Youāre getting warmer
Mark 12: Youāre almost there, right on the boarder of Godās kingdom.
Iāve been in a few discussions with people who want to play āstump the pastor.ā The exchange usually starts with something like, āBeing that youāre a preacher, let me ask you this…ā and off we go to some burning theological issue like where Cainās wife came from. In this passage, Jesus deals with the same level of discussion. The Sadducees bring him their old worn out āwhose wife is she?ā question that theyāve used for years. Others want Jesus to go out of a limb about paying taxes. Standing on the sidelines is a religion scholar with a question. It too is an old one that the rabbis like batting around. Of all the commandments of the Old Testament, which is the most important? Jesus looks the man in the eye and gives him a serious answer. The number one command is that weāre to love God with every fiber of our being. Jesus even goes so far as to throw in a bonus answer. The number two command is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. This scholar deals with issues like this every day and he responds that heās concluded the same thing and, in fact, heās never heard the answer stated so well. Jesus says to him that heās almost there, just a short step from the kingdom of God. This exchange is so refreshing. On a day when people are lining up to play āstump Jesusā we meet a man whoās on a legitimate spiritual journey. Heās done a lot of thinking about these things and needs just a gentle nudge to close the deal and commit his life to the Lord. Jesus instantly recognizes the difference between the cat and mouse game of the Sadducees and a sincere question from a real seeker of the truth. My prayer for all those who sincerely seek that theyāll find not only the answers to their questions, but, even better, as it was for this good man so long ago, the Answer to the greatest need of life.
Take Away: Those who arenāt playing games but are serious about God will find real answers in Jesus Christ.