Mark chapter 12. Often times
when I look over a portion of scripture, I try to think of
a title. And sometimes it's most difficult
to find a title to put it to a message. But it's necessary
that we do have a title to the sermon. But I didn't have any
struggle finding a title to the message today found in verse
34. Mark 12 verse 34 Mark 12 thou
art not far thou art not far from the kingdom of God not far
from the kingdom of God now the Lord Jesus as we look over this
portion of scripture in this twelfth chapter the Lord Jesus
having put to silence the Pharisees the Rhodians The Sadducees was
now confronted by this scribe. You see verse 28, and one of
the scribes came. In Matthew 22, when Matthew records
this story, Matthew calls him a lawyer. Now the scribes were
the lawyers, not as we think of lawyers today, but these scribes
were the ones who were taken up with the law. That's why they
called them, I guess, lawyers. They were all about what was
written in the law of God. Here again we see this one, as
all these others, coming to the Lord Jesus Christ for various
reasons. Here again we see how God can
bring good out of evil, the evil of men, the evil intentions of
men. How He can make the most malicious assaults of the enemies
work out to the good of His church and to the praise of His glory.
to detach the enemies against the Lord Jesus Christ, we have
given to us a great deal of excellent instruction about the way of
salvation in Christ Jesus." Now I'm very interested about instruction
in the way of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. This scribe
observed how the Lord had dealt with these other groups of men.
He listened to all their questions and how the Lord has answered
them back. And he's observing this. And
he observed how the Lord answered these questions with wisdom,
with power, with majesty. One man said, no man spoke like
that man spoke. And in some measure, he was impressed
by the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verse 28. And one of
the scribes came, having heard them reasoning together. He heard
what the Pharisees had to say. He heard what the Sadducees had
to say. Reasoning together, and perceived that he answered them
well. He knew something about the Lord's
will. He saw something in the Lord that was different. that
he answered them well, and he asked him, here's his question.
which is the greatest, or the first commandment of all. The
scribe didn't have a foolish question, as the others, like
the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He had an honest, I believe sincere
question about the law. That was his business. He was
all taken up with the law, about the law, the sacrificial Levitical
law. He had an honest question about
the law, being a lawyer. Now here's his question, verse
29. And the Lord answered, Here's the first and the great of all
commandments is here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one, Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, with all your strength. And this is the first commandment.
And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor
as yourself. And there is none other commandment
greater than these, love God and love your neighbors. Now
the very one who gave the law, now you think about this, this
man who asked the question, he didn't really know who he was
talking to. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
one who had written the law, the one who had given the law.
And he answers this scribe with his own infinite testimony and
truth, God-given, as God. He answers with his own word.
In the Lord's answer, he declares there is one true and living
God. He is revealed to us in three distinct persons as Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, but one true God. John put it this way,
for there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
the Word, and the Holy Ghost. These three are one. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our
God is one, one eternal true God, and He is manifest in three
distinct persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and yet one. That's
the mystery. I can't explain it. But it's
so. It's so. One true and living
God. And then something else, the
Lord's answer reveals the rigid, unbending, holy requirements
of the law. The law demands that you love
your God, that you love the true and living God with all your
heart, soul, mind, and strength. Here's what the law demands,
and your neighbor, as yourself. That's what the law demands. We see the rigid, unbending,
holy requirements. In essence, it's this. It's perfection
