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READ: Mark 10:17
CHALLENGE: TRUST GOD FOR SALVATION
Who can be saved? This entire passage is about eternal life.
Vv26-27 – The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Saved means to have your sins forgiven and a home in heaven. It’s to enter a place of peace where God’s presence exists. It’s as beyond our fathoming as is the physical universe. With man, salvation is impossible, but with God all things are possible. That means there is NO salvation apart from God. This is the gist of the passage and the context.
Read Ecclesiastes – you can’t figure out life without God – we absolutely need him.
V17 – As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Let’s view Jesus for a moment. I do appreciate the man’s approach because it’s reverent. He is running to Jesus and falling on his knees. I see humility in his posture before Christ. You are a good teacher – this is a polite thing that they would say to a respected rabbi. Now, he has in mind any human person and Jesus says, “Why do you call me good”. Only God is good and Jesus is that.
Jesus challenges the notion that a human can be good enough to earn salvation. The man still asks a fantastic question – how do I inherit eternal life? We will seek to answer that today.
- ABANDON SENSLESS SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Vv17-18 – Then he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
Jesus will demolish any notion of self sufficiency. If you’re looking to yourself for your salvation, you’re looking to the wrong place. This would be like trying to be your own life preserver! You’re the one in the water, the life jacket is something else outside of you. This is salvation. It’s not internal to you, it’s external.
- I Can Be Good Enough
What must I do to inherit eternal life. The purpose for his activity is to gain entrance into heaven. Tell me what to do and how to do it and I’ll go earn it. This is not a bad thought because the man wants to be in heaven and who doesn’t? But he is asking what he needs to do in order to make that happen! Tell me how I can build my own path. Lord, I want to build my own personal Tower of Babel so that I can climb my way to heaven. Perhaps even buy a stairway to heaven. What must I do?
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
It is by grace are we saved – it’s not from yourselves, it’s freely given. Jesus will demonstrate that you cannot earn it. Getting to heaven via your own works would require absolute perfection which is absolutely impossible.
Jesus isn’t interested in debating his sinless nature. He wants the man to realize that humans are not God or good like God. ONLY GOD IS GOOD! No one else. This is all about being good enough.
Jesus points out that no one is good. No one.
Romans 3:10-12 – As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
This doctrine doesn’t teach that everyone is as bad as they could be. It just recognizes a sin nature or propensity to do the wrong thing. And this is something we have to wrestle through.
- I Can Possess It
It’s almost a seeming oxymoron. What can I do to inherit it? What will my children need to do to receive an inheritance someday? Nothing. They’re my children so it’s not about them doing anything at all. Correct?
The Jews saw the land as their inheritance. They would have an allotment within the land kind of how we view heaven. Jesus goes ahead for us and in his Father’s house are many rooms. He’s running to Jesus to find out how he can possess eternal life as if it’s a commodity. As if a transaction where the right behaviors will buy you a ticket. As opposed to Jesus being the source.
He was working for it like Jacob did for Rachel. I want to marry Rachel and I’ll work seven years to make that happen in my life. She will be mine. He wanted to earn the kingdom. Leave it to the rich to think that they could buy heaven like one might buy a farm.
It’s impossible for us to possess it. How much money do I have to give to get to the other side of the universe? Money could never get you there. How much training do I have to do to swim down to the Titanic. You can’t. What you’re asking about is not something you can do. Or possess.
How much to buy the White House? It’s not for sale and neither is heaven.
- I’m Not that Bad
Vv19-20 – You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus walks him through most of the relational side of the 10 Commandments. The first 4 are God related and not mentioned here. No other gods, no idols, don’t take his name in vain, keep the sabbath holy. With this man, Jesus focuses on the community side of the 10 Commandments. He hits on murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, do not defraud, honor your mother and father.
He says that I’ve kept all of these since I was a boy! If you look at the technical side. It’s not hard to not kill people, on most days any way. You can avoid adultery. You can avoid ripping people off. You can avoid bearing false witness. You can honor your parents. Oh yeah, I’m so there.
I’ve heard people say that they’re not as bad as someone else or that they’ve never robbed a bank or killed anyone. You’re on rarified territory now. I mean, almost everyone I know is NOT a murderer or bank robber. This guy needs to hear the Sermon on the Mount and he would realize how far short we fall. Jesus talks about the heart where anger, hate, envy, lust, and greed all hang out.
I’m super interested in the do not defraud your neighbor because it’s not one of the 10 Commandments. Was this man guilty of cheating people? It literally means to defraud, cheat, steal; deprive, deny, withhold. This could include withholding wages or cheating workers or not paying bills or not honoring contracts or not delivering on services. There are any number of ways in which one could defraud a person.
If you misrepresent the value of something, that would be defrauding. If I were to run jewelry marked .925 which is sterling through an auction when I knew a magnet stuck to it, that’s dishonest because I magnet doesn’t stick to silver. I would tell the auctioneer that. I would never want someone buying it and thinking it was real and especially if I already knew that it was not.
This is a simple treat people the way you want to be treated. There has to be a reason that Jesus threw this one in there! Perhaps his wealth came at the expense of other people. And that would be a problem.
James 5:4-6 – Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
True religion is to take care of the orphans and widows. Did he? Was he really keeping the law? Was he really helping the poor?
He said that he had kept the commandments since he was a boy. Jesus is about to show him that he is not perfect.
