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Questions. It seems life is full of questions.
Simple questions. Such as what time is it? Or what's the weather going to be like today or even what's for dinner?
And then also questions that are deeper. More profound. Questions that get at the heart of what life is all about.
Those questions are harder for us and we often avoid them when we can, but sometimes they press in on us in a way that we can no longer avoid them and we must face them. We're meeting today worshipping on October 31st, historic, reminder of reformation day, and the Reformation that took place so many years ago, 1517 when it began really, probably began earlier than that, but when Martin Luther nailed 95 thesis to a church door, in essence 95 questions about the church and how the church needed to get back to the basics. The ornamentation and all that, we as humans, tend to drape on our understanding of God needed to be addressed. You see how we see God, how we understand God, has a lot to do with how we behave and who we become. So, Martin Luther was nailing those thesis, those questions in essence to the door to challenge the church. As Reformation began and reformers and movements began and denominations were formed. It was time to reshape people's understanding to re-teach people how to understand God, and how did they do that? They did that with what we call catechisms, which are made up of a series of questions followed by answers. And then they're Dutch, reformed tradition, many of us know, the Heidelberg Catechism, certainly those of us who are of a certain age can remember that we had to learn or even a memorize, many of those questions and answers. I see some nods even now and I can go to some of our oldest members, even as much of their memory may be fading, I can still ask them the first question of the Heidelberg, Catechism, I can say what is your only comfort in life and in death and I will hear back.
Yeah, I hear people doing it, what is your only comfort in life and in death that I'm not my own right? And I belong to my faithful Savior. Jesus Christ, right? I didn't get that. Exactly, right. I got to go back to my memorization. But like she does. What is your only comfort in life and in death? And I'm not my own by body and soul to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Presbyterians have the Westminster. Catechism question answer. Number one is something like this. What is the chief end of man? Forgive the sexism of the question? It was formed in D6. 1560. What is the chief end of man? But to know God and to glorify him to enjoy him forever, something of that nature. Questions, they form what we are after, what we are pursuing, what we want to know.
Last week, we had a question that was delivered to us as we looked in the gospel of Mark and we explored blind, man Bartimaeus, this one who called out to Jesus on the roadside and wanted Jesus to come and free him to lift him from his blindness. And yet, we discovered that he wasn't as blind as he may have thought. That he could actually see who Jesus was. And the question that was put to us when Jesus said to him go your way. The question was what way did he go? What way did Bartimaeus? This blind man who now could see what way did he go? And also if we can see Jesus, what way will we go? For Jesus was going to Jerusalem. He was going to the cross. And that's the call for us as well. Can you do one today and the gospel of Mark? And we come upon Jesus now in Jerusalem? We know this is not going to be an easy Journey for him and sure enough. It turns out it's not being easy at all. He is faced a series of questions from the religious leaders and our passage today is from Mark chapter 12, beginning at the 28th verse and we're going to encounter the last question that he deals with. So let's pray that God would open his word to us.
Lord, may you guide us through our questions?
More importantly, may you guide us through your words so that we may understand, you rightly? And in our understanding of you be able to properly reshape And re-orientate ourselves. So may your word be clear, oh Lord this morning and may your spirit move Among Us. In Jesus name, amen.
Mark, chapter 12 verses 28 to 34 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another and seeing that, he that is Jesus answered them well, asked him. "Which commandment is the most important of all?
Jesus answered. the most important is, Hear o Israel. The Lord. Our God, the Lord is one. 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. The second one is this. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There's no other commandment greater than these.
And the Scribe said to him. You are right teacher. You have truly said that he is one and there is no other beside him and to love him with all the heart. And with all the understanding with all the strength than to love one's neighbor as oneself as much more that all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
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. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. You see, Jesus triumphantly entered into Jerusalem in upon entering Jerusalem. One of the things were told is that he goes into the temple and he turns over the tables of the money-changers. He doesn't exactly make him himself, a welcome guest in the temple. And he immediately draws all the attention and all the Wrath of the religious leadership in Jerusalem. The first question he faced is comes from the chief priests the scribes in the elders. In other words, pivotal people. And they come to him and they simply asked this question, "By What authority do you do these things?
in other words who gave you, this Authority,
Jesus doesn't answer the question because he asks them a question as well saying. Hey, John the Baptist.
