Kingdom Values Series

Kingdom Values

Theme: To show how the values of the kingdom are different that the values of this world.

Text: Mark 12:28 - 34

Introduction

We have been talking about the Kingdom of God. So this is why this passage is important. Jesus tells the scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of god”.

It is a pretty interesting scene that was happening in this chapter. Jesus was sitting being surrounded by a crowd of people. There were some who were just curious to hear what He had to say. There were others like the religious leaders (described as the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes) who were there to challenge Him. It was a common scene.

So here He was. Answering one question after another astounding the leaders. In this chapter alone He pegs the leaders as wicked tenants who were missing there very purpose of Jesus coming. They were wanting to “kill the heir”. The son of the vineyard owner. When Jesus spoke this parable the Bible says,

Mark 12:12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

Then another one would step up trying to stump Him. This time they asked questions about taxes. Should they even pay taxes at all. Jesus asks for a coin and asks, “Whose image and inscription is this?”. So they answer “Caesar’s”. Then remarkably He says “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The Bible says next, “And they marveled at Him”.

Next steps up the Sadducees. The did not believe in the resurrection. So they challenge Jesus on the law that required a woman with no heirs, if her husband dies she must marry the brother who is not married. Well if this happened a few times who would be the wife’s husband in the resurrection. Believing they have stumped him, Jesus answers,

Mark 12:25-27 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (26) But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? [57] (27) He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken."

Finally we get to our opening passage. This time a scribe came to him. They were the ones who were suppose to have a better understanding of scripture.

Mark 12:28-34 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"

(29) Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. (30) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. (31) And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (32) So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. (33) And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." (34) Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.

First, he perceived something about the answers of Jesus. Jesus had “answered them well”.

I believe this was an inquisitive question. He was not an antagonists. He had a legitimate question.

So he asks, which is the greatest commandment. We know there were 10 listed in Exodus 20 plus some say there are over 600 listed in the OT. Then you have the 1000’s that had been passed down from the religious interpreters of the scriptures

James reminds us that if we break one law it is like breaking them all. (James 2:10). Jesus reminds them that they had there are some laws that are weightier than others.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matthew 23:23).