is saying those in the heavenly realm will see him come in glory.

People on earth, during the first century, wouldn’t see this because we human beings can’t see what’s happening in heaven.

Jesus is making the audacious claim that he will be enthroned as Son of Man, that is, King in heaven. This means the people of God will no longer be defined exclusively as ethnic Israel. With Jesus’ enthronement in heaven, the people of God are now defined as those who are in Christ, regardless of their ethnicity.

Okay, so Jesus is the new King of the universe. But he is not like any other earthly king we might know. Jesus is a Shepherd King. Jesus has compassion for his people. He weeps over the coming destruction of Jerusalem and he gives his life to redeem God’s creation.

Being the good shepherd King that he is, Jesus gathers all those who belong to him from wherever they are scattered. Verse 27 reads…

And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

There is more than one way to interpret this verse. Some say, verse 27 is talking about the rapture, when Jesus will return for those who believe in him. Others think verse 27 is talking about the spread of the gospel.

The word translated as angels literally means messengers. An angel is a messenger. The angels in view here don’t necessarily have wings.

They may also be human messengers (apostles or missionaries) preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth.

This interpretation fits the historical context. With the fall of Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians were scattered to the four winds and spread the seeds of the gospel wherever they went.

Whether verse 27 is talking about the rapture or the spread of the gospel or both, it’s primarily about Jesus. Jesus is the shepherd King who will not leave anyone behind, who believes in him.

The question is: who (or what) is the centre of our universe? Who (or what) do our lives revolve around?  Is Jesus our King? Do we obey his commands?

Conclusion:

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus, you are God’s heart for this world. In you we find security. You are the King of heaven and earth. Help us to trust and obey you, always. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What function or purpose did the Jerusalem temple serve in ancient Israel? How does Jesus fulfil the function and purpose of the Jerusalem temple?
  3. Where is your heart? Who or what is driving the engine of your values and identity. Where does your loyalty and commitment lie?
  4. Why do human beings feel a need for enclosure? What makes you feel secure and in control of your environment?
  5. What security does Jesus offer? How do we find the security Jesus offers?
  6. Discuss / reflect on the meaning of Mark 13:24-26. How would Christians in the first century have understood these words of Jesus? What do these verses show us about Jesus?
  7. In what ways is Jesus different from any other king? Who (or what) is the centre of your universe? Who (or what) does your life revolve around? Does anything need to change?  

[1] Refer Larry Hurtado’s commentary on Mark, page 217.

[2] Refer Tom Wright’s commentary, ‘Mark for Everyone’, page 183.

[3] Refer Isaiah 13:10 & 34:4 in relation to Mark 13:24-25.

[4] RT France, NICNT Matthew, page 922.

[5] Daniel 7:13 & 18

Tawa Baptist

Keep Calm

Scripture: Mark 13:1-13

Video Link: https://youtu.be/kURCOQhAKTc

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Calm your enthusiasm
  • Calm your speculation
  • Calm your fear
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Keep calm and carry on has become a well-known phrase around the world. Some might say it is overused. Keep calm and carry on was originally coined by the British Ministry of Information in 1939, just before the Second World War.

The Ministry of Information put this phrase on posters to help the public. They printed nearly two and half million copies. However, very few posters were ever displayed. Hence the slogan didn’t really catch on during World War Two.

It wasn’t until the beginning of the 21st Century that keep calm and carry on became popular. A bookshop owner was sorting through a box of second-hand books when he found one of the original posters. When he displayed the poster in his shop, it created so much interest he reproduced it and started selling copies. Now it’s everywhere. 

Keep calm and carry on reflects the spirit of British stoicism. It speaks to the self-discipline and fortitude of the war generation. It’s about not being carried away by anxiety but staying calm under pressure for the sake of those around you.

Today we continue our series in Mark’s gospel, focusing on chapter 13, verses 1-13. In this reading Jesus talks about the future. The disciples can expect the years ahead to be difficult. When the mud hits the fan, Jesus’ advice is to keep calm and carry on. From Mark 13, verse 1, we read… 

As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Keeping calm is the key to carrying on. If you don’t keep calm, you won’t be able to carry on for long.

In the verses we just read, Jesus counsels his disciples to keep calm. More specifically, they need to calm their enthusiasm for the temple. They need to calm their speculation about end times, and they need to calm their fear of rejection. Let’s begin with the disciples’ misplaced enthusiasm.  

Calm your enthusiasm:

Have you ever seen a shiny red apple which looked fresh and crisp in the fruit bowl, only to bite into it and get a mouth full of floury mush?

Have you ever read glowing reviews about a restaurant, only to find the meal servings were tiny and the prices enormous?

Have you ever bought an electrical appliance that seemed like good value in the shop, only to have it break down a few days outside of its warranty?    

Sometimes it pays to curb your enthusiasm.

In verse 1 of Mark 13, as Jesus is leaving Jerusalem for the Mount of Olives, one of his disciples expresses his enthusiasm for the temple. He remarks how the stones are enormous and the building looks magnificent. His enthusiasm is understandable. Some of the stones were the size of a bus and the architecture was ornate.  

