Hypocrisy - Mark 12:38-44
Yes, Jesus is love. Jesus is so filled with love, he can't stand for evil. He will fight against evil; he's called the Lion of Judah. Yes, he's patient, lowly and kind, but he's not to be trifled with!
Jesus hates the religious hypocrisy of the scribes, and he lets them have it.
"I don't want to come to church, it's filled with hypocrites!" And it's true, there are hypocrites everywhere. There are also godly people! Not perfect-- we'll all say and do stupid things. A hypocrite proclaims Jesus, but lives consistently against him.
If you call yourself a Christian, you'd better live the life faithfully.
V38... The long robes are prayer robes... They want to be seen in public as the pious ones. They're seen as men of eminence. You were expected to stop and greet them, honor them.
They're abusing their status, and getting rich on the money of the poor and vulnerable.
They make long prayers... showy. It's a facade.
They will receive the greater condemnation.
The big picture...
The widow story is used to show how it's good to give. The scribe story shows it's bad to take from them. The widow is a living example of the abuse from the scribes.
Next up, we'll see in Mark 13:1-2... Great buildings? Jesus says it'll all fall.
Often sweet, desperate people fall prey to people like the scribes (or nowadays, televangelists, etc).
On judgment day, tremble not for the tax collector, but for the wicked minister!
Every Christian is a kingdom and priest unto our God. Spiritually, you enter into a priestly role. A very high position before God. You are his representative!
Are you representing him well, or are you a hypocrite? If you're a hypocrite he will remove your lampstand.
God is so good to us, despite our failings. He's patient. But he will not be mocked! Today's text is an invitation to repent of your hypocrisy and wicked ways.
We all fail. But our God forgives! His mercies are new every day. He cleanses it all. There is no sin that has mastery over you. Seek the Lord now, while he may be found!
That's the big picture.
V42... The widow is poor; no one is taking care of her. Compared to the rich giving, when she throws her two coins into the receptacle, they hardly make a sound.
Yet Jesus speaks about how much more she has given! Because of its heavenly value. She put in all she had; the gift was at great cost to her. That's the measure of the value of a gift in God's eyes.
In the Old Testament, 10% was required. In the New Testament, we're not commanded to give 10%, but we are called to be generous. God blesses the generous giver. How much you give is between you and God.
Giving is an act of worship. We should worship with joy and gladness, not begrudgingly under compulsion! For God loves a cheerful giver.
The widow was all in for the Lord, so she's given as a model for us.
Mark 8:34... Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me!
The widow gives not for her glory, but for the glory of God! She lives to serve and give. The scribes were on the path to death, and she was on the path to life!