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November 4, 2020 3:00 am
As followers of Jesus Christ. How can we use discernment to determine the difference between a Bible teacher who has integrity and someone who is merely masquerading as one in Mark chapter 12 Jesus exposes the telltale signs of a spiritual charlatan and today untruthful like Alastair beg turns to this passage and presents a message titled, beware, and be aware while at the end of this series of instructions here in Mark chapter 12 Jesus has been teaching in the temple and you will notice if your Bible is open, it is certain page that he is about to leave the temple at the beginning of chapter 13 and he is now on his way to meet his opponents and to face suffering and to face death and he concludes his teaching here in the temple by issuing a warning and by commending the actions of this anonymous lady.
Luke tells us that Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples, although there is a large crowd that is present and essentially he is saying to them I want you to be aware of this danger and I want you to be aware of this devotion. Jesus has received has been consistently turning human evaluations upside down the principles of his kingdom run counter to the way in which people were thinking not only in his day, but certainly there on counter. The way in which people are thinking in our day.
So, for example, Jesus has said if you want to save your life, you should lose it vice versa don't usually think that way. He said to his followers. Greatness is not about having servants. It is about being a servant, and he pointed out that many who are first will be last and the last will be first so is entirely in keeping with that kind of emphasis that the lead in to the Passover events and to the crucifixion of Jesus should be the record of the devotion of two anonymous ladies the story that is recorded here at the end of chapter 12 and then the story that is recorded at the beginning of chapter 14 in both cases you have an unnamed lady who is expressing her devotion for God.
So what I want to do is to gather our thoughts around to imperatives. If you write these in your note you have to be careful it will appear.
If you are not careful that you've written the same word twice. The first imperative is beware and the second imperative is being aware be aware just the distinction of avowal but is a very important distinction. First of all, then he says, beware services were where did you get that from then you look down of the text as I've suggested you should disable that wasn't particularly brilliant. It's right there. Of course it is as a way it's supposed to be when the pastor is finisher supposed to say what that makes perfect sense. You're not supposed to say I don't know where he got all of that. When you find yourself say I don't know where he got all of that. He probably pulled it out of a hat and if he pulled it out of the head. He probably put it in before he pulled it out so you don't want that you're not, you know you're not here to see a magician you're here to study the Bible in his teaching, he said, beware beware of the scribes of the scribes were not liberal in their theology and find they were very conservative in their theology in terms of devotion to the text of the Bible to the Old Testament. It would be legitimate for us to describe them as fundamentalists. They were the fundamentalists of their day, and as a result of their knowledge of the of the Old Testament, the exercised considerable influence in the community. Of course we know that to whom much is given, much will be required. So Jesus points out that these individuals have a significant problem actually have a number of the crowds don't particularly like their preaching.
We know that from reading the Gospels because they often find themselves saying after Jesus has taught them. Boy, that was really good and I understood that and there seem to be a power in the dynamic about it.
In contrast to the way in which the scribes had been teaching them, one that they were unorthodox. They were very orthodox. It would also probably pretty dull, but that's not what Jesus is referring to. He's referring not to their preaching to their practice because these individuals instead of being marred by humility and by generosity and by sincerity, where Jesus says, preoccupied with themselves.
These individuals are marked as being selfishly ambitious and if you want to cross-reference this at your leisure.
You can read the opening verses of Matthew chapter 23 where Matthew gives a fuller statement concerning the way in which Jesus calls these people to account for these things here in Mark we have described for us three ugly characteristics.
Three ugly characteristics.
First of all, right right. Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like greetings in the marketplaces is pointing out that these individuals are ostentatious, then this is not simply a comment on their style of dress, but it is a comment on the fight that they dressed in a particular way wearing the kind of robes that you would never try and climb up a ladder and do your gutters may work ostentatious and the love the deference that came with it, so that in the marketplace.
It was just the bees knees for them when he was hurt all my mind, there is still scribes own solons are low hello scribe and I was just I just floated the bow that got them going when they went into worship. They operated on the same basis.
That's what it tells us, and they like to have the best seats in the synagogues, the best seat in the synagogue was the seat that was in front of the container in which was deposited the Torah.
The law of God, that seat did not face in the same direction as the congregation, but that seat looked out upon the congregation so that individual and could sit in a position of prominence and not only surveyed the others who had attended but also of course be surveyed by the others who attend and so that once again fed their prime when they went to feasts the equivalent of wedding receptions.
