Is Close Close Enough? (AM Sermon Notes)
GIST: No. ☺ (More specifically… You can look the right part and say the right words, but without Jesus, you’re still lost.)
SCRIPTURE: Mark 12:18-34
18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important 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 and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ’31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
We’re coming to another large passage today. I’ve wrestled with whether or not to divide this up for the past couple weeks. However, again, I saw too much of a connection to separate them. We’re in the last week of Jesus’ life. He isn’t hiding who He is, or what He came to do. In fact, He’s putting it out there in dynamic fashion. A few weeks ago, we talked about Him coming into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Messiah King who came as the only path to true and lasting peace. Then last week, we talked about the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple which both pointed to this peace not being the kind people were expecting. He came to call people to true faith, not a facade following.
After this, the religious elite challenged Him on His authority. What gave Him the right to do these things and makes these claims? They knew the answer. He’s made that clear, and His response tells them as much: He’s God! He then launches into a parable that further clarifies this, which we’ll look at next week on Easter Sunday, and calls them on the carpet for missing the truth. They then respond with a series of questions mostly designed to trip Him up, or, at least, discredit Him. This morning, I want to look at the last two of these. One group brings an outlandish question which clearly demonstrates they missed the point, and Jesus redirects them to the truth of His eternal salvation. The other question comes from a man who seems genuinely interested in what Jesus has to say, but still isn’t following Him. Jesus tells the first group they’re “quite wrong”. The second man He says is… close. That’s why I titled this message, “Is Close Close Enough?”. Because of that, I could actually give you the shortest gist ever: No. ☺ However, in the interest of clarity, you could also look at it like this: you can look the right part and say the right words, but without Jesus, you’re still lost.
I. Wrong Heart. Wrong Question.
Purpose of the Question. Let’s start by looking at the first question here. This one is from a group known as the Sadducees. If you’ve grown up in church, you probably recognize this name as the group of religious leaders “who weren’t the Pharisees”. I grew up with my parents singing a song called, “I just want to be a sheep”. So, when I think of the Sadducees, I hear this verse in my head: “I don’t want to be a Sadducee...because they’re so sad, you see… I just want to be a sheep. Ba, ba, ba, ba.”☺(That’s my childhood right there.)
Truth be told, we really don’t know that much about the Sadducees, and what we do know… is pretty sad. We know they were members of the Sanhedrin, which was the ruling council of the Jewish people, and they seem to have been pretty wealthy. We also know they were considered the more conservative branch of the religious leaders, which if you’ve been with us as we’ve discussed the Pharisees, probably sounds kind of shocking. What that equated to, however, was not believing in angels or demons and rejecting the idea of the resurrection as “liberal theology”. (They may also have only believed the Pentateuch was Scripture, but that point is debated.)
Knowing even that little bit, however, gives us some important insights into why they’re asking this particular question. It’s apparently one they’ve used before to stump the Pharisees with much success, but it’s not a serious request. Rather, it’s designed to discredit the resurrection by making it look ridiculous. If Jesus tries to support it, they’re also hoping to discredit Him.
Content of the Question. What was the question? According to the Law of Moses, if a man died without leaving any children, his next brother was supposed to take his wife as spouse and father children with her (for the specific reference, see Deuteronomy 25:5-6). The whole point of this law was tied more to the maintaining of properties and family lines than anything else. The Sadducees took it to a another level here though. “Say that happens not once...but seven times. No babies are ever born. Then, everyone is dead and in Heaven together. Will this just be a super awkward family reunion? Who will the woman live with?”
My mom’s favorite musical growing up was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, so all week I’ve been thinking this sounds like the polygamist remake: One Bride for Seven Brothers☺. Either that, or a potential CSI episode… (why do these guys keep dying?).
Jesus’ Response. Yes, that’s ridiculous. And, yes, that was the point. As always, Jesus doesn’t play their game. He cuts right to the chase. “24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” These people represented an elite class of the religious leaders in Jerusalem, and Jesus tells them: “You’re asking goofy questions like that because you don’t know God’s Word and haven’t come to understand who He is and what He’s doing.”
