Jesus Is Our Victorious Lord
Mark 12:35-44
Key Verse: 12:36
“David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’”
We have been following Jesus through the Gospel of Mark, and beginning in Mark11 with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are now looking at the final week of His earthly ministry, leading to the cross – his crucifixion, death and resurrection. The next day of the triumphal entry, Jesus entered the temple and cleansed it, driving out the merchants and money changers who had filled God’s house with worldly business. Knowing what lay ahead for his disciples, Jesus told them, “Have faith in God,” teaching them faith that moves mountains, that prays with confidence, and forgives others. The very next day, as Jesus entered the temple and taught the people, the religious leaders came against him one after another, determined to challenge his authority, discredit his teaching, and turn the people away from him. Yet, Jesus answered them in ways that exposed their hearts and brought the questions back to the most important truths: Who God is, Who Jesus is and what it means to have a right relationship with God. Jesus called them to repent, trust God, and believe in him.
Even in today’s passage, Jesus does not give up on them. With the broken heart of a shepherd, he reaches out once again, longing for them to open their eyes and recognize who he truly is. Why? Because our salvation and eternal life all depend on whether we truly know him, believe in him, and receive him as the Messiah. Who is Jesus? This is the question everyone of us must answer. Those who reject him remain under judgement. Those who recognize Jesus as the Son of God, and put their faith in him will share in his salvation and victory. May God help us repent by acknowledging that Jesus is the Lord and give our heart-offering to God.
1.The Messiah is the Lord (35-40)
Look at verse 35. “While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?’” We have learned that all the religious leaders hated Jesus and even wanted to kill him. Yet they were the very people who studied the word of God and taught Israel people. More than anyone else, they should have recognized who Jesus was, received him as the Messiah, and worshiped him. Then, why did they go so far as to hate Jesus and even seek to kill him? Jesus knew the darkness hidden in their hearts, and with a shepherd’s heart, he wanted to expose it, awaken them, and lead them to recognize the truth about themselves and about Jesus.
“The Messiah is the son of David.” Was this wrong? No. Throughout the Old Testament, God had promised that the Messiah would come from David’s line. Based on these Scriptures, the teachers of the law taught that the Messiah would be David’s son, and this had become a widely accepted expectation among the Jewish people. Just a few days earlier, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd had welcomed him with the words, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” Even a blind beggar in Jericho knew this and cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The problem was not that they called the Messiah the Son of David. The problem was that their understanding of the Messiah was too limited. Many expected a powerful Davidic king who would defeat Israel’s enemies, restore the nation, and bring earthly glory. Their hopes became focused on political victory, national restoration, and worldly power. What was the result of this narrow-limited understanding of the Messiah? They could not recognize Jesus, who came in humility as a shepherd and servant. They expected a conquering king, but Jesus came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. They were looking for someone who would fulfill their earthly hopes, but Jesus came to fulfill God’s redemptive plan. The Messiah is the Son of David. That is true, but it is only part of his identity. God sent his one and only son – but was he sent only for Israel? Was he sent only to deliver them from Rome? Was Jesus sent merely to make our lives a little bit comfortable or make us successful? No. God sent his one and only son to save all people. He sent Jesus to save us from the power of sin and death. The Messiah is the Savior of all people. The Messiah is not merely a human descendant of David. He is far greater than David, the Son of God.
