STUDY THEME: ONE SOLITARY LIFE: THE LIFE OF JESUS. 5-27-01

UNIT 5: LORD OF THE KINGDOM: “ESTABLISHING LIFE’S PRIORITIES.”

PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO MARK 10.

In the spring of A.D. 30 Jesus left Capernaum in Galilee for Judea. Mark has recorded the Galilean ministry of Jesus in Mark 1-9. He recorded the Judean ministry in Mark 10-16 and concludes with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord in Ch. 16.

Mark 10 begins with Jesus in Perea teaching when the Pharisees and scribes come to test him concerning divorce. Vs. 13-16 deals with Jesus receiving the little children. It was then that He said in Vs. 15 “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Matthew 19, Luke 18 and Mark 10 all have the story of the Rich Young ruler following this incident.

Professor John Nickols has been teaching on Sunday evening the book, “How Now Shall We Live,” by Chuck Colson. The book centers around a series of questions: “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “How do I live the good life?” “What is my purpose in living?” “Where will I go when I die?” These are what we sometimes refer to as “the ultimate questions” of life. Everyone asks them. Everyone thinks about them. Why? Because these questions go to the very heart of what it means to be human. They address our significance, importance, and destiny. These questions are connected to one another. How you answer one will influence how you answer the others.

Jesus loved meeting people. One of the fascinating features of the Gospels is to listen in to the interview that Jesus had with a variety of people. He was always ready to listen to their problems, to answer their questions as He walked the highways of Palestine. Jesus longed to point men and women towards the Kingdom of God, but one thing He never did was to compromise his standards. If they didn’t want to follow His way, that was their choice—and their responsibility. He was very sorry, often visibly grieved, if they couldn’t find it in their hearts to accept His terms for entry into His Kingdom, but inevitably they exclude themselves.

The word “Christian” has come to mean a multitude of things to many people, but after all is said and done, there’s only one kind of Christianity that’s valid---and that’s God’s kind! We don’t have the freedom to pick and choose the aspects of God’s revelation that we find attractive, and disregard or ignore the parts that we don’t like, and still call it “Christian”. It may have a religious veneer, but it’s not authentic Christianity and ultimately God will reject it.

Suppose I want to fly to California but find the cost is too great and I hit upon the great idea of creating my own ticket. It may look quite like the real thing, have the correct airline, flight number and departure time on it, but if I should be so foolish as to present it to the check-in desk, it would be rejected as invalid. No amount of persuading would get me through the barrier. The terms of entry in God’s Kingdom are not up for debate or for negotiation. It’s God’s terms or not at all. The rich, young ruler in the Gospel readings in Matt. 19, Luke 18, and Mark 10 is a clear illustration of this. We see him as a candidate for the Kingdom.

Jesus statement in Mark 10: 15 may have attracted the rich, young, ruler to speak to Jesus.

1. PLEASE READ MARK 10: 17-20.

Each of us I am sure, if we stop and think, could think of a situation in life that changed our life completely, or at least left us to never be the same. For some it was meeting someone of distinction, for others it might be time spent in the service, and still for others, it might be the birth of a child or some other significant life event. My point is this; Things take place in our live that change us each and every day, to some degree I am sure. But nothing can change an individual like coming fact to face with Jesus Christ.

This morning, I want to share with you some observations from Mark 10, in the life of an individual who came face to face with Christ. I call it the Rich Man Poor Man experience.

In Vs. 17 “As Jesus started on His way” is a significant statement. This is not just another journey to Jerusalem. Jesus began telling His disciples near Caesarea Philippi that He must go to Jerusalem, be killed and rise again on the third day. He is now moving toward that assignment. He is well aware of what awaits Him there. While teaching He meets a candidate for the Kingdom of God.

What an attractive candidate he was! “A rich, young ruler”. This was someone not to be missed! A young, rich professional person! What’s more, he was keen; we’re told “he came running” and even more impressive, he was apparently humble, for we’re told, he threw himself “kneeling” before Jesus. You don’t get applicants like this every day! You can imagine how any church would feel on getting an application from this candidate. He’d be welcomed with open arms! Of course, Jesus welcomed him, but not more warmly than he received anyone else, because all humanity is regarded on equal terms. Whether we are rich or poor, sophisticated in the eyes of the world or members of the rank and file, young or old, we’re the same category of persons—all in need of a Savior.

Let’s take a closer look at the candidate. We know little about him except for three things. He was rich. He was young. He had some official position in the community. It all adds up to something attractive. A good bank balance is desirable. To have youth on one’s side is an asset. We don’t know what this wealthy young man ruled, but to be in a position to tell other people what to do was rather satisfying. However, it’s more than likely that as he thoughtfully reviewed his life, he came to the conclusion that he had a problem.