Secondary Issue: No Marriage in Heaven? Now, their question brings up two issues: the truth of the resurrection and the nature of marriage in Heaven. The marriage question is secondary, but I want to address it first because it’s like the elephant in the room for most modern readers, myself included. For those of us who are happily married, reading this portion of Jesus’ response hurts. We don’t like to think that we might lose the special bond we have with our spouse in Heaven. (Those who aren’t enjoying a happy marriage might feel differently...☺.)
Here’s the deal. I like how Alistair Begg always puts it, in Scripture “the main things are the plain things...and the plain things are the main things.” There are points that are less clear. This is one of them. I do not know exactly what our relationships in Heaven will be like. So, we won’t spend too much time on this point this morning. (However, this can be something we explore further this evening if anyone has more questions--or if someone is reading this blog post and wants to personal message me, I will do my best to respond.) I’ll just make these quick observations.
1. It seems we will know one another in Heaven. Think about Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration. The disciples had never seen them, but knew who they were.
2. Jesus is not implying the bond you have with your spouse will be less in Heaven, but rather that it will be more. Relationships in Heaven will be perfect, unstained by sin. Yet, they will be perfect with everyone in Heaven, not just your spouse. (Side Note: And it is in this context that we will be like the angels--not married or given in marriage. We do not become angels when we die.)
3. Heaven is about Jesus, not your spouse. This is a hard truth, and one I have to wrestle with pretty often because...let’s face it… my wife has me firmly wrapped around her little finger, and I’m in no way motivated to break free! Yet, there will be a marriage in Heaven (Revelation 19) between Jesus and His Bride, the Church. To want to cling to our earthly relationships as they are now is to want this gift more than the giver. This is a hard truth. But what do you want more, your spouse to have Jesus...or your spouse to have you?
Core Issue: There is a Resurrection! And that moves us to what the real issue is here. As poignant as that portion of the response is, it’s not the core issue. Remember, they are trying to discredit the resurrection. They are teaching that there is no life after death, and Jesus is saying...that’s the whole reason I came! He uses an example from the Old Testament to support this, and it might not immediately make sense how this supports His point. However, He’s referring to one of the many times God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These references are usually reminders to God’s people of His faithfulness. When He says, “ 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living,” He’s implying that His faithfulness to His people does not end with death. He’s talking about Salvation! John 3:16, the most recognizable Bible verse today, declares this truth: “16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is our hope! This is why we can look at the hardships of this life and with Paul say they are but light, momentary afflictions preparing us for the eternal weight of glory which is beyond all comparison! (2 Corinthians 4:17)
They’re trying to impress with their clever ridicule, and Jesus says, “24 ...“Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?... 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
II. Right Question...Still Wrong Heart.
Purpose of the Question. So that’s the first question. Let’s look at the second. (And don’t worry, since we’ve addressed this passage just a few months ago--actually, we looked at this verse in my first official sermon as pastor-- I’m not going to spend as much time here, and you will be free to eat soon ☺.) This question comes from the other side. The Sadducees try to trip Jesus up, and He handles Himself quite well, so a scribe, a member of the Pharisees who are usually stumped by the 7 grooms question, is impressed, and brings a question of his own.
In essence, it’s like he said, “So, yeah, that was a silly question, but really… what do you think about this.” He then asks a question that was frequently discussed by the religious leaders. They had categorized all the Old Testament laws and determined there were 613. Not all, however, were deemed of equal importance. Yet, not everyone agreed on which ones where at the top of the list and which were at the bottom.
