Gospel of Mark Study #40

“Horseshoes and Hand Grenades”

Mark 12:28-34

Study #40 in Mark Series

INTRODUCTION:

There is an old saying—perhaps you have heard it or used it yourself: “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” What does that mean? In horseshoes even if neither player makes a ringer, the player whose shoe lands closest to the peg wins the point. Close counts in horseshoes. And when tossing a grenade all you must do is get it somewhere near the enemy and it is still going to do great damage. On the other hand, with a rifle or pistol you must actually hit your target. Close doesn’t cut it. With a grenade, however, close still counts.

TRANSITION:

However, in most other things in life close does not count. For example, in business if you lose an account to a competitor, close does not count. Getting the account is what counts. Almost winning the game does not count. Winning is what counts! 

And in religious terms, “almost persuaded” does not count. A person who is close to trusting in Christ for salvation but puts it off and dies without taking that definitive step loses everything. Close does not count when we are talking about a person’s eternal salvation.

One of the saddest stories in the Bible is found in Acts chapter 26. Paul was called before King Agrippa to defend himself against the charges laid against him—charges of being an enemy of Rome and of stirring up political unrest. The charges were completely bogus. They were lodged by his religious enemies to try and get him into trouble, and their plan worked. So, Paul stood before the King and shared his testimony of how he had met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and how Jesus had changed his life. He gave such a stirring message that even the King was emotionally moved by Paul’s story. In fact, in verses 24-29 we read: While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus [the governor] said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” ²⁵ But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. ²⁶ For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.” ²⁸ Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” ²⁹ And Paul said, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am [i.e., a Christian], except for these chains.”

This conversation between Paul and King Agrippa gave rise to an old hymn. It is entitled, “Almost Persuaded.” Here are the words.

“Almost persuaded” now to believe; “almost persuaded” Christ to receive.

Seems now some soul will say, “Go, Spirit, go Thy way.

Some more convenient day on Thee I’ll call.”

 

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today; “almost persuaded,” turn not away.

Jesus invites you here, angels are lingering near.

Prayers rise from hearts so dear, O wanderer, come.

 

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past! “Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!

“Almost” cannot avail, “Almost” is but to fail!

Sad, sad, that bitter wail, “Almost,” but lost!

In our text for today in Mark 12:28-34 we have a similar case—a young man who had a great deal of religious knowledge and theological insight. However, with all of that he was still lost. He was “almost persuaded” but had not stepped across the line to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord.

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 28: One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

·       Let’s review for a minute. If you think back over our last several studies here in the Gospel of Mark you will remember that Jesus has had conversations with several groups of people, all of whom were trying to entrap Him into saying something they could use to discredit Him and bring accusation against Him before the Sanhedrin. In 11:27 - 12:12 Jesus was approached by a group of chief priests, scribes, and elders who demanded to know the source of His authority to do the things He did. This ended in a long, heated conversation and with the religious leaders slinking off vowing to kill Jesus the first chance they got. But they had not given up on trying to ensnare Him in His words. They sent some Pharisees and Herodians in 12:13-17. They tried to get Jesus to say something that would get Him in trouble with the Romans by bringing up the question of the poll tax, and whether Jews should have to pay it. After Jesus gave His brilliant answer, verse 17 says that His enemies went away amazed. But then a third team showed up for this tag-team attack on Jesus. We read about it in Mark 12:18-27. This time it was a group of Sadducees who had a bunch of theological questions to bounce off Him: questions about marriage, and resurrection, and angels, stuff they did not believe or even care about. They just wanted to pick a fight with Jesus, but He turned the tables on them, and they were the ones who came out looking ignorant.

·       This is where we step back into the story. Look at verse 28 again: One of the scribes came and heard them arguing [i.e., Jesus and the Sadducees], and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”

·       We do not know anything about this man. It is likely that he was a Pharisee, however, because he seemed to take pleasure in seeing Jesus get the best of the Sadducees. So, hearing Jesus field the Sadducees’ questions and deal intelligently with every one of them, this young scribe decided to pose his own question to Jesus. To paraphrase: “Of all the biblical commandments, which one is the most important?” How refreshing! Finally, someone coming to Jesus without an ulterior motive, with a sincere question because he really wanted an answer, rather than just to stir up discord and arguments.