The temple of Jesus’ day had been rebuilt by Herod the Great. The same Herod who had murdered innocent babies around the time Jesus was born.

Herod’s purpose in building the temple was to make a name for himself and wrangle political power. Herod was not interested in honouring God.

The temple was meant to be a place of prayer and purity. Instead, it had become a place of politics and corruption. It was supposed to be a place of healing and reconciliation, but it had become a place of greed and conniving. The temple should have been a place to worship God in spirit and in truth, but it was really a man-made idol.       

Jesus pours cold water on the disciples’ enthusiasm for the temple, predicting a time when the temple will be destroyed, not one stone left on top of another. Why does Jesus do this? Because the temple is under God’s judgement.

Enthusiasm for the temple building is misplaced, it is a waste of energy.

Getting all excited about the temple is like being eager to buy a ticket for the Titanic’s maiden voyage. 

The Jerusalem temple was, in fact, destroyed by the Romans just a few decades later, in AD 70. We will hear more about that next week.

When speaking to the Pharisees in Matthew 12, Jesus says: “I tell you, one greater than the temple is here”. Jesus was talking about himself.

Given the choice between looking at a picture of an ice cream or actually eating the ice cream, most people would choose to eat the ice cream.

Following this metaphor, the temple building was just a pretty picture, an image, it wasn’t the real thing. Jesus is the ice cream. Jesus is the real thing. Through Jesus we taste and experience the goodness of God. 

Jesus is greater than the Jerusalem temple, for Jesus embodies the living presence of God on earth. Jesus is the atoning sacrifice who makes us right with God. In Jesus we find healing for body, mind and soul. Through Jesus our prayers and our worship are made acceptable to God.

Sadly, the disciples couldn’t tell the difference between the picture and the ice cream itself. The disciples couldn’t yet see that being in Christ was better, by far, than being in the temple courts. For when we are in Christ, we are as close to God as we can possibly be.

So, given Jesus’ criticism of the Jerusalem temple, does that mean we should not have church buildings? Well, no. Our situation is different from the Jewish temple of the first century.

The church buildings are useful in so far as they support relationship and connection. The buildings provide a place for the community to come together for worship and fellowship, and they are a symbol of the Christian presence in this place. We want our buildings to be functional and safe. That’s why we did the earthquake strengthening and the north wing renovations.

At the same time, we hold our buildings lightly. We recognize that while the buildings are useful, they are not the most important thing. The church depends on Jesus, not on this auditorium. The church would continue to exist if the buildings were taken away.

Jesus is our temple. Wherever two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, the Lord is present. Therefore, the church is the people, all those who are in Christ.      

I don’t think anyone could accuse Tawa Baptist of making too much of their buildings. Someone told me once (before we did our renovations) how they liked that our buildings looked a bit tired and weather worn. They could identify with this. They had been knocked around by life and felt at home here.

That’s the gospel. Weakness and vulnerability speak to people in a way that strength and beauty can’t.    

Jesus is more concerned with the quality of our relationships with God and each other, than he is with our architecture. Are we a people of faith and prayer? Are we a community of grace and truth? Do others experience something of God’s presence among us? Does this church feel like coming home?

Calm your speculation:

After calming the disciples’ enthusiasm for the temple, Jesus goes on to calm their speculation about end times.

For thousands of years people have speculated about how the world will end. Some thought it would all be over 12 years ago because the Mayan calendar ran out on the 21 December 2012. And yet here we are. There was also quite a bit of anxiety 25 years ago with the Y2K bug. Remember that?

Not to mention all the conspiracy theories that float around whenever there is a war. The leaders of those countries we consider to be our enemies at the minute, tend to be labelled the anti-Christ. Give it another 30 or 40 years and our enemies will be our allies again.

People are slow to learn. Consequently, history keeps repeating itself.

Humanity remains fascinated with the so-called apocalypse. A case in point: The Left Behind book series sold over 65 million copies and was made into a number of movies as well. Sadly, some people base their belief about end times on those books. The Left Behind series might be entertaining in the way that Tom Clancy or Stephen King is entertaining, but it’s not the gospel. It’s fiction.

To be clear, the experts are not agreed that Mark 13 is about the end of the world. But that is how many people today read it. In the context Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem which, to the Jews of the first century, would have seemed like the end of the world.

When four of Jesus’ disciples ask him when the temple will be destroyed and what sign they should look out for that the end is nigh, Jesus seeks to calm their speculation.

Jesus tells his disciples to watch out for false Messiah’s and not to be alarmed when they hear of wars and rumours of wars. Such things must happen,but they do not signal the end.  

Jesus goes on to say: 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Wars, earthquakes and famines happen in every age of human history and do not necessarily carry any weight as signs that the end is imminent.

Jesus wants his disciples to guard against apocalyptic fanatics who think the end of the world is at hand. These fanatics point to false prophets, false Messiah’s and various earthly upheavals to prove their point. [1] Don’t be sucked in by their conspiracy theories.  

Jesus’ metaphor of birth pains sounds a note of hope. Wars, earthquakes and famines are normally associated with death and destruction. But Jesus sees beyond the death and destruction of these events to the new creation God is bringing about. Jesus’ story does not end with the cross. Jesus’ story (and ours) continues with the resurrection.

