The End is Near: The Second Indictment

Last week, we began to consider the indictments that Jesus levels against the religious leaders of his day. We’ve already seen the first indictment, which was leveled at the scribes who claimed to understand the law, but who failed to see the nature of the Messiah. You could say that this first indictment dealt with heresy – believing something about God that is not true. There are many heretics in this world. There are those who deny the nature of Jesus, claiming that he is the first of creation or an angel. There are those who deny that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. There are those who deny the trustworthiness of Scripture. But, there are also false teachers of a different sort. There are those who believe all the right things (or at least they say they believe them), but their actions do not match their words. Instead, they use the Word of God and their positions as teachers to benefit themselves. These false teachers are not heretics, but they are charlatans. Sadly, this is a tale that is as old as the church. In the 1500s, a Dominican preacher named Johann Tetzel sold indulgences for the church, guaranteeing that if you purchased a relic from him, you could take time off of purgatory. He infamously said, “As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs.” It is this practice that led Martin Luther to protest, setting off the Protestant Reformation. Many of you will remember Jim and Tammy Bakker, who were convicted of mail fraud for selling lifetime partnerships in their organization. In 2020, it was revealed that Ravi Zacharias, the famous apologist, had used ministry funds and his spiritual authority to exploit women over many years.

The Bible repeatedly warns of and condemns charlatans, and we have one such warning before us today in Mark 12:38-40. Let’s read that together. From this text, I want you to see two points today: The Appearance of the Charlatan, and the Abuse of the Charlatan.

First, from verses 38 and 39, see the Appearance of the Charlatan. Jesus begins this indictment by warning: “Beware of the scribes.” The Greek word for “Beware” means to behold or perceive or be aware of. It is the idea of being constantly vigilant. This word sets the tone for the warning that Jesus is going to give, because false teachers are something that the church is warned to constantly guard against. Jesus says, in Matt. 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  Romans 16:17 warns, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” Unfortunately, the church is often not very good at following these warnings. We are very easily deceived by the appearance of false teachers. So, we should pay attention to the key attributes that Jesus highlights.

First, Jesus warns of men who insist on the recognition of their position. He says that the scribes “walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces.” The “long robes” he mentions were called stolais. They were formal garments that signified dignity and position. Today, we might equate this to the preacher who wears a three-piece suit because of the status if confers on him. Certainly, there was nothing wrong with these robes, as an item of clothing. There is also nothing wrong with a three-piece suit, if worn for the right reason. But so often, charlatans will wear clothes so that others recognize their importance. The same is true of the expected greetings. This was an expectation by the scribes that they be greeted with the proper honorific. It would be like a Reverend or Bishop being expected to always be addressed as such. Again, there is certainly nothing wrong with respecting a person’s position and honoring him as such. It’s proper, when introducing a speaker, to recognize his accomplishments and position. It’s good that church members respect the offices of pastor and deacon. This church shows me great respect and deference as your pastor, and I am humbled by it. But it would be very different if I were to demand, every time you address me, that you call me “Reverend Skipper”, not “Bro. Nathan” or “Preacher.” This insistence on recognition reveals a character flaw in the charlatan: he lacks humility. His pride in his position reveals that he does not recognize the grace and sovereignty of God that has put him in such a position. He does not recognize that, besides the call of God, he is just like the members he serves.

Second, Jesus warns of men who insist on the rewards of their position. In verse 39, he says that these charlatans “have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at feasts.” It was the practice in Jewish churches (synagogues), that those in high position would sit in the front of the church, even up on the stage with the rabbi. Again, there is nothing wrong with recognizing the importance of the office, but when it becomes an expectation – even a demand – it reveals a selfishness that is ungodly. The “places of honor at feasts” speaks to a similar practice, where those in high position were asked to sit on the right and left of the host. Of course, this meant that they got the choicest foods and the first of everything. James 2 warns of just such acts of recognition. He says, “show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the [wealthy man and invite him to sit up front while telling the poor man to sit on the floor], have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” James goes on to say that you have not rightly understood the gospel if you do such things.

So, understanding the appearance of charlatans, let’s consider the abuse of the charlatan, from verse 40. Jesus goes on to describe the charlatan as someone who “devours widows’ houses and for a pretense makes long prayers.” In Jesus’s day, scribes were not paid a salary by the temple or synagogue. They were expected to make their income in one of two ways: working on the side, or through gifts. This expectation set up an opportunity for fraud. For one, there was the expectation that a scribe might give you a favorable interpretation of the law for a “gift”. It also created an opportunity for scribes, who were perceived as trustworthy due to their position, to be entrusted with the management of assets. So, imagine that you have a Jewish widow who cannot directly access or sell her assets because women had no financial standing in their society. This widow might ask her local scribe to handle her affairs, sell some of her sheep, so that she might have some money to live on. The scribe takes the sheep to market and sells them for $100, but when he returns with the money, he tells the widow that he only got $50 for the sheep. So it is today with pastors and evangelists who use their positions to weasel their way into the lives and finances of the vulnerable. There are pastors who will use their responsibility as a counselor to get close to a grieving widow or a divorced woman, and by that to sexually exploit them. There are TV evangelists who promise a blessing if some financially burdened widow will just purchase his tear-soaked cloth.

When Jesus says that charlatans “for a pretense make long prayers”, he is speaking of the practice of the Pharisees and Scribes who prayed in high and eloquent language. These men would stand on the street corner and pray lengthy prayers with high theological concepts that the common man could not understand, with the intention of impressing those who heard it. There is a way to speak in a way that seems spiritual, but which is really intended to manipulate the hearer. Recognize in this that a charlatan can use all the right words and yet be a false teacher with his intent and his deception. Consider the case of Mark Driscoll, a famous mega-church pastor who started a network of churches in the Seattle area in the early 2000s called Mars Hill Church. Mark is a dynamic preacher who aligns with everything I believe. I used to benefit from his sermons and books. But, over time, his true character began to show. The elders of his church ended up disciplining him for a quick temper, a pattern of arrogance, harsh speech, and domineering leadership. It was also revealed that he used church funds to buy copies of his book so that it would be boosted to the top of the charts.

