There is some debate about the exact timing of the events recorded here in Mark chapter 12.
But one of the things that we are certain of is that these discussions that Jesus is having here
between these different groups of religious leaders took place somewhere between 24 and 48 hours
prior to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem.
And we've talked about this a little bit in the build-up through these last couple of chapters
at the busyness that would have been the city of Jerusalem at that time.
You remember maybe some weeks ago we talked about an early historian, Jewish historian,
had talked about just a few years after this about two and a half million people had gathered in Jerusalem
for the Passover celebration.
So you can just imagine in old city Jerusalem, not the metropolis that it is now,
but old city Jerusalem, you can imagine just hordes of people,
the busyness that comes along really even around the temple
with the events leading up to the Passover celebration
and the Feast of Unleavened Bread that would follow thereafter.
And in the midst of all of that, there's no question that the gospel authors intended for us to understand
this section of Jesus' life and teaching in light of the Passover itself,
in light of the theological significance of what the Passover was in the Old Testament
and for the Jews and what that was going to mean in regards to Jesus' life and his death and his resurrection.
But I'm certain that during this Passover week,
thoughts of the Messiah would have been ever present in the minds
and in the conversations of the people in Jerusalem.
It just makes sense, right?
The point of the Passover is to reflect on the Exodus coming out of Egypt, right?
They're reflecting on the goodness of God in that Exodus
and then in the midst of that, they are anticipating another Exodus.
They're anticipating a Messiah who will come and rescue them in their minds
from Roman oppression in the same way that God had delivered the nation out of Egyptian oppression so many years before.
For this particular Passover week, the presence of Jesus in Jerusalem
certainly would have tremendously heightened this awareness of Messianic prophecy and expectation.
So it makes perfect sense then that Jesus would teach a lesson on the identity and purpose of the Christ,
which is exactly what verses 35 to 37 are.
He's asking questions in order that he might get the people to consider
or perhaps reconsider their thoughts about the Messiah and his purpose.
So the religious leaders have taken their turns at trying to trap Jesus in his words,
but his responses to their, quote, unanswerable questions are not only adequate, they're profound.
So that we read in our last passage that no one dared ask him another question.
And so Jesus turns the tables now.
He asks a question of his own, a question as far as the New Testament records are concerned,
were unanswered by the people in the crowd.
Using the Bible, Jesus challenged the errant assumptions about the Messiah that were so common in Israel,
and he was leading them to examine his true identity.
Now, do you remember Mark's purpose in writing this gospel?
All the way back in the very first verse of chapter one,
what does Mark say his intent is?
His aim is to proclaim the good news that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Son of God.
And everything that follows in Mark's gospel is serving that purpose.
Now we get to these three verses here.
And in a public forum in the midst of the temple area in Jerusalem,
Jesus takes on that same aim.
That's what these verses are doing.
Jesus is proclaiming the good news that he is the Messiah and the Son of God.
He's the Son of David.
He's the Son of God.
And I want to show you as we work through these verses that the Lord's questions here, rhetorical as they were,
were a matter of interpretation.
They're a matter of inspiration.
And then they're a matter of identification.
And my prayer is that we'll all come to hear him as gladly as the crowd heard him there in verse 37.
First, let's see a matter of interpretation.
A matter of interpretation.
Look with me at verse 35 again.
Jesus taught in the temple.
He said,
How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
That's the initial question.
Now, there's a lot of scribes around.
And Jesus is going to keep dealing with scribes as he goes on even beyond this conversation.
But as the midst of this great crowd that is gathered with him in the temple,
his first question is,
How can these fellows over here, your experts,
how can they say that Jesus, or not Jesus, but the Christ is the Son of David?
And just in case there may be anyone who is a little confused by that language,
let me just take a quick minute to refresh us on what we mean when we use this term Messiah.
Okay?
It starts all the way back in Genesis.
Right?
Genesis 3 records the very first sin committed by the very first people God created.
We know their names, Adam and Eve.
Because God is holy,
He has to judge sin.
And Adam's disobedience to the Lord in the garden
plunges the created world,
God's created world,
into and underneath
the wrath of God's judgment,
the curse of God's judgment.
That's what's happening in Genesis 3.