Rather than speculating about how the world might end, the disciples are to give their time and energy to preaching the gospel to all nations. You can’t control the future, but you can tell people about Jesus in the present. 

Calm your fear:

Perhaps the hardest part of keeping calm and carrying on is managing our fear. Fear is often more difficult to control than enthusiasm and speculation.

But it’s not just fear in general that Jesus wants to calm. More specifically we need help to calm our fear of rejection.  

We can experience rejection in a variety of ways. For example…

Being made redundant from a job you really enjoyed and were good at.

Not getting a job you interviewed for. Being dumped by someone you really liked. Or perhaps having your husband or wife cheat on you. Being picked last for a sports team in PE. Being overlooked or abandoned by a parent. Not getting invited to a party.

These are just some of the ways we might feel rejected.  

Sometimes rejection is relatively minor. Other times it is more significant. Whether it is major or minor though, rejection erodes your spirit and your self-confidence. Suffer enough rejection and you will end up with a hole in your heart, where faith and hope used to be. That’s a difficult hole to fill.

Often when someone rejects us, they have made a judgement about us that is not fair. Prejudice goes hand in hand with rejection. No one wants to be prejudged or condemned. We are naturally afraid of rejection and try to avoid it.

To those who have been judged and rejected unfairly, let me say this. God sees you, even when you are invisible to others. The Lord is our judge and he is just. God will make things right in the end. He can heal your wounds and fill the hole in your heart. That’s not speculation. That is God’s character.

In verses 9-13, Jesus warns his disciples of the prejudice and rejection they will face because of their relationship with him. Their rejection will be quite a bit worse than being picked last in PE. Their rejection will be akin to the suffering Jesus faced. Jesus’ experience sets the pattern for his followers.

The disciples will be flogged and rejected by their fellow Jews in the local synagogues. They will stand trial and be rejected before the Roman authorities as well. And, worst of all, they will be betrayed and rejected by members of their own family.  Everyone will hate the disciples because of Jesus.   

In verse 11 Jesus says, “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

This is not an excuse for preachers to avoid doing the hard yards with their sermon prep. The idea here is that, when you are blindsided and the pressure comes on you from the authorities, keep calm and carry on. Don’t panic. The Holy Spirit has got you.

We read how the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles under trial in the book of Acts. For example, in Acts 4 we read how Peter responded when standing before the Jewish Sanhedrin…

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to humankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus… 

The Sanhedrin tried to silence the apostles 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 

20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Peter and John were rejected by the Jewish authorities, but the Holy Spirit gave them the courage and the words they needed to keep calm and carry on.

On that occasion the apostles were set free with a warning, but it didn’t always end so well. Eventually Peter was killed for his witness for Jesus and John was sent into exile.

Humanly speaking, not many (if any) could stand the rejection that believers suffered in the first century, except by the strengthening of the Holy Spirit.

When we are rejected because of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is like a hug from God. The Spirit reassures us of Jesus’ presence and God’s acceptance. When we know that God is for us, what does it matter who is against us.  

Conclusion:

One commentator notes that Jesus’ followers live at a place where the purposes of God and the pain of the world cross paths.

“Many Christians today face persecution every bit as severe as that which the early church suffered; and those Christians who don’t face persecution [Christians like us in NZ] often face the opposite temptation, to stagnate, to become cynical, to suppose nothing much is happening, that the Kingdom of God is just a pious dream”. [2]

We are unlikely to suffer in the same way the early church did, but the temptation to not carry on is no less real. We need to find our balance.

We don’t want to be so uptight that we burn out or put others off. 

Nor do we want to be so relaxed that we become bored or fall asleep.

As Jesus said, those who stand firm to the end will be saved.    

Let us pray…

All knowing God, save us from wasting our energies on misplaced enthusiasm and speculation about the future. Fill us with your Spirit that we would know your acceptance and not be afraid. Help us to keep calm and carry on, in your will, to the end. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is the purpose of a temple? Why does Jesus curb the disciples’ enthusiasm for the temple? What is the church?
  3. Why does Jesus discourage speculation about end times? What does Jesus encourage his followers to do instead?
  4. In what ways did the disciples of Jesus experience rejection? In what ways have you experienced rejection? How did you feel when you were rejected?
  5. How does Jesus say the Holy Spirit will help the disciples? Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit gave you the right words in a tight spot? What happened? 
  6. What does it mean to stand firm to the end? How do we do this? How might we find a healthy balance with keeping calm and carrying on? 

[1] See Ben Witherington’s commentary on Mark, page 337. 

[2] Refer Tom Wright’s commentary on Mark, page 180.

Tawa Baptist

Jesus’ Insight

Scripture: Mark 12:38-44

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Jl2L_Egupx4

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jesus’ insight
  • The widow’s worship
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Bob Dylan once said, ‘What looks large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big’.

Great line. Who knows what Dylan had in mind when he wrote that, but to me it has several layers of meaning. On one level, it says, “Don’t believe the hype. Things are not always as they appear at first”.

