You Are Not Far from The Kingdom of God

Mark 12:28-33

About the Sermon

There is something Jesus could say to us that would be both encouraging and unsettling. It's what he said to one of the scribes: "you are not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34). That's a great place to be, close to the kingdom of God. But it's also not quite where we should want to be, still outside. In this sermon we will visit a familiar passage that will help us get our priorities straight in more ways than one.

About the Series

Mark began his gospel with the words of the prophets, who told of a day when the Lord would come to his temple, and when he would deliver his people from sin. He also composed his gospel with a deliberate geographical movement from Galilee to Jerusalem. Why did he do that? To show us that the Lord’s path leads to his enthronement on a cross. But there is a second reason: to show us our path. The path of discipleship— the path of those who would follow Jesus—has a cross in it as well. Our fates are bound up with his. Thankfully, this path does not end with suffering, but with resurrection and life. This is a book written about discipleship for disciples like us.
Mark began his gospel with the words of the prophets, who told of a day when the Lord would come to his temple, and when he would deliver his people from sin. He also composed his gospel with a deliberate geographical movement from Galilee to Jerusalem. Why did he do that? To show us that the Lord’s path leads to his enthronement on a cross. But there is a second reason: to show us our path. The path of discipleship— the path of those who would follow Jesus—has a cross in it as well. Our fates are bound up with his. Thankfully, this path does not end with suffering, but with resurrection and life. This is a book written about discipleship for disciples like us.

Sermons in the Series