or death. Perfection or death. It must be perfect to be accepted
of God. Now, notice what the scribe says
in verse 32. The scribe said unto him, Well,
master, He knew what he had given to him was according to the Word
of God. Well, Master, thou hast said the truth. For there is
one God, there is another. To love him with all your heart,
understanding, soul, and strength, to love his neighbor as himself,
is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. for sin. He knew something about the blood
of bulls and goats could not take away sin. He knew something
about the value of heart worship unto God. The scribe acknowledged
that he had spoken the truth. Now think about this. Can he
speak anything else but the truth? The Lord Jesus Christ? He is
truth. Let God be true and every man
a liar. We read in another scripture,
it is impossible for God to lie. The Lord Jesus answers in absolute
truth. Absolute truth. And then the
Lord says this to him. In verse 34. Jesus saw that he
answered discreetly. That this man answered with some
understanding and wisdom. And then he said unto him, Thou
art not far, you're not far from the kingdom of God. The kingdom
of God is synonymous with salvation. You're not far from being a justified
sinner in Christ Jesus. You're not there, but you're
not far. Not far from the kingdom of God. Now, every one of us here this
morning, and all people in general, fall into one of these three
categories. Now, see if you don't think this
is so. All men in general, and all of us here this morning,
fall into three categories of people. Some, by the Lord's grace
and His power, some are in the Kingdom of God. Some are found
in Christ. by His grace. Some by His mighty
grace and sovereign power have been made one with Christ. They
are new creatures in Him. They have been redeemed by His
precious blood. And His blood has washed away
all our sins. Some have been called out of
darkness into His marvelous kingdom, translated out of the kingdom
of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Some have
been made by His grace to love Him, to love the Lord Jesus Christ,
and have willingly submitted unto Him, and owned Him, and
consented to Him publicly before men. And they say with those
in Scripture, He is altogether lovely, and to you who believe,
He is precious. Some are in the kingdom of God. Some who are lovers of the Lord
Jesus Christ and believe Him and bow to Him. That's the first
category. Here's the second one. Some people,
some people, men and women, some people are far off from the kingdom
of God. Far off, not near at all, far
off in salvation in Christ. Having no real interest in salvation,
in the salvation of their soul. And perhaps many go to a so-called
worship service because they didn't have anything better to
do that particular morning. Some people are far off from
God. having no hope, without God,
without Christ, without help, having no interest in salvation
at all. Some are far off pagan idolaters. Some of you, and some, are like
this scribe in this scripture, not far from the kingdom of God. Very moral, Very religious, perhaps. Acquainted with the things of
God. Very knowledgeable of the word of God, but yet not one
with Christ. Yet not found in Him. Some are in the kingdom, some
are far off, and some are very near. salvation in Christ Jesus. Some people can advance far in
religion, can be very zealous about spiritual things, yet not
have any real knowledge of Christ. Saul of Tarsus was like that,
wasn't he? He was a very zealous man. Find Galatians chapter 1.
Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee, a very self-righteous man. He
advanced very quickly in the ranks of religion. In Galatians
chapter 1, he said in verse 13, he said, Boy, you've heard of
my conduct. My conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,
how that beyond measure, I persecuted the Church of God and I wasted
it. He was an avowed and he determined
in his heart to stamp out the Gospel of Christ and to do it
in the name of God. Very religious, very successful. He said, verse 14, prophet in
the Jews' religion above my equals. And my own nation be more exceeding
zealous of the traditions of the fathers. But he didn't know
Christ in a saving way. He didn't know God in Christ
in salvation. Now I pray the Lord will reveal
himself to you today. And it takes God, it takes God
to reveal God unto your heart. I can preach the gospel and determine
to preach the truth, but God the Holy Spirit must take that
word and show you Christ and reveal Christ unto your heart.
