Almost But Not Quite Mark 12:28-34

A customs officer observes a truck pulling up at the border. Suspicious, he orders the driver out and searches the vehicle. He pulls off the panels, bumpers, and wheel cases but finds not a single scrap of contraband, whereupon, still suspicious but at a loss to know where else to search, he waves the driver through. The next week, the same driver arrives. Again the official searches, and again finds nothing illicit. Over the years, the official tries full-body searches, X rays, and sonar, anything he can think of, and each week the same man drives up, but no mysterious cargo ever appears, and each time, reluctantly, the customs man waves the driver on.

Finally, after many years, the officer is about to retire. The driver pulls up. "I know you're a smuggler," the customs officer says. "Don't bother denying it. But [darned] if I can figure out what you've been smuggling all these years. I'm leaving now. I swear to you I can do you no harm. Won't you please tell me what you've been smuggling?"

"Trucks," the driver says.

You can be close to the Kingdom and miss it completely.

I. A Question of the Law v. 28

Tonight, we are continuing our look at Jesus’s last week of earthly ministry, in Jerusalem ahead of the Passover

Jesus has been questioned by a lot of folks:

The Pharisees have a question about politics and religion

The Sadducees have a question about the Resurrection

Now, He faces a question from an unnamed scribe

He’s in an interesting spot

He has heard the answers of Jesus and is impressed by the wisdom that he’s heard from Jesus

Now, the scribe will ask his own question and it’s a good one!

Which commandment is most important of all?

Why does this question matter?

Well, it would seem that if we were going to attempt to keep the commandments we ought to know which ones carried the most weight and be sure to get those right first.

In fact, there are certain commandments that, when fulfilled, make it possible to fulfill the rest of the commandments

Is this the kind of question that we are asking?

Are we truly interested in honoring God with our lives?

Are we invested in pursuing His ways?

Do we recognize Jesus as the answer to our questions, not just the answerer of our questions?

Early in his career, Thomas Edison invented a vote-recording machine for use in legislative chambers. By moving a switch to the right or left, an official could vote for or against a proposal without leaving his desk. The machine would replace the tedious business of marking ballots, counting them, etc. Elated with the prospects, Edison obtained a patent -- his first -- and headed for Washington.

Eagerly he demonstrated his machine to the Chairman of Congressional Committees. This gentleman, while complimenting Edison on his ingenuity, promptly turned it down. "Filibustering and delay in the tabulation of votes are often the only means we have for defeating bad or improper legislation." he told Edison.

The young inventor was stunned. The invention was good; he knew it and the chairman knew it. Still, it wasn't wanted. Said Edison later: "There and then I made a vow that I would never again invent anything which was not wanted."

There is a really profound difference between the two: If I seek Jesus because I think I can get what I want from Him, that is a very different thing than seeking Jesus because He alone is what I need.

II. A Two-Part Answer vv. 29-31

Jesus answers the question in a very orthodox and biblical way, quoting from the Old Testament

He identifies one commandment with two parts:

The answer is love

This is a little surprising to me:

The answer is not first obedience, fear, or worship, but love; it gets to the devotion of the entire person

The answer is directed two ways:

It is the total devotion, heart, soul, mind, and strength to the Lord

It is that same devotion poured out into the lives of the people we encounter in life

This answer is a classic both/and rather than an either/or

Some people focus in on the relationship between God and Man

Some people prefer the emphasis on Man and Neighbor

However, the truth is that they go hand-in-hand

If I attempt to love God without loving neighbor, my love is false; if I attempt to love neighbor without loving God, my love is hollow

There is a partnership between these two principles and the one proves and strengthens the other

1 John 4:20–21

[20] If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (ESV)

III. Almost There vv. 32-33

I want you to pay attention the scribe’s response here:

He does not disagree with Jesus nor does he act in an antagonistic way towards Jesus

In fact, he affirms that Jesus has answered well

He even goes into depth in His agreement: Jesus is right!

The Lord is the only God and there is no other besides Him

Loving God and loving neighbor are greater than all of the other sacrifices that we could make

I think that this is a powerful moment

There is so much to like about this response!

It reflects a right understanding of who God is and what He expects; however it still misses the mark

Acts 26:27–29

[27] King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” [28] And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” [29] And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” (ESV)

We’ve got to be wary of being “almost” a believer!

IV. But Not Quite v. 34

Jesus replies:

He sees the wisdom in the man’s answer

He also recognizes that the man is near the Kingdom of God

However, the scribe is not there yet

What is the missing piece here?

The scribe is missing Jesus

If obedience to the commands were enough, we would not have needed a Savior

God knew our need; we could not be saved by obedience to the Law

So, God sent His Son!

Romans 7:21–25

[21] So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. [22] For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, [23] but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. (ESV)

Johnny V. Miller delivered the following message:

When I was a teenager, I became fascinated, appalled, and grieved by the literature of the Holocaust … One scene that haunts me is a picture from Auschwitz. Above the entryway to the concentration camp were the words, Arbeit macht frei. The same thing stood above the camp at Dachau. It means, "work makes free"—work will liberate you and give you freedom. It was a lie—a false hope. The Nazis made the people believe hard work would equal liberation, but the promised "liberation" was horrifying suffering and even death.