27
The Essential Jesus as Revealed in the Gospel of Mark
| Date post: | 21-May-2015 |
| Category: |
Spiritual |
| Upload: | john-smith |
| View: | 164 times |
| Download: | 0 times |
The Essential Jesus as
Revealed in the Gospel of Mark
Sunday, February 2nd
Groundhog Day
Hogwash Day
Groundhog Day
Hog Day
wash
His final eight days!
Sunday – Triumphal Entry
Monday – Cursing and Cleansing
Tuesday – Conversations, Confrontations, Predictions and Conspiracies
Two Additional “Tests”
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 11:27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him.
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:13-14 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, talk. “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should
should we not?”
Two Additional “Tests”
The first mark of brilliance can be seen in the ones they set to spring the trap:
1. Pharisees --- traditionalists, nationalists (therefore anti-Rome), right wingers of their day!
2. Herodians --- non-traditionalists, pro-Herod dynasty (puppet kings of Rome), left-wingers of their day!
Two Additional “Tests”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend!”
Their mutual hatred of Jesus brought the Pharisees and Herodians together
in this strange alliance!
Two Additional “Tests”
Pharisees vigorously opposed paying tax to the Roman oppressors!
Herodians, in support of
Herododian dynasty, was the “pro-tax”
party!
Two Additional “Tests”
The first mark of brilliance can be seen in the ones sent to spring the trap!
The second mark of brilliance can be seen in
the question these two groups were instructed to ask!
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?”
Two Additional “Tests”
If he answers “YES” – The Pharisees and all the devout Jews of the land would be totally offended! If he answers “NO” – then this would be a rebellious and treasonous act toward the Roman government!
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
“Tiberius Caesar, the Divine Augustus”
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:16-17 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection.
Small in number; large in influence Wealthy and powerful (controlled the priesthood) More religious than Herodians; less than Pharisees Accepted only Torah (resurrection/angels)
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
Law of Levirate Marriage
Deuteronomy 25:5-6 If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:20-23 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”
Two Additional “Tests”
IF he says she remains the wife of brother #1 – What about the other six? Are they to be “wifeless” in heaven?
IF he says she will be all of their wives in heaven – How can one woman be shared by seven men? Are we going to have an eternal case of sibling rivalry?
Mark 12:24-25 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Two Additional “Tests”
Clarence and George Bailey from the film, It’s a Wonderful Life
“Our existence in in heaven will be filled with joy far, far
exceeding that which the marriage relationship provides
in this fallen world.”
Marriage at its best gives us a taste of heaven while we are here on earth.
Once in heaven we will enjoy the full feast!
R. C. Sproul
Two Additional “Tests”
Mark 12:26-27 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”
Two Additional “Tests”
Today’s Takeaways
Two traps, brilliantly set, rendered totally ineffective by Jesus! The hunted becomes the hunter (as Jesus turns the tables upon his enemies)! Jesus makes brilliant men look dull!
Today’s Takeaways
Takeaway #1 We must rediscover what it means to “marvel at him (Jesus)!”
In the midst of all this marveling at what man has been able to accomplish, we lose sight of
the most marvelous marvel of all --- Jesus Christ!
Set aside some time this week ... to MARVEL in the reMARKableness of our Savior!
Today’s Takeaways
Takeaway #2 Don’t follow in the footsteps of the Sadducees. They were wrong because they did not know God’s Word or God’s power!
So push on with our CARPE DIEM spiritual growth
initiative, which is all about KNOWING and then LIVING
the Word of God!
