Sermons

Today we finish our year-long study of Mark’s gospel. It is the last time we’ll hear from Mark until November 29, 2026. This final reading wasn’t the chronological ending of Mark’s story– that was the empty tomb we studied on Easter. Nor did the lectionary bring us back to the beginning with a quote from Isaiah and John the Baptist – remember, there was no birth narrative in Mark. Rather, we are left in the middle of the gospel in what is often called the “little apocalypse.”…

In today’s reading, Jesus was in the temple. He had been teaching through parables and answering questions about taxes, the resurrection, the messiah, and the greatest commandment. Before he took a break, Jesus spoke about his primary challengers in Mark’s gospel, that was the scribes. The scribes were men who had a deep knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents, like contracts for marriages, divorces, loans, inheritance, and mortgages. These scribes curated a public reputation of being pious with lengthy prayers to convince people that they were trustworthy…