Yes, I'm still getting over the cold. Yes them a question about John the Baptist whether or not he was a prophet. And they realize they're trapped that. They say he wasn't then, all the people will turn on them. And if they say he was and he'll ask why they didn't support him. So the next group of religious leaders come this time, the Pharisees and the herodians. They try to form of entrapment, try to bring a question to him, that will catch him. They want to know whether or not they should be giving taxes to the Roman government. You see all those receipts came through the temple process, and there were a lot of shady realities and all this. And again, Jesus Dodges that question, and we know that one full well by him asking for them to bring a coin to him. And I'm asking whose image is on the coin. They say Caesars and he says we'll give to Caesar. What is Caesar's and to God? What is God's?
The third group that comes to him, other religious leaders known as the Sadducees. The Sadducees bringing more of a litmus. Question, more of a question that wants to find where he stands on the certain religious debates of the day. They want to know which group he sides with who he more likely fits in. Isn't that what we do as well?
Listen to one another and decide whether or not we're mask wears or not mask wears. One of the Republicans Or democrats will the word liberal, or conservative, whether were socially active, or otherwise, I ate just, it's crazy. The questions we asked for one another, the Sadducees do the same to Jesus. They want to pin him down and they are the Power Group. In the Sanhedrin. And they want to pin them down about the resurrection, which they don't believe in. And their justification, simply this to say, hey, look at it. Let's play this out. We got this thing called levirate, marriage, and that's the truth that they had to follow that if one was married. And if you died and left a widow that if you had a brother, your brother was required to marry that Widow. Keep the family line. Is levirate marriage. And so the Sadducees bring a hypothetical question to Jesus. They said a man dies and leaves behind a widow. And so his brother marries her and he too and turned eyes until the next brother and he died. And then the next brother and on down the line, the woman marries seven or eight of these from the same family and their questions in heaven. Whose wife is she? Feel like they got them.
And Jesus says, well, there's no marriage in heaven and you're all confused on this.
In each case, he finds a way to navigate his way through the questions because each of the questions really aren't questions about life. And how do we really approach? Things are questions, but they catch him. Their questions meant to abused and maintain, and keep power and authority.
They're not really about God. They're about oneself and keeping what one has.
Which makes our last questioner that we read today? So very interesting.
Nathan the may I have that. Bottled water.
This last question, doesn't come from a group. It comes from a scribe. One scribe. And we get the distinct impression that he doesn't come as a member of the scribes. But that he comes. From his own self. From his own perspective. We get the sense that he's carrying a question that's been haunting him that he wants an answer to. I just got some water. Thank you for but I'll take anything else. Thank you.
Since that he has a question. He needs an answer to. And how do we get that sense? Because it were told that he's been listening to the debates.
He's been watching.
He's kind of been sitting on the sidelines, observing. He's been taking it all in and each time. He's been seeing that Jesus has properly navigating the questions. He's an Observer. Where as one person once put it he's noticer. Years ago, I had the opportunity to go to a speaker, to your speaker on named. Andy Andrews. Who identifies himself as a noticer. The many ways, many of us, our observers were notices. We would kind of watch from the sidelines. And Andy Andrews, defines himself as a professional noticer. And for that reason, he's an incredible consultant. And among the many things he's consulted with including corporations. And otherwise, he found himself thrust into the world of college football of which he knows nothing about.