And the pinnacle of that judgment
is what?
Death.
That's the pinnacle of it.
There's lots of things related to the curse,
but it all eventually leads to the reality of and the certainty of death.
But while God is proclaiming those consequences in Genesis chapter 3,
He tucks in this promise.
This promise that He would, at some point,
send a Savior,
who would, as the Bible goes on to explain,
would defeat death
and would restore creation
to God's intended purpose.
God is saying,
and in His patience,
and in His long-suffering,
God allows man
to continue to exist.
Have you ever considered that?
God told Adam and Eve
one thing not to do.
And He said,
In the day that you eat of the tree,
you shall surely die.
And the day that they ate of it,
it would have been perfectly just
and within
the rightness
and righteousness of God
to do away with Adam and Eve
and to take away their lives
immediately in that moment.
But in His patience and long-suffering,
He continues to allow them to live
in a cursed world,
but they live.
That's a part of God's grace
coming through even from the very beginning.
And God has allowed
mankind to continue to exist
ever since.
But then He made
all of these different promises
at different points in history.
Covenants
He makes with His people.
each one
building on the other,
explaining how He is going
to send this Savior,
how He is going to provide
this redemption,
how He is going to make things right,
and He's going to set the course
of the world
back to its intended purpose.
And this coming Savior
that the Bible continues to speak of,
that's what we mean,
that's who we're referring to
when we use words like
Messiah and Lord
and Christ.
And those covenants
were provided through God's people,
His chosen nation, Israel,
which is why the Jews
are so significantly concerned
about this particular topic.
And so Jesus' question
in verse 35
is a direct challenge
to their interpretation
of the identity
and purpose
of this Savior.
That's what's happening.
That's the backdrop
to all of this.
They have this mindset
of who this Savior will be,
what He will be like,
and what He will do.
And what Jesus is doing
with this question
is He's challenging
that interpretation
that they have,
specifically as it relates
to a title,
Son of David.
The Son of David
is a common title
used by the Jews
to refer to this
Messianic figure.
And it's actually rooted
in one of those covenants.
2 Samuel chapter 7.
I think I may actually have this
on the screen for you to see.
2 Samuel chapter 7.
God says this to David.
When your days are fulfilled
and you lie down
with your fathers,
I will raise up
your offspring after you.
Offspring there is singular.
I will raise up
your offspring after you
who shall come from your body
and I will establish
His kingdom.
He shall build a house
for my name
and I will establish
the throne of His kingdom
forever.
A covenant made with David.
I am bringing one
from your lineage.
This Messiah,
this Savior,
He's going to build
a house for me forever.
When we get to the New Testament
we find out
that's a house
not made with hands.
That's a people
that God is redeeming
for His glory
and for His purpose
as the church of Christ.
Now that may not seem
like very significant to us,
a promise made to David
so many thousands
of years ago.
But this fact
of a Davidic Messiah
is echoed
over and over
and over
in the Old Testament.
Especially in the Psalms
and in the prophets.
And I want to show you
a few passages about this.
Psalm 89 verses 3 and 4.
You have said,
I have made a covenant
with my chosen one.
I have sworn to David
my servant.
I will establish
your offspring forever
and build your throne
for all generations.
David echoes the covenant.
Isaiah chapter 9.
We usually quote this
at Christmas
but think about these words.
For unto us
a child is born.
To us a son is given.
The government shall be
upon His shoulder.
His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
Of the increase
of His government
and of peace
there will be no end.
On the throne of David
and over His kingdom
to establish it
and to uphold it
with justice
and with righteousness
from this time forth
and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts.
will do this thing.
Jeremiah chapter 23.
Behold,
the days are coming
declares the Lord
when I will raise up
for David
a righteous branch.
Notice branch
is capitalized
in our Bibles
because that's a reference
to this messianic figure.
I will raise up
for David
a righteous branch.
He shall reign
as king
and deal wisely
and shall execute
justice
and righteousness
in the land.
in His days
Judah
will be saved.
Israel
will dwell
securely
and this is the name
by which He will be called.
The Lord
is our
righteousness.
Have you ever wondered
why the Old Testament
is so concerned
with all of those
genealogies?
