Sermon Tone Analysis

You’ve heard that old saying “Its Monday.”

You very well might resemble some of these meme of Monday [Show images].

Well Jesus has had a Monday.

He has been badgered by three groups of religious leaders with questions trying to trap Him into a conflict with either the people or Rome, that they might destroy him, but each try has failed.

We’ve never had a Monday like Jesus, and His was not over yet!

Now as He continues teaching in the temple, there is one more question asked of Him by a scribe.

This question is of great importance and I believe was asked in all sincerity.

This morning I want to talk about “It’s Monday” and being close is not good enough.

Text; Mark 12:28-34

1.

The Scribes Question; 28

Scribe- one who was employed for his ability to read and write.

An expert in Jewish law, including both canonical and traditional laws and regulations.

Usually a Pharisee.

This scribe had listened to all the questions by the religious leaders and was very impressed with the answers Jesus had given.

Questions are very important in life.

Asking question is how we learn.

Children ask questions all the time, “Why?” Teenagers and adults ask questions about various things in life like, Does she like me?, Who is the greatest football, baseball or basketball player of all time?, Does this dress make me look fat?

Whats for supper?

All are valid questions, but none deal with matters of life and death!

But this is the most important question that a Jew will ever ask, and probably man for that matter, “Which is the first [greatest] commandment of all?”

Traditionally the scribes spoke of 613 individual commandments of the Mosaic Law—365 negative ones and 248 positive ones.

These commands were the rule of conduct or code of ethics of how a good Jew was to live concerning; religion, family, work, government and society.

While all are important and binding on one’s life, he wanted to know which one was the most important or summed them all up.

2. Jesus’ Answer; 29-31

Jesus answers by quoting what Israel called the Shema.

Shema- to hear and act upon by faith.

This confession was recited by every devout Jew morning and evening.

It was and is as important to Judaism as is the Lord’s Prayer is to Christianity.

The Shema was quoted by all religious Jews every morning and evening.

It still is!

The Shema was written on small strips of paper and placed in leather boxes called “Phylacteries”.

These leather boxes were worn on the forearms and on the foreheads.

This was an effort to literally fulfill the command of Deut.

6:8, where the Lord said, “And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”

Orthodox Jews around the world still use these phylacteries.

The Shema was also written down and placed in a small round box called a “Mezuzah” and placed on all the doors in the home.

This served to remind the Jews of God in their going out and coming in.

Most orthodox Jews still use the Mezuzah today.

This is an effort to fulfill the command of Deut 6:9, where the Lord said, “And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

Carr, A. (2019).

The Topical Sermon Notebook: Mark (Mk 12:29–31).

Wordsearch.

Love God- before one will obey the law that person must first love the Lawgiver.

Loving God goes beyond emotions, it begins with “all” our commitment and loyalty to God first.

The context of the Shema is instructive/take action.

To love God is to obey His commandments and statutes teaching them to others.

To love God is to teach His commands by living them

To love God is to remember where He brought you from

To love God means you must not follow other gods.

We are to do this with “all” our heart, soul, mind and strength

All your heart- the heart is the core of man’s being.

The heart causes us to give/do good or bad.

All your soul- the soul is the seat of your emotions and will.

Our love for God should be emotional but it also should be intentional.

All your mind- intellect, knowledge, understanding

All your strength- abilities, gifts, talents and skills

The best picture in scripture to love God with all our being is found in Ps. 42:1-2

Jesus takes it a step farther by adding that if we will Love God Supremely then we will be able to have a Genuine Love for our Neighbors.

3. Close Is Not Good Enough; 32-34

The scribe had come to understand that religion and rituals will never be enough to bring a person into an intimate relationship with God.

Religion and rituals can be practiced without one having a love for God.

People come to church for various reasons and many of them are not because of a desire for intimacy with the LORD!

Jesus was pleased with the scribes answer and he urged him to continuing seeking the Lord.

This man seems to be a decent, respectable, religious man.

His life was probably an example to most people.

But being close to the kingdom of God is not good enough.

Entering the kingdom of God is not a matter of following a list of do’s and don’ts, rituals and ceremonies, it’s a matter of the heart.

He was at salvations door but he needed to take the step of faith.

It’s possible for a person to have a religious upbringing and still be lost.

It’s possible to know the truth and still be lost.

It’s possible to have heard the Gospel preached all your life and still be resting on your own goodness and good works.

It’s possible to be Gospel hardened and to seal your own damnation while sitting on a church pew.

It’s possible to be within an inch of Heaven and still die and go to Hell.

Remember the rich young ruler in [Mark 10].

He asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” [He kept the commands, he followed the rules from a youngster.]

But remember Jesus told him it wasn’t about following rules but about loving God.

Religion has never saved anyone.

Only a relationship with Jesus can do that!

Close;

Jesus loves you this morning, more than any of us could ever imagine.

He wants us to know His love, feel His love and embrace His love.

But we first have to trust Him to clean us up from our sin.

Cry out to Jesus this morning in your troubles and let Him save you!

Close is not good enough!

You need to enter in today!

Invitation

Tomorrow is Monday.

You can face Monday with Jesus [Happy Image] or without Him [Sad Image].

The choice is yours!