They never had to go and look at the board that was out in the vestibule do not hold the table numbers on it. Why would they waste our time looking to see what table number they had. They knew what table number they had they had the talk table.
They were scribes they were the right clothes. They were referred to deferentially in the market. They had a position of prominence in the synagogue, so why wouldn't they also be just in the very best seat at the feast, Jesus is is exactly the way they operate. Beware bright. Secondly, greed greed. They devour widows houses what it means is that their greedy and folks who have things they like to get things from Andy particularly good with Windows who perhaps are now vulnerable. As a result of the loss of their spouse as was agreed really be said that it would be true of a window five. I've seen widowers more vulnerable than I've seen many widows, most of his manner completely at sea without our lives and our wives do better, but it is not unusual for the woman who perhaps has not been the mastermind behind the financial responsibilities to be on the receiving and all of the designs the dirty designs of these kind of characters you see, the scribes were not allowed to be paid for being scribes they had to arbitrate so they had the remuneration as a result of working with our hands but what they could do was suggest to people that if they would be nice to then describe the rabbi. If you are nice to me. You get a real blessing, because after all, do know who I and if you give to me and I'll be able to pray for you. That's where the third ugly characteristic comes in hypocrisy, hypocrisy because what they were doing was praying on the widows and then trying to cover it up by praying for the widows burial of English language as disavowal again. One vowel changes everything. They were praying on them and then they try to cover it up by praying for while sale long prayer for you. I will remember you in my prayers at all the language down what they're actually doing was seeking to feather their own nest to line their own pockets to advance their own agenda and in everything ostentatious to a T. Well, we dare not miss the warning warning that extends to all conservative Bible teaching rabbis, plasterers, leaders. Beware beware these three ugly characteristics, pride, greed, hypocrisy, the warning is very relevant to all who are tempted to believe that the call to the ministry of the word of God is a call to prominence is a call to deference is a call to ill-gotten gain. The fight and it is become so for some is never an excuse and I wonder is you look at this chilling final sentence of this first little scenario as you look at that final sentence.
I wonder does James not have in mind when he writes little Jesus says here, I say to you. Beware of these characters. Beware of this, because you see you become like the people with whom you spend time they will receive the greater condemnation. There are degrees of rewards in heaven, and there are degrees of punishment in hell. I think James must have had this in mind, or something like it when he writes in the third chapter of his letter and not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Beware as we come to the second imperative you will notice that Mark tells us that Jesus set down and he sat down opposite the treasury. I actually wrote a little thing. Parenthetically, in my notes I wrote and so he might together and Jesus sat down so so we should even on his feet for a long time he's been faced with all of these questions. All of these attempts to trap and and up turned his authenticity as a result, some antisense downward told opposite the treasury and he wants the people putting money into the offering boxes is kind like at the mall, the equivalent of them all really. It is said to him, someone is gonna go sit down and watch people for a while there, he sits in our teacher has to teach a teacher has to teach and you will notice that immediately his observation becomes the basis for his instruction because as he observes the scene he realizes this is very important and I will have to make this clear to my disciples in regard receive any calls them to him and then he teaches them. What is the scene well. Historians tell us that in this context. In the temple precincts.
There were 13 offering boxes. They were designated for different needs and opportunities we could give to certain thing the entryway into the offering box was by way of a metal trumpet, and they were referred to as the trumpets and because the entryway was metal.
It was relatively possible to dig juice what people were giving by this sound that there offering made when it was tingling through the trumpet and Mark tells us that Jesus noted that many rich people. You will see in the text that many rich people put in large sons is not bad but that is a list everything good about that is no sense in which Jesus is saying we don't like rich people putting in large sons not suggesting for a moment that I would be wrong to do, or that it is inconsequential. It wasn't inconsequential and it certainly isn't inconsequential.
What is he doing he is doing what he's been doing throughout his instruction, namely challenging human valuation challenging the way in which a person thinks about when he sees her what she sees because the common assumption sitting where Jesus sits and observing what Jesus sees would be that the contribution that is now being made by this poor widow if it is not entirely irrelevant must certainly be inconsequential because from a human perspective, the substantial things have been done by the people who have substantial capacity. It is the rich people made the big noise in the trumpet. This lady as per our tiny little thin coins. The leptin have virtually even made a noise going down.
So Jesus is II wanted with Greg fellows Khmer is a huddle up teaching moment again brings them in brings them in and then he says truly I say to you, so they knew. This is important what Jesus is about to say. Truly I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering boxes.