Verses 29-30: Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God is one LORD: ³⁰ And 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.’”

·       Where did this answer come from? Jesus did not resort to the traditions of the scribes for His answer. Instead, He lifted it directly from the written Law, quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. He refers the young scribe to the “Shema,” the creed that is recited daily by devout Jews and that reminds them that Yahweh is One, Singular, and without equal, and is to be loved with all man’s powers and capacities. This is the foundation and summary of man’s total duty to God.

Verse 31: “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

·       Then Jesus goes on to tell the young scribe of the second most important commandment. Here Jesus quotes verbatim from the Greek version of Leviticus 19:18 (i.e., the Septuagint, aka the LXX, the first Greek version of the OT) to give the foundation and summary of man’s obligation to man; namely, that we are to love others with the same degree of intensity with which we love and care for ourselves.

·       Jesus then makes the statement that these two commandments are the foundation for all the teachings in the Law and the Prophets—we are to love God with every fiber of our being, and we are to love other people as much as we love ourselves. 

Verse 32: The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; you have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him.”

·       So now it is time for the young scribe to weigh in on the conversation. But rather than disagree with Jesus, or try to make Him look ignorant, this scribe agrees with Jesus and shows respect for Him and His answers.

·       Moreover, his comments show an orthodox understanding of God and his belief that God deserves all our adoration and worship. 

Verse 33: “…and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

·       The man goes on here to say something very profound, a truth that escaped many of the religious leaders in Israel. He pointed out that for us to obey these two commandments that Jesus had summarized is more important to God than any number of sacrifices and burnt offerings, or demonstrations of religious zeal. God is not the least bit impressed with religious rituals, false piety, religious sincerity, or man-devised sacrifices (e.g., remember Cain’s unacceptable sacrifice).

·       This young scribe’s answer flows out of God’s own words to Judah and Jerusalem through His prophet, Isaiah, as recorded in Isaiah 1:11-20. “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. ¹² When you come to worship Me, who asked you to parade through My courts with all your ceremony? ¹³ Stop bringing Me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts Me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting—they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. ¹⁴ I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals. They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them! ¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look. Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims. ¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of My sight. Give up your evil ways. ¹⁷ Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. ¹⁸ “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. ¹⁹ If you will only obey Me, you will have plenty to eat. ²⁰ But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 

Verse 34: When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

·       “After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.” Why? They saw that it would do no good to try and trick Jesus into saying something incriminating, that it was a waste of time and effort because He was too smart to get tricked that way.

·       But what was it about this young man that impressed Jesus? People were always trying to put one over on Jesus, but this young man was different. He had a different heart, a different attitude. He was curious about Jesus. He was willing to stop and listen to what the Master had to say. He seriously thought through the truths that Jesus shared with him. He did not close his mind and heart to the words of the Savior. He showed that he was willing to genuinely consider the claims of Christ. That is what made him different, and that is what Jesus saw in him. He was moving in the right direction, on the path that would lead him to faith in Christ and eternal life. 

CONCLUSION:

Sadly, we do not know the rest of the story about this man. We do not know if he ever came to the point of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and giving his life to Him. We do not know if we will see him in Heaven or if he was just one of the many people who heard the words of Jesus without acting upon them. I hope that his story turns out like that of Nicodemus who later on became a true believer and Jesus follower. 

Ramel had an aunt who died quite a few years ago. We found out afterward that her husband and her daughters did not believe she was ever truly saved, even though she talked about God all the time, went to church every Sunday, read her Bible and prayed, and even witnessed to people, telling them that they needed to repent and get saved. We were shocked to hear her own family say that they were almost positive that she never really knew Jesus personally. How sad! How tragic to be so close to the Kingdom of God but still miss it. 

If you are not sure of your own salvation talk to God about it. Ask Him to forgive you and make you His child. If you are not sure about the salvation of your family members and loved ones, pray for them, and ask God to reveal Himself to them in an unmistakable way and draw them to Himself. We must never take our salvation for granted. We must never just assume that those around us are truly saved either, because on Judgment Day, close will not count!