This morning, there are three warnings for us in this text. First, beware of your own heart. Regardless of your position in the church, there are many opportunities to use your position as a means for personal gain. Committee members can act in pride. Deacons can use power to get their way. Long-time members can expect recognition for their years of service. These can all tend towards charlatanism, and we should watch and beware.

Second, beware of men and women who lack humility, demand recognition, and try to manipulate you with their position or their spirituality. There is no hard-and-fast rule in identifying these charlatans, but as Jesus warns – “You will know them by their fruits.” Do not judge them by what they say, because what they say will seem good and true. Judge them by the way they live. Judge them by how they serve others, by the time they put into their study, by the way they treat their spouse and children.

Finally, our church must be diligent to guard the flock against such false teachers. As Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Spirit has made you overseers… I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock… therefore, be alert.” We cannot naively accept revival preachers or fill-in pastors or new Sunday school teachers or TV evangelists who lack humility or expect some exorbitant fee or demand proper recognition, as all of these things are poisonous fruit that reveal who they really are. So, may we guard ourselves and each other as we live for the Lord.

The End Is Near: The First Indictment

So far, in Jesus’s last week of ministry, he has faced down three traps. The first was from the Pharisees and Herodians, who wanted to trap Jesus in treason. The second was from the Sadducees, who wanted to trap him in false teaching. The last trap was really more of a sincere question. A scribe came asking Jesus which law was the greatest. Jesus deftly answered each question and left his inquisitors tied in knots and the crowds marveling. Now, it is Jesus’ turn for accusations. Thru the rest of chapter 12, Jesus will pronounce three indictments against the teachers of Israel. He begins, today, by indicting them for their failure to understand the nature of the Messiah. To see that, let’s read Mark 12:35-37. From this passage, see two points: The infinite nature of the Son of God and the incarnation of Jesus.

First, see the infinite nature of the Son of God. During this week in Jerusalem, Jesus went back to the temple each day to teach, and while he was there, Mark tells us that he began to teach against the scribes. Here, he asks, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?” The scribes did, in fact, believe that the Messiah would be from the line of David, and for good reason. 2 Sam. 7:12-16 promises that there would be a descendent of David who would rule forever. Isaiah 11:1-10 prophesied of the shoot from Jesse’s stump. During the intertestamental period, writings like the Psalms of Solomon hoped for a Davidic ruler who would purge Jerusalem of Gentiles, destroy unrighteous rulers and rule the world in righteousness. So, like the scribe who asked Jesus about the greatest of commandments, they were not far from the truth of the Messiah. But, in all their studies, they’d missed an important note. So, Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1, which is a Messianic psalm that David wrote himself. It says, “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” David looks forward and prophesies that there will be a ruler to come, whom he calls “My Lord”, and “The Lord” promises “My Lord” with conquest and rule. Then, in verse 37, Jesus points out an important possessive pronoun. David calls this Messiah figure “My Lord”. In Jewish culture, it was improper for a father to call his son Lord. So, Jesus wonders, “how is the Messiah David’s Lord?”

The Messiah is David’s Lord because he was before David. This means that the Messiah is eternally the Son of God. We know this because the OT promised it. Micah 5:2 promises that there will be a ruler who is born in Bethlehem who will be “from of old, from ancient days.” Isaiah 9:6-7 says, “For to us a child is born… and his name shall be called… Everlasting Father, prince of peace.”  The NT agrees with this eternal nature of the Son. John 1 introduces the Son of God as the Word who was with God and was God. In Rev. 22:16, Jesus describes himself like this: “I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star… I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The Son of God was never created. He was not the first of God’s creation. He was not the chief angel. He was and is one with God, very God of very God.

Yet, here stands Jesus, a man who gets hungry, who cries, who tires, and who will, in just a few days’ time, be beaten, spit upon, and crucified. This reality leads me to my second point, the incarnation of Jesus. How is it that the Messiah can be before David, and at the same time, a descendent of David? This can be so because of what theologians call the hypostatic union. In Jesus, the eternal Son of God took on human nature while remaining fully divine. As John says, in John 1:14, “The word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In the womb of Mary, the eternal Son once again made a new creation, forming in her a new Adam, Jesus of Nazareth. So, Jesus was fully human. Luke 2 tells us that he was born and grew and matured. John 4 tells us that he grew tired, even in a storm. John 11 tells us that he wept at Lazarus’ tomb. Matt. 4 tells us that he was hungry in the wilderness. But, he is also fully divine. When he is awakened by his fearful disciples in the midst of the storm, he speaks and the winds obey him. After weeping for Lazarus, his voice thunders, “Lazarus, come forth”, and Lazarus is raised.

So, why does Jesus indict the scribes for their wrong beliefs about the Messiah? If they were close, why did he not encourage them? I think he does this for a couple reasons. First, as with the scribe who asked about the greatest commandment – to be mostly right is to be wholly wrong. The scribes prided themselves on having a perfect understanding of God’s Word, and yet they had missed the very nature of the Messiah. To be wrong about the Son of God is to be wrong about salvation. This is true in our modern context, as well. There are many false religions (Mormonism, JW, Islam), who say that Jesus is a great prophet or the first of creation, or the chief angel, but he is not God. Like the scribes, they say good things that seem close to the truth, but they are dead wrong. They prove themselves to be false teachers.

Second, the people of Israel believed the scribes to be authoritative in their teachings. The whole of Jewish life was shaped by the opinions of the scribes. But, they were egregiously wrong about the nature of the Messiah. Jesus points this out to condemn them and call the people to turn from their leadership. The same should be true of us, today. There are many teachers, many prophets, many pastors, who like to delve into deep things. They strain at the small, inconsequential subjects of scripture, while getting the most fundamental truths wrong. They can tell you the exact day that the rapture will happen, but they can’t tell you the basic facts of the Gospel. They strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Do no follow teachers who set themselves up to be an authority on a subject of scripture and only teach that one subject over and over and over again, while ignoring the basic truths that you should believe.

Friend, Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He is the descendent of David, according to the flesh, but he is the eternal Son of God who created the world, who sustains it, and who will one day judge it. Turn and believe in him today.

