April 23 - Priorities

April 23 - Priorities - Mark 12:1-44

The group that had been trying to force Jesus' hand was about to be exposed for who they really were. This parable (Mark 12:1-12) had obvious references. It also referred back to an Isaiah passage (Isaiah 5:1-2) when Isaiah pronounced God's judgment on Israel and then Jesus quoted from Psalm 118:22-23 to declare that He was the Messiah commonly spoken of in those verses. The Sanhedrin (Pharisees and Sadducees) knew the the crowd understood this parable as well as they did.

Have you ever watched someone fight a losing battle? They will continue to lob grenades just to see if they can wound the enemy. For the last 3 years the Sanhedrin had tried to catch Jesus and trick him into saying something stupid. They tried several different attempts beginning with the Pharisees and Herodians query in Mark 12:13-17 regarding whether or not to pay taxes. This was a loaded question. The Jews were under great financial pressure because of this tax. For Jesus to say yes, would mean that the Jews would hate him and if he said no ... he was inviting trouble from Rome. He amazed them.

Then the Sadducees posed a ridiculous question regarding marriage in heaven. They didn't believe in resurrection, so posed this trying to trip Him. Will they never learn? They wanted to talk about how dead people can interact ... Jesus reminded them that God is a God of the living. They simply didn't get it. (Mark 12:18-27)

A law teacher overheard the conversation and was impressed. He actually interacted with Jesus with the intent of learning from Him. Jesus recognized his wisdom.

How do we interact with Jesus? Do we really want to learn or do we want to set Jesus up to answer impossible questions or better yet, just meet our needs. (Mark 12:28-34)

I just read a verse that thrilled my heart. Mark 12:17b. "The large crowd listened to him with delight." Oh my goodness! Can you imagine? This absolutely brilliant man who is speaking with the authority of the Father Himself! What an amazing experience it would have been to watch Him come away unscathed from the debating Sanhedrin and teach with such wisdom in the temple courts. (Mark 12:35-40)

The final story from this chapter is amazingly poignant. Jesus sat down and watched as the crowd put their offerings into the temple treasury. As he watched people from every level of wealth and poverty walk by, he was struck by one woman who offered two very small copper coins. This obviously touched His heart because He called His disciples over to teach them a simple lesson in sacrifice.

He taught them the difference between giving from wealth and actually sacrificing. How many of us know what sacrifice means?