Not Far from the Kingdom (Part 2 of 2)

In Mark chapter 12 read about a religious scribe who asked what was apparently a sincere question.

What is the greatest commandment of all today on Truth for Life. Alistair Begg examines their conversation. What it reveals about the scribe's spiritual condition and what it exposes in us today. Alister is titled today's message, not far from the kingdom as we work our way through this brief section. I want us to consider. First of all, the question that this man poses to Jesus, then the affirmation that he makes to the answer provided by Jesus. And then this man's condition as described by Jesus. This present question is clear. If they are in a sentence which commandment is the most important of all. Secondly, the affirmation the affirmation and describe verse 32 and the scribe said to them, you are right, teacher. You will notice that he reinstates what Jesus says in large measure, verse 33 to 11 with all the heart, the definite article is in here now and with all that understanding is interesting that there are. This is a different word that he uses there in in Greek. Jesus uses the word for mind. He's a word for understanding. It doesn't matter doesn't change the meaning at all, but it is it is translated in that way because of the distinction with all the strength to love one's neighbor as oneself, but you will notice that he both precedes that and he follows that by an emphasis that he draws out from the opening phrase of the Shema which is quoted there the end of verse 29 so he's not only affirming the universal obligation of devotion to God, one that is undiluted, one that involves placing our entire personality in God's service as well as affirming that obligation. You will notice that he does two things. One, he affirms the uniqueness of God. Notice that you have truly said that he is one and there is no other besides him. He understands you see the expression in the beginning of the Shema here oh Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one. Then it goes from there is akin to the beginning of the 10 Commandments. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

You are to this, you must not do that. In other words, there is a distinct logic that in marriages from the identity of the God who speaks and what the man is affirming is the fact that God is not like the gods of the idols he is not like the gods of the heathen, and all the way through the Old Testament. Indeed, all the way through the story of life that reality of the uniqueness of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ revealed God the father, God the son God the Holy Spirit. Three and 11 in three mysterious best. What we have is an extrapolation or a formulation of the truth, not an explanation of the truth all the way through history right up until the present day that God who has revealed himself in the world that he is made in the conscience of men and women with a sense of alertness in the Bible that he is given and preserved for us and finally in saving the in the person of his son. This God is the God who then obligates us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and so on. Everything about that I make sense. Why would you be obligated to a guard of your own making. If God if you made your God if you dredged your God, little G up from somewhere you are not subservient to this God. This God exists to serve you as God exists, like something you would put on the mantel shelf and go to and ask for his help. Every so often, but if you think about it for a lot of you look while I even asked this thing for anything this thing do blind, deaf and dumb piece of junk. There's nothing that this thing can do know you see this is what the prophet was dealing with 600 years before Christ. Listen to Isaiah 45. There is no other God besides me a righteous God and Savior.

There is none besides me. I will not here to camp on this this morning though, that is, notice in passing that the exclusive reality of God was his offensive 600 years before the arrival of Jesus as it is 2100 years after the arrival of Jesus and is one of the great challenges that a Bible believing Christian faces in articulating our faith in our day. God says I am God and there is no other. He's not saying I'm a cosmic principle. He's not saying that I am and I mentioned with in you that you must go into yourself and try and discover. Rather, he is affirming that before there was time and before there was anything there was God in the beginning God. What is the greatest commandment love this God with all your heart will remind all your soul all your strength commences you know you're right in saying that there is only one God. I noticed secondly he says and also it is important he points out that we recognize that this undiluted love for God is actually more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices is almost as if he introduced it. It keeps the word all in there to make a point is been all all all all he says in an actual fight. This kind of love for God and one's neighbor is more important than the vendor sacrifices is not saying here that the sacrifices are irrelevant are clearly not. They were established by God, but he is acknowledging this that the routine of the sacrificial system, minus an obedient heart is irrelevant to God. The process of doing what God is asked us to do that is divorced from the reality of heart and mind and soul and strength, and obedience is like going through the external routines of a bona fide Orthodox manageable marriage out of which the live has long since trade all the laws of their goodbyes and they're all yes thank you sir. There, but it is obvious that a lot of the school and so he says Jesus obedience actually matters more than that, of course, Jesus might've said doing the same thing here, here, scribe. You have done well because what he's doing is he just recently quoting from the Old Testament is acknowledging what it said for Samuel 15 question has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord, does he have as much delight in the sacrifices, as in obedience, behold, to obey is better than sacrifice that brings us to our third and final point notice for Mark tells us. Verse 34 and when Jesus saw that he answered wisely or he answered discreetly.