Brothers and sisters, we should be wise about the teachers we follow. If they deny the nature of Jesus, then we should run from them. If they deny that salvation is not by works, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we should stand against them. We should not trust in the authority of man, even if they are teaching on our favorite subject. Instead, we should trust in the authority of God’s word, as revealed in his Son, Jesus Christ.

The End is Near: The Third Trap

There are many great characters from English literature who were changed by love, but there is probably none greater than Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. Scrooge was a stingy, bitter man who’s only concern was for money. As Dickens writes, “The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait… No wind that blew was bitterer than he.” And yet, as the story progresses, he comes to terms with the misdirected values he has maintained in his life, choosing money over his first love and his business partner. Through his encounters with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, he saw how bankrupt those priorities were. He also saw in the Cratchit family, the exact opposite of his bankrupt life. Though they were poor and infirmed, they had an abundance of love. Compassion for Tiny Tim and sympathy for the Cratchits is the fire of love that thaws Scrooge’s heart, so that he becomes a different man.

This morning, we come to the third trap set for Jesus at the end of his earthly ministry, and in it we find a similar story of love. This trap is different from the other two, in that the scribe who comes to ask the question is not really trying to trap Jesus. Instead, he sees the debates that the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees have raised with Jesus. He sees Jesus’s wisdom, and so he comes with a sincere question – a question that matters more than any other that has been asked. The Pharisees and Herodians asked a controversial question to catch Jesus in treason. The Sadducees asked a silly question to catch Jesus in a heresy. But, this scribe asks a serious question with eternal consequences. To see this, let’s read Mark 12:28-34 together. From this text, see two points: The Greatness of Love and the Gap of Faith.

First, from verses 28-31, see the Greatness of Love. The scribe comes with an important and sincere question: Which of the commandments is the most important of all? This question matters to this scribe for a number of reasons. For one, there are around 613 laws in the OT, dealing with everything from murder to the management of livestock. With this many laws, running the full range of morality, it is reasonable to ask which are the most important to follow. The scribes of Jesus’ day had devised various orders of importance. They broke laws down into “heavy” (those that must be obeyed in every circumstance) and “light” (those that only applied situationally). But, there was no authoritative list. This question is also important because getting the priority wrong was a matter of heaven and hell. The Jews believed that perfect obedience to the law was required for righteousness, and only the righteous would inherit the kingdom of God.

To this question, Jesus answers, in verse 29, “The most important commandment is ... ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength’… and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The first command, “love the Lord with all your heart”, comes from Deut. 6:4 (the Shema), which we read at the beginning of the service. Deut. 5-6 serve as the preamble to a set of sermons that Moses preached to the people of Israel before they entered the promised land. He begins, in Chapter 5, by restating the Ten Commandments, and then, in chapter 6, he calls the people to a heart-felt obedience to the law. They aren’t just to obey the law out of duty or obligation, but they are to “love the Lord.” They are to desire, with everything they are, to be obedient to him. Moses says to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. There is no magic in this division of a person between heart and soul and so on, but rather, it is meant to build up with importance. It would be like saying, "Love the Lord with every fiber of your being.”

The second commandment comes from Lev. 19:18. At the beginning of chapter 19, there are all of these specific cases dealing with how you should treat your neighbor. You shouldn’t leave a block in the way so that a blind person will stumble. You shouldn’t steal from or oppress your neighbor. You shouldn’t slander other people. And, just in case you think you’ve found a loophole in the law, the commandments end with this: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words, as the first century Rabbi, Hillel, put it, “If you would hate to have it done to you, you should not do it to someone else.” Put positively, as Jesus put it, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” 

So, why does Jesus say that these are the greatest of the commandments? Matthew’s account of this same interaction gives us a better picture of why. In Matt. 22:40, he says, “On these two commandments depend all of the Law and Prophets.” In other words, all of the law is a question of your love for God and your neighbor. If you love God, you will not worship other gods, make idols, take his name in vain, or dishonor the Sabbath. If you love people, you won’t kill, steal, lie, cheat, or covet. As Romans 13:8-10 says, “The one who loves another has fulfilled the law… love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Breaking the commandments of God is not a question of technicality. It is not, as many often say, that we do bad things, but we really have a good heart. No, our outward actions are revealing of our heart.

This leads me to my second point: the Gap of Faith. When Jesus answers, the scribe immediately agrees. He recognizes that love for God and neighbor is more important than even sacrifices. To this, Jesus says, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Notice that Jesus does not totally affirm the scribe and welcome him into the kingdom. Rather, he says that he is “not far” from it. So, there is something that is right about what he says, and something that is not enough. There is a gap that remains between the scribe and the kingdom. It may be a small gap, and yet it is enough to leave him outside. There are two things to see about this gap.

First, if you think, as no doubt this scribe did, that all you have to do to earn the kingdom of God is to love God and neighbor more, then you will never make it into the kingdom. In saying that these two commands are the greatest, Jesus is not simplifying the law so that it will be easier for us to obey and thereby earn his favor. No. In fact, what Jesus says actually makes the law harder to obey. If the law is only a check list of 613 rules that I have to follow perfectly, that might be something I can do. But, if it is a question of my heart, even as I do those 613 rules, then I am done for! It is not enough to honor the Sabbath by avoiding work, but now I must be joyful every time I walk through these doors. There’s no way! It is not enough to avoid adultery, but now I must not even lust after a woman in my mind. It is not enough to avoid murder, but now I must not hate my brother in my heart. How can anyone do this? Well, no one can. No one, except for Jesus. This is why the scribe is “not far” from the kingdom. He understood that obedience was an issue of the heart. He understood that God preferred a heart that was set on him over sacrifices. But he could not understand that his heart was a problem. If you would be accepted in the kingdom of God, it will not be because you have a good heart, but because you have trusted in Jesus Christ, and through him you have been given a new heart.

Second, while the scribe was far away in terms of faith, he was not far away in his understanding of the greatness of love. Understand that only a Christian can obey these greatest of commandments because only a Christian has been changed by the love of God. As 1 John 4:10-11 says, “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son… beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” The only way to obey these great commandments is through the grace of God. God loved us and gave his son for us, and because of that, we are motivated to love him and each other. The love of God leads to the love for God and his people. And, our love for God and his people is evidence that God has changed us. As Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” He doesn’t say that we love him by keeping his commandments, but rather, our love for him leads to our keeping his commands.