But in the race of college football, The Edge is ever. So slight that coaches and everyone else to do everything. They can to give that just that little Edge. And one of the best coaches of college football called, his staff called upon Andy Andrews to come and consult with them. Nick Saban staff had Andy Andrews, come and observe their practices or games to watch game tape to do. Watch everything to be a noticer. And then come back and consult with them. So when he entered into the room and finally gave his report, he said look, I don't really know anything about football.
I don't really get it to begin with.
I can't tell you how to. Coach your plays or play the game, any more than you can.
But I can tell you what I noticed between the place.
What happens between those moments when the clock's not moving?
Your football players. They should always be dressed up with a tie and suit whenever they're pictured, or whenever they're in front of a camera.
Your football players. I noticed in football that when a play is over and a player is done a good play, they get up and they kind of flipped the ball off to the ref with the kind of a nonchalant care. Like here you go, find It, Go Get It. Servant. Because they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. And yet, in my research, I find out that most referees. Are former coaches themselves? It'd be far better for your players if they took that ball and ran over to that, referee and gave it to them. And said, here you go coach. Respectfully.
Because it seems to be between those those moments when you respect and you show that respect, those calls that you often get frustrated about that. Don't go your way chances are because he's people are human too. You've got a better chance calls will go your way.
Sure, not Nick Saban and staff changed the culture among their players. Because Andy Andrews was a notice. Describe who was observing, Jesus observing. The religious ridicule. He's under is a noticer and he's watching. And he has a question that is haunting him and he wants an answer from Jesus.
It all the play of Life. What is the most important commandment? And you need to understand this was right in the scribes wheelhouse. This is his area of expertise. This is what his whole job in his role in life is all about. He's asking Jesus to tell him a coach of the scriptures, how to do it better.
What is it really all about?
Is he ascribed such as this would have known that there's 613 Commandments in the scriptures? And if they did even to dividing them up as negative and positive Commandments, 356 negative + 248 positive, they'd even categorize them as lesser or greater, or or lesser, and more weightier . Did all different ways of making divisions among them and all sorts of debates and, and scribes. Not only knew all these things, but they knew who said, what about all these things? They knew it all. That was their job to keep a record of all of that. And so he asked Jesus. Not from a place of entrapment.
but from a place of What is it all about? Anyway?
Life is hard. What is it all about? Anyway?
We find ourselves wanting to know what is at the very base of all of this. We know what it is to have, everything else whittled down and moved away. We know what it is suddenly to care. What about what's really most important when when we have to get out of a burning building and all that we leave behind. When suddenly our health is really at stake suddenly so many other things Fall Away, don't they? You don't care about who won the game yesterday.
Because there's other things that are more important.
And Jesus is being asked. What is most? Important, what's first? What's primary? What's Central?
And Jesus doesn't miss a beat knowing full. Well, who, and what type of person is asking the question he says.
Hear o Israel. The Lord, our God. Is 1. 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.
And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Jesus answers with some unique senses first. He answers the first is we hear this Shema, which I'll say more about in a moment. And then the second is that he gives two answers instead of one.
The Shema.
That's because I'd answer this from Deuteronomy, get an answer from Deuteronomy in from the Leviticus. The answer from Deuteronomy is the shamash known as hear o Israel. The Lord Our God, the Lord is one. Shema means here. It is the central piece. If you were to go up to a Jewish person and ask them to tell you what the Shema is, they'll tell you right away. And they might even tell you by doing this. Hear o Israel. The Lord Our God. The Lord is one. Covering their eyes. Here. And making the effort to trick to blind out all the other senses to remember. What is most Central? Here. And what are you to hear the Lord our God? Is 1.
There is no other. There is no other God. There are no other gods than God Only God.
The Lord God is God. There are no others. No one else Compares. There is no comparison. Nothing. Get out all the other idols and all the other thoughts. Nothing Compares To God. Nothing.
Do you want to get it straight in life? No one else, but God. Where's another person used to say in the beginning? God? Forget forget to create the heavens and the Earth in the beginning. God.
There is no other.
And because of that.
