He (Jesus) asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 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?”
The large crowd listened to him with delight.
Mark 12:35b-37
Are there certain questions you’re afraid to face? Are there some topics that you’d feel better not talking about? Are there some things that you don’t understand, and therefore hope they don’t come up in conversation?
Today, you can get a roaring argument on just about any topic or subject. Look at both professional and social media and there’s instant intensity when it comes to political or moral questions. Immediate polarity comes into play when you start talking about anyone in political office, state of the economy, vaccinations.
There seems to be no middle ground today. You’re either right or left. Conservative or liberal. You either agree or disagree.
And the energy that we despise each other with is especially strong. There’s no room for conversation, only disagreement. We put down the other person as either unfeeling, ignorant, or just plain bad.
Jesus shows us a better way.
When he approaches the teachers of the law, he asks them questions. He uses their specialty, the Hebrew Scriptures, to not only poke at them individually, but as a group.
And because they teach in public, it’s proper for Jesus to ask his question in public. They didn’t mind teaching and talking in public, so he asks his question in front of their audience.
Yes, there is a time and place for loud and angry shouting and encounters. Jesus does this when he publicly rebukes the Pharisees[1] with some of the most stinging commentary of all time. He compares them to snakes, tombs full of decay. This is no gentle Jesus, meek and mild. This is Jesus in full warrior mode. Not trying to build himself up or get more likes on social media, but because it’s the truth.
I hope this makes you want Jesus on your side when it comes to fighting for and protecting you. He’s got all the answers. He’s got all the power. He’s got the inside scoop on the enemy. There’s nothing that he doesn’t know about your enemies. He knows just when and where to strike. He knows their weaknesses and will exploit them at just the right time.
Yes, he is all that, and more But Jesus wants something more than being on your side. He wants something more than to be your great conquer and general. He wants more than to preserve, protect, and provide for you.
He wants to be our savior, the one who pays for our sin. He wants us to fulfill the position that God made for us to be, a loved child of God. A son, a daughter of the king.
We’ve forfeited our rights to those positions because of our rebellion. Our selfishness. Our desire to rule ourselves, by ourselves, for ourselves. We’ve turned from God to treason, making ourselves out to be our own gods. We worship ourselves, other people, and things.
We deserve to be arrested and held without bail. It would be a speedy trial where we’d be found guilty. There’s no room or reason for appeal. Executing the sentence would be swift and just.
There’s more than enough evidence for our treason, our rebellion. Just look behind you and there’s a trail of discarded and abused relationships. Think back on our selfishness, distrust, and disobedience towards God. Treating people not just poorly, but with evil intent.
And yet, this is just the kind of people that God loves. These are the people that Jesus came for. Died for. He didn’t come for the people who have it all together, he came for people like you and me. Broken, bruised, abandoned, unworthy.
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was he,
Full atonement, can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Savior![2]
That’s us, and that’s Jesus. He’s calling to you and me. How can we not answer his question? His calling?
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