Friend, your good heart will not be enough to save you, because, in reality, you don’t have a good heart. You cannot love God perfectly, and you certainly cannot love your neighbor perfectly. It is only through the grace of God that you have hope of entering the kingdom of God. Won’t you take the leap of faith today and follow Jesus?

Brothers and sisters, we love God because he first loved us. May we love God and neighbor out of a heart of gratitude. 

The End is Near: The Second Trap

This morning, we are back in the Gospel of Mark, nearing the end of Jesus’s ministry, and as we do, we are also nearing the end of the age. Jesus began his last week by clearing the temple of money changers and merchants, which set off a firestorm that reached all the way to the Sanhedrin, the high court of the Jews. They sent a delegation to confront Jesus about his authority, and he completely embarrassed them. So, they decided to set some traps. Last week we saw the first trap – an attempt to get him to commit treason in front of Rome’s puppets, the Herodians. Instead, he left them amazed at the depth of his teaching. Now, we come to the second trap that they set for Jesus, in Mark 12:18-27. From this text, I want you to see two points: The Ridiculous Scenario and the Reality of the Resurrection.

First, from verses 18-23, see the Ridiculous Scenario. We are told that another group comes from the Sanhedrin. This time, it’s the Sadducees. The Sadducees were a religious/political group made up primarily of the priests. They were socially and religiously liberal – the opposite of the Pharisees. They only accepted the Torah (the first five books of the OT), and rejected teachings on the resurrection, spirits, and angels. Knowing that, we see the question they ask is cynical and hypocritical. They present Jesus with a scenario about a resurrection they don’t even believe in. This is supposed to be a complicated, unanswerable riddle because it appeals to several OT laws. One is the law of the kinsman redeemer. Deut. 25 required that, should a man die and leave a widow, his kinsmen should redeem her by marrying and having children by her in the name of the dead brother. This law was intended to maintain the lineage of the brother, but also to redeem the wife and provide her with a future (as seen in the story of Ruth). The Sadducees use this law to create a conundrum: what happens if multiple men marry the same woman and die without children? When the resurrection comes, who will she be married to?

To this ridiculous scenario, Jesus once again gives a marvelous answer. This leads me to my second point: The Reality of the Resurrection. Jesus begins his answer with a rebuke of the Sadducees: “Is this not the reason you are wrong?” He is not saying that they are wrong on this one question, but their entire belief system is wrong. And, he gives two reasons for why they are wrong. They don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. Then, Jesus proceeds to show how wrong they are.

First, when it comes to the power of God, they are wrong about the very nature of the resurrection. He says, “when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven.” The Sadducees took a very materialistic view of the world. They believed that only the physical world was real – only what you could feel or taste or touch. Because of this, they thought that God was limited to this reality. They thought that he was too weak to change reality itself. They were like the little girl who asked her daddy what a honeymoon is. The dad replied, “Well, honey, when you grow up, you will fall in love with a young man, and he will marry you. You’ll go off on a trip with your new husband and spend some time together, which is the honeymoon.” To this, the little girl asked, “Can Mama come, too?” The daddy patiently answered, “Well, no, when that day comes, you won’t want your mother to be there.” The girl thought for a minute, and then asked, “Can I take my teddy bear?” The father chuckled and said, “Honey, you won’t want to take your teddy bear either.” The girl grimaced and said, “Well, if I can’t take Mama, and I can’t take my teddy bear, I don’t want to go.” 

To be honest, this is often the way Christians view the resurrection, as well. It’s sad to say that the resurrection is often downplayed in modern Christianity. As you know, if you’ve been to one of my funerals, I make a big deal of it. In fact, my whole sermon is centered around it because it is the central claim of the Gospel. As Charles Spurgeon said, “The resurrection of Jesus is the keystone of the arch of our holy faith. If that were taken away, the whole system of the gospel would fall to the ground.” After one funeral, I had a man come up to me and ask, “Are you a Baptist preacher?” I answered, “Yes.” He looked shocked, and said, “Huh, I’ve just never heard a Baptist pastor focus so much on the resurrection. They often talk about heaven and eternal life, but never the resurrection.” Well, as sad as that is, understand that the resurrection is the whole of the gospel. Go read the sermons of the book of Acts, and you will find that every last one ends with a call to believe in the resurrection of Christ. Paul, in that famous verse from Romans 10:9-10, says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The resurrection of Jesus is a promise of our own resurrection. But, like the little girl and her teddy bear, we get hung up on what that will look like. It weirds us out, thinking that we will just be raised in this old body to live as a decaying corpse for the rest of eternity. We wonder, how can God do anything with this old, sinful, decrepit flesh? But, this is the hope of our salvation. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

This is what Jesus means when he answers the Sadducees. In the resurrection, we will not be as we are now. There will be no need for marriage, because we will inherit the new earth. The world and our bodies will be different, renewed, made imperishable. Now, certainly, God will use the stuff of this body, but Paul describes it, in 1 Cor. 15, as a kernel going into the ground. What comes out of the ground is not the same as that which went into it. He also says that the perishable will put on the imperishable, like a person puts on a cloak. And, God has the power to do all of this. He made the world in six days. He judged the earth in a flood. He parted the Red Sea. He rained fire from heaven. And, in his greatest act, he caused Jesus to rise again from the dead. So, yes, he can take your mortal body and make it immortal. Even if it is consumed in fire, he will still do it. Even if it has been food for fish at the bottom of the sea for ages upon ages, he can still do it.

Jesus’s second reason is that the Sadducees do not understand Scripture. Again, his answer is brilliant, because he refers them back to Exodus 3. Remember, the Sadducees only accept the first five books of the OT, and Exodus is the second of those books. So, he asks, in verse 26, “Have you not read… ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” Here, Jesus points out an important verb tense that God uses when referring to the patriarchs. He does not say, “I was the God of Abraham”, he says, “I am the God of Abraham.” It is as if God believes that Abraham is still alive, because he is. Remember, the Sadducees do not believe that man has a spirit, they don’t believe in life after death, and yet, here is God, in one of their favorite passages, referring to Abraham as a living spirit. 

