Mark 10:13-34
How do we get eternal life? How do we get in the right with God? How can we live forever, in paradise? Is there something that I can do now which will guarantee a glorious future, a future of hope and light and power and LIFE?
Good questions. Important questions. And questions with a surprising answer.
You could not get two more different people being compared in this chapter. The rich man – powerful, self-reliant, wealthy, successful, top of society – and the young children brought to Jesus – no power, no status, needing to be fed and clothed and taken places, no power – the disciples shoo them away, and, in those days, the bottom of society.
One comes to Jesus offering Jesus everything. He’s moral, upright, law-abiding, rich, skilled, a man of men. But he goes away sad. Because he will not bow the knee to Jesus.
The child comes offering nothing. And he is blessed by Jesus, taken up in his arms.
Chapter 8 to 16 of Mark is Jesus’ training session with his disciples, teaching them what this new kingdom of God looks like, the kingdom that Jesus is now establishing. And how they are to behave as his people, particularly as leaders. And it is shockingly hard. The standard of holiness is God. The requirement is perfection. Leadership is service. Greatness is humility. And we are to bring… nothing. We must be like little children, just receive and accept whatever God gives us
Tonight:
Only children can be saved
Good people can’t be saved
Only Jesus can save
1. Only “children” can be saved
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.
We’ve seen so far that Christian leaders lead by serving, not ordering people around. The disciples still hadn’t learnt this lesson – they were shooing the kids away.
Christian leaders see all people equally – no-one is excluded from the kingdom. The disciples hadn’t learnt that lesson either.
Christians guard their lives carefully, striving to obey Jesus, so as not to lead others astray. We’ll see the disciples did not guard their lives and so fell away from Jesus when they should have stood by him.
Christians pray “help me in my unbelief”, dependant on Jesus instead of arrogant self-sufficiency like the Pharisees. What were the disciples arguing about a few weeks back: who’s the greatest! (9:34)
But the most important lesson is this: Christians and Christian leaders depend on grace, grace alone, for their relationship with God. Because we will fail and fall, just like the disciples. And yet God will keep forgiving us, keep persevering (keeping on) with us, just like Jesus with his disciples.
Jesus teaches with a visual demonstration that brings home that message. We live by grace – God’s undeserved favour. It’s a gift. WE bring nothing. We are like children. Independence and self-righteousness, depending on your own goodness for salvation, like the rich young ruler, doesn’t cut it. Dependence, helplessness, simple trust, faith, like a child – these are the marks of a Christian.
This passage is not about children, but about Christians! If you doubt that, have a look at verse 24, what Jesus calls his disciples: 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God
It is not about children being innocent. Much rubbish has been spoken about these verses by people ripping them out of context, and ignore the rest of the Bible’s teaching on sin. They say “Children are innocent”. Jesus addressed that nonsense back in chapter 7: sin comes from our hearts, inside, not from outside influences. We’re born with it. It doesn’t enter us at age 12.
Anyone with children will know they are not innocent. The Bible tells us time and time again that we are born sinful, born as rebels against God, because we inherit that state from our parents, all the way back to Adam. We are born wanting to be God, independent, determining our own path, deciding for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.
This idea that children are innocent has had tragic consequences: people have stopped telling the gospel to children. Parents aren’t raising their children in the light of the gospel. Children, like adults, need to be told to repent of their sins and accept Christ. Because without Christ no-one gets to heaven, no matter what age you are. It is unbiblical nonsense to believe that because Jesus accepts the little children and blesses them, then if you’re under the age of 12 you go to heaven. If that was the case, the most loving thing we could do is kill every child under the age of 12 to make sure they go to heaven! Jesus was teaching the disciples to take the message of the Gospel to everyone, even children – not telling them that children are innocent, no need to bother with them, and if they die, hey no problem!
I mean, how would you even raise children without the gospel? Because kids understand sin and grace much better than we adults do. They struggle continually with their sinful behaviour – they’re not so sophisticated at hiding their sin and justifying themselves. They’re not so good at lying to themselves and pulling the wool over their own eyes! They know their own sin. And then we say they’re innocent, good. It is a lie. And they know it’s a lie because they know themselves. It is a lie with no hope. And so they reject Jesus, believing him to be a fool. Please, keep telling children the gospel! Do not be like the disciples, hindering the children from coming to Jesus. For Jesus will terrify you in his anger: it would be better for [you] if a great millstone were hung around [your] neck and [you] were thrown into the sea.
Tell them the truth. Call sin sin. Show that their behaviour reveals the rebellion in their heart. Help them understand their desires to control, to boss people around, to do what they want, their anger when they can’t be God in people’s lives. Help them know themselves. They need the truth as much as adults do. And then please offer them the wonderful news of the gospel – Jesus has dealt with their problem of sin.
I can tell you story after story of times I have sat with my kids, tears streaming down their face, as they cry and cry about their inability to stop being naughty, to stop sinning. “I don’t want to be like this”. They know! They know the pain of sin. What a horrible father I would be if I lied to them then and said “no, no, you’re good, you’re innocent”. That’s horrible because it’s saying to them “try harder, do better”. You’re failing because you’re not good enough. That’s religion. That’s moralism. And that cannot save. Instead I tell them that their heart is bent, that deep down they hate God, just like me, and that leaks out all over the place – but that Jesus has come to deal with that problem, that he forgives them, that he can wash away their sin and mine, that he loves them, and can hold them in his arms and bless them. And there is the power of eternal life!