Now I want to consider four things from this scripture this morning. Four things about this religious
lost man, this scribe. Here they are. His person, his
knowledge, his attitude, his deficiency. Well, what was lacking
in him? Why did the Lord Jesus Christ
say to him, you're not in the kingdom of God, but he said,
why did the Lord say to him, you're not far from being in
the kingdom of God? Well, I hope I can answer that
question. Here's the first thing. Let's consider something about
this man himself, his person. This scribe that asked the Lord
Jesus Christ this question about the law, the scribe, and this
scribe was a diligent student of the scriptures. They were
in charge of preserving the record of Holy Scripture. They didn't
have printing presses in that day. They meticulously, every
jot and tittle of the Word of God, they copied down the record
of Scripture to preserve it. They were sticklers, very meticulous
about every jot and tittle of the law. They were meticulous
in their work. They were given over to the study
of the commandments of the law. Remember, this same group charged
the Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples with violating the
law because they did not wash their hands. You remember back
in Mark 7? Turn over there. Mark chapter
7. Mark chapter 7, verse 5. The Pharisees and the scribes
asked him, Why walkest not thy disciples according to the tradition
of the elders, but to eat bread with unwashing hands? And he
answered and said unto them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of
you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with
their lips, but their hearts far from me. Howbeit in vain
they do worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments
of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the
tradition of men, as washing of pots and cups, and many other
such things that ye do. They were concerned about his
disciples eating with unclean, unwashed hands." Now, someone
said this about the scribes. As time passed on, their words
and the words of the scribes were honored above the law. In other words, their interpretation
of what the law said became a law unto itself. It was a greater
crime in Israel in that day, it was a greater crime to offend
against one of the scribes than to offend the law according to
their Jewish tradition. This man had all the facts of
the law, he had the letter of the law, but no revelation of
the message of the law. Had you believed Moses, our Lord
said, you would have believed me, because Moses wrote about
me, and you will not come to me that you might have life. The Apostle Paul penned these
words by God's inspiration. In Galatians 3, he said, Wherefore
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that you might be justified by
the Lord Jesus Christ. He had been trained under the
best Jewish teachers. But our Lord took one look at
his heart and said, You're not far from the kingdom of God and
salvation in Christ." In other words, you're lost. You're very
religious, but you're lost. The second thing we see about
this man, his knowledge. He had some true knowledge. He
had some true facts. In verse 32 and verse 33 as we
read, He acknowledged that the Lord declared the truth from
the Word of truth, the Word of God, He confessed, there is but
one God, there is no other. We read that throughout the book
of Isaiah. God declares, I am the Lord, there is none else.
I am a just God and Savior, there is no other. Yet a mere head
knowledge of these facts is not salvation. He knew there was
one God. But a mere head knowledge of
this fact is not salvation. Now let me give you a scripture.
Listen to it carefully. James 2.19, Thou believest there
is one God, ye do well. The devil also believes and trembles. See, it's not just believing
in the head, acknowledging that there is one true God. The devil
believes that. Yet he's not justified in Christ.
He understood something else. He understood something of the
spiritual nature of the law. He saw that outward... He saw
the worship of God was inward, not outward. Spiritual, not ceremony. As he says over here in verse
33, the last line, To love God, to love your neighbor with all
your heart, soul, and strength, is more than whole burnt offerings
and sacrifices. He knew something of the worth
of inward worship. Yet he didn't know Christ savingly. This is the same thing the apostle
says of those Jews in Romans 10. They have a zeal according
to God, but they're ignorant of the true and living God going
about to establish their own righteousness. They have a zeal,
but they're ignorant. They're ignorant of the character
of God. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ says of him, you're not far from
the kingdom of God. Something about this man. Secondly,
something about his knowledge. He had some right information,
didn't he? He had some right facts. But the Lord says, you
don't know Me savingly. Thirdly, his attitude. His attitude. Several things here. He perceived
that the Lord answered others right when they had peppered
him with all these questions. They couldn't budge the Lord
Jesus Christ from declaring the truth of salvation in him. He
also addressed him as master and teacher. This man seemed
to have a teachable spirit. The Lord saw in verse 34 that
he answered in a discreet way. He answered with wisdom. He answered
in a sensible way. Yet the Lord says, he's not a
sinner saved by grace. The Lord says of him, you're
not far from the kingdom of God. You're not one with me in Christ
Jesus. That's amazing, isn't it? It's
the truth. And we see this going on in religious
circles today. Now, here's the last thing. Here's
the last thing. And I want to spend a little
time right here. Why did the Lord Jesus Christ say that he
was not far from the kingdom of God? We see in this fourth
point this man's deficiency or what he was lacking. What he
was lacking. Now here's the first thing. Here's the first thing, there's
three things that this man was lacking and why the Lord said
that he did not and was not in salvation in Christ Jesus. The
first thing is this, no confession of sin. There was no confession
of sin. He had head knowledge of the
truth of the law, but he didn't see that the law declared him
to be guilty before God. He did not see himself as a sinner.
He had no grief over sin. He had no broken heart over sin.
