Give Me Jesus: Jesus As Love: Mark 12:13-34

I. Political Questions vs. 13-17

A. In order to trap Jesus, they ask Jesus a political question. People will try to distract you and trap you with foolish questions.

B. People will distract you with politics. Our priority is Jesus’ kingdom, not the USA! Phil. 3:20-21

Philippians 3:20–21 NASB95

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

C. It’s not that politics isn’t important, but the gospel is the main thing. It transcends our political parties. We need to be involved as we’ll see later, but we need to be living more for King Jesus than we do Uncle Sam!

D. And don’t act like the word is coming to an end when your party loses. God is sovereign, Trump and Biden are not!

II. Family/Theological Questions vs. 18-27

A. Family problems both your own and other’s will distract and trap you. We are to be about our forever family!

B. We will fight and separate over secondary doctrines, but won’t fight for the gospel’s sake!

C. It’s time we quit answering questions no one is asking, and start giving the hope of the gospel. The world population is 7.753 billion people. We live in one of the fastest growing counties in the US, and the fastest growing in the state. Rom. 10:14

Romans 10:14 NLT

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

III. Questions Worth Asking/Answering vs. 28-34

A. Jesus tells us to love God with everything we’ve got, not serve Him with everything we’ve got! If we are loving right, our service will be out the overflow of our love for God!

B. We make excuses on why we don’t love like we ought to, but we need to love like Jesus! I Cor. 13:4-8

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NASB95

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 ESV

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

Ephesians 4:32 NASB95

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

C. Our question shouldn’t be (may I say never be) “Am I right?”. It should be “Am I loving?”. Is everything I am doing, is it done out of love?

D. When the scribe answered intelligently, I believe Jesus’ answer was one of a personal appeal. Not only to that scribe, but to us as well. When we realize that Jesus’ salvation, which is the only salvation, is found in a relationship, then we are close to it and Him. When we think religion will do it, then we are as far from God, as Pluto is to the sun.