At the beginning of Mark's gospel, there is a familiar and beautiful episode. Jesus walked on the shore of Galilee and saw Peter, Andrew, James, and John engaged in the business of fishermen. He called them.

“Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)

Jesus would do the work of turning these men, and others, into something else. He would make them into disciples, into messengers, into true followers.

For this to occur, quite a bit of reprogramming was necessary. The scribes and Pharisees had defined true devotion to God for the populace for many years. But Jesus would not turn his followers into Pharisees. He had other plans.

By this point in Mark, it is clear that Jesus is at odds with the religious leaders -- and they are certainly at odds with him! And, in our previous studies, we've watched Jesus dismantle the best arguments they could muster in their attempts to thwart his mission. By the end, "no one dared to ask him any more questions" (Mark 12:34).

But Jesus was not done. He had a question, and a critique left for the religious leaders before he went into hiding until his arrest in Gethsemane. And, in his words, he demonstrated how the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes weren't fit for his kingdom. They were not bearing the marks of Christ-followers.

In his confrontation of these men, we can glean lessons on what a Christ-follower isn't by putting them in the positive. So, today, we will observe six marks of a Christ-follower. We will see what the religious leaders weren't in an attempt to discover what Jesus' people can be by the power of the Holy Spirit.

35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

The Son Of David

The religious leaders had asked all their questions. What about taxes? What about the resurrection? What is the greatest commandment?

Now Jesus asks his question: How can you say that the Christ is the son of David? What does this question mean?

First, we must remember that "the Christ" was not a proper name at that time. When we say "the Christ," we mean "Jesus Christ." But when they said "the Christ," they meant "the Messiah," the one who would deliver them from all foreign powers and reestablish David's throne on earth. And the idea of a Davidic Messiah was firmly entrenched in the minds of first-century Jews, so to speak of the "Son of David" was to speak of "the Christ."

So Jesus asked how the scribes could teach that the Messiah, the Christ, that figure, would be the son of David. Right there, in their temple, Jesus challenged their understanding of this coming figure.

Now, Jesus was not debating that the Christ would be a descendant of David. The Old Testament promises and prophecies had made that abundantly clear. And Jesus, in His humanity, was a descendant of David through both Mary and Joseph.

But Jesus was challenging the idea that the Christ was only a descendant of David. He wanted them to see how the Messiah would be, not only the son of David but the Son of God.

The Lord Said To My Lord

To make this point, Jesus quoted from David's own writing, Psalm 110 (36). The New Testament cites this passage more than any other section of the Old Testament. The crux of the quotation is the first line, David wrote, "The Lord said to my Lord" (36). The Lord said to my Lord...

David goes on to describe the future Messianic reign -- God's deliverance of his people through the Christ-Messiah -- when he quotes God as saying to the Christ, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet" (36).

But, again, the crux of the quote is the first line: "The Lord said to my Lord" (36). And Jesus latches onto this phrase when he said, "David himself calls him (the Christ) Lord. So how is he his son?" (37).

In other words, David thought of the coming Christ, the Messiah through whom God would establish a forever kingdom, as his Lord. The Christ is David's Lord. But the Bible said the Christ would be David's son. And a father would never call his son his Lord. So what gives?

Well, in his humanity, Jesus is the son of David. But, in his divinity, he is the Son of God, making him the Lord of David. The Messiah would be a man. The Messiah would be God. Again, the two complete natures of Jesus Christ are highlighted in this passage. Fully God, fully man.

The Divinity Of Jesus

And Scripture affirms this time and time again. Jesus is called the Son of God forty times, which makes him equal with God (John 5:18). He is referred to as the only begotten Son, rather than one of many sons. He is called the First and the Last, a title only God could bear (Revelation 1:17, Isaiah 41:4, 44:6). He is called the Alpha and Omega (or the A to Z), another title only God could bear (Revelation 1:8, 22:12, 13, 16). He is called the Holy One in Acts, the Lord of Glory in 1 Corinthians, and the Everlasting Father in Isaiah 9. And he is called God in Hebrew 1, John 20, Matthew 1, Titus 2, and Romans 9.

