CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Mark 12:28-34
INTRODUCTION: Have you ever set out after something and you got close but you didn’t quite get it? Coming close can be pretty debilitating and frustrating. Perhaps no one knows that better than the 2007 Patriots. Here they were undefeated at 18-0, playing in the 2008 Super bowl, on the verge of putting together the greatest season in NFL history, all they needed to do was beat the Giants. But it was not to be. They were close. Only four points kept them from getting there. But, instead of being Super bowl champs with a perfect 19-0 record, they finished as super bowl losers with 18 wins and one, Giant loss. As bad as that loss was for them, which from what I understand still haunts Tom Brady to this day, it pales in comparison to what would be much more haunting-getting close to the kingdom of God but not getting there. Getting close is not good enough.
1) You’re not there but you’re close.
Background-Jesus had been stirring things up for the religious leaders and teachers of the law. They had questioned his authority and they had been trying to trip him up with questions about paying taxes to Caesar and about marriage in heaven. Then, one of the teachers of the law was intrigued with what he was seeing in Jesus.
Mark 12:28-34. As a teacher of the law, he and his colleagues no doubt discussed issues like this. Who knows how heated the debates got. So this teacher of the law decided to put Jesus to the test and ask him what he thought about the topic.
And we see that he liked Jesus’ answer. He was impressed with how Jesus responded. I can see a switch going off in his mind. Up until now, he may have been merely intellectual and legalistic in his view of the commandments but now he was beginning to see things from a different perspective-love. All teachers of the law would know what the law said but he had reached the place where he saw that love was more important than religious activity.
Vs. 34-he answered Jesus wisely. He showed he understood what Jesus was getting at when he applies what Jesus said about love in contrast to burnt offerings and sacrifices. He made the connection without Jesus having to make it for him. This showed he was answering wisely. Jesus is telling him he was not far because it was that level of wisdom that was necessary in order to move him from understanding to applying. Now that he understood the principle he now needed to act on it and make it the essence of his life.
We don’t know what happened from here but I hope this wasn’t the last time he hooked up with Jesus. However, all we have to go on was the fact that his current status was he was not yet at the place where he would take the risks involved with committing himself to being a follower of Jesus. He wasn’t at the place to move from calling Jesus teacher to calling him Savior and Lord. He may have recognized the superiority of love over sacrifice but he wasn’t yet at the place to live by such a rule. It’s one thing to be religious; it’s quite another to be spiritual. It’s one thing to know; it’s another to do.
James 2:14-19. There are two kinds of faith; there are two kinds of belief. There’s surface level faith where one acknowledges certain truths about Jesus and then there’s the level of faith that takes acknowledgment and moves it into being convinced. The level of faith that goes from thought to action. This is the difference between being close to the kingdom of God and being in the kingdom of God.
2) If I’m close what might be keeping me from getting in?
• Sometimes it’s a lack of knowledge.
Acts 18:24-28. Apollos had knowledge but was not saved. He was close to the kingdom but not in. He was educated and had a thorough knowledge of the scriptures but he had a lack of knowledge about the gospel. He knew about Jesus and taught accurately about him but had only a limited knowledge when it came to salvation through Jesus; for he only knew about John’s baptism of repentance, not the baptism done in the name of Jesus for forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit that Peter taught about in Acts 2:38.
So, Priscilla and Aquila, knowing Apollos was not far from the kingdom, took him in and explained things more fully to him. He had to be taught the way of God more adequately. Some people have learned the scriptures but are not yet in the kingdom because their knowledge is limited. They understand certain things but they have a lack of understanding when it comes to the gospel and how to respond to it. So they would be someone who is not far from the kingdom of God; they are close but not in.
• I’m not willing to hear the full truth.
Acts 24:22-27. Felix knew about Christianity. He was married to a Jew so he no doubt knew about God and perhaps even the prophecies concerning Jesus. So he listened to Paul talk about some things he was probably familiar with. But when Paul started talking about righteousness, self-control and the judgment that’s when Felix called a halt to the discussion. And although he called for Paul thereafter it was for the wrong reason. And we see that after two years there was no change. Felix had been hearing about how to get into the kingdom but didn’t like some of what he was hearing.