I I love how Jesus does is on you. I does he do this with a twinkle in his. I am in. This is another rental is edited in the 12 are not the brightest bunch, but nevertheless they should be able to get this money very quickly just jumps in and answers it for the night on the geek only wants to waste the time to wait for them to try and figure it out, all looking at one another and scratching their wooden heads because clearly two cents is not worth more than $200 is so how can a lady who puts in equivalent of two sentence be putting in more and people were making a substantial contribution is the question that the rental answer is clear. He's teaching them that the rich gave what they would never miss. While this poor widow gave what she couldn't afford is not essentially what the rich were doing was giving their loose change. This lady was given all her change the rich were able to go into their riches depending on the extent of their riches and what I'll actually touching their principal take some of their interests and out of their interest. Make a generous contribution that made a big noise sufficient for people to say my my, that is quite a contribution by this lady who could some centers so well. Of all the gratuities and keep one for a low puts in both of I was teaching this to children. I would then turn now with his with him on mocking words. Simple soul is at my desk. I said this is the fable of the pig in the chicken, the fable of the opinion that you can remember is the pig and the chicken is either going to go into business together. The chicken says when we going to business. The pig says what kind of business.
The chicken says the bacon and egg business CR. The just a timing thing is that the weight and we tell our grandchildren the pig said not so fast for you that would be a contribution for me is a sacrifice that's the point that Jesus is make hey fellas did you see what happened here. Did you see this poor widow look at what she did one of my good friends summarize this for me in such a way that I decided his summary was so good that I should waste my time trying to summarize, so here is his observation. His summary of what is actually taken place and the challenge that is represented for us as we seek to apply number one our giving is to be measured by proportion and not by addition, by proportion, and not by addition, the real question you see is not how much is given, but how much is left. Secondly, our giving is measured not by amount, but by sacrifice by any standards. The amount that was given by the widow was just so vastly different from what others were able to do that.
It would appear to be completely irrelevant, but not so, and our giving is always in the site of the Lord Jesus. Jesus sat down the temple treasury, and he watched as the people came in putting their gifts. There's no sense of manipulation four is a nibs and in recognizing the five that God searches our hearts and he knows as he knows our portfolio. He knows our bank balance. He knows what we have we may impress other people by the extent of whatever it is we choose to do, but there's no way we can really impress God be God is given as everything before we could give it back to them is by giving your children money to buy your Christmas present you give them 100 bucks they go out and buy everybody a Christmas present anymore. Thank you.
Those lovely what you given the money in the first place. That's what it is when we give to God he's not sitting waiting says oh good as well get some money in here soon.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
He owns everything is either that the lady went to the lady went to the mantel shelf and to garner little tin that had her grocery money and or whatever was she had to millions of Friday set up trust God. Calvin and his latest puts it in the same way he reminded his congregation quotes that it is of less value in the sight of God.
When a rich person out of a vast resource gives a moderate some and when a poor person by giving very little should exhaust their bank account, but there have come to the end of chapter 12 to concluding imperatives. Beware beware of trying to be rid of greed. Beware of hypocrisy and be aware be aware of the accountancy of heaven. After all, when we think about someone who put in everything he had her everything she had went out face-to-face with the story of the gospel that God has put in everything for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that we through his poverty might become rich message about discernment presented from our teacher Alistair Begg message is titled beware and be aware your listing to Truth for Life.
Alister is teaching from the Gospel according to Mark. Mark is one of the four Gospel writers whose known for his narrative storytelling style we get to see Jesus in a variety of situations and watch the manner in which he respects, loves and engages with people we want to recommend to you a book that ties in naturally with this study written by the late John Stott. It's called the disciple in this book John Stott helps us understand what following Jesus in our day looks like he points to the key elements of discipleship. He talks about the art of hearing God's voice relying on his truth to guide our thoughts and even our emotions and he shows us what the Bible says about how we are to love one another. We would love to send you a copy of the book the disciple on request.
When you include a donation to support the ministry of Truth for Life. Ask for the book right now by going to Truth for Life.org/donate or click on the image you see on the mobile app you can also call us to donate at 888-588-7884 in Mark chapter 13 we read a lengthy description from Jesus about the end of the world's words are both alarming and confusing. So join us again tomorrow as Alister sets the stage for this challenging passage on Bob Lapine Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the Learning is for Living