But Jesus also bears the attributes of God. His omnipotence is revealed when he heals, calms storms, casts out demons, and raises the dead. His omniscience is revealed when he declares the Samaritan woman's sin, what the scribes were thinking when he forgave the paralytic, which one of his disciples would betray him, and when he told Nathaniel he had previously been sitting under a fig tree. His omnipresence was revealed when he said he would be with us always, when he said he'd be where two or three are gathered, and when the Bible says he will dwell in us (John 14:20). As God, he is eternal, in that he came from everlasting (Micah 5:2), was present at the beginning of all things (John 1:1), is the "Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6), and had glory before he came to earth (John 17:5). To quote him, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58).

And Jesus' question of the scribes was designed to get them -- and us -- thinking about the Christ's true identity. They didn't understand that, yes, he would be the son of David, but also the eternal Son of God.

Now, earlier, I told you we would learn six marks of a Christ-follower, and our first is this:

1. A Christ-Follower Calls Jesus Lord

David knew the coming King would be Lord of all. He knew he was subject to the One who came after him. And Christ-followers today believe Jesus is Lord.

We know he came and died a brutal death in our place, rising from the grave so that all who believe in him will receive forgiveness of all sin. He came to bring us home to God, and it happens through his feat of the cross.

So, with David, we see Jesus as the Lord. He has earned this position because of who he is and what he has done. As God, it is his rightful place. And as Savior, it is his rightful place. He must be the Lord of our lives.

Enemies Under Your Feet

But this leads me to another attribute of a Christ-follower. For this next point, notice David's quotation. David heard God tell the Christ, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet" (36). The day would come when the Messiah would sit on Father God's right hand and wait for the subjection of all his enemies.

Their Anticipation

Israelite's in Jesus' day were certainly waiting for victory over all their earthly enemies. They craved a day when the Messiah would drive out all foreign powers -- like the Roman government -- and set up Israel as a superpower.

But David's Psalm should have tipped them off to something beyond an earthly kingdom. The son of David, David's Lord, the Christ, would one day sit at the Father's right hand, waiting for complete and total victory over all his enemies.

This speaks of the nature of Christ's first coming. He came, suffered and died, rose from the grave, and ascended, all without establishing Israel as a superpower. Instead, he sat at the right hand of the Father, where he awaits the visible coming of his kingdom and the subjection of every enemy that is out of step with him.

2. A Christ-Follower Looks Beyond Earth's Kingdoms

Since Jesus is God the Son, and since he departed earth and sat at the Father's right hand, his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). He did not come to establish a visible nation or kingdom, but an invisible and spiritual one.

And, as Daniel said, one day, Jesus will return, and:

"...the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever... (Daniel 2:44)

In our day, it is easy to get caught up in the turmoil of the nations, including our own. But it is to be expected. And though we are called to pray and work for the betterment of our nation, we also look beyond it to the kingdom that has no end.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:20–21)

David Himself, In The Holy Spirit

Before we read the next section of our passage today, let me show you the third mark of a Christ-follower. It comes from a comment Jesus made before he quoted David. He said, "David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared" the passage from Psalm 110 (36).

Notice that phrase. Jesus thought Psalm 110 was written by David, but also by the Holy Spirit. The insinuation is that God moved David along to write, that God is the true author of Psalm 110, and that he inspired his authors to write Scripture.

As Paul said:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness... (2 Timothy 3:16)

Or as Peter said:

"...men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21)

And God inspired the authors of Scripture. He carried them along by his Spirit, to pen the precise words he wanted written. It isn't only the general thoughts of Scripture, but the very words that are inspired by God (1 Corinthians 2:13 -- "words...which the Holy Spirit teaches").

3. A Christ-Follower Believes Scripture Is Inspired By God

Someone might choose not to believe this about the Bible, but my point is that Jesus thought this way about Scripture. And he is the One who rose from the dead. Personally, he gets my vote. I am going to side with him.

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Beware Of The Scribes

This is a summary of Jesus' lambaste of the religious leaders. Matthew gave the expanded version.

His words were direct and sharp. Some might object to such forcefulness, but Jesus saw the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees in the way an oncologist sees cigarettes. They were dangerous for his people, so Jesus called them out.

Long Robes

The first thing he said was that the scribes liked to walk around in long robes (38). This is a reference to the long, white linen garments that priests, scribes, and Levites wore in that era.

They also might have modified their garments in a special way. God had told ancient Israel to put blue tassels on the corners of their garments as a way to differentiate them as God's people (Numbers 15:38). It's possible these religious leaders had made enormous tassels for their robes.