Although he enjoyed being rich, being young, and being a ruler, he realized that one day, sooner or later, it would all have to end. One day he would die. When he died, he knew he wouldn’t be rich any more—he couldn’t take his money with him into the next life. Youth, alas, passes all too quickly. ---The older you get, take it from me, the years seem shorter than they used to be! He knew that his official position would one day come to an end.

As our rich friend thought about these facts of life he probably said to himself, “There’s only one solution to my problem and that would be to have a life that would never end.” Someone may have said to him, “Have you ever heard of Jesus of Nazareth?” “No, who is he?” “He’s the new preacher who goes on about the Kingdom of God and offering eternal life to anyone who follows him.” This struck a cord. “Eternal life?” That’s the very thing I need. If only I could be sure of eternal life my basic fears and needs would be met. I’ll go and see Him.” And he did. He ran, broke through the crowd, threw him self on his knees before Jesus and said in effect, “I have a need, and you have the answer. What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer that Jesus gave him sent him away as empty as he had come. Why, O Why? He seemed an ideal candidate for the Kingdom. To discover this we must look at the: CONDITIONS REQURIED FOR ENTRY INTO GOD’S KINGDOM.

The man’s keenness and vigor of search was commendable. His posture of humility before this teacher was designed to put him in a favorable light with Jesus. But it was his words, which betrayed the fault line in his thinking. “What must I do?” he asked. He had come seeking for happiness, for satisfaction, for peace with God, but his very way of phrasing his question betrays him. “What must I do?” He’s thinking in terms of actions, something that he can contribute.

He’s like the Pharisees, thinking in terms of keeping rules and regulations. He wants to pile up a credit balance with God by keeping the works of the law. Quite clearly, he’s unaware that salvation can’t be gained through one’s own merits. This man was a ‘can do’ sort of person—a man of action. This is fine for living for this world, but not for the next. At heart it’s a throwback to the first fantasy of the human race. “You will be like God,” said the serpent to Adam. And he believed it.

Jesus has to deal with this, gently but firmly. He looked at this young man and loved him. We might think that He has a strange way of showing it. No congratulations for the way the young man had lived so far, just an uncompromising demand for a complete revolution in his life. But Jesus knows what He’s doing. He answers the inquirer on His own terms. He tells him to keep the Commandments. The young man is taken by surprise but quickly tries to regain the initiative by asking what kind of Commandments Jesus means.

Jesus lists five of the Ten commandments. They are all Commandments, which deal, not with our duty to God, but with our duty to those around us. They are the Commandments that govern our personal relationships and our attitude to our fellow humanity. They can be summarized as “love your neighbor as yourself.” Had he killed anyone? Certainly not! What about adultery? No, he was a clean living young man. Did he steal? Out of the question; he was a magistrate!

Jesus now came to the Commandment that He quoted out of its traditional order. Did he honor his parents? Most likely Jesus wishes to lay special stress on that Commandment. Perhaps it was because He knew that the young man, having grown rich and successful in his career, had then forgotten his parents, who have been very poor. He may well have risen in the world, and have been half-ashamed of the folks in the old home, and found some way of justifying his actions. Amazing, as it may seem, the would-be entrant into God’s Kingdom with breathtaking nerve said, “I have observed all these things.” His self-assessment was that he was a good man; completely obedient to the laws of the Old Testament. He then coolly added, “What am I still lacking?” How did this elegant minded man manage to miss the point entirely? Wealth, status, personal abilities and intellect can blind us to the truth that we are powerless before God. It’s here that we see the unwavering resolve of Jesus to maintain the integrity of the Kingdom as we see Him reject compromise for entry into God’s Kingdom.

This guy had it all…he was rich, he was young, he was powerful –he was probably even handsome! But he was a truth seeker unhappy with his legalistic, performance oriented, graceless religion. He knew there is more to this life than here and now. He knew that eternity needed to be prepared for. He wants to go to heaven and have eternal life. So he comes to Jesus for an answer

The rich young ruler addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher”. Jesus in turn asks a question, “Why do you call Me good when only God is intrinsically good? Are you prepared to acknowledge that I am God?” So Jesus raises the question in the young man’s mind about who He was.

Then I think Jesus plays a little game to expose the young man’s heart. Jesus starts with, “You know the Commandments…” And the young man’s response that he had obeyed all the laws of God since he was a child was superficial and untrue. I love what Mark says about Jesus here—Jesus loved this hopelessly lost young man desperately even though was either lying or in self-denial.

2. PLEASE READ MARK 10: 21-22.

Jesus loved this young man. There was something attractive about his earnestness in keeping the law as he saw it. Jesus admired his humble determination to find a conclusion to his search. The gospel writer tells us, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Here was a golden opportunity for Jesus to land a “big fish” as a follower. How easy it would have been for Jesus to say; “You’re fine as you are. Your problem is only in your imagination.”

