A SPIRITUAL CHECK-UP
Mark 12:35-44
INTRO:
A check-up always leaves you with questions:
• Am I eating the way I should?
• Do I need to make lifestyle changes to improve my health?
• Should I buy stock in Rogaine?
Today we will conduct a spiritual health check up. We will check 3 vital areas, examine 3 crucial parts of our spiritual life, and each one will leave us with a question to answer.
Turn with me to Mark 12:35 as we begin our check up.
As I read v. 35, Notice the question that Jesus asks.
A. Jesus questions their view of the Christ
How is it = “What do they mean…”
The teachers (scribes) expected the coming Christ, the Messiah, to be a descendent of King David.
Davidic sonship of the Christ was firmly held by them.
Grounded in OT prophecies. 2 Sam. 7:11-16; Jer. 23:5-6; Ezek. 34:23; 37:24.
Messiah would be king promised to Israel to restore.
Given their circumstances, they were expecting a king like David, who brought victory and glory to the nation.
B. Jesus corrects their view of Christ
Jesus says, “Let me ask you this…” Read vv. 36-37
David himself, speaking as an inspired prophet, call the Messiah, promised one his Lord – his sovereign.
Quotes Psalm 110:1 – teachers recognized it as Messianic.
Jewish fathers did not call their descendants “Lord.”
David understood the one to come as greater than he.
How can Messiah be his son and his Lord?
A Haggada-question to reconcile two Scripture passages.
He intended to provoke their deep thought and reflection.
Jesus was pointing out their simplistic, inadequate view.
This son would be no mere descendant. He would also be the transcendent Lord. He’s looking ahead to his resurrection. Cf. Acts 2:24-34; Rom. 1:3-4
The Messiah would be more than they expected!
C. Does our view of Christ need correcting?
Could this ever happen to us? Could our view of Christ ever be out of focus?
He is not just the best man – he’s the son of God!
He’s not just the Son of God, but fully human, suffered and died in the flesh, fully able to sympathize with suffering.
He’s not just the baby in the manger, he’s the coming king.
He’s Judge and Forgiver.
A spiritual checkup begins with out view of Christ.
This is what makes us distinct.
All errors flow from this…
The Davinci Code
The cure for our view of Christ? The Scriptures.
Question: Am I in the Scriptures enough to get an adequate view of Jesus?
Believers: Are you in the Scriptures?
Seekers: If you want to investigate Christianity, you need to be in the Scriptures.
In order to be spiritually healthy, we must have
I. A PROPER VIEW OF JESUS CHRIST
We must have an adequate, well-focused view of who Jesus, the Christ, is.
Transition: Of course, you can have an orthodox, well-focused view of Jesus, but still not be entirely healthy spiritually. What else is involved in a spiritual check up? Notice what Jesus points out about these teachers as I read vv. 38-40.
A. Jesus condemns them for their pride
They walked around in flowing robes – distinctive white robes that made them stand out.
They wanted deferential greetings – people rose when they walked by.
Seats of honor – up front in the synagogue, facing people, in full view. Also given honor at banquets above parents.
They also used prayer as opportunity to gain them esteem.
This is pride. Made themselves more important than God.
They displaced the honor of God fm. center of concern.
B. Jesus condemns them for their greed
They were greedy, too!
They devoured widow’s houses:
Teachers were not to receive pay for their teaching.
It was considered an act of piety to provide for them. Many well to do people subsidized them. There were abuses.
They took advantage of widows whom they deceived.
They took advantage of the benefits they received.
They lost perspective in service of God.
And they would be severely judged!
C. Would he condemn us for pride and greed?
These guys were hypocrites: say one thing, live another.
This doesn’t happen overnight.
It begins when God slips from the center.
Could this happen to us?
The results might not be as dramatic, but…
Preaching, singing, teaching, board membership examples.
In seminary, I wanted people to know who I was…
Do my ethics in the workplace match my beliefs?
Is my treatment of others consistent with my faith?
We must be authentic, genuine in our practice.
The cure for hypocrisy? Worship! The purifying, transforming presence of God. We see who we really are, we come in contact with the living God, we remember that its all about him, not about us.
Question: Am I in God’s presence enough to be genuine?
In order to be spiritually healthy, we must have
II. A GENUINE PRACTICE OF OUR FAITH
We must be authentic in the way we live out our faith.
Transition: There’s one more area to check. One more things we need besides a proper view of Jesus Christ and a genuine practice of our faith. Notice as I read vv. 41-42.
A. Jesus observes people giving in the Temple
This area of the Temple contained 13 trumpet-shaped receptacles for offerings and gifts. Two groups came:
Many rich gave huge amounts.
A poor widow gave two tiny coins – not even a penny!
Her absolute poverty estimated by the size of her gift.
Who gave more? Who’s gift was worth more?
Jesus gives us his answer in vv. 43-44.
B. Jesus commends a widow for her whole-hearted commitment to God
His surprising statement: She gave more than all the rich!
Why? She gave everything she had. They gave from their abundance.
The rich aren’t condemned – they did nothing wrong.
She just gave even more than them.
God counts our gifts differently – He counts not what we give, but what we have left.
She gave all- didn’t keep one for herself.
She totally entrusted herself to God. She showed all-out commitment.
C. We too must demonstrate whole-hearted commitment.
The call to the gospel is a call for absolute surrender to God and total trust in Him.
Illus.: When Spanish explorer Cortez landed at Vera Cruz in 1519 to begin his conquest of Mexico with a small force of seven hundred men, legend has it that he purposely set fire to his fleet of eleven ships. His men on the shore watched their only means of retreat sink to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. There was now only one direction to move - forward into the Mexican interior to meet whatever might come their way. They were committed!
Illus.: When we moved to Missouri, some advised renting our house in California. No way! We were committed!
Money is a great measuring stick of our commitment. In fact a great cure for our tendency to be half-committed is giving to God and his work.
Question: Am I giving enough to demonstrate a whole-hearted commitment to God?
Some of us spend more on entertainment than giving to God. Some of us give more to our hobbies than God.
Think about it: how do you show commitment, support to issues, organizations, causes that you support?
In order to be spiritually healthy, we must have
III. A WHOLE-HEARTED COMMITMENT TO GOD
