Pentecost XXV Bottom Line Spirituality: Worldly and Godly Thinking

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Godly Abiding Spiritually in Jesus Changes the Meaning of What we See Worldly When Not Abiding in Jesus.

Mark 13:1-8 "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!"  Wait a minute!

Do not get chained in with those who have put chapter and verse to scripture. In the old days the scripture started from the back to the front with only a small marker to determine when the next scripture should be read. Today’s numbers, as my professor in Seminary said, could have been written by a person on a camel on his way to Jerusalem. The numbers are for convenience, not for accuracy.

When you read the Scriptures sometimes you need to be aware of what the before and the after verses might be. Otherwise it is as if a runner begins to run on the count of “ready, set” and there he goes.

This Scripture starts at the close of the previous chapter with the widow’s mite, Mark 12:42.  A poor widow put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. All of them have contributed out of their abundance, she out of her poverty.”

Worldly thinking looks at the external. Mark 13:1 “As He came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!"

Godly understanding looks to the internal. Jesus had just called the Disciples attention to this woman “She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." 

They were not too impressed thinking rationally, “that is nice”, perhaps “very interesting”, but no “OMG’s”.   They come out of the temple and are climbing over each other admiring the size of the stones and the buildings.

Jesus’ response was a very firm, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."  They did not get the connection. Their first question when they were alone was, “Master, tell us when will this happen?”

Frankly, Jesus couldn't care less. The point He was making is the Temple and all its finery is going to be completely destroyed. This widow’s offering will never be forgotten in the Kingdom of Heaven.

How we felt last week when we read about the widow’s offering tells us how we were thinking. Rational thinking goes from how wonderful the act of tithing was, I hope they do not ask me to do the same. In the next chapter, we would be too interested in how the Temple looked then and when will these prophecies be fulfilled now?

Spiritual thinking is able to be in touch with how Jesus felt when He pointed out what we might have missed. The main point of the Scripture is the compare and contrast as to what gets our interest.

As we read the scripture we might try wondering what rationally catches our interest when we are out the Presence of Jesus and what spiritually catches our feelings when we are in the Presence of Jesus?  The apostles did not wait to understand what the wonder was of Jesus but what their wonder was.

Discover how this works. Wondering what difference does being out or in the Presence of Jesus make when you look at costly material things. When you know the difference, you will have received the real Wisdom as to what is of most value in your life.