Think how useful he would be as a disciple. He had youth and vigor. He had money that would be invaluable in financing Jesus and His disciples as they went around the towns and villages preaching the coming Kingdom of God. He had influence in his official capacity, which would give a certain prestige to the ministry. What temptation to Jesus to turn a blind eye to a situation that he knew in His heart would prove disappointing! But God’s love never leads to compromise because that would be to go against His holy standard.

We must explore the reason why Jesus couldn’t compromise. All human beings have one thing in common—we are sinners and we are set to die both physically and spiritually. Our own experience only confirms the verdict of Scripture. 1 John 1:8 says “If we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Ignoring facts does nothing to change them. The events recorded in our newspapers and television screens remind us of the fallen state of humanity. Who can deny what the Apostle wrote in Rom. 14:12, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” We are all sinners by birth, by nature, by practice and by choice. And like the rich, young ruler we need to face the facts—and the consequences.

The young inquirer after the Kingdom really had no idea of his spiritual deficiency before God. In all likelihood he though he was much better than his contemporaries. He believed he had kept the Law of Moses. In a narrow legal sense that might be true; but in a spiritual sense it wasn’t true, because his attitude to his fellow men was wrong. That is why Jesus confronted him with the challenge to sell all and give to the poor. This man was so shackled to his possessions that nothing less than radical surgery was required. His achievements were a chain, which bound him. We, too, have to face up to spiritual realities, and ask ourselves, ‘What are the chains that bind us, preventing a living relationship with God, and entry into and progress in His kingdom?” What stands between you and total commitment to Christ?

CONVERSION IS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO GOD’S KINGDOM!

Jesus didn’t pause to correct the young man, but, as it were, went straight for the jugular. There was something missing in his life, some priority that was in the wrong order preventing him from entering the Kingdom. He had asked the question and he got the answer! “If you wish to be complete, go, sell, your possessions, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me!”

The rich, young ruler was expecting to be told, “Yes, you’ve done well so far, and all you need is to carry on as you’re doing to the end of your life. Then you’ll receive eternal life as your reward.” No, nothing like that! Jesus invited him to do something contrary to the previous direction of his whole life. “Go, sell everything you have.” Jesus had put his finger on what he prized most, his wealth, no doubt gathered by his own hard work and effort.

The candidate for the Kingdom was being asked to loosen the grip of that which he trusted—his wealth. Without that step he wasn’t keeping two other commandments: “You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything.” His wealth was his goal; he had made money and idol. He, like everyone else, was a sinner.

Jesus was not making poverty or philanthropy a requirement of salvation. He was exposing the young man’s heart. He was not blameless. It was like Jesus was asking, “So now that we’ve gotten down to brass tacks, what are you going to do?” Put your fingers in your ears and pretend you didn’t hear? Tell Me I’m just another teacher and take a hike? Walk away? Repent of greed and give your life to me? Follow the good, which is to follow God; and do it, follow Me? What is your final answer? Final answer: He walked away. He refused to enter the kingdom of God, when he refused to follow Jesus. Jesus had set before him, as the door into the kingdom, Himself, the God of the Kingdom; and when a man will not respond to the call of God, he refuses to enter into the Kingdom of God.

The young man was at a safe haven in his life. He was rich, he was young, and he was a ruler: He had lots of stuff. His final answer was really a choice about the thing of this world or Christ. He loved his stuff more than his neighbors, and ultimately he loved his stuff more than his soul and more than Jesus.

He went away a changed man. No man can meet Jesus and stay the same. Unfortunately, he fails the test and goes away sad. He had the opportunity to go away even wealthier, but he blew it. Satan lies to people and tells them that Salvation is not worth repentance. This shows us how crafty he is. Only Satan could make you believe that misery was more enjoyable than peace, or that slavery and bondage was more enjoyable than freedom, that hate and anger was more enjoyable than unconditional love, but that is exactly what he does and millions believe it. They come face to face with Jesus, and walk away sad.

3. PLEASE READ MARK 10: 23-27.

The disciples were perplexed at the hard line they thought Jesus was taking in telling this sincere, rich, young man to sell everything and give to the poor. Jesus wasn’t denouncing wealth as such, but rather wealth in the form of money, status, achievements or race when it acts as a form of self-righteousness and becomes an obstacle to entrance into his Kingdom.

If the young man had repented and followed Jesus he would have found the redemption purchased by the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. In the words written to the Corinthians in 2 Cor. 5: 19,21, “God was reconciling the world unto Himself in Christ…God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” That is the message of salvation.