Look at verses 36-37a. To help them understand who the Messiah really is, Jesus pointed them to a well-known Psalm of David and asked them a penetrating counter question. ““David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David saw the coming of the Messiah as his Lord, the final judge of the living and the dead. In Psalm 110, “The LORD” refers to YHWH, the God of Israel, and “my lord” refers to the Messiah. David himself called the Messiah “my lord.” Jesus’ point is clear. If the Messiah were a mere human descendant of David, David would not call him Lord. He would simply have called him, “my great, great, great… grandson.” Yet David called the Messiah “my Lord.” This means that the Messiah is not only the son of David; he is also the Lord of lords and King of kings just as John later describes Jesus in Revelation 19:16. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of David who took the very nature of a servant. He is the one who suffered and died for our sins. Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord of David, who will be our victorious Savior, the Lord of lord at God’s right hand. Christ is not only one who is going to suffer and die. But, he is also the victorious Messiah who will put all his enemies under his feet. Especially through His resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan, broke the power of sin, and conquered death. He forgives our sins, cleanses us by his blood, and gives us eternal life. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, death has been swallowed up in victory. Jesus is a victorious Messiah. Thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is Jesus to you? Jesus is fully human, the son of David and fully divine, the son of God. We might never fully understand the greatness of Jesus. Yet, to truly know Jesus and have a right relationship with him, we must come to the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.” As we study and madidate on the word of God, the Holy Spirit opens our heart and reveals the truth of the Messiah to us. He helps us see more clearly who Jesus truly is and believe in him as our Savior and Lord. Let us pray for the work of the Holy Spirit among us. I praise and thank God for the Campus Bible study and the praise and pray night last Friday. We have seen how the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, works personally in each person through Genesis Bible studies and reflections. It is truly amazing to see one young man sincerely receive God’s word as truth, accept God as His Creator, discover the meaning and purpose of his life, and make a decision to live according to that purpose. This is the work of the Holy Spirit through the word of God. Another one came to recognize his sin through the word, repent and decide to live as a man of mission for the purpose God has given. This too is the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit. It is also the work of the Holy Spirit when a young man begins to see human history from the perspective of God’s redemptive history, discovers God’s true love and hope, and holds on to the living hope in the kingdom of God. Pray that our bible study may not become habitual, shallow, or narrow, but may be sincere, deep, and personal. Pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and reveal the truth of God through his word.
What does it mean that Jesus is our victorious Lord? It means that we do not need to fear death any more though we suffer from disease. Through Jesus, we won the victory against death, but we have the living hope in the kingdom of God. It means that we do not need to be crushed by failure. With God, failure is never the final word. By faith, we can raise again and take on a new challenge, believing that everything is possible with God. It means we do not need to live under condemnation, because Jesus is our righteousness. By faith in him, we are justified before God. We are set free from the power of sin, the fear of death, and the burden of condemnation. In Jesus, we have living hope, righteousness, salvation, and eternal victory. 1Jn 5:4-5 said “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Christ is our victorious Lord… we who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcome the world by faith!! Look at verse 37b. The large crowd listened to Jesus with delight. It was because his teachings gave them the hope of eternal victory, and the hope of the kingdom of God.
- life of faith is not show, but living sacrifice to God (38-40)
Then, Jesus turned his topic to the teachers of the law. Jesus gave a strong warning about their bad influence. Look at verses 38-40. “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour window’s houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.” What did the teachers of the law like? They like to walk around in flowing robes like Fashion models. They like to be greeted in Marketplaces like motives stars. They like to have the most important seats like politicians.
Then, what was wrong with these practices? Is it wrong to wear nice clothes? Is it so evil to be greeted respectfully? Is it wrong to sit in important seats? No. Jesus’ point was deeper. They craved recognition from men. They wanted to be honored, admired, and praised. At the center of their hearts was not Loving God or loving neighbors, the greatest commands of God. Rather, they used their knowledge and authority to exploit the week, especially widows. Their deepest concern was their own glory, their own gain, and their own success. Even their religious life had become a means of seeking their own glory. Their long prayers were not simply prayers to God; they had become a show for people to see. All they did was nothing but show! How could this happen? It was because they did not have a right view of God’s kingdom. They believed that God’s kingdom was all about politics, power, and earthly glory. They expected the Messiah to restore a powerful earthly kingdom for Israel. Because of this, they became concerned with impressing people with their bible knowledge, their long prayers, and by their expensive robes.