Let us remind ourselves of the question that he has posted. Jesus has been clear and it is been sincere is affirmation to the answer given by Jesus as being both wise and scriptural.

No invasion on his part. No self justification. The man is clearly knowledgeable and he is in the same time teachable. That's what makes this final point.

His condition is described by Jesus so striking.

You are not far from the kingdom of God.

You're right there on the border, says Jesus, you're on your on the 1 yard line. We are not in the end zone.

Now the observer finds himself saying if they're at all interested in religious things.

This can possibly be. Remember this, it already happened and the disciples had been the ones who said, who then can be saved. You can read this in chapter 10. On the other. The story of the rich young man. Remember when we sat. He said he kept all the commandments since he was a boy and Jesus is. Let me tell you what's really in in this deal here. He put his finger on the fact that the man did not obey this first and greatest commandment. Even love the Lord God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.

He loved his money more than that, therefore, money was his idol, therefore that idle would have to go if he was going to go into the kingdom.

He understood that he went away sad because he wanted his money to them on the gang in the disciples on that occasion said moon the world can get saved. I mean, if you've got a guy like this and he can be in the kingdom who gets in the kingdom's a good question. Jesus, as well as easy.

What is impossible with men is possible with God. You come to the story and see if this bill is not in the kingdom that who gets in. After all, these religious is relatively self-effacing. He's concerned about pleasing God.

This is the ideal person that Jesus was looking for frisking I'm having is the word out on the side of Cleveland.

Jesus is looking for some nice people who are humble to answer questions about spiritual things and the religious and interested in making sure that they know what is number one on the commandment list is ever Jesus is if that's what Jesus is doing that is making a dreadful massive it because again and again. People like this find themselves rebutted find themselves distanced from the kingdom you have to go way back to chapter 2 and remember that when Jesus begins to add to his disciple band. He picks up a fellow called Matthew or Levi who is a tax collector. The Jews hated tax collectors because of the way he went about their business.

They were dishonest and people said well look, if you want to start having people like this is your disciple.

We don't want anything to do with where religious people where commandment people. We do everything right. We are the people if you really want the Messiah, you would be having a party and you only go to the party over Levi's house to rely some of the people that are in their Jesus is not only tax collectors and sinners. All people in their Jesus is guys. I don't think you've got the picture. It's not the healthy. They need a physician, I didn't come to call the righteous, I came to call sinners to repentance, to repentance. And what was said in the beginning Jesus stands on the stage of human history and he says the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe. I didn't come to call righteous people.

He said I count I came to call sinners, but you see what happens when were religious people unless our religion shows as our need of God. Our religion will actually keep us from God and you see that's what happened to this man.

This man wanted to know what the number one was so that he could try his best to make sure that he did so in other words he speaks rightly when he addresses Jesus and he calls them teacher is as well. Said teacher you're right, you've truly said what is right, what's the missing link. The missing link is clear he did not understand that Jesus Christ had not come ultimately to teach in but to save to save were only weeks away and out really from Christmas. The car was already out in the malls and everywhere great opportunity.

Incidentally, just to speak about the Christian faith Christmas Carol seem to get underneath the radar of political correctness in a way that nothing else actually does some terrific couple weeks of opportunities started at least yesterday of the day before in the you can speak to them. You can tell me say what is that what is that mean the message of the Angels was clear. You shouldn't be afraid for unto you is born this day in the city of David a teacher seven cents. For unto you is born this day in the city of David. An example Christ is both teacher and example know for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior is Christ the Lord, and you will call his name Jesus issue the Savior because he will save people. He didn't come to judge the world need income to blame in only come to seek it was to see if he came so when we call them Savior and we call him by his name. We see what happens if the law if the law as expressed here and love God and love your neighbor. We could collapse at the counter like the golden rule you. If the golden rule does not show up how needy we are that it will become for as a barrier against ever entering the kingdom of God while I'm I'm a pretty good person. I love God as best I can. I mean not all, but you know some Psalm Psalm Psalm and and I got a few neighbors that I'm not dealing with, but the rest I'm giving a good stab know I went to check because I said I branded Zen Buddhism has has got something on this that encourages those who are into Zen and far more into Zen and realize there into Zen's, it is from 50 different ways in the last two or three decades in magazines and every other place is quite customary for us to say this is a great basketball coaching or he's very Zen is a wonderful actor. She's very Zen really know what it means but I went to look and see what is Zen Buddhism do with this notion of like loving God and treating your neighbor as yourself.