The Christian is one who centers his every hope on the Lord Jesus. Whatever has happened in the past, he now has peace because he knows that his sins were laid upon Jesus when he died on the cross. He knows that Christ has born them and carried them away. John Bunyan pictured this so well in his “Pilgrim’s Progress”. Pilgrim is show carrying a heavy burden of his sins, but when he came to the Cross and believed in Jesus, he was miraculously freed of the burden. In the words of a hymn, “My chains fell of, my heart was free; I rose went forth and followed Thee.” If you can sat that with assurance, you are a Christian indeed.

Having the attention of His disciples, Jesus exclaimed, “How hard is it for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” Jesus was not condemning wealth and commending poverty. The point is simply that wealth breeds self-sufficiency and confidence in one’s own abilities and status. Many people do not think of themselves as rich, but they have many possessions (or stuff) which take priority in their lives—getting them, enjoying them, keeping them.

Jesus statement stunned the disciples. The disciples were amazed. Matthew says, “They were exceedingly amazed.” They could not believe their ears! So to make sure they understood, Jesus said it again. “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” The camel was the largest animal found in that part of the world. The thought of trying to squeeze it, humps and all, through the eye of a needle would strike the disciples as funny as well as impossible. The disciples were even more amazed and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

The possession of wealth is not a sign of God’s favor. Indeed, wealth can build a barrier to the one thing necessary to enter the Kingdom: childlike trust in Jesus. One of the most prevalent problems for the human race has been the desire for material things. Materialistic greed is one of the most evident sins in American life. Millions of people throughout the world put higher priority on possessing material things than they do on spiritual realities and integrity of character. To own and use material things has become virtually a pagan type of religion among so many millions of people. To put the things of creation ahead of the Creator is to bring disaster to our selves, and dishonor God.

For a second time Jesus looked at His disciples. “If the rich can not be saved, then who can be saved?" His response is one of the great theological affirmations in the Bible: “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Salvation is something humankind cannot accomplish. Left alone, a person will never make it into God’s Kingdom and will never inherit eternal life. However, what we cannot do, God can. Salvation is not through human achievement. It is, always has been, and always will be a divine accomplishment.

4. PLEASE READ MARK 10: 28-31.

Peter, the every-ready spokesman for the disciples, picked upon the words of Jesus in vs. 21 and proudly announced, We have left everything to follow you! Jesus responded to Peter’s comments by affirming that “whatever you might lose or give up in this present age or life for Me and he gospel, you will not fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age,..And in the age to come, eternal life.”

The things Jesus said we may have to give up are precious things: homes, father, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, and fields. It costs to follow Jesus. However, the blessings far outweigh the losses. In God’s kingdom the benefits and blessing are simply too great to imagine. One surprising entry concerning blessings in the present age is persecutions. The inclusion of this strikes a sobering note of realism for the person who would follow Jesus in radical discipleship.

To be a member of Christ’s Kingdom means to share in all that is His.

This includes suffering and persecution on His behalf, a light and momentary affliction when seen against the promise of eternal life. Jesus then explained, Many who are first will be last, and the last first, a spiritual axiom that Jesus often repeated. In Christ’s Kingdom there is a grand reversal of every earthly standard of position, rank, and importance. God does not evaluate things in the same way fallen humanity does. As citizens of His Kingdom, His children should think, more like Him than the world. Eccl. says, “He hath set eternity in their heart”. Eternal life consists in the proper relation of the soul to God! That is what the rich young ruler was seeking.

God doesn’t work upon us mechanically. God doesn’t force our wills. God doesn’t compel anyone against his will to believe the Gospel. He won’t violate our free will. There’s a beautiful illustration of this taken from a scene in the book of Revelation. It’s depicted in a famous painting of Jesus shown standing outside a closed door. He is shown knocking at the door, seeking to enter. But there’s no door-handle to use—it’s on the inside! It’s the responsibility of the resident to open the door, to exercise our choice of destiny. In that moment, belief in Jesus become a firm trust in Him. It’s the placing of our hope, our confidence, and our trust, in every respect in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is then we are able to sing:

“I stand upon the mount of God,

With sunlight in my soul;

I hear the storms in vales beneath,

I hear the thunders roll;

“But I am calm with Thee, my God,

Beneath these glorious skies;

And to the height on which I stand

Nor storms, nor clouds can rise.”

This is eternal life; and it is found when the soul come to God through Jesus Christ.

NEXT SUNDAY FROM MATTHEW 21 JESUS MAKES THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM ON PALM SUNDAY. ON MONDAY, PRIOR TO HIS DEATH ON FRIDAY, HE CLEANSES THE TEMPLE AND IS CHALLENGED BY THE HIGH PRIEST AND SCRIBES. A.V. DAUGHERTY 5-27-01

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