You should love him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and all your strength. In other words with everything. You have everything. It's not like, oh they left out kidneys. So I don't need to worry about those worth. They left out this piece by philosophic. No, it's everything. With everything we have to love God. God is Central. God is first and foremost. We should be like a moth to the light bulb when it is God everything revolves around God. Even the solar systems. There is no other everything and if there's something in our life that has we find that is not part of that. Everything we can just throw that into everything should be about our God. Hear o Israel. The Lord. Our God. The Lord is one. You shall love the Lord. Your God with all your heart and with all your soul. And all your mind and all your strength. Everything.
What was powerfully, fascinating? Is that Jesus doesn't stop there. He adds the levitical statement as well that you shall love your neighbor as yourself tying those two pieces together, almost not even skipping a beat tying them together. That we would love the person next to us. Love the people around us as much as we love ourselves. In other words, to love God with everything is also to love the persons around us with everything to love them completely as we love ourselves. That Jesus ties, those two together and makes those, what is most important? And we know that we heard it today. When we heard it. Once again, how we're call deliver. You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind and second is like you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And we can we hear that every time we know that loving the Lord, our God with our hearts full of mine really summarizes. The first four of the ten commandments.. We know our neighbor as ourselves summarizes. The last six Commandments, we get it. They summarize the full law of the Ten Commandments but really, they take in all 613 Commandments.
It's what most important most Central it's what life is about.
If you are trying to figure out life still. Kind of wonder how to navigate your way through difficulties or relationships or lack thereof, if you're still hungry and and hunting. Then the pursuit of God is probably pretty good place to start. Oh, you may feel like God has let you down, but it's God is truly one. If he is truly the God and if he loves you as much as he said. And he's not done with you yet.
Listen to How The Scribe responds to Jesus when he says this. Teacher, you have answered rightly. And what he says after that is powerful. He uses the language of comparison. He uses the language was very Compares, One to the other and he says that the first doesn't even begin to compare. Or the second doesn't even compare to the first. That Jesus is so on point with loving God, with everything and loving our neighbor as ourselves at that is so Central that it far outweighs or as he says is much more than all our sacrifices and offerings. He's saying this in the temple system, he saying doing this doesn't even begin to compare to this Central thrust and why is he saying that? Because he's picking up a thread and he's pulling on it that has been throughout the Old Testament, a thread that has been their thread. That goes back all the way. Mary King, David. We think of King David all the time. There's a king before, King, David called King Saul very first king of Israel. And you may wonder, why didn't he go on to have a long line in his name? Because God rejected him. Ultimately and God rejected him because King Saul did not stay obedient to God's call when God called him to wipe out of people and everything that people at all there. Good stuff instead of King Saul went and wiped them out, but kept all the good stuff and when he was questioned about it. He said all, I'm bringing all that to offer that to God. These are all going to the offerings to God.
And right there, we get our first indication that God doesn't care about the offerings as much as he cares about us, truly, pursuing, and being about God, not just going through the motions. You can come into work if we can go through the motions. It's not about how many years we been a good member or done. All the things we've done. It's not about that. It's about the heart. That thread continues through the Old Testament, to a point where the profits pick it up and said, hey, look at God says, it's not the sacrifices that I demand at your heart. I want your heart.
So scribe recognizes Jesus's right on point. This is what God wants. God wants us to love him with everything that we have, and everything that we are and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. That that's far more than all these sacrifices were doing. How does that translate into today? It places a question before us.
A question that we need to pursue each and every moment. How we loving God with everything that we have? How we loving our neighbor as much as we love our self?
Because that's God's as my wife said love language. He loves us that much. He gave everything for us. He gave his son.
And now he's looking to see if we love him as well. Are we willing to love him with everything? And show him that we love. Also those, he created. As much as we love ourselves.
Truly challenge were given this morning. Jesus was the one giving the question and yet, once again, it's being reflected back upon us. How much more? Will we love him? Let us pray.