Luke 12.38-40

Right now, who is speaking into your life to lead you?

Right now, who are you letting influence the way you think, speak, and act?

Is it a family member or friend?

This election season, is it a politician or political party?

Is it a journalist or podcast host?

Is it a famous actor or musician?

Is it a TikTok or YouTube star?

Is it a parent?  Is it a child?  Is it a spouse?  

Is it a teacher or principal?

Is it a pastor or theologian?

Or, is it God and His Word, the Bible?

We have all made choices throughout our years to let other people, institutions, philosophies, and theologies control some of our personal internal and external narrative. 

And, as we can all confess, we have learned over time and will continue to learn over the time that has not yet come, sometimes we choose good mentors and sometimes we choose bad mentors.

In our text for this morning, chosen by the lectionary for this November, we receive a warning from Jesus.   

In this section of the disciple Mark’s biography of Jesus, we hear Jesus telling those in his presence 2000+ years ago, as well as us today, that we need to carefully choose who we listen to and follow because many who claim to be wise are actually fools.  And, many who claim to be holy and righteous are actually sinful and corrupt.

Let’s hear from Mark 12.38-40 together.

Mark 12.38-40 says this:

[38] And in his teaching [Jesus] said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces [39] and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, [40] who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (ESV)

In these words, Jesus is warning the people against following those that were claiming to be God’s representatives on earth.

These religious leaders, known as scribes, or, as Martin Luther renamed them, “the Scribblers,” were putting on a show for the world, claiming to be wise and holy, when they were in fact fools and sinful.  Their actions proved that they did not understand God’s ways for life and love.  

God works and loves through being selfless.

The scribes words and actions were self-centered, self-righteous, and selfish.  Their words and actions were the opposite of how God works and loves.  

Here are the problems with the scribes behavior according to Jesus, who I like to remind you is God in the flesh:

The scribes did things for recognition.  They wore long robes, or they dressed fancy, so that people would compliment them and think highly of them for having access to such garments.

The scribes lived with a sense of entitlement.  They expected special treatment.  When they went to the synagogue, they expected to have reserved seating up front so that they would always be seen by the other worshippers.  When they went to someone’s house, they expected a seat next to the host so that they would always be seen by the other guests.

The scribes did not show mercy.  They were always looking out for themselves first, or, in the words of our culture, they were looking out for #1.  In fact, they actually cheated and oppressed the poor and helpless to get everything they could out of this life.  Jesus says they “devoured” the widows.  Scribes lived off the donations of others.  When they went to the widows and the poor who had no one to help them, the scribes would demand large sums of money from those who were themselves in need.

The scribes showed off their theological knowledge.  When they prayed in public, Jesus says they prayed long prayers with many words to indirectly say to the people, “Look how much better I am than you.  I know many scriptures and many big theological words. Be impressed with me!”

Here are a few Scriptures from the Bible that show how far off the scribes were from a Godly way of life.

James 2.1-4, 8-9 say this:

[1] My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” [4] have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

[8] If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. [9] But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:1-4, 8-9, ESV)

James 1:27 says this:

[27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (ESV)

Matthew 6:5–13 has Jesus teaching this:

[5] “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

[7] “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [9] Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

[10] Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

[11] Give us this day our daily bread,

[12] and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

[13] And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. (ESV)

With all of that being said, Jesus says this to his followers in Matthew 23:1–12:

[1] Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, [2] “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, [3] so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. [4] They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. [5] They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, [6] and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [7] and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. [8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. [9] And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. [10] Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. [11] The greatest among you shall be your servant. [12] Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (ESV)

Several year’s ago, NBC’s show The Good Place, was a humorous depiction of life after death. The creator Michael Schuur said it’s based on “the idea of an omniscient [point] system, like we’re all playing a videogame that we don’t know that we’re playing. And someone’s keeping score, and the 10 highest scores out of every 10,000 people get rewarded.”

Let’s take a look at the show intro to see how they understand getting in Heaven.  

After her death, the character Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself with this small minority of the world’s best people in the good place. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t belong there. She was actually a pretty awful person. When Michael, the architect of the Good Place, finds out she is there by mistake, he gives her a questionnaire to determine her worthiness.

Did you commit murder?

Did you commit arson?

Did you take off your shoes and socks on an airplane?

Did you ever have a vanity license plate?

Did you ever reheat fish in an office microwave?

Have you ever cared about The Bachelor and any of its attendant spinoffs?

Michael lets Eleanor know that they are going to watch some highlights from her life as Michael tries to determine if she is good enough to stay in the Good Place. Eleanor says, “It doesn’t make me look great, so don’t judge me.” To which Michael replies, “That’s literally the purpose of this entire exercise.”