He had no repentance before God. No repentance of his helplessness
to keep what the law demanded. The law of God demands not the
best you can do. The law of God demands absolute
perfection. And it drives us to declare ourselves
guilty before God. When God reveals the strictness
of the law, turn to Romans chapter 3. This man had no confession
over sin. No confession. He didn't realize
that he was a sinner who was unable to love God with all of
his heart. Unable to love his neighbor as
himself. And none of us can do that. The law, the standard is
so high, and God set it so high on purpose to drive us to despair
and guilt that we might see Christ who honored the law of God for
us. Romans chapter 3. Verse 19, Now we know that what
thingsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law, that every mouth may be stopped, that all the world become
guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of
God without the law's manifest, being witnessed, by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by the faith
of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, there
is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God." See, the law shut us up to Christ who honored the
law of God for us. You see, there was no confession
of sin in this man. He didn't see the law condemning
himself. I'm sure he saw others condemned,
but he never saw the law condemning himself before God as being guilty
as charged. My friend, when the Lord is pleased
to save us by His grace, and to clothe us in the Lord Jesus
Christ, He strips us and lays us in the dust before Him as
we are, And we agree with God when He says guilty, guilty as
charged. We say, you're right. I'm a sinner. I have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. He convicts us of what we are
before Him. What are we before Him in ourselves? Before God's holy law and His
holy character. Sin. Sin. That's what I am. And this causes us to cry out
for mercy, like the publican, God be merciful to me, thee,
sinner. Why does the Lord say you're
not far from the kingdom of God? No confession and conviction
of sin. Oh, he was religious. But no
conviction. You see, my friend, salvation
is for sinners. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. He came to seek and to save that
which is lost. He said that if we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And the
blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin. Secondly, So the first thing
we see in this man, and the reason why the Lord says, you're not
far, but you're not safe. There was no confession of sin.
No conviction of sin. No convincing of sin. Secondly,
there was no confession of Christ. There was no confession of Christ.
As a Messiah. As a Redeemer. As a Savior of
sinners. He says a lot of true things
about the Lord Jesus Christ, but he never owned Him, did he?
He never said, like Thomas, you're my Lord and you're my God. He
never bowed before Him as Lord. He never owned Him as the Christ
of God, like Peter did. Turn over here to Matthew 16. You remember when the Lord asked
His disciples that day, whom do men say that I the Son of
Man am? In Matthew 16, when Jesus came
into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying,
whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? They said, well, some
say that you're John the Baptist. Others, Elias or Jeremiah or
one of the prophets. But He said unto them, whom do
you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Verse 17,
Matthew 16, Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this
unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. There was no confession
of Christ in this man. Remember what Thomas cried out? My Lord and my God. And Peter
said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, the woman
at the well. Do you remember that story in
John chapter 4? When the Lord revealed Himself
unto her, do you remember what she said? Is not this the Christ? She owned Him as the Christ. And the disciples, in John chapter
66, when many, in John chapter 6, verse 66, in John chapter
6, when many of the disciples, or many who were following Him,
turned and walked away because of persecution, would not take
a stand for the gospel. And our Lord said to those apostles,
will you also go away? And they said, Lord, to whom
shall we go? Thou hast the word of eternal
life. We believe and we are sure that you are that Christ. The Christ of God. This man had
no confession. No confession of Christ as the
Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior. Evidently he didn't need one.