You ever get on your
one year Bible reading
program
and you get
just a little ways
into it
probably around
this time of year
and you start
hitting those genealogies
and you're like
why in the world
does God want me
to read this?
Why in the world?
That's not about
simple historical records.
That's not why
that's there.
Do you know
what they're for?
They're tracking
the promise of God.
They're tracking
the covenants
of God.
As they recorded
the lineage of David
they're showing
that God's promise
is reliable
and they're showing
that God's promise
is active
and it all comes back
to this covenant
this Davidic Messiah
that God is going
to send
to redeem
His people.
We could go to
many more passages
but my point
is to show you
that there's a really
good reason
why
Son of David
became a prevalent
messianic title
in the time
of Jesus.
Remember in chapter 10
blind Bartimaeus
what is it
that he yells for
as Jesus walks by?
Jesus
Son of
David
Messiah
Lord
So what's Jesus
getting at
with this question then?
Notice back
in verse 35
what is it
that he asks?
How is it
that the scribes
can say
that the Christ
is the
Son of David?
Well we just went
to a bunch
of passages
that show
exactly
why they
could say
that the Messiah
is the
Son of David
so what's Jesus
getting at here?
Is he denying
that the Messiah
is David's son
that he will come
from David's line?
No.
Matthew's account
I think helps us
understand what's
happening here
just a little bit better.
Matthew chapter 22
he writes
now while the Pharisees
were gathered together
Jesus asked them
a question
saying
what do you think
about the Christ?
Whose son is he?
And here's how
they answer
they said to him
the Son of David
now remember
the common belief
among the Jews
was that the Christ
the Messiah
would be a political
and military figure
whose purpose
was to deliver
Israel from Rome
that was their mind
that's what they thought
he was going to do
they thought of him
only as a human
authority
with an earthly
purpose
when they said
the Christ
is David's
son
they meant
he was nothing
more
than David's
son
and this is the idea
that Jesus is challenging
in verse 35
he's not challenging
the title
he's not challenging
the fact
that he was indeed
from the line of David
he's challenging
the mindset
of the people
that says
that the Christ
is nothing more
than the son of David
he's nothing more
than an earthly king
that will come
and will rule
on this
earth
he didn't deny
that
he was the son of David
he insisted
that he was more
than that
he insisted
that he was more
than just a political
savior
and James Edwards
frames it this way
and I think
this is helpful
Jesus invites
the temple audience
to reconsider
whether son of David
is conceptually
adequate
to explain
the Messiah
is the son of David
conceptually adequate
let me explain
the modern equivalent
to this
modern equivalent
is when people
say
Jesus
is
nothing more
than a great
teacher
he is a moral
example
to us
he is an amazing
miracle
worker
and when we
challenge
that thought
in our culture
we're not denying
that Jesus
is indeed
those things
what we're saying
is Jesus
is more
than just
those things
he is more
than just
a good teacher
he is more
than just
a moral
example
he is more
than just
a miracle
worker
he's more
than just
a religious
leader
he's the
son of God
he's the
savior of the
world
he's the
lord
of all that
is
and to
estimate him
as anything
less than
that
is wrong
and it
misses the
point
altogether
and that's
essentially
what is
happening
with the
Jews
in general
and especially
the scribes
what Jesus
is challenging
is the fact
that the scribes
refer to the
Messiah
as the
son of
David
and it's
not that
it isn't
true
it's just
that it's
not
conceptually
adequate
to communicate
all that
the Messiah
is
and does
so Jesus
challenges
their
interpretation
and keep
in mind
he's stirring
up these
conversations
about the
Christ
within two
days
of his
own
crucifixion
and what
would be
the purpose
in that
he's not
only
identifying
reframing
their minds
about what
the Christ
is
he's going
to demonstrate
what the
Christ was
meant to
do
within 48
hours of
this moment
he's going
to show
them
matter of
interpretation
number two
it's a matter
of inspiration
a matter
of
inspiration
look with me
at verse 36
now
David himself
in the Holy
Spirit
declared
the Lord
said to my
Lord
sit at my
right hand
until I put
