First Presbyterian Church
November 4, 2012
Sermon: “And
the Answer is….”
Mark 12:28-34
We’ve baptized three children in the last two weeks. Baptizing twins is a whole new experience for
me. And in both baptisms, the parents
were new parents. Isn’t that
wonderful! Think of all they have ahead
of them. Think of all they will
experience.
One big part of parenthood involves questions. I think surviving the questions may be easier
if you like to watch Jeopardy. Being a
parent means dealing with a lot of questions.
There are at least two events that young parents await
anxiously: the baby’s first steps and
the baby’s first words. First you want
them to walk and then after it finally happens you explore all sorts of devices
to limit their mobility! And you can’t
wait to hear those first words, and then later you wonder how long God will try
your patience.
Questions.
Questions. Questions. Until they become teenagers children rarely
stop asking questions. Then when they
become teenagers the roles are suddenly reversed and parents start to ask the
questions.
Questions shared between people are the skeleton of a
relationship. As long as questions are
being asked and replied to there is a relationship being nurtured. Notice I didn’t say “answered,” I said
“replied to.” Sometimes the best
response to a question is another question.
The New Testament records that Jesus was asked 183
questions. He rarely gave direct answers
to the questions. In fact he responded
to the 183 questions with 340 more questions.
An answer can sometimes mark the end of a conversation or
relationship. Another question keeps it
alive.
There are only three questions that scripture tells us Jesus
responded to with direct answers. All
three of them are dealt with in Mark 12.
First the Pharisees asked him about taxes. Then the Sadducees asked him about the
resurrection. And in today’s lesson a Scribe asks about the greatest
commandment.
Pharisees were concerned about public life and religious
ritual. Sadducees were concerned with
the resurrection and life after death.
Scribes were the ultimate arbiters of the minutia of the
scriptures. When this one asks Jesus
about the commandments he’s talking about the 613 commandments that had become
part of Jewish tradition.
Jesus gives this Scribe a simple and direct answer. First he quotes from Deuteronomy 6, 4 and
5. It’s called the shema, and every Jew knew it and today still does: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God,
the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with
all your soul, and with all your might.”
Deuteronomy goes on the instruct the people to keep those words in your
heart, recite them to your children, talk about them at all times and in all
places, write them on your hand, your forehead and even the doorposts of your
house! Every Jew knew those words and
every Jew knows them today.
But then Jesus followed up his answer with a comment about
the second most important commandment.
He recites another verse from the old scriptures, Leviticus 19:18: “You
shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you
shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
The Scribe agreed with Jesus, and we are told after that no
one else had the nerve to ask him another question.
Your children will drive you crazy with their mobility and
their questions. Try to limit their
mobility only for their own safety.
Answer their questions with patience and creativity in ways that will
encourage them to keep coming back to you with more questions. Sometimes you will find that the only way to
craft an answer for their questions is by at least asking them questions about
context and relevance: “What do you
mean? Why do you want to know?”
If they ask you about God, engage them in a conversation that
can last a lifetime. Don’t be afraid to
give them direct answers about the Lord, but don’t be surprised if their follow
up questions stretch your intellect and your imagination.
Teach them clearly that the Lord our God is ONE. Teach them that Jesus told us the same things
that God through Moses told the people of Israel: “’you shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
There is no greater lesson that we have to teach. There is no greater lesson that you can teach
your children. There is no greater
lesson that we have to learn. And when
you have heard it, keep those words in your heart, recite them to your
children, talk about them at all times and in all places.
If you make these words the core of your life and live them,
then you too shall hear the words of Jesus to the Scribe: “You are not far from
the kingdom of God.”
Amen.
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