If we have a kingdom perspective, we will see things as Jesus does

What evidence do genuine Christians give of understanding how to live the Christian life?

A Kingdom perspective of CHRIST (v.35-37) (v.35) “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

This is a far more important question than the questions His enemies had asked Him. Because it is a question of identity. Essentially, Jesus asks: “Do you really know who I am?” If we are wrong about Jesus Christ, then we are wrong about salvation and we risk condemning our own souls!

The scribes were the teachers of the law and taught that the coming Messiah would be born in the genealogical line of King David. But Jesus challenged that thinking, asking them to consider that they may have been amiss in their understanding.

The Messiah is not merely the son of David, he is the Son of God And the only way David’s son could also be David’s Lord would be if Messiah were God come in human flesh. The matter is resolved in the Lord’s miraculous conception and virgin birth. The scribes were looking for a human king, but Jesus is more than a human king – He is the Divine King – the Son of God.

Do we have an adequate view of Jesus? Some people know that Jesus came to be a teacher and an example for us to follow but they fail to see that he came to be our Savior. Others know that he came to be our Savior but fail to see that he is our King as well. Maybe the deeper issue is that people don’t submit to His Lordship – they don’t love Him as they should. When our lives get messy and what we know to be true about Jesus is replaced with our own anxieties and concerns – is our view of Jesus adequate?

A Kingdom perspective of SERVING (v.38-40)  (v.38)  “…beware of the scribes.”

The issue here is not what the scribes are teaching, it’s how they’re living.   They don’t have a kingdom view for serving God and people. They were living hypocritical two-faced lives. (v.40) They “devoured” widows’ houses. The phrase “devour widows’ houses” means “greedily cheat widows out of their property.”

Since it was not uncommon for a husband to appoint in his will a Jewish legal expert—a scribe or Pharisee—to be the executor of his widow’s estate, it would not be hard for a corrupt lawyer to find legal ways to trick a widow out of her house and other property. This was what the religious leaders were doing, and Jesus denounced the scribes and Pharisees as religious hypocrites who were so spiritually callous that, after greedily pilfering from the needy, they would put on a public show of prayerful piety.

Their system was corrupt, and the darkness of the scribes’ greed makes the widow’s sacrifice shine even more brightly.Do you have a kingdom perspective for SERVING? If you serve in the flesh, according to your desired outcomes, according to what you want, how you want it, you don’t have Kingdom perspective for serving.

If a person is “important” only because of the uniform he wears, the title he bears, or the office he holds, then his “importance” is artificial. It is character that makes a person valuable, and nobody can give you character: you must develop it yourself as you walk with God.  Warren W. Wiersbe

A Kingdom perspective of GIVING (v.41-44) (v.41)  And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.

Jesus watched as the rich were contributing large sums of money, but then along came a widow with (v.42) “…two small copper coins, which make a penny.”  The widow put her coins into the box, and Jesus called His disciples to Him and pointed out her action to them: (v.43) … “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  

Three important lessons from this vignette:

1. • God sees what man overlooks – Jesus saw what no one else did: the humble gift of a poor widow.
   • God judges the heart, not appearances – The widow’s “…two small copper coins…” added up to a penny but Jesus said the woman had given more than anyone else that day.
   • God loves a faithful giver – Jesus knew it was an offering given in faith – the poor widow gave what she had in faith, believing that God could use it. Her faith was also evident in the fact that she gave the last of what she had.

If we love God with of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and if we love others, then we will have:

• A Kingdom perspective of CHRIST – His Person/Work
• A Kingdom perspective of SERVING – Unselfish, Christ exalting
• A Kingdom perspective of GIVING – By faith, not what’s safe

Mark 12:44  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”