Here’s a problem with the thinking. Good works don’t erase a person’s sin. If you have an ink stain, you cannot take it off with a chalk eraser. The same is true of sin. Your good works is not the eraser for sin. If you robbed a bank, you can’t take your good works and try to atone for it. You’ll do the time.
Self-Reliance is a huge detriment to coming to Christ.
(Trans.) How do I inherit eternal life?
- OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES TO SALVATION
Vv21-22 – Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
- Difficulty of Surrender
Jesus loved him and he told him the truth. Sell all and give to the poor and have treasure in heaven. Follow me. Give up the now for then and follow me.
The one commandment that Jesus did not mention was the commandment not to envy. Greed was still a thing. He doesn’t even try to broker a deal. He doesn’t even barter. He just walks away because it’s too radical. He’s not going to give all to gain all. He’s clinging too tightly.
Can you imagine being in his shoes? How difficult this would be? The man came to Jesus thinking that he had done enough good to get into heaven. Jesus said that that would require a price that no one is truly willing to pay. Perfection. Absolute surrender of all things. It’s an impossible scenario.
The man walked away dismayed and this is the point. You can’t work your way to heaven. You cannot earn it. It is humanly impossible but Jesus did honestly answer the question.
What would Jesus say to us? For us, riches might not be holding us back. What might he say? Perhaps we talk too much. Perhaps our sin might be in our words and Jesus would say, “I want you to give up talking”. What?! Oh, you don’t want to really stop do you?
What if it was procrastination and wasting time. What if Jesus said, “I never want you to watch another television program again”. I never want you to watch another football game ever. What? But I love it.
Do we really want to surrender? What would we be willing to surrender in order to have Christ? What are we holding onto? What can’t we let go of? Is there some glaring thing that has become higher or more important than God?
An unconfessed sin? Fear? The disciples dropped their nets. The tax collectors left tax collecting. Zaccheus stopped stealing. There was some repentance that had to take place. The man was full of greed and he would need to repent of that first. And then he could follow.
- Blinder of Affluence
Vv23-27
Proverbs talks about it. Affluence can cause you to be independent of God. Money is not the root of all evil but the love of it certainly is.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 – Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
If you have affluence, you have everything and you tend to think you’re fine without God. Ecclesiastes says that to truly enjoy life, we need God!
There’s nothing wrong with money or having it. There’s never a command to not be rich. But being right in good deeds and generosity is important. Just share.
- The Lure of Busyness
There’s a busyness that comes American life. We get caught up in the schedules and deadlines and commitments. And in the busyness is a distraction for the saved and unsaved alike. We are like a bullet shot through time.
We go from one thing to the next like bees to flowers. You see bees this time of year and they are constantly moving and busying themselves. Then you add in fun things, games, travels, get togethers, birthday parties, social gatherings, reverse raffles, fall clean up, mowing, projects, on and on. It’s harried.
This life is an endless river of tasks and deadlines. Then, we are addicted to our phones and binge Netflix series. When do we every look up? It says in the Bible that the heavens declare the glory of God. It’s always true. If we’re looking.
My grandson is collecting leaves lately. Big leaves. Red ones and yellow ones and pretty much any leaf. I try to teach him a little discernment but they are all important. But if you’re really putting a leaf collection together, let’s get the ones that look really good.
Let’s think through life and spend some time with God.
- Fear of What Might Be Asked
V24 – Camel to go through the eye of the needle
The camel will get down on its knees to have to go through a tight gate and it was difficult. Jesus said to follow me and that can be difficult. What might change if we do? Do we really want to change?
Stop thinking about what God might ask you to give up and start thinking about what you’re willing to gain. Heaven is a great gain. So is happiness. So is wisdom. So is peace. It’s all great.
Doing the right thing is a sacrifice but it’s a gain as well. Many of us know of sacrifice because we give up nights in the week. We give up parts of ourselves in service. The sacrifices that we make to follow Jesus can be profound. However, there’s no greater life that that.
People fear that they may have to give up something sinful that they consider fun. Give it up and you’ll have even more fun!
I remember a man telling me that Christians have no fun. I said, give me time and I’ll have all kinds of fun with it that doesn’t include immorality or drunkenness or drugs. One man wanted to fix his marriage but would not give up what was hurting it. And that’s foolish.
Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”
Throw off what is hindering you. Get rid of it. And if it’s too big – call someone. Get help. Get accountability. And what I gain is so much more. It’s so much better.
- COMPLETELY TRUST IN GOD
V27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.
How can I inherit eternal life? All things are possible with God. We need Him! In trials we need God. For wisdom we need God. For guidance we need God. To enjoy life we need God
Part of the relevance of the passage is to point the people back to God. We tend to be self-reliant. I’m sure I am at points. You make decisions. You don’t per se pray about it. You might tend to figure things out on your own and I get that. God gave us a brain and leads us a long.
However, we don’t want to live a life of independence from God. We want to be dependent.
It starts with salvation. I’m dependent on him. As I am for all things.
John 3:14-17 – Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
One thing that I really like about this is that it helps the person who has sinned. If Jesus did not correct this rich man, we’d all have to be concerned. I’ve spoken with people who have done a lot of bad and they know it. How would they ever be able to find heaven? If it’s about keeping every law from your youth, that would leave a lot of people out.
Jesus isn’t leaving people out. He’s including them.
We are sinners and that impacts us in our interests, selfishness, and a host of other things. I am not perfect enough. Our lives were not meant to be lived apart from God. Are you relying on yourself or God.
Abandon Self-Sufficiency / Overcome the Obstacles to Salvation / Trust in Him.