 With this answer, Jesus proves the priests of Israel to be hypocrites. They asked a question about a doctrine they don’t even believe. And, when Jesus answers, he shows that the God they worship is an impotent being who cannot change things, and that they don’t even know the Scriptures they claim to cherish.

Friend, the resurrection is your only hope for eternal life. Jesus rose again to show that God’s intent is to make all things new. One day, Christ will return in judgment, and on that day, he will bring forth a new heavens and a new earth. Those who believe in him will be part of that new creation, our bodies made new by the power of the God of creation. Won’t you believe on Christ today and inherit the promise of that resurrection?

Brothers and sisters, as John Calvin has said, “The resurrection is not an appendage of the Gospel, but the most important article of it, and that on which the faith of the Gospel rests.” We have this promise from Scripture, that though our bodies may age and decay and die, it will not end in dust. By the power of God, we will be raised in the glory of our brother, Jesus Christ, to live in the newness of everlasting life. It will be a beautiful, renewed, perfect world, where no sin can molest and no pain will haunt us. Like Jesus in his resurrection, it will be familiar, but different, too. This is the great hope we have in Jesus Christ, and may we wait on it with patience.

The End is Near: The First Trap

Oliver Cromwell rose to prominence in 17th-century England as a devout Puritan, convinced that God had called him to reform the nation and secure a government that honored biblical truth. He fought against the abuses of King Charles I, championing a “godly commonwealth” where righteousness would flourish. His leadership in the English Civil War helped overthrow the monarchy, and for a time it seemed his vision of a nation submitted to God might take shape. Yet, in his zeal to preserve the new order, Cromwell’s methods grew increasingly harsh. In Ireland, his military campaigns brought massacres and destruction, justified in his mind as necessary for the cause. Even fellow Protestants who differed from him faced suppression. The man who began with a passion for holiness and reform allowed political necessity to overshadow mercy and justice.

The relationship of the Christian to Politics has always been a heavy question for the church. The Roman Catholics imagined a church-over-state model, in which the Pope was established as the great ruler of all Christendom – coronating and dethroning kings at his pleasure. The anabaptists, on the other hand, believed that the church and state should have no relationship and that Christians should be strict passivists who lived in separate communities (like that of the Amish). Both extremes have had their moments of greatness, and both have failed miserably. How is the Christian to relate to earthly government? This is the weighty question before us, today, as we come to the first of three traps that the religious leaders set for Jesus. Let’s read Mark 12:13-17 together. From this text, see two points: The Hypocritical Trap and the Higher Calling of the Christian.

First, from verses 13-15, see the hypocritical trap. In verse 12, we are told that Jesus decisively won round one with the Sanhedrin. Remember, they had sent a group of representatives from the court to ask what authority Jesus had. Jesus gave two answers to that question. One was to put them in a bind by asking a question: was John’s ministry from heaven? The second answer was in the form of a parable, where he likened the religious leaders to rebellious tenants that the master will judge. The elders and priests realized that they’d been beat, so they slink away to try again later. Now, we have their second attempt.

We are told, in verse 13, that the Sanhedrin tries again by sending representatives from two socio-political factions: the Pharisees and the Herodians. These two groups were as far apart as any two political parties could be. The Pharisees were a conservative religious sect that believed the entire Jewish race must be strictly obedient to the OT law so that the Messiah would return. Their hope was that, through obedience, the Messiah would return and overthrow the Romans. The Herodians, on the other hand, were the political faction of the family of Herod, which ruled all of Palestine. They were a puppet dynasty, established through the relationship that Herod the Great had with Caesar Augustus. Known for their lavish and immoral lifestyles, they had no allegiances except to Rome. So, it is telling that these two groups team up to trap Jesus. 

These strange bedfellows are telling for three reasons. First, they offered shifty complements to Jesus. In verse 14, they praise him, saying, “We know that you are true and won’t be swayed.” They attempt to use flattery and deception to lure Jesus into a trap. They don’t believe, for one second, any of what they say about him. This is no confession of faith or vow of allegiance. They are simply hoping that this flattery will lull Jesus into a sense of trust so that he will candidly answer them, and in so doing, make a treasonous statement.

Second, they ask a cynical question. They put before Jesus what in their day was a hot topic, an unanswered theological and political conundrum: Should a Jew pay taxes to Caesar, or not? This question was a conundrum for several reasons. First, the Jews had great national pride. The Pharisees and Zealots, especially, believed that the Jewish people should not serve any other king but God. So, the fact that they paid taxes to Caesar meant that they were violating this principle. But, the Pharisees taught that it was wrong to use Roman money because it was idolatry. The denarius, which was like our dollar, was a small, silver coin, that carried the profile of Caesar on one side, and the image of the goddess of peace on the other. At this time, the Roman Caesar was Tiberius, and the inscription across the top of his profile read, “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus” (by implication, the son of God). And, on the other side, over the goddess of peace, it read, “High Priest”. To any faithful Jew, both the image and the inscription were unacceptable. This was the justification the priests used for having money changers in the temple. Hardline Pharisees would not carry a denarius on their person.

Finally, this unlikely group is telling because of their shameless hypocrisy. In verse 15, Jesus exposes their hypocrisy by asking, “Bring me a denarius that I may look at it.” This request reveals their hypocrisy, because it says that “they brought one” and gave it to him. Here are the Pharisees and Herodians, who are supposed to be the great representatives of the people of God (the kings and the law keepers), and they come to trap Jesus by asking him to settle this debate over whether to pay taxes, because they think it’s wrong to even have the money in their pockets. And, when Jesus asks them for a denarius, they pull one out of their pockets! Meanwhile, Jesus, the man they want to prove a fraud, is more obedient than they are to their own stupid rule. He doesn’t even have a denarius on him.

So, here is the trap. If Jesus says that a Jew should pay taxes, then he will lose the Zealots and the Pharisees, who represent the majority of the Jewish people. But, if he answers no, the Herodians (allies of Rome) are standing there ready to accuse him of treason. Jesus’ answer is brilliant, and it brings me to my second point: the higher calling of the Christian. Once Jesus has the coin in his hand, he asks, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” His challengers answer, “Caesars.” At this, Jesus responds, “Render to Ceasar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” This answer is brilliant for a couple of reasons. We see that it was brilliant because it even says that the Pharisees and Herodians marveled at his answer. So what makes it so marvelous?