Or, if we look at it from another angle, “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Most problems seem bigger from a distance. But when you get close enough to break it down, the problem is more manageable than you first thought”. In other words, don’t worry too much about the future.

Today we continue our series in Mark’s gospel, following the lectionary readings. In this week’s passage, Jesus shows his disciples that, ‘what looks large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big’.  From Mark chapter 12, verses 38-44 we read… 

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

This morning’s message has two points of focus. Jesus’ insight and the widow’s worship. Let’s begin with Jesus’ insight.

Jesus’ insight:

Some of you will be familiar with the Yohari window. The Yohari window is a graph of four quadrants, depicting self-awareness.

Some things about you are in the public arena, they are known to you and to everyone else. Other things are known to you but not to others, those private thoughts and motivations you keep hidden behind a façade.

Then there are the things other people know about you, but you yourself are unaware of. Those things in your blind spot or your shadow. The things you deny or don’t want to face.

There are things too which are unknown to you and unknown to others. These things are known only to God. 

With some people what you see is what you get. They are the same on the inside as they are on the outside. They are not pretending.

But then there are those who hide their true self. How they appear in the public arena is quite different from how they actually are in private. Insight sees behind the façade. Insight recognizes reality. What looks large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big.

In verse 38, Jesus warned people against the teachers of the law. These were the religious experts or Bible scholars of Jesus’ day. It might be difficult to imagine, but being a Bible expert was very cool in first century Israel.

Studying the Law of Moses (the Torah) was Israel’s national sport. The Jews of 2000 years ago put the teachers of the law on a pedestal. The teachers of the law were like the All Blacks of Israel, they were honoured.

In contrast, being a Bible scholar is not really valued these days. Bible teachers in wider NZ society are largely ignored or misunderstood. If you want to be popular, then join a sports team or become a rock star. Don’t become a preacher.

In the public arena the religious leaders seemed like paragons of virtue.

Jesus had the insight to see that, when it came to the teachers of the law of his day, what looks large from a distance up close ain’t never that big. Don’t believe the hype. Don’t be too impressed by them.

Many of these teachers of the law (probably not all, but many) did not put God first. Their worship was false, a show to make themselves look good. God hates it when people use religion to hide evil. To do this is to take the Lord’s name in vain. It is hypocrisy.  

If it wasn’t bad enough that these religious leaders sought honour for themselves, some also devoured widows’ houses. They inveigled their way into the lives of vulnerable women and took advantage of them financially.

Jesus sees a day of reckoning coming for these men. They won’t get away with it.

In Mark 12, verses 28-34, last week’s lectionary reading, Jesus had a good conversation with a teacher of the law. This shows us that not all the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were the same. 

This religious expert had correctly discerned that love for God and love for your neighbour is more important than ritual sacrifice. In response, Jesus says to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God”, meaning you are close but not yet in God’s kingdom.

This may have been a bit unsettling for the teacher of the law, who probably thought he was already in, given he was Jewish and one of the religious elite.

The religious leaders were trusting in their heritage and their traditions.

Perhaps Jesus was hinting at the fact that being Jewish and knowing about God’s law in your head is not enough. For even when we know God’s law, we are not always able to keep it, not perfectly.

We must put our faith in the one who fulfils God’s law of love on our behalf, that is: Jesus. Putting our faith in Jesus’ righteousness requires us to abandon all pretence of our own righteousness.

Many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were pretending to be righteous when they were not. Some may have done this cynically and others may have been quite unaware of how bad they really were.

Jesus had to shine the light of his insight on the unknown so people wouldn’t be deceived. What looks large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big.

The widow’s worship: 

In contrast to the religious leaders who steal from the vulnerable and say long prayers to cover their tracks, Jesus holds up the example of a poor widow who says nothing and gives everything she has in devotion to God.

The widow in this reading from Mark’s gospel shows us what true worship looks like. Faith expressing itself in love. She worships God with a pure heart.   

William White retells an old Jewish folktale… [1]

Once there was a rich man who never gave donations to the poor. People in his small village never called him by name, they simply referred to him as the Miser.

One day a beggar came to the door of the Miser. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked. ‘I live in the village’, answered the beggar. ‘Nonsense’, cried the Miser. ‘Everyone in this village knows I do not support beggars’.

In the same village there lived a poor shoemaker. He was a generous man who responded to every person in need that was brought to his attention. No one was ever turned away empty handed from his door.

One day the Miser died. The village leaders decided to bury him at the edge of the cemetery. No one mourned his passing; no one followed the funeral procession to the place of burial.

As the days passed the village rabbi heard disturbing news regarding the shoemaker. ‘He no longer gives alms to the poor’, complained one man.

‘He has refused every charity that has approached him’, declared another.

‘Has anyone asked about his change?’ inquired the rabbi. ‘Yes’, replied the first man. ‘He says he no longer has money to give away’.

Soon the rabbi called on the shoemaker. ‘Why have you suddenly stopped giving money to worthy causes?’ Slowly the shoemaker began to speak.

‘Many years ago, the man you called the Miser came to me with a huge sum of money and asked me to distribute it to those in need. He made me promise that I would not reveal the source of the money until after he died.