And God had also told Israel to bind the Scripture to their heads and wrists. Some went so far as to produce little boxes called phylacteries that contained Bible verses or passages. In another place, Jesus said these religious people made "their phylacteries broad and their fringes long" (Matthew 23:5). So you can picture these religious leaders going around with huge robes, huge tassels, and huge boxes on their heads. It was all meant to communicate how super-duper-godly they were.

At Halloween, people dress up in all kinds of costumes. For instance, this past year, there were lots of Mandalorians invading our spaceport. But the costume didn't make any of them a tough bounty hunter from a far-away galaxy. No, it's just a costume.

Anyone can put on a religious costume, but that doesn't make you spiritual. These religious leaders had a godly look, but they weren't inwardly devoted to God.

4. A Christ Follower Practices Inner Devotion To God

Other religions might have attire that designates them during their festivals or ceremonies, but true Christianity isn't concerned with the externals. God is looking at the inner person.

As God said to Samuel, when he chose David over his seven older brothers:

“The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

What we want is inner devotion to God, something real within. We aren't content with outward show. We want to have true vibrancy and life before God.

Greetings In The Marketplaces

Jesus went on to say the scribes liked "greetings in the marketplaces" (38). You might be thinking, "Who doesn't like that?" I love going to Costco. I see all kinds of church people there.

But Jesus isn't alluding to friendliness or simple hellos. Instead, he is talking about the special respect the religious leaders wanted when they walked through common areas. People got out of the way when they came. People reverently called them "Rabbi" and "Father" and "Master." And sometimes, these guys would even stop to blow a trumpet as a way to announce it was time for them to pray. What a fiasco.

But Christ-followers aren't interested in such nonsense. We aren't trying to draw attention to ourselves, but to our Rabbi, our Father, our Master. We want people to know Jesus.

Best Seats And Places Of Honor

Jesus also said the scribes love to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts (39). What does this mean?

Well, synagogues were scattered throughout all Israel, and wherever the Jewish population was large enough to have one. They were like church buildings, a place for the congregation to gather to hear the Scripture and honor God together. At the front of each synagogue was a place to hold the scrolls of Scripture. Benches were placed there -- facing the congregation. They were reserved for the teachers and people of important rank. They had a responsibility, and they should have sat in those seats with fear and trembling. But, the thing is, these religious leaders grew to love those seats. They thought it said something awesome about them.

And Jesus' statement about places of honor at the feasts has a similar meaning. In that culture, seating at banquets was arranged in proximity to the host. The closer you sat, the more important and honored you were. It was their custom. But these guys grew to love those seats of honor and would jockey for those positions.

But this is not the attitude of Jesus' people. We aren't in it for self-honor and acclaim, but the honor of Christ.

5. A Christ Follower Draws Attention To Christ

Someone said, "The basic fact of Christianity is that it ought to make a man wish to obliterate self rather than to exalt self" (William Barclay).

Too much is done in the name of Christ in a clear attempt at personal honor and attention. Social media has only made this worse, as many pose as ministers of the gospel in an attempt at building their brand. But God knows.

But Christ-follower draws attention off themselves and onto Jesus. A Christ-follower aims to honor God.

Devour Widows' Houses

Finally, Jesus said these scribes devoured widows houses and for a pretense make long prayers (40). They looked spiritual, but behind the scenes, they were ripping off wealthy widows, finding ways to increase their net worth.

Josephus, a non-Christian historian from that era, told the story of a man exiled to Rome for pretending to be a scribe and persuading a high standing woman named Fulvia to give him substantial amounts of money for the temple, which he embezzled for himself.

Most scribes in Jesus' era were not wealthy, but Jesus made it clear that some were using their position -- and the esteem that came with it -- to take advantage of the generosity of others.

So, rather than serve widows, the scribes abused them. But this is not the way of the Christ-follower. We are called to give. We are called to serve.

6. A Christ-Follower Serves Others

Remember, brothers and sisters, Christ came to serve us, so we, in turn are meant to serve others. When opportunities to serve arise, we should jump at the chance. Christ-followers serve others.

Personally, I believe a person's maturity and discipleship are connected to their service. I should mention that I have watched unhealthy Christians serve as a way to mask spiritual unhealth. So I'm not trying to say you can serve your way to sanctification. But the path to Christlikeness is one filled with service. Rather than take, we give. Rather than devour, we feed.

Conclusion

And the early church seems to have caught the message. After Jesus ascended, they waited for the outpouring of God's Spirit. When he filled them, they were empowered to continue the work Jesus began. They became messengers and servants of the gospel.