Text: Mark 12:28-34, Title: Religion in a Nutshell, Date/Place: NRBC, 11/9/08, PM
A. Opening illustration: in 1602, when Shakespeare had Hamlet declare, "O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count my self a King of infinite space." That song Center of the Mark,
B. Background to passage: this is question number three in Mark 12. It comes from an individual scribe, who unlike the Pharisees and Sadducees, does not want to catch Jesus in His words. We don’t know that his intentions were necessarily to seek truth, for the job of the scribes was to know the bible. And it is clear that he does. But it was fairly common question for scribes to ask rabbis what their version of the whole of the Torah, or the nutshell version of religion from God was; and so the question was probably a curious inquiry. But of course, with this summary of the law and the prophets, Jesus gives us the main thing, and the second.
C. Main thought: So in the text we will see how Jesus summed up the prescriptions of the Torah in two thoughts.
A. Love the One True God Intensely (v. 30)
1. In Jesus’ answer to His summary of the Torah, He quotes a very familiar passage to the Jews, the Shema. And He gives a very simple straight forward answer—love the one true God. Note the affirmation of exclusivity of loyalty to Yahweh first. The word for love here is agape, which is an unconditional, self-sacrificing, highly-valuing kind of love. And biblically, love is a conscious choice in conjunction with emotional attachment. And I had discussions about the variations of meaning in these words, and decided that it was probably Jesus intention to cover all the bases and teach that we are to love God with every aspect of our beings as the most glorious being ever. The language used is “from your whole heart…soul…mind…strength.”
2. John 14:15, 1 John 2:15, Philip 3:8, Ps 63:1-3, 42:1, Hab 3:17-18,
3. Illustration: The young woman died at an early age, and after her death the locket was opened, everyone wondering whose face he would find within. And in the locket was found simply a little slip of paper with these words written upon it, "Whom having not seen, I love." Her Lord Jesus was the only lover she knew and the only lover she longed for. “A true love of God must begin with a delight in his holiness, and not with a delight in any other attribute; for no other attribute is truly lovely without this.” –Jonathon Edwards, “We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.” -Tozer, “To love God wholeheartedly, we must be convinced that our only happiness is in him alone.” Tell about the story on Jesus Freaks radio of the young man in Vietnam that was preaching, imprisoned, offered early release, then refused to disciple, “To love God wholeheartedly, we must be convinced that our only happiness is in him alone. We cannot believe this until we renounce all other efforts at happiness. If we look to God to supply half our happiness, we can only love him with half our hearts.”
4. So do you love God? Seems like a Sunday School kinda question. And most of us would offer a resounding yes. What do you love about Him? But how do we know? Do you consistently choose Him over things, possessions, people, or activities (highly-valuing)? Do you long to be with Him? Do you allow His priorities to take precedence over yours? Are you willing to sacrifice other valuable things to please Him? Do you think about Him regularly? Is the very core of your being entranced by Him? Do you arrange your life around Him, or arrange Him around your life? Is He your most sacred treasure? Do you obey his commands? Do you choose worldly things over Him? Do you have an emotional attachment to God? If all you had were taken away except God, would you be satisfied? What if you find out/decide that you don’t really love God in any more than a SS fashion; what should you do? You should fall down at the feet of Jesus and repent for not valuing the most valuable treasure, for not obeying his commands, for not following him, and beg of Him forgiveness and a new heart. Then throw yourself passionately into knowing all you can about Him so that you will see His value and attractiveness.
B. Love All Peoples Unconditionally (v. 31)
1. Jesus then, for the first time in rabbinical history linked theological exclusive heart religion with loving your neighbor. He combined Deut 6:4-5 with Lev 19:18. Jesus assumes self-love. In the Matthean passage he then states that upon these two commands hangs all the law and the prophets. That is a huge statement. That all the law and the prophets depend on these two commands. In the Lukan parallel, the scribe asks Jesus to define who is his neighbor.
2. James 2:8, Matt 7:12, 5:43-46, Rom 13:9-10,
3. Illustration: We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table — ‘Here’s my life, Lord. I’m giving it all.’ But the reality for most of us is that he sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, ‘Get lost.’ Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home. Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul.” “As you long for food when you are hungry, so long to feed your neighbor when he is hungry. As you long for nice clothes for yourself, so long for nice clothes for your neighbor. As you work for a comfortable place to live, so desire a comfortable place to live for your neighbor. As you seek to be safe and secure from calamity and violence, so seek comfort and security for your neighbor. As you seek friends for yourself, so be a friend to your neighbor. As you want your life to count and be significant, so desire that same significance for your neighbor. As you work to make good grades yourself, so work to help your neighbor make good grades. As you like to be welcomed into strange company, so welcome your neighbor into strange company. As you would that men would do to you, do so to them.” – Piper, 1. God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation. 2. God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home. 3. God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy. 4. God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed. 7. God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones. 8. God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others. 10. God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others. 11. God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend. 12. God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others. 13. God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors.
4. Realize the devastating implications of these commands if we take Jesus seriously. Don’t forget that this is the second of the two greatest commandments. But if you are doing the first, the second will follow. In fact I would argue that unless you are doing the first the second will be nearly impossible. As a church we are supposed to dwell together in love. But also as a church we are supposed to demonstrate to a watching world that our values, actions, and priorities are derived from God, and His love should shine through us. So, do you love other people? Do you demonstrate that? For the same truth applies: we all know the SS answer, but all of our lives don’t back it up.
C. Close Doesn’t Count (v. 34)
1. This is the most interesting part of the text for me. This scribe, obviously well grounded in scriptural knowledge, repeats back to Jesus what he says, and clarifies that these things are more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This would have been an amazing statement coming from a scribe. But even Jesus is impressed. But then he says to him that he is not far from the kingdom. NOT FAR!
2. Matt 7:23
3. Illustration: “A dead ministry will always make a dead people, whereas if ministers are warmed with the love of God themselves, they cannot but be instruments of diffusing that love among others. This, this is the best preparation for the work whereunto you are to be called. Learning without piety will only make you more capable of promoting the kingdom of Satan. Henceforward, therefore, I hope you will enter into your studies not to get a parish, nor to be polite preachers, but to be great saints.” – George Whitefield
4. Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and dancing. You can have correct theology, go to a good church, be baptized, be good, even love your neighbor, and still miss heaven. You can have all the biblical knowledge, teach classes, go on mission trips, serve in many capacities in church, and still not make it to heaven. But if you are blessed to have these things, strive to enter into the narrow gate through The Door. Don’t rely on works or theology or some past experience. Ensure that you are NOW loving God, and loving people, and are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone!
A. Closing illustration: two conversations with Mackenzie about the priority of God, and the loving of people, There are two questions that will be ultimately asked on the Day of Judgment: “Did you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind….Did you love your neighbor as yourself?” Both of these cannot be accomplished if you do not know God’s Word. How can you purport to love and honor a God you do not know? How can you truly love your neighbor as yourself if you do not warn and instruct them in the paths of righteousness?
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