your enemies
under your
feet
so to make
his point
Jesus
quoted the
first verse
of Psalm
110
which is
quoted more
than any
other
Psalm
any
other
Old
Testament
passage
for that
matter
in all
of the
New
Testament
now why
would you
think that
so
Jesus'
argument
with the
scribes
here
is so
strong
that the
apostles
followed
the Lord
and they
quote
this Psalm
or allude
to this
Psalm
33
times
in the
New
Testament
more than
any
other
Old
Testament
passage
you'll
find it
not only
in the
Gospels
you'll
find it
in Acts
you'll
find it
in Paul's
letters
you'll
find it
in Peter's
letters
you'll
find it
in the
book of
Hebrews
as well
so let's
look at it
and see
why it's
so significant
there's two
things about
this Psalm
that Jesus
and the
scribes
agreed
about
first thing
is this
they agreed
that the
Psalm
was referring
to the
coming
Messiah
they agreed
about that
in fact
why don't
you just
turn back
there with
me
let's
go to
Psalm
110
in your
Bible
and I'm
not going
to read
the whole
thing
I'm going
to leave
that to
you
in your
own time
but I want
you to see
exactly what
they're referring
to here
Psalm
110
this
Psalm
and maybe
you'll
maybe you'll
you'll skim
it as I'm
even talking
here for
just a
moment
this Psalm
is it
it's an
amazing
description
of
Christ
eternal
rule
as
prophet
priest
and king
and it's
this very
first verse
that Jesus
quotes
look at it
with me
a Psalm
of David
the Lord
says to
my Lord
sit at
my right
hand
until I
make your
enemies
your footstool
now stay
there in
Psalm
110
we're going
to reference
back to
that particular
verse and
the way it
looks in
your Bible
here in
just a
moment
it's an
amazing
description
of Christ
eternal
rule
and that's
something
that the
scribes
agreed
with
historically
this
Psalm
was
sung
as a
coronation
hymn
when Israel
would have
a new
king
and they
didn't sing
that at the
coronation
of Israel's
kings
because they
thought that
king was
the fulfillment
of this
Psalm
that's not
why they
sang it
they sang
it because
they believed
that the
role of
king in
Israel
was a
type of
the king
the great
king
who was
to come
from the
line
of David
whose
throne
would be
established
forever
based on
the covenant
of God
all rabbinical
teaching that
we can find
historically
about Psalm
110
up to the
time of
Jesus
affirms
that this
is a
messianic
psalm
it was only
after the
time of
the apostles
that the
leaders in
Judaism
conveniently
denounced
it as such
and decided
this is no
longer
about this
coming
Messiah
this has
something
specifically
to do
with David
but everything
going up
to the
time of
Jesus
and during
the time
of the
apostles
the Jews
recognized
this psalm
as messianic
so they're
agreeing about
those things
okay
that's important
for us to
understand
I'll explain
why in a
moment
number two
they agreed
on the
doctrine of
inspiration
they agreed
on the
doctrine of
inspiration
back in
Mark chapter
2
in verse
35
Jesus
says
David
himself
says
in
the
Holy
Spirit
and then
he quotes
the verse
or if you
like
by
the
Holy
Spirit
affirming
the fact
that
Psalm
110
was a
work
of
inspiration
from
the
mouth
of
God
now
remember
when we
say
that
the
Holy
Spirit
inspired
David
we
don't
mean
that
he
inspired
him
in
the
same
way
that
an
artist
is
inspired
by
a
beautiful
mountainous
scene
okay
we don't
mean
that
we don't
mean
in the
same
way
that
a
child
is
inspired
by
their
teacher
to
do
something
with
their
lives
that
is
helpful
to
the
community
that's
not
what
we
mean
by
inspiration
the
word
we
use
inspiration
comes
from
a
word
that
means
breathed
out
most
notably
you'll
find
this
in
one
of
Timothy's
letters
1st
Timothy
316
or
2nd
Timothy
316
Paul
says
all
scripture
is
breathed
out
all
scripture
is
by
inspiration
of
God
and
it's
profitable
and
he
goes
on
to
list
how
it's
profitable
this
is
what
we
mean
by
inspiration
it
means
that
the
words
of
the
Bible
are
literally
the
words
of
God
who
cannot
lie
Jesus
didn't
mean
that
upon
thinking
about
the
things
of
God
David
was
inspired
in
his
imagination
to
write
this
psalm
in
the
way
that
he
thought
things
might
unfold
that's
not
what
Jesus
means
he
means
that
the
Holy
Spirit
of
God
spoke
these
words
through
the
pen
of
David
so
that
David's
words
were
God's
words
that's
a
Christian
understanding
of
inspiration
okay
an
understanding
of
inspiration
that
the
scribes
that
Jesus
was
speaking
to
in
the
temple
agreed
with
they
were