Once every month he would visit me secretly and give me additional money to distribute. I became known as a great benefactor even though I never spent a penny of my own money.

I am surprised that no one questioned me earlier. How could anyone who earned the wages of a shoemaker give away as much money as I have all these years?’

The rabbi called all the villagers together and told them the story.

‘The miser has lived the Scriptures, worshipping God with a pure heart by keeping his giving a secret.’

Things are not always as they appear at first. What looked like meanness from a distance, was actually generosity up close. The widow in Mark 12 shows us what it means to worship God with a pure heart.

There are three things, about widowhood, we should be aware of…

Firstly, to be a widow is to experience loss and the pain of grief which goes with that loss. Grief is the price we pay for love. The more you love someone, the deeper the grief you feel when you lose them.

Secondly, widowhood often involves the experience of loneliness. Yes, you can have friends but it’s not the same as your husband or wife. You can get involved in the church and community. But even when the community is warm and kind, a single person might still feel out of place around married couples.

Thirdly, for the woman in Mark 12, being a widow involved financial hardship. There weren’t many employment opportunities for women in those days.

And no government welfare system to pay out a widow’s benefit. Without a man on the scene to provide for her, options for this widow were limited.

Life was extremely difficult for the widow in Mark 12. If anyone had reason to be angry with God, it was this woman. She had suffered much and it probably felt (at times) like no one was on her side. And yet she is not angry with God. She loves God with a pure heart, without there being anything in it for her.

Although the widow gives her offering publicly, no one could accuse her of doing this to make herself look good. If anything, she probably looked relatively bad in the eyes of others, like a miser.

Many rich people dropped in a lot of money, but she dropped in just two thin copper coins. Compared to their great gifts her offering must have seemed very stingy indeed, but not to Jesus. Jesus looks with insight. Jesus sees beyond appearances to what is hidden in the heart.  

After witnessing the widow’s act of worship, Jesus calls his disciples together and says to them, 43 “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Jesus’ measure is different to ours. Jesus doesn’t just look at the amount given. He measures the proportion given and the cost to the giver. The widow’s offering, which looks small from a distance, up close is really quite big.

The widow gave 100%, whereas the rich gave maybe 5% or 10%? Their 5% or 10% may have equated to hundreds of dollars while her 100% amounted to only a few cents. But the personal cost to her was much greater. The rich did not miss what they gave but the widow faced hunger.      

Now, in saying this we must note that Jesus is not criticising the wealthy here. This is a freewill offering, over and above the minimum required by the law. And the wealthy in this passage give generously. They are not like the religious leaders who are ripping people off. Their giving still counts with God. 

The point is Jesus’ measure is different to ours. We measure the amount. Jesus measures the cost to us personally. We measure quantifiable outcomes, results and bottom lines. Jesus measures the immeasurable, our motivations and heart attitude.

Some witty soul once quipped, ‘the last part of a person to be converted is their wallet’. If that is true, then by giving all the money she possessed, this widow demonstrated her faith was whole and her conversion was complete. She trusted God totally with her life. She genuinely did love God with all her heart and with all her strength. This is challenging stuff.

When I was a boy, we went on holiday somewhere and attended a theme park where they had a wishing well. The idea was to throw your coins into the water and the money would then be given to charity.

I was about to throw my 10 cents in when an older lady said to me, ‘Keep your money son. Don’t throw it away like that.’ She went on to explain that the money wouldn’t go to a good cause. It would be pocketed by the owners of the establishment. She was trying to protect me.

We might think Jesus would do the same for the poor widow. ‘Don’t throw your money away luv, it will just be pocketed by the religious leaders’.

Jesus knows the religious establishment are mostly corrupt. And he knows the widow can’t afford it. Surely it would be a kindness to save her throwing good money after bad. But Jesus doesn’t stop her. To the contrary, Jesus celebrates the widow’s giving.

We are not as radical as Jesus or the widow. We prefer a more common-sense approach.

If anyone here was to give all their money to the church, so they had nothing to live on, most of us would be horrified. No one wants you to be under financial hardship. Be generous to the extent you can afford it but please, take care of yourself as well.    

So why does Jesus not prevent this widow from giving away her last penny?

Well, Jesus sees this woman with spiritual insight.

Firstly, the widow’s giving was an act of worship for God. Her primary motivation wasn’t practical. She wasn’t giving to support the priests or to maintain the running of the temple. Nor was she giving out of a misplaced hope that God would make her rich if she gave up everything.  

Her primary motivation was spiritual. The widow was giving to express her love and devotion to God. And Jesus honours the widow for this. He honours her by respecting the choice she makes and he honours her by ensuring her story is passed on by his disciples.

Worship is like breathing. It is something we must do all the time in order to live. Just as it is not good to hold your breath for too long, so too it is not good for the human soul to hold on to excess cash for too long. Accumulating material wealth for its own sake will weaken your faith. Giving will strengthen your faith and refresh your soul.    

This is not to imply some sort of cargo cult or prosperity doctrine. I’m not suggesting that generous financial giving will make you wealthy. It probably won’t. But it will free you to love God and live lighter.