And so does what it says.

Doing this will be good for the people you help undercutting to obviously skip then it says. Beyond that, you will find a growing satisfaction in yourself a belief in yourself and knowledge that you are a good person and I trust in yourself and yourself, in yourself and yourself, in yourself, what is it says you have it in yourself. Do this and you will be accepted. Christianity says you don't have it in yourself, except this except one, except the call of the kingdom which is what to repent and to believe the good news to to recognize that when I look at all all all and condemns me. If that is the standard of acceptance with God if total perfection, the fulfillment of the first and second commands.

If that's how you get into the kingdom of God, not a miser going in life just flat out acknowledge it, no matter how good you feel about yourself.

You haven't lived the day of your life when you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength in nearby.

If perfection is the standard for entry. How is anybody going in is where the gospel comes this shows us that we can do it. The gospel says but another has come who has done it with The law in its absolute perfection who is fulfilled in its totality and who furthermore has not only kept all of that but has paid the penalty necessary for the five that we haven't kept all of that and the one who is affected this on our behalf is none other than the cane who says to us abandon all your efforts to rule your own life, abandon all your attempts to establish your own kingdom and enter my kingdom. While our time is done. If you're like me and you don't know the story you're into chapter 13, 14, 15 and 16, trying to find this man trying to find out what happened to this man trying to find out if he ever got into the end zone and you can read all the way through the end and is there is no indication of we don't know. But let me ask you, what about you is, is someone going to conduct your funeral service and say she was close but not close enough. Somebody understand here as we are sure your corpse out into the waiting horse and say you know he spent his whole life on the 1 yard line, but he never enter the Enzo he could give you the information is good as anybody. He understood about the teaching of Jesus. He understood the nature of the priority of the commanders he had it all down five but when the Savior passed by saying whoever comes to me I won't cast that you never called out can ask you, have you ever called out to have you ever called out to him and said Jesus being my Savior I need a Savior be my Savior.

If you do he will.

How do I know because he sets can be that easy can that easy and difficult because everything in you says you not to do that.

You're a good soul you know the commandments yourself are facing your righteous see what it is that keeps you from Christ as a Savior some bad stuff. It's good stuff is no because you think used to think so badly that he would never Savior because you think you're so good that he does need to seek but if he doesn't need to see you. Who does he need to say for whom did he come listening to the Friday edition of Truth for Life.

Alastair big is titled the study Mark chapter 12 not far from the kingdom.

Please stay with us because Alastair will close with a word of prayer in just a minute over the last couple of weeks. You've heard me describe a wonderful new documentary about the Puritans. This is my last occasion on this daily program to offer this resource to you if you been thinking about getting in touch with us today is the day to do that. The documentary is called Puritan all of life, to the glory of God were coming up on Reformation weekend, when many pause to remember how Martin Luther ignited a revolution in the church October 31 marks another anniversary of this historic mile marker in Christian history. You may not realize that the Puritans played a pivotal role in the Reformation and their legacy continues to this day. This captivating documentary includes brief comments from historians and Bible scholars really tells a powerful story it's punctuated by sweeping scenes from Europe. Beautiful cinematography. The set of two DVDs contains both the main documentary on one disc and then special features on the other disc and there is a link provided in the event that you prefer to stream the documentary asked for a copy of this inspirational DVD called Puritan when you give a donation to support the ministry of Truth for Life. Simply click the DVD image on our mobile app or visit Truth for Life.org/donate or give us a call at 888-588-7884. Every Sunday that Alastair is in the pulpit at Parkside church.

You're invited to complement the teaching you receive from your local church by watching Alastair teach the Bible online to check Alistair's teaching schedule for this Sunday go to Truth for Life.org/live in now here's Alastair to lead us in prayer. Father, thank you for the Bible.

Thank you that we can read it thank you that your word is fixed in the heavens. Thank you that it is good news. Now the good news of self effort, but the good news that when with the trembling lip of childlike faith we reach out a hand that contains nothing except the openness that receives from you is a gift, wonder of your grace and your mercy. We enter into the reality of your kingly rule of God. I pray for each of us that you will clarify the issues in our minds because this really matters matters.

We need to know what it means and we need to know why it matters and then we need your grace to call out to you enable us to do so. We pray for Jesus sake were glad you joined us today about Lapine along with Alastair Begg and all of us to Truth for Life. We hope you have a refreshing and relaxing weekend and we want to invite you to join us again Monday as we continue our study. The gospel according to Mark today's program was furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living