First, in this answer, Jesus recognizes a legitimate role for human government, even those governments that have no religious connection or seem to be set against God. The Greek word for “Render” can also mean to “give back.” This is the way the Romans viewed their money. Every denarius was the property of Caesar, which is why it was stamped with his image. To pay a tax was not to give the government something you owned, but to give back to the government something Caesar had allowed you to have. On one level this is brilliant because it answers the question of idolatry. No, this is not an idol that you made and worship. If anything, it is an idol that Caesar made of himself, so giving it back to him isn’t a problem. But it also recognizes that Caesar has a legitimate claim over this money. Earthly rulers are established by God. Romans 13:1 says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Even unbelievers have been placed in positions of earthly authority by God. So, as Christians, we should obey the laws of our country where they do not conflict with our obligations to God.

Jesus’s answer recognizes that there is a greater calling on the Christian than just his obligation to earthly government. He says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The last part of that statement has often been wrongly interpreted to mean that we should tithe. You know, the government requires 25%, and God requires 10%. So pay your taxes and your tithe. That is not what Jesus is saying. Remember, this is a question of images. Jesus asked, “Who’s likeness is this?” The Greek word for “likeness” is eikon, which is first used in the Bible in Genesis 1:26 – “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” So, we give a denarius back to Caesar because it has been marked with Caesar’s image, and we give back to God that which has been marked with his image – ourselves.

So, how do we give ourselves back to God? For one, we live as sacrifices. Romans 12:1 says, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Our bodies are not our own, they are temple of the Holy Spirit. So, we should live in obedience to God in all things. Also, we should give of ourselves for the sake of the Gospel. 1 Cor. 9:19 says, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.”

I find, too, that this passage challenges us in a particular way as American Christians. It has been said that baseball is the quintessential American sport, but I think that’s wrong. No, we love politics far more than we love baseball. We live in a never-ending election cycle. We are only seven months into Trump’s term, and the media is already talking about who his likely successor will be. The twenty-four-hour news cycle and the endless social media feed means that political controversy is always front of mind. Over the last seventy years, Christians have been recognized as an important voting bloc, and that recognition has had an unfortunate impact on the church. The church has come to believe that our political power is more important than our personal witness. I’ve listened to countless Christians complain that the government took God out the schools knowing good and well that he isn’t in their home either. Many who complain about the absence of prayer in school live wrecked lives with dysfunctional families. Brothers and sisters, if we want God in the schools, if we want the Ten Commandments in the courthouse, if we want Christ back in the White House Christmas, then we can start by giving back to God that which is God’s in our own lives. We cannot demand that the ruling on Gay Marriage be overturned when the church turns a blind eye to no-fault divorces in our own membership. We can’t expect legislation that recognizes the value of unborn life when we refuse to love our neighbor. For far too long, we have blamed Caesar for things he does not own. We’ve thought, if the government will just require morality, then the world will be Christian. The government has no power to change hearts. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that, and we are the ones who have been charged with that Gospel. So may we give to God that which is God’s by living for Christ in all that we do.

The End is Near: The Betrayal

In 1483, King Edward IV died unexpectedly, leaving the throne to his young son, Edward V. Because the boy was too young to rule, his uncle Richard was entrusted as Lord Protector — a caretaker of the realm until the rightful king could come of age. At first, Richard claimed loyalty to his nephew. But ambition grew in his heart. He declared Edward and his brother illegitimate, imprisoned them in the Tower of London, and within months had himself crowned king. The princes vanished — most believe they were murdered on Richard’s orders. Richard had taken for himself the kingdom he was only meant to guard. But his reign was short and troubled. Just two years later, Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field. His betrayal had brought his own destruction.

Power is a unique kind of temptation. Even those who start with the best of intentions, those who want to serve their country, will be corrupted by its allurement. It is clear from history and from the story of the Bible, that no man can keep from its corruption. King David, the great poet warrior who became the unifying king of all of Israel, was a man after God’s own heart. And yet, in a moment of weakness, he used his power to take another man’s wife and have that man killed to cover his sin. So, even the greatest of kings could not rightly handle the power granted to him by God. The priests of Israel were no different. No sooner had Moses left to receive the Ten Commandments, than Aaron was leading the people to worship other gods. Even the prophets were corrupted by power. In the days of Elijah, king Ahaz paid court prophets to offer counter-prophecies to Elijah’s condemnations. Even when the institutions are good, they are corrupted by the evil of man. If this is true, how can the kingdom of God ever truly be realized. Thus far in the Gospel of Mark, we’ve seen Jesus announcing the coming of the kingdom and all of its blessings. He’s done great miracles to show what this kingdom will be like. And yet, at every turn, the priests, elders, and scholars have resisted him. Is he supposed to turn the administration of his kingdom over to them? If so, won’t it be like every other movement that starts with pure intentions, and is then destroyed from within by its own flawed bureaucracy? To answer that question, Jesus gives a parable, in Mark 12:1-12. This parable comes right on the heels of his interaction with the subcommittee of the Sanhedrin which had come to question his authority. Jesus answers their question with a question and puts them into such a political entanglement that they refuse to answer, proving that they have no real authority. So now, Jesus will answer their question with a parable. To see that, let’s read Mark 12:1-12. There are three groups in this parable that we need to identify. So, the three points of my sermon are these: What is the vineyard? Who are the tenants? And Who are the others?

First, we need to answer, what is the vineyard? Jesus begins his parable with a very familiar metaphor. He tells of a landowner who planted a vineyard and took great care to protect it, building a wall and a tower. The priests and scholars to whom he is telling this parable would have probably thought he was just quoting Isaiah 5:1-2, which says, “Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: my beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.” The prophet goes on to identify this vineyard as the people of Israel, and this metaphor portrays God as a gracious farmer who prepares a beautiful place for his vines, only to be disappointed by the fruit that they produce. So, it was with the people of Israel, whom God had rescued from Egypt and planted in a land flowing with milk and honey, only to have them worship other gods and rebel against his law. Psalm 80:8 also sees it in just this way, “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.” So, Jesus clearly means to speak of the people of Israel as the vine that God planted. 