in
agreement
about
that
Psalm
110
is
messianic
it
is
also
inspired
by
God
it
is
God's
words
which
means
that
it
is
truth
so
what's
the
point
look
at the
verse
you're
there
in
Psalm
110
look at
the
verse
we have
in
English
the word
Lord
twice
do you
notice
anything
different
about that
in your
Bible
in the
first one
most likely
in your
Bible
all four
letters
are
capitalized
in the
second one
it's not
just the
first letters
capitalized
anytime you
see all
four letters
capitalized
with Lord
it means
that the
name that
was used
in Hebrew
was Yahweh
the covenant
name of
God
that's the
high and
holy name
that's the
name that
that God
gave Moses
at the
burning bush
when when
Moses says
who should I
tell them sent
me what is
your name
and God
says I
am that
I am
I am the
self-existent
one
I am the
only God
I am
Yahweh
Jehovah
we say
sometimes
okay that's
the first
Lord
second Lord
is not
Yahweh
second Lord
is Adonai
Adonai
this word
is used
450 times
in the
Old Testament
almost
exclusively
in relation
to God
but they
used it
to relate
to this
messianic
figure
this Lord
this
master
Adonai
with the
implication
of deity
now that's
important
in other words
under the
inspiration
of the
Holy Spirit
David wrote
that the
Messiah
was not
merely someone
who would
come after
him
but is
someone who
has
preceded
him
under the
inspiration
of the
Holy Spirit
David himself
did not
recognize the
Christ as
simply his
future
offspring
but he
acknowledged
him as
his present
Lord
and Master
and God
and to
David
this Messiah
was before
him
and was
greater
than him
and his
perspective
was not
one of
future
hope
but of
present
worship
and praise
the Lord
Yahweh
has said
to my
Lord
this messianic
figure that's
supposed to
come from
my line
David is
calling him
Lord
and Savior
and God
he does not
only come
after him
he comes
before him
in David's
words
I'm reminded
of a song
it's a newer
song by
Matt
Papa
and Matt
Boswell
called
Christ the
True and
Better
and the
last verse
refers to
this thing
Christ the
true and
better
David
lowly
shepherd
mighty
king
he the
champion
in the
battle
where
oh death
is now
thy sting
in our
place
he bled
and conquered
crown him
Lord of
majesty
he shall
be the
throne
forever
we shall
heir his
people
be
and this
is a
matter of
inspiration
because what
God says
about the
Christ
is far
more important
than what
our opinions
about the
Christ are
and that's
the purpose
of Jesus
his challenge
it doesn't
matter what
the reigning
experts think
about the
things of
God
what matters
is what
God has
revealed about
himself
in the
inerrant
infallible
inspired
word of
God
that's what
matters
and Jesus
is insisting
on that
once again
how can
the scribe
say he's
David's
son
David
himself
calls him
Lord
it's a matter
of interpretation
it's a matter
of inspiration
finally
it's a matter
of identification
identification
verse 37
if you're back
and go back
to Mark
chapter 12
now
verse 37
David himself
calls him
Lord
how is he
his son
David himself
calls him
Lord
how is he
his son
so Jesus
forces the
people
to reevaluate
their position
and he's
essentially
asking this
question
how can
the Christ
be David's
son
and
David's
Lord
how is that
even possible
again
Jesus isn't
denying the
fact
that the
Messiah
would come
from David's
lineage
remember
all of this
began with
the scribe's
answer
insisting
that the
Christ
was only
the son
of David
and Jesus
is now
using the
scripture
inspired by
God
to prove
that the
Messiah
was
indeed
both
son
of David
and his
Lord
but how
is it
possible
there's only
one way
that's
possible
this
Messiah
must be
a divine
human
being
the only
way for
the Christ
to fulfill
the scriptures
requirements
for the
Messiah
he had
to be
both
divine
and
human
he was
not only
David's
son
he was
God's
son
co-equal
co-eternal
with God
the Father
think about
the Messiah's
role for
just a
moment
the Jews
thought of
him as a
human
ruler
he was
going to
deliver the
nation
from the
oppression
of Rome
but God
doesn't need
a Messiah
to deliver
a nation
he doesn't
need a
Messiah
to do
that
think about
the Old
Testament
examples
where God
delivered the
nation of
Israel
without a
prominent
figure
think about
even coming
out of
Egypt
all Moses
was was a
spokesman
God
delivers those
people
remember in
Isaiah the
story of
Sennacherib
hundreds of
thousands of
soldiers are
camped out
near Jerusalem
and the