Jesus’ Response. The reponse Jesus gives was actually pretty widely accepted. (Hold that thought, I want to come back to that in just a minute.) He starts by quoting the Shema. Which would have been one of the most, if not the most, quoted passage of Scripture at this time, “‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 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.’” Then He adds, “’31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” How do you summarize the whole law? Love God. Love people. Isn’t that how the 10 commandments were divided? The first portions teaches on how to demonstrate your love for God, and the last portion how to demonstrate your love to those around you. On the surface, this wasn’t a controversial response. Truthfully, on the surface it still isn’t today. However, when you break down the implications, people aren’t as willing to actually live this. That’s why this passage ends the way it does. Let’s just break this down really quickly.
1. God is One. This means He alone is worthy of praise. He alone can save. He alone should have our complete allegiance. In the area in which we live, people are usually ok with Jesus, until you start talking in exclusive terms like this.
2. Love Him With Everything. That’s the implication of heart, soul, mind, and strength. Last time we looked at this, I broke it down as: Mind ⇒ Everything we think. Heart ⇒ Everything we feel. Strength ⇒ Everything we do. Soul ⇒ Forever. This is not half-hearted love, or an “in-word-only” love. This love is transformational! It should impact every single aspect of your life. Your thoughts, your emotions, your actions--all His--all for Him.
3. Demonstrate this Transformation in You Love for Others. Loving God like this will flow over into loving the people He created wholeheartedly, as well. I’ve said this often, but the evidence of this transformation is that those who have been greatly loved will love greatly.
Final Exchange. Jesus lays this out, and the scribes says, “Yes!” He even adds his own commentary to affirm it. 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And how does Jesus respond? “ 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (emphasis added). Remember, this man was a teacher of the law. In human eyes, he out ranks Jesus, who had no “formal” training. You have to get that. In his mind, he was like a teacher complimenting a student on a good answer, and then being corrected by the student!
He was close. He knew the right answers. He wasn’t asking crazy, immoral-musical inspiring questions. Still, he wasn’t living it. Because Jesus, who is God in the flesh, is standing right in front of him, and he’s just affirming truths instead of living those truths by following Jesus with his whole heart. He’s close, but not close enough.
It’s worth noting that after getting these responses, they gave up on trying to trip Him up with questions. ☺
TAKEAWAYS
1. Know the Scripture and the Power of God. Yes, I know. I make these points every week. But I can’t help it. Being a Christian without knowing Jesus...is impossible. Simple as these may sound, they’re foundational (and easier to say than do). Read His Word; Pray in His Name (see last week :D); Hope in His Resurrection! It’s real. It’s what those who know Him have to look forward to. It’s the eternal blessing Jesus died to secure! And it’s neglecting all of these which leads to completely missing the point.
2. But don’t stop with just superficial knowing. You can know all the right answers and even do all the “right” things, but if Jesus is not the Lord of your life--you’re only close, but not in His arms. These religious leaders looked so good on the outside, but they didn’t really know the Word--and they most definitely weren’t living it. Don’t be satisfied with just knowing the right words to say, or talking about Jesus, or affirming truths about the Bible. I know Jonathan Edwards has been faulted throughout history for using such language, but the truth is the truth even if it’s uncomfortable to hear: Close isn’t close enough when the chasm you’re jumping across is Hell.
3. Give Him...everything & be transformed by His love. This means seeing even the good things of this life as less than His worth in your eyes, and then treating those around us with love like His. This is hard because we’re sinful. Melissa and I were just talking about this this week. Sometimes it’s easier to know what to do than to actually do it! It’s like Paul said in Romans 7:15, “15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” HOWEVER, that’s not an excuse for continuing in sin. Yes, you are a sinner. Yes, you will stumble. Yes, this life will be constant struggle against those desires. BUT, Jesus came and died to SAVE you from that sin. There is a difference between tripping while you’re running up the stairs and laying down at the bottom of the steps because it’s not worth trying! GIVE Him everything, and be transformed by HIM. You’re going to fall down those stairs every time if you try to run up in your own strength. But those who hope in the Lord will run and not grow weary and walk and not be faint because He will raise you up on wings like eagles--in His arms! (Isaiah 40:31)
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