Yet, Jesus does not simply mean for the vineyard to represent everyone who is genetically Hebrew. Throughout his ministry he has defined those who are the true people of God. In Matthew 5 he identifies them as the poor in spirit, the meek, those who weep, and those who yearn for righteousness. In Mark 8:34, he said that only those who take up their cross and follow him will be his disciples. Even in Chapter 10, he told the rich young ruler that obedience to the law was not enough, that he must abandon that which he loved most to follow Jesus. So, it is not enough to say that the vineyard represents Israel. No, it represents the people of God, and there is a difference.

Next, we need to answer, who are the tenants? Jesus continues by saying that the master planted a vineyard and left it to tenants with the promise that he would return to collect the harvest. But, when it was time to collect, the tenants sent the first servant away empty-handed, beat others, and even killed the master’s son. These tenants are the very people to whom Jesus is telling this story – the priests, scholars, and elders of Israel. This is fundamental for us to understand – the whole of the OT, from its laws to its institutions and its temples, were given by God to serve as tenants until the fullness of God’s kingdom. The sacrifices of pure, spotless lambs pointed forward to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. The priesthood pointed to a faithful servant who could mediate between God and man. Hebrews 8:5 says, “[The priests and tabernacle] serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Even the law pointed to something greater. Gal. 3:24 says, “So then, the law was our schoolmaster until Christ came.” None of these institutions were intended to be ultimate – they all pointed forward to the fullness of the kingdom, realized in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But, they had become ultimate. What was intended to be a shadow had been taken as the true image. Those meant to be tutors took on the role of king.

So, when God sent prophets to warn Israel of their sins and call them back to faithfulness, the people persecuted and killed them. Elijah was persecuted by Queen Jezebel. Zechariah was stoned to death in the temple court. Isaiah was sawn in two by king Manasseh. And, now Jesus stands before them as the son of the master of the vineyard, and what do they want to do? Verse 12 says that they sought to arrest him because they perceived that he told the parable against them. In this they prove themselves to be the very tenants that Jesus condemns.

Finally, we need to answer, who are the others? In verse 9, Jesus passes a verdict on these rebellious tenants. He asks, “what will the owner do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.” This is a prophecy of what God will do to the leaders of Israel, the temple, and the whole of the OT system – he will destroy it all. But, where does that leave the vineyard? Where does that leave the people of God? Jesus answers that by saying that the master of the vineyard will give his vineyard to others. In this, Jesus promises that his people will have new stewards who will shepherd them well. In fact, in Matthew’s telling of this same parable from Matt. 21:43, Jesus says, “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people producing fruit.” Jesus tells us who these new stewards are by quoting Psalm 118 – “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” This stone is Jesus himself, and he will serve as the cornerstone for a new temple. He will be the chief shepherd under whom godly leaders will serve. He will be the great high priest who will intercede for his people. And, the new stewards of the people of God will be leaders who build upon that foundation. Eph. 2:19-20 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” The church is now the steward of God’s people. We are, every one of us, built together on the foundation of Christ. We encourage one another through our commitment to mutual discipleship. We have pastors and deacons who equip us for the work of ministry. Our pastors keep watch care over our souls. And we are all led by God’s Spirit, so that we have a holy nature that seeks the good of others.

Last week, I emphasized the importance of church and said that you need the church. This is why. The church serves as the tenant, wall, and watchtower of the vineyard of God. It is God’s way of protecting your faith and putting you in an environment where your faith will grow. So may we all bear fruit as we commit to faithfulness in God’s vineyard.

Forsake Not

Since it is our Homecoming celebration this morning, I want to take a break from our study in the Gospel of Mark and give what might be called a “State of the Church” address. Today will make my fifth homecoming at Antioch West, and so I feel that I’ve had enough time to get to know you (and you me). I’ve had enough time to understand the culture here (like dragging out the third measure of the verses of “Victory in Jesus”, even though that is not how the music is written). I’ve also had time to understand the challenges we face in ministry here. I thought it would be a good idea to speak to the state of our church because we stand at an important moment in the life of our church. So, I want to detail four challenges before us so that our church can meet God’s calling on us. Three of these challenges are small – things we are already doing, but I think we can do better – so I will mention them briefly. The last challenge will bring us to our passage for this morning.

To start, though, I want to talk about the things that make Antioch West so beautiful. First, we are a welcoming church. I don’t know how many times visitors have told me just how loved they feel when they visit. Many have expressed how much joy this church shows. When we come together to worship, we are glad to be in the house of the Lord, glad to be among his people. Second, we are a compassionate church. I see this compassion in the ways that the deacons care for needs. There are many needs that we meet that no one will ever know about, and that’s fine with us. I see it also in the way we surround those who have lost a loved one. There is never a doubt whether we will have enough food for the family after a funeral. I see it in the way we check in on each other, visit those who are hurting, and pick up children from the community to bring them to church and VBS. Finally, we are a well-organized and well-led church. I’ve said numerous times that one of the greatest reliefs I have as a pastor is in knowing that the deacons of our church have been given the respect and responsibility to lead, and that they do it with purpose and do it well. I am so thankful for the men who serve as deacon, for the countless hours they put into it, and for the wisdom they share with me.

So, now that I’ve buttered you all up, let’s get into the challenges that I see for us. Again, the first three challenges are small, but I think we should face them, nonetheless. First, I want to challenge each and every one of you to serve (the Nominating committee owes me an “Amen” for saying that). This church is not just dependent on the strong leadership of its deacons – we need each and every member to use his or her gifts for the good of the church and the glory of God. 1 Pet. 4:10 says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace..." Each member of this church is called to serve in some way. It may be a small task, or it may involve a great deal, but each of us have been given gifts, through God’s Spirit, to serve each other. As Peter says, we are to be “good stewards” of God’s grace – to use our gifts as he has called us.