king of
Jerusalem
of Judah
goes and
he prays to
God and
he lays out
the letter
the criticisms
from Sennacherib
and he prays
and says Lord
the only way
that anything
happens with
this is if you
do it and
they go out
the next
morning they
find that all
the soldiers
are dead
in the middle
of the night
God kills
them
God doesn't
need a
Messiah to
deliver an
earthly nation
from another
earthly nation
but to deliver
his people from
sin and death
however
God
required a
Savior
and it
required one
who was not
only human
but divine
so the Jews
misunderstood the
Messiah's purpose
so that they
failed to
understand his
identity as
well
so Jesus
was working
it backwards
he's teaching
them about his
true identity
so that after his
death and
resurrection
they could
understand his
true purpose
because he
Jesus of
Nazareth
is this
divine human
Messiah about
which David
wrote
he perfectly
fulfilled all
of those covenant
promises and
prophecies written
in the Old
Testament and
this is the
message of the
Bible that
Jesus is the
son of David
and the son
of God
this is Mark's
purpose in
writing this
Jesus of
Nazareth the
good news is
that he is the
Messiah and
the son of
God
Jesus' purpose
in verses
35-37 is to
say he is not
only David's
son he is
God's son which
makes only him
capable of
delivering and
bringing salvation
let me give you a
few more verses
about this
remember those
genealogies we
talked about
earlier
Matthew starts
with one at the
very beginning of
the New
Testament
why
he's showing
that in this
genealogy of
David's line
it leads all
the way up to
this backwater area
in Nazareth
with Joseph and
Mary and where
Jesus is born
Jesus is in this
line that's its
purpose
then we see in
Romans chapter
one
Paul says
concerning his
son who was
descended from
David according to
the flesh and was
declared to be the
son of God in
power according to
the spirit of
holiness by his
resurrection from
the dead Jesus
Christ our Lord
you know why you
need to work hard
at bringing someone
to Easter service
Sunday resurrection
Sunday because they
need to hear that
without the
resurrection none of
this means anything
the thing that makes
us know that Jesus
is the Messiah is
the fact of his
resurrection the
thing that first
tells us and proves
to us that this
Bible is inerrant
that it is true is
the fact of Jesus's
resurrection and
that's what Paul's
saying concerning his
son he came from the
line of David but he
was also declared to
be God's son in power
through the resurrection
from the dead
Galatians chapter
four when the
fullness of time had
come God sent forth
his son born of
woman born under the
law to redeem those
who were under the
law so that we
might receive adoption
as sons Philippians
2 is my favorite
one verse 6 though
he was in the form
of God in other
words he was God he
did not count equality
with God a thing to
be grasped but he
emptied himself by
taking on the form of
a servant being born
in the likeness of
men and being found in
human form he humbled
himself became obedient
to the point of death
even death on a cross
therefore God has highly
exalted him and bestowed
on him the name that is
above every name so that
the name of Jesus every
knee should bow in heaven
and earth and under the
earth and every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of
God the Father you know
what that sounds like to
me that sounds like an
eternal throne that will
never be diminished in any
way that's the covenant
made to David that's
applied to Jesus of
Nazareth the Son of God
Hebrews 1 long ago at
many times and in many
ways God spoke to our
fathers by the prophets
but in these last days he
has spoken to us by his
son he's appointed him
heir of all things through
whom also he created the
world he's the radiance of
the glory of God the exact
imprint of his nature he
upholds the universe by the
word of his power and after
making purification for sins
that's the purpose he sat
down at the right hand of the
majesty on high
second Timothy 2 remember
Jesus Christ risen from the
dead the offspring of David
as preached in my gospel
when Jesus challenged the
scribe that day in the
temple he wasn't only forcing
them to reevaluate their
thoughts of the Messiah he was
leading them to understand that
he is that promised Savior
here Kent Hughes wrote this
Jesus's exchange with the
scribes was a veiled self
