By Pastor Chuck Ryan.
All for Jesus
Mark 10:17-31
Thesis: God desires that we “love him with ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.”
- The young man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ (vs17b)
- This question raises the Biblical issue of “Faith vs Works” regarding the method of obtaining eternal life.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- God has a “work” to be done by every born-again child of His.
“For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
- You are born or adopted into a family but once you are in the family you are expected to work and carry your own load.
- “Goodness” in God’s definition can not be obtained through achievement.
- “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
- “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—(John 1:12)
- The rich young man was overconfident in his physical, mental, and economic abilities to do what was necessary to obtain “eternal life”.
- “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."
- “Jesus looked at him…”
- “Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” (Psalms 139:4)
- “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Luke 12:7)
- “Jesus loved him…”
“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.” (John 3:16)
- Jesus, even though he knew the young man appeared to have everything stated, “One thing you lack, Go sell everything you have and give to the poor.”
1.The young man’s wealth caused him to lack humility.
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (vs 25)
- Arrogance is the opposite of humility.
- This young man, like others, think they are “the smartest person in the room.”
“So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:4 NLT) (See last week’s sermon)
D, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth
(vs22)
- Money is not the only thing that can produce arrogance. Beware of power, position, and unchecked possession of knowledge.
- The Disciples were “amazed” by Jesus statement and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (vs26)
- Jesus revealed, “With man this is impossible but with God; all things are possible.
- You cannot out-give God. (see 9-31)
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