Second, I want to challenge our church to a greater commitment to service and missions. We have taken some positive steps since I’ve been here to focus more on missions. We’ve raised considerable funds for international missions every December, bolstered the Butler Baptist association, participated in mission trips to OK, and supported a missionary in Nepal. We also have done some work for church members along the way. I hope, in the future, that we will have a greater commitment to all of these opportunities and more. Jesus calls all believers, in Matt. 5:14 to be a light: ““You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father…”

Third, I want to challenge our church to avoid becoming a bank. We are an outpost for the kingdom of God. We exist to Worship God, proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples. Every bit of our effort and money should be spent towards those three things. Right now, we have a huge surplus of around $450k in undesignated funds. There is a real error that I’ve seen churches make, and that is to be like the servant of Jesus’s parable, who, when given one talent, decided to sit on it and wait for the master’s return. We are not a bank, and while it is great that we hold money in reserve and put some into CDs to maximize our giving, we should not hold onto our money with white knuckles and refuse to spend it. I understand that there were times, long past, when the church did not have any money and we waited for the end of the service to know whether we could pay the preacher or not, but the Lord saw us through those days, and he will see us through any future downturn. Right now, though, he has blessed us immensely, and we should trust that he will care for us as we use what he has given us for his glory. In 2 Cor. 8, Paul extols the Macedonian church because, though they were poor, they gave generously: “They gave according to their means… and beyond their means, of their own accord…” Regardless of what we have in reserve, we should give generously.

That brings me to my final challenge, and for that, let’s read Heb. 10:19-25. I have found, over the last five years, that the greatest challenge facing our church (and most churches in the South, for that matter) is the fact that our members, on the whole, do not find commitment to the church to be all that important. Now, I meet plenty of people who have a deep affinity for this church (and bro. Watson). I can’t tell you the number of people who have expressed, in exuberance, how much they love this church and its people. But, I never see them here on a Sunday, which leads me to believe that (if love is truly expressed through action), they really don’t love it as much as they say. As I’ve served here, I’ve developed a few reasons for why this is. So, in the remaining time I want to take on those reasons by answering the question of why faithful church membership and attendance are important.

First, faithful church membership and attendance is important because it expresses a right understanding of the Gospel. In verses 19-23, the writer of Hebrews speaks of our salvation, not as a one-and-done event, but as an ongoing walk of faithfulness. He starts by saying that we can have confidence in approaching God in worship because of the blood of Jesus and his work as our great high priest. Recognize, no one can rightly worship God unless he has trusted in Jesus Christ as savior. Worship begins at the cross. No - Muslims, Jews and Christians do not all worship the same God. No - just because you have an affinity for a certain church, it doesn’t mean your worship is acceptable either. If you do not actually trust in Jesus, you are not worshipping.

But, if you have been washed in the blood of Christ, if you have Jesus as your high priest, then you will hold fast in faithfulness. Notice verse 23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” Your salvation began the moment that you trusted in Christ (when you walked the aisle at a revival or prayed the prayer in VBS), but it did not end there. In that moment, if you were truly converted, you were called to a life of faithfulness – a life that holds fast. One of the ways that we hold fast is through our faithful worship and discipleship with other believers. This is why verses 24 and 25 immediately mention discipleship and worship after calling us to hold fast. If you love Jesus, then you will love his people. And if you love Jesus and his people, you will want to be with them regularly. It’s just that simple.

Second, faithful church attendance is important because it is the God-ordained way that we maintain and build our faith. In verse 24, the writer calls us to “stir up one another to love and good works.” The Greek word for “stir up” is paroxysmos, which can actually be taken negatively, as in “to irritate or provoke.” What is meant here is that being around other believers is a motivation in and of itself. It gets us out of our comfort zone and challenges us. If you are alone, you could be fooled into thinking that no one has it as bad as you, no one has ever faced the challenges you face. But, then you show up on any given Wednesday night to our prayer meeting, and you find out that the problems you are facing aren’t new or different. Not only that, but you gain comfort from fellow believers who show real compassion and concern for you, who pray with you through the challenge you face, and offer wisdom as you face it. You cannot get that from Facebook. Even more so, being around other believers builds you up in your faith as they teach you, sing to you, and pray with you.

Finally, faithful church attendance is important because it builds in us godly habits. Verse 25 calls us “not to neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some.” I will let you in on a secret of life that I have learned: You are always building habits, regardless of what you do. Everything you do, from what you eat to the media you consume to the time you go to bed and the time you get up – all of it is forming habits. Now, you can say, “Well, I can break those habits any time I want”, but that is easier said than done. In fact, it has been my own personal experience that it takes as much time to break the habit as it did to form it. I have a 4x3 rule about habits – three days to start it, three weeks to adjust to it, three months for it to become a habit, and 3 years for it to become permanent. Church is a habit, too. It is a habit that, if you will adopt it, will form in you a true and lasting godliness. But, it is a habit that is easily lost. I’ve seen the story 1000 times. Preacher, we’ve just been really busy with travel ball lately. Yes, preacher, but we only have so much time with the kids. Preacher, I’m sorry, but my job just keeps me so busy. Look, I get it, I do. My kids play sports. I push them to play. But you know what I don’t do? I don’t push them to play a sport that will interfere with their spiritual growth. You know what is far more important than four years of travel ball? Eternity. I also understand that you have a short time with your kids, and Sundays are a free day to do things with them. It’s great to invest in your kids, but you know the best way to invest in them – teach them the habit of faithfulness by being uncompromising on your commitment to worship. I also understand that there are many jobs that require work on Sundays. I’m sympathetic to that especially this week, as I worked all day yesterday and lost my weekend. But, our church intentionally schedules three gatherings a week (Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday night) so that you will have plenty of chances to build this habit.

Here me plainly on this – you may not feel that you do, but you need the church. You need it so that you can be encouraged in your faith. You need it so that you can be reminded of the Gospel. You need it to be stirred up to good works. You need it to build godly habits. You also need it for your children. You need to be building up their faith and instilling in them godly habits as well. So, on this homecoming Sunday, my challenge to our church is that we may all commit to faithfulness. This faithfulness is reflected in our commitment to discipleship and worship with other believers. May we forsake not the assembling of ourselves together but instead build upon the habit that our forebearers practiced, that we might pass along this faith once delivered to the next generation.