enunciation that he himself
was Messiah the divine human
fulfillment of this prophecy
before the week was over he the
son of David would die in
fulfillment of prophecy then his
mighty resurrection would make
everything clear concerning his
humanity and divinity that's the
point
to view the Christ as only a
political Savior was ultimately
no lasting help for the people of
Israel
there's no help if all they're
doing is getting a restoration of
an earthly kingdom
their shooting and their
expectations are far too small
but God's intention was far
greater than that
in the same way to view Jesus as
anything less than Savior and Lord
is no less lasting help to me and
to you
this is true of Jesus this is who he is
this is why he came and he demands our
repentance and faith in light of that
fact
look at the end of verse 37 this is
where we'll close
I know it's 1115 and you're just blew
your mind that I said this is we're
going to close then it
verse 37
the great throng heard him gladly
and Mark doesn't clarify what he means
by that
it could be
that they received Jesus's words by
faith and began to follow him as Lord
could be
it could be that they were only intrigued
by a fresh and exciting perspective of
Psalm 110 or that they were just really
happy anytime the arrogant scribes were
stumped by another teacher there's
probably a lot of truth in that as
well
what we know from other passages is
that immediately following Jesus's
resurrection the amount of people
following him was relatively small
but Mark calls this a great throng
which indicates to me that many were
happy to hear Jesus
few were willing to believe Jesus
and my point with that is that it is
entirely possible to sit in services like
this week after week and be very happy to
hear from and about Jesus without ever
actually believing in him
without ever actually following him alone
for salvation
it's entirely possible to be a follower of
Christianity and not be a disciple of Christ
so my question for you this morning as it is most Sunday
morning
is not to cause you to doubt your salvation
that's not the question
my question is just simply to say
do you gladly hear Jesus
or do you gladly receive by faith
what you hear from Jesus
there's a difference in those two things
lots of people go to church because they're happy to hear about Jesus and
they're happy to hear from him
lots of crowds gathered around Jesus in the gospels
for that reason they were glad to hear him
they were glad to see what he could do
they were glad to be witnesses of those things
it was entertaining if not anything else
but very few at least at this point
seem to be glad to receive what he was actually saying
to receive him
to follow him
to turn from sin
to turn from Judaism
to turn from secularism
to turn from whatever
ism
you may claim
and follow Christ alone
and the point of verses 35 and 30 through 37
is to say
this is who Jesus is
and he leaves no room for indifference to us
cannot be indifferent to the person of Christ
you either follow him
or you reject him
and I'm going to leave you
and we'll close with this from John chapter 3
these are Jesus's words
he says
for God did not send his son
into the world to condemn the world
but in order that the world might be saved through him
whoever believes in him
is not condemned
you know what I love about that
that on your worst day
if you're in Christ
you're still in Christ
on your worst day
on the days when you're really struggling
with that besetting sin perhaps
that the book of Hebrews talks about
or the thing and you're just
you're feeling all the shame
that comes from falling again
and again and again
if you are in Christ
you are still in Christ
you are not condemned
and he says
go and sin no more
but you are safe in him
I love that
but the verse isn't in there
whoever believes in him
is not condemned
but
whoever does not believe
is condemned already
because he has not believed
in the name
of the only
son of God
and that's the tragedy
of those
who sit
Sunday after Sunday
in church services
like ours
and are glad
to hear
Jesus
glad to hear
about Jesus
but never truly
follow him
they're not
disciples
of him
they're not glad
to receive
what he has said
by faith
and those people
are condemned
already
in this moment
they stand condemned
and the only hope
that any of us have
is the wonderful grace
of Jesus
asNINGNING
as