Life Lessons: Keep it Simple
Mark 12:28-34; 41-44; 13:26-27
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Lessons taught:
- His authority questioned
- Parable of the tenants
- Paying taxes
- Marriage at the resurrection
- Greatest commandment
- Whose Son is the Messiah
- Warning against teachers of the law
- The widow’s offering
- Destruction of the temple and signs of the end times
- Day and hour unknown
What’s most helpful to us/for us in reflecting on God during the Lenten season of 2017?
Two things strike me:
- Remembering/reclaiming the greatest commandment and the 2nd as well.
- Giving what we have.
We bring ourselves to the Lord’s table this morning, just as we are, all in need of His mercy and grace and favor, and giving to others that same mercy, grace, and favor that we receive.
TODAY'S PREACHER
Randy Reese is Co-Directing pastor of Calvary UMC