Sermon Sandwich

Mark 12:28-34—Sermon Sandwich

Trinity Church, 1589 Hwy 174, Edisto Island, SC 29438
www.trinityedisto.com  843-869-3568
23rd Sunday after Pentecost, October 31, 2021
Holy Eucharist - Renewed Ancient Text; 2019 BCP, p.123

Mark 12:28-34       Sermon Notes

Learn by Contrast; seeking to identify meaningful differences - Sesame Street

 The Law - Mark 12:30-31 - you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

The Law is not The Gospel - Not Knowing this Contrast is the biggest root problem of the American Church.  

The Gospel is the Good News of 

 the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How do we know that?   It’s what the Apostles proclaimed.

St. Paul - I Corinthians 15:1-4 - Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, …  3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

St. Peter - Acts 2:22-24 - 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: … 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

The Law   vs.  The Gospel 

1. Who does the action?

I do - “you shall”    Jesus does.

 Mark 12:30-31 - And you shall love the Lord your God … You shall love your neighbor

 I Corinthians 15:3-4 - that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

2.  Which way is the love flowing?

From Me      To Me

I Love God     Heavenly Father Loves me.

I Love Neighbor    Jesus becomes our Neighbor

       and loves me.

 The Loving thing to do is obey The Law.

 The Law is fulfilled by Love.

The problem - we can’t do it.

 But the point of the Gospel is Jesus does. 

 In obedience to your will (Love God), he stretched out his arms upon the Cross and offered himself once for all, that by his suffering and death we might be saved (Love Neighbor).  (2019 BCP, p.133)

3.  What do we do?

I Obey The Law   I Repent and Believe The Gospel

 Mark 1:14-15 - 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”