However, Jesus was not impressed at all. Jesus saw through their outward appearance and pretentious and knew the true condition of their hearts. Jesus gave them this solemn warning. “These men will be punished most severely.” It is becase they were not only deceiving themselves; they were also misleading God’s people. God is not pleased with a life of show. Our life of faith should never become a performance for people. Rather, it should be offered to God as a living sacrifice. Romans 12:10 says, “ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, .. this is your true and proper worship.”(Ro12:1) So, when we worship, praise, play music, pray, bible study, serve others, we should not do these things to show off ro to receive praise from others. We should offer them to God as a living sacrifice, seeking his pleasures and his glory.
III. Jesus recognized a widow’s pure worship (41-44).
Look at verse 41. “Jesus 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.” This temple was Herod’s temple. Women were restricted from going close to the actual temple, so they made “The Court of Women.” The treasury – an offering box- was located here in the court of women, where both men and women could go in. It is interesting that Jesus was watching as people put their offerings into the temple treasury. Perhaps even now, Jesus is watching from heaven how we give to God. Many rich people threw in large amounts, with extended arm motions.
Then, look at verse 42. “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.” She was completely ignored by everyone and unnoticed. But, Jesus noticed this woman. Jesus caught her humble and quiet act of worship. Jesus was greatly pleased by this widow’s offering. Look at verse 43-44. “Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on”
Why did Jesus value the widow’s offering so highly? It was because Jesus looked not merely at the amount, but at the heart behind the offering. The true value of an offering is not simply how much we give, but how sincerely it presses our love, faith and devotion to God. The rich gave large amounts, but they gave out of their wealth. In the context of Jesus’ warning about the religious leaders, some gave offerings to get praise and recognition from others. In fact, they did so for themselves – to gain praise, reputation, or sense of self-righteousness much like people today who turn even good deeds into a way to build their personal image, such as social influencers.
What about the poor widow? She had nothing except two copper coins. Yet, she gave both of them everything she had to live on . She did not give in order to impress anyone. She imply gave to God and for God. It was her pure and whole hearse act of worship, sacrifices.
Then What was Jesus’ teaching for us? Did he commnaind everyone to give away everything they have? Through this widow, Jesus exposes the contrast between outward religion and wholehearted devotion. Solely and sincerely she gave her offering to God and for God. Her offering actually shows us what it means to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. So, we need to ask ourselves – who am I doing this or that for?
For recognition? Feeling good about myself? I know that you are not rich. You do not have time because of school study. “Oh, God! I have nothing to give you for I am poor like the widow!” “Oh God, I am too busy with school work, job, and children. That was not the widow’s attitude. Dt 16:16 “No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” Although she was a poor widow, her heart was overflowing with gratitude to God. Out of that gratitude, she gave everything she had.
We do not serve God because we have plenty of extra time or money. We give our time though we are busy because we love God. We give even when we have little because we are thankful to God. Jesus was pleased with her offering because she gave out of her poverty. In his eyes, her two small coins were worth more than the large offerings of many others.
What can be our two-copper coins? It can be our prayers. Thank God for the prayer table for 3 weeks. These small prayers we offered to God will be a great source of blessing for Rutgers students. “Two copper coins” can be our one to one bible study, daily bread, sharing the word of God with our friends. If we go fishing, do it for the Lord with all our hearts. If we sing, sing for the Lord. If we pray, offer our prayers sincerely to God. If you have one sheep, give your heart to feed and care for that person. If you serve, do it wholeheartedly to please God, and do not be discouraged when no one recognizes you. Because God sees your offering, your prayers, your sacrifices, and your heart. The offering that pleases God requires one’s heart, mind, soul, and strength. Whatever we offer to God from a sincere heart is never wasted.
Please remember this passage is the last Jesus’ public teaching. Teachings of this passage are also about Who God is, Who Jesus is, and how we should respond to Jesus. We must know who Jesus truly is through the word of God. Jesus is our victorious Lord. Our life of faith should not become a show for people, but a living sacrifice offered to God. May God help us to enjoy the victory we have in Christ and offer our lives to him wholeheartedly, like the poor widow who gave her very best to God.