He was not interested in one. When Matthew writes of this same
occasion, the Lord asks this question, What think ye of Christ? Now is the time for this scribe
to stand up, stand out, and to confess Him as the Christ of
God. But it says here in our text, look at the last line in
verse 34. No man after that dared ask Him any more questions. There was no confession of sin,
no confession of Christ. No wonder the Lord said, you're
not far from the kingdom of God, but you're not in Christ Jesus. Darn it! There's no identification
with the Lord Jesus Christ. No identification with him. The
scribe, this scribe, like Nicodemus, walked off with his religious
friend afraid to be identified with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look
down at verse 38 in this text, Mark 12. And he said unto them
in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in
long clothing, and love the salutations in the marketplaces, and the
chief seats in the synagogues, in the upper room at the feasts,
which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long
prayers. These shall receive the greater
condemnation." He would not identify with Christ. He walked off with
his religious buddies ashamed to stand with the Lord. We see the reason why. He loved
the praise of men rather than to be identified with the Lord
Jesus Christ. To worship God in spirit and
in truth. Like the young rich man we studied about in Mark
chapter 10. The religious man who went away
aggrieved when the Lord told him to forsake all and to follow
Christ. No identification. Now let me
show you a stark contrast to this. Turn to Mark chapter 5. This man turned and walked away
with his religious buddies. He didn't want to be identified
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those whom God saves in powerful
saving mercy, they love to be identified with Christ. as in
the case of this story here found in Mark chapter 5. You remember
the wild Gadarene? The naked man dwelling among
tombs? No one could tame him. They tried
to chain him and he would break the chains. He was wild. He was a troublemaker in the
community. And one day he met the Lord.
And the Lord did work in his heart. Verse 15, And they come
to Jesus, and they see him that was possessed with the devil,
and had the legion of devils sitting, and clothed in his right
mind. And they were afraid of him,
that is, those in the community. And they saw it, and they that
saw it told how it befell to him that was possessed with the
devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray,
or ask the Lord to depart out of the coats. And when he was
coming to the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil
prayed to him that he might be with him. He wanted to be with
him. And the Lord said, suffered him
not, but said, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great
things the Lord had done for thee, and had compassion on thee. And he did, verse 20, and he
departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things
the Lord had done for him, and all men marveled. You see, this
man, whom God saved with mighty grace, wanted to stay with Christ. This man having been exposed
by the Lord, turned and walked out. no identification, no conviction
of sin, no confession of Christ, and no identification with the
Lord Jesus Christ. Believers love to be identified
with Christ in the most public fashion. They meet where his
gospel is preached. They support the preaching of
the gospel with a firm and public dedication to the furtherance
of the gospel of Christ. They willingly confess and identify
with him in believer's baptism. Not to be saved, but because
God has saved us by His grace. You see, my friend, the Lord
has no secret disciples. All through the Word of God,
all through the Word of God, in the New Testament, you see
believers confessing Christ in believers' baptism. That's public
identification with Christ. And notice I said believers'
baptism. Baptism is for those who have
been saved by God's grace. Now listen to me. My friend, don't fool yourself.
Those that are ashamed to own Him in this day will be ashamed
by the Lord. He will be ashamed to own them
in that day of judgment. Those who are ashamed of Him
now. He will be ashamed of them in that day of judgment, coming
judgment. I want you to turn to Mark chapter
8. Do you remember these verses? Mark chapter 8. Mark chapter 8 verse 34. When
He had called the people unto Him, with His disciples also,
He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up the cross and follow Me. For whosoever
will save his life will lose it, but whosoever will lose his
life for my sake and the gospel of the same shall save it. For
what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose
his soul? Neglect your soul? For what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be
ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous generation, sinful
generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when
he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels.
Believers love to be identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, to
be one with Him. No wonder the Lord said to this
scribe, You're not in the kingdom of God. You're not part of it.
And he turned and he walked out. May the Lord be pleased to work
the effectual work of grace in our heart today. Today is a day
of salvation. To confess our sin before God. To own Him as Lord and Christ. And to be identified with Him.
His gospel and His people. I leave you with these two scriptures
2 Timothy 1.12 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, an apostle,
a teacher of the Gentiles, for the which cause I also suffer
these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I committed unto him against that day. Romans
10 Verse 9 and following, If thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved. For the heart man believeth unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture says, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed. Ashamed of Jesus, can it be a
mortal man ashamed of thee? Ashamed of thee whom angels praise, whose glory shall never fade
away? Whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed, for there is no difference between Jew and
Greek. The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved. I'm gonna call Lord have mercy
on me have mercy on me the sinner may God be pleased to do that
in our heart to confess what we are to own him as my Lord
and my God and to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ in saving
mercy