We may sit here and laugh at this clip from a television show but I would argue that most people think that this is exactly how one gets into Heaven.  The religious leaders known as the scribes, the ones that Jesus is saying are working hard in this life only to earn condemnation and eternal separation from God, certainly thought this way.

I saw someone on Facebook this past week post this statement:

“God, please let the good I have done outweigh the mistakes I have made.”

This is the problem—we are not just mistake makers.  We are all law breakers in God’s eyes.  We have been the scribes in this text more times than we would be able to count.

We like recognition from others.  We get dressed up to hear, “You look hot!” Or, “I can’t believe you could afford that brand!”

We have a sense of entitlement. We believe we deserve to get more than we are often offered.

We like special seats at special events.  We like to be seen with the popular people in popular places.

We often live to get all we can out of life with no regard for others.  We don’t show mercy because we are always “looking out for #1.” 

We like to show off our knowledge and be praised for our wisdom, insight, and intelligence.

Martin Luther, the 16th Century Church Reformer, in His Large Catechism says this:

“The devil has deceived us to such an extent with false holiness and the glamour of our own works.” (Large Catechism, page 514)

And, in his essay, On Translation: An Open Letter, Luther wrote:

“I want to give such offense; we preach so strongly against works and insist on faith alone, for no other reason than that the people may be offended, stumble, and fall, in order that they Amy learn to know that they are not saved by their good works bu only by Christ’s death and resurrection…Now it is Christ’s death and resurrection alone that save us and makes us free from sin, as Paul says in Romans 4[.25], ‘He died of our sins and rose for our justification.’…Faith alone, indeed, all alone, without any works, lays hold of this death and resurrection when it s preached by the gospel.” (Luther’s Works. AE 35, pages 196-197)

Historically, people have thought and continue to think that they can earn their way into God’s Kingdom of Heaven.  This is their own fault for two reasons.  First, they are at fault for not reading the Bible and knowing what God actually says about forgiveness and Heaven.  Second, it is there own fault because without knowledge of God and his ways, they follow false shepherds disguising themselves as religious leaders teaching this false theology of works based righteousness for personal gain from their sheep.

In our Biblical text for this morning, we hear Jesus warning against this wrong way of thinking.

All the inspired authors of the Bible, God’s revelation of His love for you in the person and work of Jesus Christ, make the bottom line of forgiveness of sin clear — you cannot earn enough “good” points to make God love you and accept you.

God’s forgiveness and love come to you ONLY through FAITH in the person and work of HIS ONE AND ONLY SON Jesus Christ.

However, because this burning sinful desire to take credit for saving ourselves by proving to God how good we are continues to exist in our human nature, the apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians in the city of Rome during the first Century, says this:

[20] For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

[21] But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—[22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:20–25, ESV)

Because of God’s great love for you and God’s desire to have you with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forever,

Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive your search for recognition and compliments by dressing up and putting on a show.

And, Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive your favoritism in giving recognition and compliments based on what someone else externally shows you.

Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive your sense of entitlement and your giving into others entitled requests.

Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive your lack of mercy, your selfishness, your self-righteousness, and your self-centeredness. 

And, Jesus Christ died on the cross to forgive your misuse of wisdom and knowledge to gain another humans praise and adoration.

Romans 8:1–4 gives us the final good news for this morning.

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (ESV)

This week we are celebrating Thanksgiving.

As we prepare to be thankful, we have to realize that “Gratitude most naturally springs from an awareness that we have been given something we do not deserve or have not earned.  For believers, then, the eternal wellspring of gratitude flows directly from the atoning cross of Christ.  In other words, there is a beeline between Good Friday and Thanksgiving.”

Today, tomorrow, and this week, listen only to God’s Word and allow only Jesus to lead and influence your thinking, speaking, and acting, because this is the grace of God that turns you away from condemnation and death and holds your hand all the way into glory and eternal life.

This is the Word of God for you today.

This is the Grace of God for you today.

Amen.

Reverend Fred Scragg V.

November 24, 2024.

Prayer:

We thank You, God our Father, 

for all Your gifts so freely bestowed upon us.  For the beauty and wonder of Your creation, in earth and sky and sea.  For all that is gracious in the lives of men an dwomen, revealing the image of Christ.  For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends.  For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve.  For health and strength to work and leisure to rest and play.  For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity.  Above all, we give Your thanks for the great mercies and promises given us in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Benediction:

Go in peace, this morning.  Follow Jesus who alone takes away your condemnation and reconciles you to God your Father in Heaven.