The Good Scribe!

                                              All Saint=s Sunday!

 Introduction:

A.   Today is All Saint=s Sunday, when we look back at the Saint=s who have gone on before us, remembering their legacy, and perhaps trying to pattern our lives after.

 

  B.   We kind of get in our minds that all the scribes were

     bad because we see in the Bible where Jesus was always having trouble with the "Scribes and Pharisees!"  This clip is what we view as a typical interaction of Jesus with the Scribes and Pharisees:

 

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD--lHALcm0

 

     C.   Today, I would like to look at "A Good Scribe."

          Perhaps, as we do, we can gain understanding that will  help us be the kind of Saint=s who will be remembered  for years to come.

 

                            Prayer

                      Mark 12:28-34 (NRSV)

 

I.   Let's look at the Scripture.

A.   Jesus was just being questioned by some of these men; they were trying to trip him up!

 

1.   vs. 13 Catch -(argeusosin) was used to describe (NIV & KJV) catching wild animals with  a trap!

So the NRSV uses the word Trap!

 

2.   The Herodians & the Pharisees had questioned him about paying tribute to Caesar.

 

3.   The Sadducees questioned him about the resurrection.  If a woman had been married

     several times in life, whose wife would she be at the resurrection?

 

B.   A certain Scribe was impressed by the way Jesus answered them!

 

C.   He asked, "Which commandment is the first of all?"

 

 

D.   Jesus answered, "Love the Lord your God" & "Love your neighbor as yourself."

 

E.   The Scribe said, ""Well said, teacher, You are right

     in saying that God is one and there is no other but

     him.  To love him with all your heart, with all your

     understanding and with all your strength, and to love

     your neighbor as yourself is more important than all

     burnt offerings and sacrifices." (NIV)

 

          1.   Do you realize the magnitude of what the scribe said here?

 

2.   At the time of Christ, the religious leaders felt

the burnt offerings and sacrifices were most important!  Surprisingly, this man said this, and  their eyes met and Jesus looked at him very seriously and said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  The scribe got it!  He understood!

 

G.   Notice, Jesus always gave a Loving, Kind answer to

those who came to him honestly and sincerely searching  for him!

 

II.  The Religious leaders & the religious system that Jesus came to actually thought more of their little laws (getting    every little sacrifice just right) than they did people or God!

Examples:

A.   Jesus was always being rebuked for doing good on the

Sabbath!  (Matt. 12:9-14)

 

B.   The Story of the good Samaritan! (Luke 10:30-37)  The

religious people, priest and levite, didn't stop!

 

III. To this type of world and to ours today, Jesus declared the two greatest commandments!

 

A.   First, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and

with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

 

B.   Second, Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

C.   Jesus got right to the heart of the matter!  We can't

     sin without breaking one of these commandments!

1.   Terrorism is a lack of love.

2.   Theft is a lack of love.

3.   Murder is a lack of love.

4.   Prejudice is a lack of love.

 

IV.  How does this apply today?

A.   If we love God and each other, we'll have unity!

1.   One mind, striving toward what God wants for our church!  That's positive!

2.   With love, we'll respect each other and our

     mutual love for God will keep us together!

     It will keep us focused, and we=ll work together!

 

B.   With love . . . we'll want to do what we can!

1.   Christianity is a Ado@ religion, and not just a

don't!                               

a.   do love.

b.   do stand up for those who can’t stand for themselves!

2.   Our love for God and people moves us to action!

3.   We find ourselves asking: "What can I do to help?" or "Where can I serve?"

 

C.   With love . . . we'll make a difference!  We'll touch lives!  People will come to God!  Lives will be changed!

 

V. When Jesus told the Scribe, "You are not far from the

kingdom   of God." it was because this Scribe had

understood what Jesus was trying to get across to the

people of his time and the religious system!  When the

scribe said:

 

A.   Mark 12: 33b   "is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

 

He said a mouth full!

 

B.   What the Scribe understood was:

1.   1st priority, Love God!

2.   2nd priority, Love others!

3.   And everything else would fall in place!

4.   If we let anything be more important (even

     religion) than loving God and loving others,

we've missed it!

5.   They didn't even realize when their religion was getting away from God! Think about it, not doing work on the Sabbath was more important to them than being compelled by love to help someone.

 

     I've got to ask, “Do we have any don'ts that are more important to us than loving people?”

    

6.   Why we do the things we do has to go back to our

     love for God and our love for people!

Conclusion:

A.   The Good Scribe understood!

 

B.   The question is, "Do we understand?"

 

C.   Are we compelled by a love for God and a love for

others?  Or have we become like the people of Jesus'

time, leaving love out all together?  Being compelled

by a religion of don’ts?

 

D.   We can let Christ transform us as we encounter Christ

     at the table.  Then, we will be Saints who are

     remembered for their love for God and people in years

to come; thanks be to God!

 

     Prayer of Confession & Service of Communion!