On the edge of the Kingdom

I may have mentioned this before but I quite enjoy Mark’s Gospel. It so happens that this year has been the year of Mark and although my preaching doesn’t always follow the lectionary themes, I thought I’d reflect on the reading from this week.
I enjoy Mark’s Gospel not because it has nice stories that suit my agenda, but because the Jesus of this Gospel is particularly earthy and gutsy. Mark’s Jesus confronts me in a particular way and gets straight to the point. I enjoy each Gospel for what it is.
In this reading from Mark chapter 12, Jesus is set up in a question time by nearly every different group that represents the Jewish faith. As each take their turn in trying to trick Jesus, a teacher of the law speaks up and asks Jesus what the greatest commandment is.
It’s almost like you can see Jesus rolling his eyes as question after question is fired at him. It seems that the most important outcome each faction of the faith are looking for from Jesus is that he believes the right stuff and delivers the right answer according to their system of belief.
I find it entertaining to read because after reading it a number of times I can then step back and check myself and say ‘hang on, I’m just like them’. It is true isn’t it, look at how many arguments, divisions and wars are caused over ‘believing the right stuff’. Every religion including the Christian movement has a copious amount of division that form into denominations mainly because of difference of opinion over fundamental beliefs that make the religion what it is.
Jesus’ response to all of this is, ‘you’ve all completely lost the plot – missed the mark’. Belief is only part of the equation. We can debate what we believe all we like but what good is our belief if it does not inform our action? In the case of the teacher of the law and Jesus, they both believe the same thing, to love God with all your heart mind and soul and love your neighbour as yourself. This is the greatest commandment. Then Jesus says this really strange thing, “You are not far from the kingdom of God”.
So what’s all that about, I thought if I believed the right stuff I was ‘in’, but Jesus says ‘you are not far…’.In fact he’s basically saying ‘you are right on the edge of the kingdom yet there’s just one more thing you require. Our lectionary reading only includes vs 28-34 but if you read beyond this you’ll find a stern warning.
Those who claim to believe all the right stuff, the religious types who pray the waffling prayers and hold prominent positions in their community and let everyone know about it, they think they’re in but are actually far from the Kingdom of God. Yet the one thing Jesus requires to step into the Kingdom is that what you believe translates through your actions. Your love for God is displayed through your love for your neighbour, your love, care and service towards the disadvantaged, broken hearted, outcast and poverty stricken.
Here’s what it means to believe in Jesus, that you embrace Kingdom values as the theme to live your life by.
Shalom
Mark