The Gospel According to Mark (Part 39)

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The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 39)

Welcome to Jesus Church here and online

We are in Part 39 in our series through the Gospel of Mark

• Last week we got half way through chapter 12
  • Where Jesus has just gone through a gauntlet of questions
  • Again the Jewish authorities can’t just outright kill Jesus
  • So they either need to get the crowd to do it or Romans
• And they keep asking him questions trying to catch him
  • Either he will say something that will anger the Jewish people
  • Or say something that will get him arrested by the Romans
• Specifically last week we looked at the Sadducees
  • And they didn’t believe in the Resurrection (why they are sad)
  • So they just lived in the moment… eat/drink 4 tomorrow we die
  • And living like that makes it impossible to live for God
    • Jesus says “You don’t understand scripture/power of God”
    • And that’s what happens when u only live for yourself

Today: Look at a story that’s quoted by every major religion in the world

• The story starts of with a group of people called “SCRIBES”
  • Think of a Scribe as Half Theologian / Half Lawyer
  • Their job was to take every law in Torah/Mishna (8000+ laws)
    • Learn how it should be applied in every scenario
• And this one scribe comes to Jesus with a very loaded question
  • Asks of all the commandments… which is the most important
  • Which makes sense when you know what a scribe’s job was
• With that many laws… scribes had to pick/choose what to focus on
  • So there were debates on the law all the time… what matters
    • So they categorized heavy laws – Very important
    • And light law – No need to focus on those

So what this scribe is really asking… what really matters/center of law

• Why in Matthew account – Law/Prophets hang on these two laws
  • Jesus is saying everything in the OT revolves around my answer
• Knowing that… what Jesus says becomes what all else measured by
  • It brings clarity to what the Scriptures are all about
  • It is a foundation for what God’s after and asking of me
  • And with that… why am I here / what is the meaning of life

So this is THE question… and here is Jesus’ answer

Mk. 12:29-34

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Now Jesus didn’t just make that up… he’s quoting from 2 places in Torah

Duet 6:4-6 (1^st is Deuteronomy)

Hear O Israel: The Lord our God the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

• Now remember this was written 3000 years before Jesus
  • And to a world rampant with Polytheism
  • God declares he is the Lord our God (Yahweh Elohim)
    • In a world of created gods (Demons) there is 1 true God
    • And to the 1 true God there is no parallel/equal/opposite
• What 1 true creator God wants… different from created gods want
  • Molak/Ra/Baal want power, control, fear, perversion of creation
  • Yahweh Elohim just wants just one thing: Love
• Love (Ah-hev-ah)… is a deep/devoted “I’ll do anything for you” love
  • God is calling his people to stay faithful to him
  • And not go to these other gods that will try and lure them away
  • One of the times God clearly gives “CHOICE” to his people
    • God is asking: Will you love me… or will you reject me

And here is the list on how we choose this love

• 1: All our heart (Le-bob)
  • In English we hear heart and we think emotion – How I feel
  • In Hebrew its ur feeling/thinking… Le-bob translates “the well”
  • So to love with all your heart is the deepest part of who you are
• 2: All our soul (nef-esh)
  • It means Life force… human consciousness… what drives you
    • Why when we are burnt out we say “My soul is heavy”
    • Or when we you super excited we say “My soul is alive”
  • Everyone has something we’re passionate about (quite or loud)
    • No matter who it is… something they’ll talk for days on
    • And if you can find that one thing – They won’t shut up
    • B/C I need to know about model trains… whatever hobby
  • To love the Lord your God with all your soul
    • Is to be that passionate about relationship with God
    • Not that you can’t love your hobby… but above all else
    • What drives us forward with love for God
• 3: All your strength (Me-Hode)… Two layers to the word
  • Body – Love God with ur material heart/mind/thinking/feeling
    • But also with your eyes… hands… mouth… All you are!!!
    • We are to love God with our BODY
  • What we do with our body – Our potential/work
    • Love God with vocation… talent… giftings… smarts… skills
    • Working… creating… building… singing… writing… cooking
  • Please hear me – Loving God isn’t just at church on Sunday
    • Too many Christians think loving God is 1 day a week
    • No… the way you love God is in your job (all your strength)

Back to Mark (heart/soul/strength)

But Jesus adds something else into the scripture… MIND

• This would have been a very big deal to add to scripture
  • And a scribe especially would have caught this right away
  • Quoting makes sense… but now ADDING a word to the Torah
  • What is Jesus up to???
• Mind (Di-a-noyah)… its your intellect, reasoning, thought life
  • Which is a big deal because there’s this perception in the church
    • Believing your heart is more important than your mind
    • How you feel is more important than what you know
  • So people look down on theology, doctrine and information
    • B/C I gotta focus on worship/prayer/how I feel about God
    • And all of those things are good and right to focus on…
  • But this idea: Lets just get rid of knowledge and vibe
    • Its not right… ONE: You can’t separate the heart/mind
    • But even if you could – To Jesus they are on equal footing
• I love to learn… history… philosophy… just the way things work
  • I think some people forget that God made science
  • B/C when I learn on things like nuclear fusion/laws of physics
    • It puts me more in awe of who God is…
    • I for me… I absolutely love God through my mind

