Mark 12: Whose Kingdom do you care about most?
Pastor Anson's sermon at Mercy Church Newmarket, NH, focuses on a passage from Mark 12, where Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of religious leaders. Using a personal anecdote about a zip-lining experience as an analogy for warnings, Anson highlights how Jesus cautions his followers to beware of those who prioritize outward appearances and personal gain over genuine faith and service to God. He contrasts this with the example of a poor widow's offering, emphasizing that true devotion lies in wholehearted giving rather than seeking the approval of others. Ultimately, the sermon encourages self-reflection on whether individuals are building their own kingdom or God's.
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Study Guide: Mark 12 Sermon Analysis
Key Themes
Warning Against Hypocrisy: Pastor Anson highlights Jesus' warning against the teachers of the law (scribes) who prioritize outward appearances, honor, and personal gain over genuine faith and service to God.
Influence and Accountability: The sermon emphasizes the significant influence others have on our lives and the importance of choosing positive influences that point us towards Christ and the Kingdom of God.
True Worship and Giving: Pastor Anson contrasts the showy practices of the scribes with Jesus' praise for the poor widow's selfless offering, emphasizing that true devotion involves giving of oneself wholeheartedly, regardless of external recognition.
Kingdom of God vs. Personal Kingdom: A central theme revolves around the conflict between seeking personal advancement and building God's Kingdom. The sermon challenges listeners to honestly assess their priorities.
Perception Management: Pastor Anson identifies the pervasive human tendency to manage how others perceive us, particularly in modern culture through social media, and how this can hinder genuine connection with God and others.
Honesty and Vulnerability: The sermon encourages honesty with God about our struggles and the importance of inviting trusted individuals into our lives to support us in overcoming the tendency to manage perceptions.
The Nature of Discipleship: Discipleship is presented not as a quick fix but as a continuous journey of growth and drawing closer to God.
God's Unconditional Love: Pastor Anson reassures the audience of God's constant and unwavering love, even in the face of our brokenness and struggles.
Quiz
According to Pastor Anson, what was the main warning Jesus was giving in Mark 12:38-40 regarding the teachers of the law?
What does Pastor Anson say about the influence of the people around us, and what question does he pose to the audience regarding positive and negative influences?
List three specific behaviors of the teachers of the law that Jesus criticizes in Mark 12:38-40.
How did the scribes' interpretation and addition to the law contribute to them leading people astray, according to the sermon?
What does Pastor Anson mean by "perception management," and how does he connect it to modern cultural trends like social media?
Contrast the prayer practices of the scribes, as described in the sermon and Matthew 6, with the way Jesus instructs his followers to pray.
What does Pastor Anson suggest is the underlying fear or belief driving our tendency to engage in perception management?
Explain the significance of the story of the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 in relation to the themes discussed in the sermon.
According to Pastor Anson, what is a crucial first step in moving away from managing our perceptions and towards genuine faith?
What encouragement does Pastor Anson offer regarding the church community and God's love in the context of our struggles with perception management and vulnerability?
Quiz Answer Key
Pastor Anson explains that Jesus was warning the crowd to be careful of the teachers of the law because they prioritized their own honor, status, and gain over God's will, ultimately leading people away from Him. He emphasizes that their focus was on their own kingdom rather than God's.
Pastor Anson states that the influence of the people around us greatly impacts who we are. He asks the audience what is positively influencing them for the Kingdom of God and what negative influences might be drawing them away from Christ.
Jesus criticizes the teachers of the law for liking to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, for having the most important seats in synagogues and places of honor at banquets, for devouring widows' houses, and for making lengthy prayers for show.
Pastor Anson explains that the scribes added their own interpretations and laws to the original scripture, which eventually superseded the actual law. This led people away from the true Word of God because the scribes were pointing to their own authority rather than God's.
"Perception management," according to Pastor Anson, is the act of managing how others perceive us or manipulating their perception to gain status and growth. He connects this to social media where people often present an idealized version of their lives and to the societal pressures to acquire things to appear wealthy or successful.
The scribes prayed publicly and at length to be seen by others and appear pious, whereas Jesus taught his followers to pray privately to their Father who is unseen, emphasizing sincerity over outward display and discouraging vain repetition.
Pastor Anson suggests that the underlying fear driving perception management is the belief that if people knew our true selves, with all our brokenness and struggles, they would not love or accept us.
The story of the poor widow is significant because it inverts worldly values, showing that God values the extent of one's sacrifice and devotion (the widow giving all she had) over the amount given or outward recognition. This contrasts with the scribes' concern for appearances.
According to Pastor Anson, a crucial first step in moving away from managing our perceptions is being honest with God about our tendency to do so and inviting Him into that area of our lives where we care too much about our appearance.
Pastor Anson encourages the audience that while people in the church will inevitably let us down, the church community is meant to be a place where people seeking God can support each other and point each other back to Him. He also reassures that God's love is constant and He will never leave or forsake us, especially when we bring our brokenness to Him.
Essay Format Questions
Analyze Pastor Anson's use of the zip-lining anecdote at the beginning of the sermon. How does this personal story connect to the central themes he develops later regarding warnings and consequences in our spiritual lives?
Discuss the various ways Pastor Anson illustrates the concept of "perception management" in both the historical context of the scribes and in contemporary society. How does he argue that this tendency can be detrimental to one's relationship with God and others?
Compare and contrast the motivations and actions of the teachers of the law, as described by Pastor Anson, with the example of the poor widow. What key principles about true faith and devotion does this comparison highlight?
Explore Pastor Anson's call for honesty and vulnerability within the Christian community. Why does he believe it is important to move beyond managing perceptions and to invite others into our struggles? What role does God's love play in this process?
Consider the question Pastor Anson poses at the end of the sermon: "Whose kingdom do you care about more?" Discuss the implications of prioritizing one's own "kingdom" versus God's Kingdom based on the points made throughout the sermon.
Glossary of Key Terms
Allegory: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Pastor Anson mentions Jesus' use of the vineyard and tenants as an allegory for the nation of Israel.
Chief Priests: The leading priests in the Jewish religious hierarchy during the time of Jesus. They were part of the Sanhedrin and held significant religious and political influence.
Scribes (Teachers of the Law): Experts in the Jewish law (Torah) who were responsible for interpreting and teaching it. Jesus often engaged in debates with them and criticized their hypocrisy.
Synagogue: A Jewish house of worship and community gathering.
Widow: A woman who has lost her husband. In ancient society, widows were often vulnerable and without social or financial support, making the scribes' exploitation of them particularly egregious.
Perception Management: The act of attempting to influence or control how others view oneself or a situation. Pastor Anson discusses this in the context of both the scribes and contemporary social behavior.
Lenten Season: A period of 40 days of fasting, repentance, and spiritual discipline observed by many Christian denominations in preparation for Easter.
Discipleship: The process of learning from and following a teacher or mentor. In a Christian context, it refers to following Jesus Christ and growing in faith and obedience to His teachings.
Kingdom of God: The reign or rule of God in the hearts of individuals and ultimately over all creation. It was a central theme in Jesus' teachings.
Messiah: The promised deliverer of the Jewish people prophesied in the Hebrew Bible. Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah.