Some people don’t mind hearing about God’s love, grace, mercy and forgiveness, but when it comes to hearing about living a righteous life, being self-controlled and God’s judgment they plug their ears. They want to edit the word of God and block out everything that’s difficult for them to hear. They want the feel good messages not the challenging ones. They want a watered-down version of Christianity. They’re not looking for accountability; they don’t want to hear about the need for change. They might be close to the kingdom but they won’t get in as long as they’re unwilling to hear and accept the full truth. We need to be like Apollos, who, when the whole truth was presented to him he was willing to hear and accept it. And because of that humble acceptance he went on to do great things for the kingdom.
• Sometimes it’s just one thing.
Mark 10:17-22. The rich young man was someone who was close but not in. He may have been doing a lot of things right but there was one thing standing in his way from being willing to follow Jesus.
Some people are so close there’s just one thing standing in their way. It can be materialism, a relationship, a specific sin, pride, or something else. However, like the rich young man, that one thing can mean everything. I might not be far from the kingdom of God but I am allowing something in my life to be more important to me than entrance into it.
3) I might be close but I think I’m in.
Jesus told the teacher of the law that he was not far from the kingdom of God. Even though we can see how Jesus’ statement would be encouraging, I’m not so sure the teacher of the law saw it as such. As a teacher of the law he probably thought he already was in the kingdom of God. So, Jesus’ statement could’ve come as more of a shock rather than an encouragement. He may have been offended; not inspired. He probably wasn’t expecting to hear Jesus respond this way. Perhaps he was thinking Jesus would say, “Wow! You’re pretty smart. You’re someone special in the kingdom of God. Well done; go on your merry way.” But that’s not what happened.
I guarantee there are people today who would be surprised if Jesus said the same thing to them. Matt. 7:21-23. Here are some people who thought they were good to go. They were surprised to hear Jesus’ answer to their appeals. These people mistook doing things in the name of Jesus for acceptance into the kingdom of God. They may have been doing these things in the name of Jesus but they weren’t doing them in the will of God. They were probably doing these things because they thought that by them they would be counted worthy and accepted by God but they were wrong.
There are people like that today. They do things thinking that by these religious observances they have achieved merit before God and have thus earned their ticket to heaven. Just because I call Jesus Lord it doesn’t mean he is. Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?”
Jesus didn’t tell these people to do what they were doing. They were about their own agendas. Perhaps their actions were more about looking spiritual in front of others because the things mentioned were things that would draw attention to them. Perhaps that was their only motive. They may have attached Jesus’ name to it but Jesus wasn’t behind it. It’s not about religion it’s about relationship. It’s not about making a decision it’s about making a commitment. It’s not about making a way it’s about accepting the way. It’s not about knowledge it’s about wisdom.
I might be someone who thinks I’m in the kingdom when really I’m outside of it. It’s important to be someone like Apollos, who, when the way of God was explained more adequately to him he accepted it and went on to do great things for the kingdom. We can too but first we need to determine whether we’re in or we just think we are.
CONCLUSION: Being close is not good enough. It doesn’t matter if you’re a foot from the kingdom or a mile away-you’re outside either way. With that said, if we’re not far from the kingdom of God we’re in better shape than if we’re far away. Being close means you have a better chance of making it in. However, come judgment day it doesn’t matter how far outside the kingdom of God you are-out is out.
That’s why it’s important to not put off the call to become born-again. God is calling for you to come to him. You may be someone who has been coming to church for a while but you haven’t gotten to the point of accepting Christ. You may be someone who reads the bible and knows some scripture but it hasn’t gone from your head to your heart. You believe but it’s just surface belief; it’s not the kind of belief that changes your life.
Don’t remain someone who gets close to the kingdom of God but doesn’t make it into the kingdom of God. Almost doesn’t cut it.