And its ok that we are all wired different

• Mabey you’re here… in worship but its not really how you connect
  • Maybe you are more a thinker…
    • Singing isn’t really your go to for relating to God
    • That’s ok – But it isn’t an excuse not to engage
    • Because we are to love God with our Heart/Soul
• Or you’re here… and you live for singing/feel of the spirit
  • That’s beautiful and life giving – I totally affirm that
    • But its not an excuse to check out when the teaching starts
    • Because you have to love God with your Mind/Strength
• And there is freedom in the way each of us connect to God
  • But at the same time we are to love God with ALL that we are
  • And who we are is ALL FOUR of these things
  • You are not you without your Heart – Mind – Soul – Strength
    • And all of that is to be an expression of love to God

TAG: This is according to God the most important thing you can follow

But Jesus isn’t done… there’s a second law he adds

Which is fascinating b/c the man only asked about the FIRST one

• But apparently to Jesus you can’t just stop with love for God
  • Love for God is your starting place to push you in the direction
  • But you can’t stop there (which is what many want to do)

Mk 12:31 (He follows up with this…)

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

• And here is the question we all want to know… who’s my neighbor
  • Because if there is no greater command – I need specifics
  • And luckily the Bible actually tells us…

Lev 19:13-18 (Again here Jesus is quoting the OT )

Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice, do not show partiality to the poor (sorry socialism) or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. (aka… don’t be passive aggressive) Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people BUT love your neighbor as yourself.

• So in context this is love for those you live by…
  • Also about social justice… those who live lower than you
  • Its about those you are angry at or resent

TAG: This is love for all sorts of people… many you don’t wanna love

1^st type of person is your actual neighbor who lives by you

• Which isn’t always easy when we all have garages
  • But I’ll tell you what… it isn’t impossible if you try
    • But it will never happen if you aren’t intentional
  • Just work in your front yard for a Saturday and get ready
    • Or start going on walks in your neighborhood
    • Take out an airpod at the gym
    • Look for a neighbor at the grocery store
      • No excuse… put yourself in situations to run into them
• And it’s a cultural fight – B/C I have my family… have my friends
  • But my relationships are all on my terms
    • People I like… relate to… comfortable around…
    • And that’s not (exclusive) to what a neighbor is to God
      • This is a culturally subversive command
• This is one reason we believe so much in Life Groups
  • And not just another thing to check of the box
    • But to really love our neighbor… have to invest
    • To sometimes do what isn’t convenient for what is right
  • We have groups now… launching them over in January
    • And yes we have these groups b/c WE need community
    • But also we have these groups to fulfill “Love ur neighbor”

2^nd type of person is those across the social-economic spectrum

• Very normal to love those who are like us… b/c we love ourselves
  • So we are around someone and “connect” really well
  • Its usually “I really like you b/c you remind me of me”
  • You like my music… my hobbies… my interests… my humor
• And nothing wrong with that… but if those are only people I love
  • Then how does that embody the radical message of Jesus
  • We are to be the people who break down walls b/w
    • Gender
    • Race
    • Income level
    • Education
    • Cultural background
  • We have to stop trying to make church an affinity group
    • Because revelation church is: Every tongue/tribe/nation
    • That’s the future… might as well emulate it now
  • And we want to help you fulfill this type of neighbor
    • [Video]
      • What would it look like for you to love…
      • Through your time/prayer/connection/money

Last type of person is to love your enemy

• In Leviticus… Luke’s version – Scribe asks who is my neighbor
  • Jesus answers with a story of a “Good Samaritan”
  • Now Samaritans and Jews hated each other… enemies for ever
  • And in the story the Samaritan is the HERO
    • Like having Jesus tell story now – Hamas soldier is the hero
    • We would never invite him back to preach
    • Its why the crowd a few days from now chants “Crucify”
• The point is ur neighbor that you HAVE TO love – You might not like
  • And they’ve wronged you… hurt you… wounded you…
  • They are your neighbor – Called to love people like that
• Who is the Samaritan (so to speak) of your story
  • Your ex-wife
  • Maybe its your dad
  • Maybe its literally your neighbor (all have a crazy neighbor)
  • Or just someone who gets under your skin… its not a suggestion
    • It is (according to Jesus) the greatest command

And look how Jesus ends the convo (He says I agree)

Mk 12:33-34

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God”

• Kingdom (Basil-ia)
  • The reign of the Messiah
  • Royal power conferred to Christians in the Messiahs kingdom
• Jesus says here – You’re not far from the power of Gods Kingdom
  • Matthew’s gospel says: All the law & prophets hang on this law
  • Meaning the entire OT (violent/harsh) it all hangs on LOVE
    • And love is the power of God’s kingdom

End w/ this: Do not withhold from ur neighbor – power of God Kingdom