Right Kind of Christian

Introduction

We talked last week about the greatest commandment and how this is the simple rule to follow to be a true Christian. This week we can describe some ways in which this may look in practice and some ways it should not look. Today’s passages contain a central theme of humility and generosity which demonstrate right attitudes and actions of what a Christian should be like. Jesus calls out examples of people who are not and one who is. Look around at your life today and see how well you measure up to these attributes of the right kind of Christian.

Trouble in the Text

If you remember from last week’s passage, a scribe is asking Jesus the most important commandment and their dialogue ends with the scribe being very close to the kingdom of God. In today’s passage, Jesus is pointing out something that may be characteristic for other scribes he has seen and encountered.

Scribes were important people because (1) they could read and write while many others could not, (2) they had access to the Holy Bible and (2) they also were the keepers and distributors of the Holy Scriptures. This was a prominent position. Because they could read and write and were responsible for and concerned with the interpretation of the Scriptures they also were the teachers of the law. Also due to their ability to read and right, they commonly might be in positions of leadership or have influence over those in leadership. There are many ways in which a scribe may be wealthy and influential in the culture of this passage.

What could go wrong here right? As with power and wealth comes the temptation to be prideful and self-centered. Jesus points out this hypocrisy in the way in which they demand to be the center of attention, the prominent person wherever they are or go, they expect people to fawn over them. Perhaps Jesus was even challenging their use of power and wealth for their own personal gain at the expense of those they are meant to help. Jesus condemned this in verse 40 when he said

Mark 12:40 NRSV

40 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Jesus isn’t fooled by what is in their hearts and their motivations. They need to understand humility and generosity which standing in contrast to their current ways. They needed Jesus to show them they proper way to follow the greatest commandment that they taught but failed to live up to.

Trouble Today

It is interesting when you think about what people are in positions of influence and wealth and power. I ask the question is the trouble we have today similar to what Jesus was denouncing? I would say the root of the issue is the same. Knowing what the bible says but failing to understand its meaning and living by it.

Just to make sure you don’t think I only pick on politicians, I will pick on the church today. Can you think back to a news story where a pastor failed to live up to living by the greatest commandment? It is not that difficult, even present company included. What about even within a church’s laity or volunteers, yes you can find examples there too. I will make up a fake church name and a fake pastor name and share some fictional examples that I believe help understand what this looks like today.

John is the pastor of a decent size church. The church is doing well and things are running smoothly with Sunday Worship and Sunday School. At a board meeting the church is discussing what major project to take on next. One person advocates for starting a mission program at the church that will provide tutoring for children who need help with school subjects. Another person suggests that the pews are uncomfortable and that they need to be replace with cushioned ones. Which one should the church take on? The members of the church debate the two options determining cost and time and effort. After a while the church members have thought through everything they can and can’t make a final decision. They agree to pray about it and return the following week. One member, we will call him Bob, begins to talk privately to other members about this and shares that it would be a better use of the church’s resources if they made the sanctuary more inviting and appealing and that the mission program would not really help to grow the church.

After talking to a few different members, Bob realizes that others don’t feel the same way he does and is concerned that the church will pursue the wrong project so he goes to talk directly to the pastor. He tries the same process of convincing the pastor that it is wiser to think of the church growth with updating the sanctuary rather than spending the time and effort on something that will not help at all with that goal. After all isn’t the goal of the church to grow? After a few minutes of discussing it, Bob realizes the pastor is not on board with his thought process and he grows angry. Bob changes tactics and suggests that if this church is going to throw money away then perhaps he ought to take his tithes and offerings elsewhere so that they can be used in the right way. The pastor grows worried by this threat because the church depends on this member’s offerings so he concedes and agrees to try and focus the updating the sanctuary plan.

Yes this is a silly fictional story but you can see the elements of the passage found here. The prominent church member wants to be the influence of how the decisions are made. When subtle attempts fail, he uses wealth or remove of it, to get his way. This fictional story can easily play out in any church and you can replace projects and tactics but in the end, the trouble is how does the church follow the greatest commandment and live humbly and generously? We need Jesus to show us how.

Grace in the text

While is it easy to use labels on groups of people and make general statements, we must always be careful in doing so. Each person in that group is an individual with the ability to think and act independently. While we see the scribes being denounced, in our previous passage, we learned of a scribe who understood the root of living right by God and he was close to following it. We learned of Nicodemus who went against the Pharisees when it came to Jesus. We learned of Joseph a wealthy individual who provided Jesus a tomb to be laid to rest. Jesus highlights in this passage a widow who had nothing, giving even that to help others. We can read so many examples in the bible of people being humble and generous with their lives.

When we get past the labels we see God’s grace at work in these individuals. We see people who are breaking out of the stereotype and follow the greatest commandment no matter their circumstances. Even Jesus demonstrated humility and generosity by working with the people and the disciples, despite obstacles getting in the way or people misunderstanding His purpose. Jesus still humbled himself for each and every sinner and went to that cross willingly to take our place. Jesus gave it all to set us free.

Grace in the world

How are we treating that great gift Jesus gave us? Have we lived humble and generous lives? Maybe or maybe not but this does not mean the potential is not there. I have shared with you before two things that have been core of who I am and how I conduct myself. (1) I believe in living humbly alongside my neighbor and I don’t seek positions of power and influence. I didn’t seek to be in the position I am with my day job nor did I set out to be a pastor so I could oversee a church. Yet, this is where I am because God has placed me here. The danger always exists to use or abuse those positions, yet I know this is a dangerous pitfall so many others around me have made.

Yet asking God every day, where am I to go and what am I to say, is leaving it in God’s hands. The widow left everything in God’s hands. Each of these people we mentioned went against the stereotype and by the grace of God became an example to each of us how we can live humbly and generously for God and neighbor. What ministries should we be pushing for? What ways in which we conduct ourselves can we be more humble or generous? I know for me personally, I have plenty of room to grow and by the grace of God, I will be able to.

The world today needs the right kind of Christians that mirror Jesus and not worldly ways of arrogance, pride, and self-centeredness. It takes one to make a difference. It takes a church to impact a community. The more we turn to being humble and generous followers of Christ, the more we see God’s grace flowing in us and into the world. It takes us breaking the stereotype that some people may label Christians as. If we focus on this, then watch God change not just your life but those around you as well.