Another thing we notice here is that Jesus is not anxious for this widow, because he knows the character of God.  In Matthew 6, Jesus says to his disciples…

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”  

Again, parts of Jesus’ teaching seem to go against the grain of our survival instinct. To be clear we still need to work and plan for the future, but not at the expense of our perspective. Often those worries which look large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big.

Of course, by pointing out this woman had given away her last coin, Jesus is making the widow’s need known to the wider network of his disciples so they can do something practical to help her. If the men didn’t take the hint to help this widow, then the women travelling with Jesus surely would have. 

Isn’t it interesting, despite his power to turn stones into bread, Jesus does nothing miraculous here. Rather Jesus points to the miracle of the widow’s love and devotion, and he invites others to share the responsibility for her care.  

Jesus is not anxious for this woman because her faith is strong and her soul is in good shape. She embodies a number of the beatitudes in Matthew 5…

Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. 

Conclusion:

We must not miss the bigger picture. Soon Jesus would go to the cross and pour out his life, totally, for us. The widow who gave everything points to Jesus who gave everything. Like Jesus, her sacrifice of love held nothing back.  

If you are not ready to love God as totally as this poor widow did (and as Jesus does) then don’t be discouraged and don’t give up. Simply love God as much as you can. God in his grace is able to meet us where we are at.

But understand that God will probably call you to greater love and faith, providing all you need in the process.

May the Lord bless you richly and make you a blessing to others, for his glory. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Discuss / reflect on the Bob Dylan quote: ‘What looks large from a distance, up close ain’t never that big’. What does this mean to you?
  3. Thinking of the Yohari window, how might we grow in our self-awareness? Can you think of a time when you learned something new about yourself? What happened? How did you feel? 
  4. Why did Jesus point out the religious leaders’ hypocrisy?
  5. Put yourself in the shoes of the widow in Mark 12. What do you imagine life was like for her? How do you feel thinking about this widow and what she did? Why do you feel this way?
  6. Why does Jesus highlight the widow’s offering? What can we learn from the widow’s example. In what way(s) does the widow point to Jesus?
  7. Make some time this week (either on your own or with your partner in marriage) to calculate what you give financially to God. E.g. donations to the church and mission or to the poor. Consider both the dollar amount and the proportion of income this represents. What does your level of giving say about your love for God and for others? Does anything need to change?   

[1] William White, ‘Stories for Telling’, page 101-102.

Tawa Baptist

A Good Question

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Video Link: https://youtu.be/nSDaWrGlAWE

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The most important
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you want to get to know someone better, then you need to ask good questions. A good question has a number of characteristics…

For example, a good question is simple and concise, not so long and complicated that the other person gets lost or has to ask you to repeat yourself.

A good question has an honest purpose. By that I mean, you have a good reason for asking the question. You’re not trying to trick or embarrass anyone. You are genuinely interested in learning what the other person thinks. 

A good question is also open-ended, one that invites more than a yes / no answer. A question that engages the other person in conversation and maybe even reveals new insights.

Today we continue our series in the gospel of Mark. This morning’s lectionary reading is Mark 12, verses 28-34. To set the scene, Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem and is now teaching in the temple courts. Hope is running high.  

Up till this point various Jewish groups have been asking Jesus bad questions. Questions designed to catch him out and embarrass him. Long, complicated questions with a dishonest purpose. Questions intended to shut Jesus down.   

But in today’s lectionary reading, an expert in the law asks Jesus a good question. From Mark 12, verse 28 we read…

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

The most important:

What is the most important part of a building? Is it the roof maybe? Without a roof you would get wet. But then without walls, you wouldn’t be able to put the roof on. So are the walls the most important part?

Well, the walls and the roof are important (certainly more important than the TV or the furnishings) but I reckon the foundation is the most important part.

If the foundation isn’t right, the walls and roof are likely to fall. 

How about a yacht? What’s the most important part of a yacht? Is it the sail? Without the sail the yacht isn’t going anywhere. Or is it the rudder? Without a rudder the yacht could end up on the rocks.

Well, the sail and the rudder are important, but I reckon the yacht’s buoyancy is the most important thing. If the hull takes in water the boat will sink.

What about marriage? What’s the most important aspect of a marriage relationship? Is it having things in common? Is it sex or romance? Is it communication? Well, all those things are helpful to a healthy marriage but, in my view, the most important thing is commitment. In particular, a commitment to one another’s wellbeing.   

Circumstances change and people change throughout the course of a lifetime. Commitment to one another’s wellbeing enables the relationship to function and to flourish through those changes. Commitment is the foundation of marriage. Commitment is the buoyancy keeping a marriage afloat through the storms of life.

In verse 28 we read how one of the teachers of the law heard Jesus give some good answers to some bad questions. Unlike the Herodians and Sadducees, who were out to trap Jesus, this teacher of the law asks Jesus a good question: Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

This question is simple and concise, it has an honest purpose and it is open-ended.

There are 613 written commandments in the law of Moses, not to mention all the other regulations added by the scribes and Pharisees. With so many rules it would be difficult to see the wood for the trees.

Did one commandment stand out from the rest? Is there one law which serves as a key for interpreting all the other laws? Yes, there is.  

Jesus refers to Deuteronomy 6, verses 4-5, as the most important commandment. These verses are known as the Shema…

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

The Shema begins with a command to hear or to listen. The first duty of love is to listen. We can’t obey God unless we know what he wants. Loving God starts with listening to God. 

Interestingly the Shema (the most important, most foundational) commandment includes some theological statements about God…

Firstly, the Lord (Yahweh) is our God. This speaks to Israel’s special covenant relationship with Yahweh. In Jewish and Christian thinking, God is not some impersonal force. God is not ‘the universe’. God is a conscious being, capable of personal relationship.

The idea here is that God is committed to Israel’s wellbeing and indeed to the wellbeing of all his creation. To put it more plainly, the command to love God is prefaced by the reminder that God loves us.    

The Shema also affirms that the Lord (Yahweh) is one. This speaks to the theological belief that there is only one true God, not lots of gods. The Lord God does not have any rivals. He is not fighting to stay on top. The Lord God is all-powerful, almighty. Nothing poses any kind of threat to Israel’s God. Therefore, we can trust the Lord God. We can find security in him.

But wait there’s another layer of theological meaning here. The phrasing,

“The Lord is one”, indicates that God has integrity. God is whole, complete, not divided within himself. There is a harmony within God. The Lord is one.

For example, God’s justice is not at odds with his mercy. God’s justice is one with his mercy. When God destroys evil that is both an act of justice and mercy at the same time.  

The substance of the Shema (the most important command) is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

The Greek word for love here is agapao (or agape). Often when we (English speakers) think of love, we imagine a pleasant warm fuzzy feeling, like falling in love. However, agape love is not always accompanied by a nice feeling.

Agape love is primarily an attitude of the mind and a decision of the will.

To love someone with agape love is to make a conscious choice to act in a way that is good for that person’s wellbeing, irrespective of how we feel.

You see, feelings cannot be commanded. We don’t have much control over whether we like someone or not. Jesus isn’t telling us what we must feel. Rather Jesus is telling us how to behave in relation to God.

Sometimes agape love requires us to go against the grain of our feelings. Thinking about thisin the context of our relationship with God, agape love says, I will remain loyal to God and obey him, even when it feels like God has abandoned me or let me down.   

The Shema says, lovethe Lord your God with all your heart. In general terms the heart, in the Old Testament, represents a person’s inner life, the core of your being where loyalty resides, where desire comes from, and decisions are made. The heart speaks to what you value and where your commitment lies.

To love God with all your heart therefore is to value God above all else.

It means not splitting your loyalty between God and any other thing.

Loving God with all your heart means remaining committed to the Lord God through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer.

Your soul probably refers to your life force, the spark of life. Your soul is that unseen energy which animates your body. Your personality (your true self) comes from your soul. To love God with all your soul is to love God with all the energy and creativity and personality you possess.

This means being yourself with God. Not trying to be something you’re not. Accepting the way God has made you, being honest with him and enjoying him. Your soul is unique, like your fingerprints. No one can love God in quite the same way you can. No one can give God joy like you can.

Eric Liddell the Olympic sprinter said, “I believe God made me for a purpose – but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure”. For Eric Liddell, running was an expression of his soul. When Eric Liddell ran, he was loving God and this gave God pleasure, a pleasure that Eric could feel in his spirit. 

When do you feel God’s pleasure? Do you feel it when you are singing or when you are baking or when you play an instrument or work in the garden or paint a masterpiece or hang out with your grandkids?

We can’t always be doing the things we love. But whenever we can, we should spend time in our own soul, doing the things that God made us to do, the things that give God pleasure.  

The soul and the body go together. You can’t really have one without the other. A body without a soul is like a guitar without strings or a computer without software. It’s dead. Likewise, a soul without a body is like a surgeon with no hands or a pianist with no piano. The soul needs the body to express itself.

And so loving God with all your soul goes hand in hand with loving God with all your strength. On one level your strength is your physical power and stamina. But it’s more than that. Your strength is your skill and your aptitude as well.

Are you good with your hands? How might you use your practical skills to love God? Maybe by doing odd jobs for the those who are in need? 

Are you good with children? How might you use your aptitude with children to love God? Maybe by volunteering to help in Kids’ Church?

Your strength extends to the resources you possess too. Your strength might include things like your time, your money and your social connections. Therefore, to love God with all your strength means being a good steward of the time and money God has given you. Being generous with God and the poor.

Loving God then, is not just something we do on Sundays or special occasions like Christmas or Easter. Loving God is something we do everyday.

One thing we notice is that Jesus adds in loving God with all your mind as well. The original Shema doesn’t explicitly mention loving God with your mind, but it is surely implied by the terms heart, soul and strength.

Perhaps Jesus adds in loving God with your mind because he is talking with an educated man. For the teacher of the law, the mind (or one’s understanding) had special significance.

The point seems to be that God’s law is not something that can be blindly followed without thinking about it. Figuring out how to apply God’s law of love in a messy unstable world requires mental effort. It requires us to slow down and think through the implications, not just for ourselves but also for God and our neighbour.   

We probably shouldn’t make too much of the distinction between heart, soul, mind and strength. While each of these words adds an interesting layer of meaning, there’s also quite a bit of overlap between them, like a Venn diagram.

The main point here is to love God with your whole being. Love God with all that you are and all that you have. That is the first and most important commandment according to Jesus. That is the key to understanding all the other commandments.

In verse 31 of Mark 12, Jesus goes on to say: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Loving your neighbour as yourself is another way of saying, ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. Or treat others the way you would like to be treated. Of course, loving your neighbour as yourself implies that you take good care of yourself too, as Murray emphasised four weeks ago. 

The Greek word Jesus uses here for loving your neighbour is agape, the same word he uses for loving God. As I mentioned earlier, agape is an attitude of the mind and a decision of the will.

The Jews of the first century would have understood their neighbour to be a fellow Jew. But as Ewan reminded us, three weeks ago, Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan demonstrates that your neighbour could be anyone you meet.

Whether you know your neighbour or not, whether you like your neighbour or not, God’s command of agape love requires you to act for their wellbeing, to the extent you can. Of course, each of us comes with our own limitations. It is not always in our power to help our neighbour as much as we might want to. 

Leviticus 19 lists various practical examples of loving your neighbour…

‘Do not steal. Do not deceive one another. Do not pervert justice. Do not spread slander. Do not hate your brother in your heart. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge… but love your neighbour as yourself.’   

The teacher of the Law asks Jesus a good question: ‘What is the most important commandment?’ Jesus’ reply weaves together two commandments as one. Love God with your whole being and love your neighbour as yourself.

Jesus is making the point that love for God cannot be separated from love for your neighbour. And love for your neighbour cannot be separated from love for yourself.

It’s like the apostle John says in his first letter to the early church…  

19 We love because God first loved us. 20 If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen. 21 The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.

God is one. Human beings are made in the image of God and therefore to love God is to love people. These all go together.

In verse 32 of Mark 12, the teacher of the law responds positively to Jesus.

The lawyer asked a good question and he found common ground with Jesus.

Normally Jesus is at odds with the religious leaders. But Jesus does not prejudge this man by his experience of other religious experts. Jesus takes each person as he finds them.

More than this, Jesus leaves room for the teacher of the law to add his own insight. And what an insight it is. To love God and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

This might seem ho hum to us, but it was a huge admission from an expert in the law. This religious leader was implying that the temple system with all its rituals and sacrifices wasn’t all that important, compared to love.

If loving God and neighbour is the foundation and framework of the building, then ritual sacrifice is like the furnishings. Just as the carpet and curtains make no difference to the structural integrity of the building, so too ritual sacrifice makes no difference to our relationship with God. Love is what really matters.

And Jesus couldn’t agree more. In fact, Jesus’ once for all sacrifice on the cross fulfills the law in this regard, doing away with the need for a temple building and ritual sacrifice. This teacher of the law is quite progressive for his time. Jesus commends the man saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” 

Conclusion:

One of my favourite love stories would have to be Matthew’s account of how Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, got together. Jesus’ stepfather, Joseph, shows us what it means to love God and love your neighbour as yourself.

Mary was engaged to Joseph when Joseph found out Mary was pregnant.

Joseph did not know who the father was. It appeared as though Mary had committed adultery and the letter of the Law stipulated that Mary should be put to death for her crime.

Joseph had every right to feel angry, but he did not let his feelings get the better of him. Joseph took some time to love God with his mind. He considered the situation before deciding what he would do.

If Mary had cheated on him, then his love for God meant he could not marry her, for God does not condone adultery. Also, Joseph’s love for himself prevented him from marrying a woman who (it seemed) did not care for him.

But Joseph’s love for his neighbour meant he could not insist on Mary’s execution. If Mary was killed, her unborn child would die also. That would be taking an innocent life, that would be unfair. 

Because Joseph was a righteous man, he decided to divorce Mary quietly and save her from public disgrace. This would leave Mary free to marry the man who got her pregnant and two lives would be saved. In this way, Joseph obeyed God’s law of love.     

As it turned out, God let Joseph in on the secret that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit. Mary had been faithful after all. So Joseph went ahead and married Mary. The rest is history.

Let us pray. Gracious God, forgive us for the times we lose sight of what is most important. Help us to love you with understanding. Help us to live in our own soul and to feel your pleasure. Help us to support the wellbeing of those around us and so glorify you. Through Jesus we pray. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. If you had the opportunity to ask one question of Jesus, what would it be?
  3. Discuss / reflect on the theological meaning(s) inherent in the statement, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” What does this tell us about God?
  4. What is agape love? How is agape love different from romantic love? Can you think of a time in your own life when you gave or received agape love? What happened?
  5. When do you feel God’s pleasure? How do you (personally) spend time in your own soul? Why is this important?
  6. What strengths, skills or resources do you possess? How might you best use these to love God and your neighbour?
  7. Why does Jesus hold together loving God with loving your neighbour as yourself? Why can’t these commands be separated?
  8. What is significant about the teacher of the law’s response to Jesus in Mark 12:32-33?