We are to be like children, not innocent, but dependant, coming to Jesus with empty hands, coming as we are. Because 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
How do you see yourself before God? Do you come to him as a good father, expectantly? Or do you see him as a harsh judge, someone to manipulate or placate with your good works? Does your relationship with him go up and down depending on your performance, how “good” you’ve been today?
No. If you are a Christian, then you are a child of God. That is who you are. And that never changes.
Only children can be saved.
2. Good people can’t be saved
20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”
From the bottom of society, the helpless, dependent children, to the rich man, the pinnacle of society. He has power. He has money. He’s a mover and a shaker. To the first century Jew riches were a blessing from God for being good. Riches meant goodness. And he is a good man, following the Law, a moral man, outwardly a great success. Surely God would be pleased with this man?
But Jesus’ first words expose his heart problem. 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.”
This man thinks people can be good enough for God. He thinks that he is good. And he sees that Jesus is a good man like him. So he flatters Jesus “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life”. Oh, it’s a good question, asked of the right person, but there’s a flaw. Good teacher, what must I do? He is self-righteous. And I think he secretly thought Jesus would say “oh, you are so good, you’re fine. Well done!”
But Jesus says “only God is good.” When we’re talking about God, and knowing God, good does not mean good. Good means utterly perfect. Holy, without spot or blemish. Shining, painfully bright perfection. Only God is good.
But the man doesn’t get the hint. So Jesus quotes some of the Ten Commandments to him.
Now those of you coming to the Bible Study should know the purpose of the Law. The Law shows us our sin. We read God’s word and we’re like oh no! I need help! It makes us realise our dependence. The Law was not there, was never there, to be a checklist to impress God (or worse, a checklist to then say to God hey you owe me salvation) Galatians 3:10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
But the man is so in love with himself he doesn’t understand. 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
And maybe he has. Maybe he’s a fantastic guy. But like an alarm bell in his head should have been this: why didn’t Jesus quote the first four commands – all those to do with relating to God.
This man’s problem is that he is outwardly good but his heart far from God. He is self-sufficient. He can say the right words and play the part, but at the end of the day he saves himself: it is his actions, his words, his goodness that counts, that gets him all the way to paradise. He does not consider himself helpless, like a child. He does not cry out “help me in my unbelief”. Instead he says “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”. I did it. I achieved it. God, you owe me salvation.
Indeed.
Who is God then if you are ordering God around, making God do things because you’ve pushed the right spiritual buttons.
This whole charade with Jesus is to justify himself. HE wanted Jesus to say “well done, you’ve done it, what a great guy you are.”
But, instead, Jesus loves him, and gives him a command that is impossible, that will make him dependent. A command that costs. Sell all that you have and follow me.
The man’s security was found in his wealth, his power, his prestige. His “goodness” was based on his abundance, living the good life. Give up your false security, says Jesus, and have faith in me – follow me.
The demand is stark. This man trusts in himself, follows his own path. Jesus demands that he trust in Jesus, and follow Jesus. He’s calling him to obey the commandments he didn’t quote: to have no other gods before him, to stop worshipping idols, to honour his name-
And the man goes away… sad. Good people cannot be saved because they cannot see their need for salvation.
“Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
We are in severe danger in Norway: Our wealth blinds us to our need for God. Our self-sufficiency leads us away from him. Our Christian morals leads us to self-righteousness.
26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible.
What are you trusting in? Is it yourself. Your own abilities. When you go to bed at night do you feel good or bad depending on what you’ve done during the day? Do you feel far away or near to God depending on your performance? Beware! Because you may be trusting in yourself rather than the free grace of Jesus.
And you are forgetting that you are a sinner. You are a law-breaker by nature, at your very core. You cannot satisfy the perfection of a great and holy and good God, not even as a Christian. No-one is good but God alone. There is great freedom in realising we are incapable of doing any good on our own! I can’t do it. Yippee, Jesus has doen it for me and I am free! SO let us repent now, stop trusting in our earthly riches, and follow Jesus!
Good people cannot be saved.
3. Only Jesus can save
Thankfully verse 27 does not end there where I ended it. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.
How is it possible. Only through Jesus. Jesus is about to achieve the impossible. He, the only good man, is walking towards Jerusalem, towards his death. 32 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Why is he going to Jerusalem? DOesn’t he know what they will do to him? Yes he does, he who is the first, the top, the best, the good - will become last, a sinner. He will pay the punishment our sins deserve – all of our sins, even those we haven’t committed yet – by being “betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”
Jesus, who is first, will be last, in order to make us who are last, outside, banished, first, inside, children of the Living God.
And it is a gift of love, a free, undeserved gift. Peter’s self-righteous claim in verse 28 “hey, we’ve followed you” is cut short by Jesus. “Please, you can’t out-give God!” is what he’s saying in v29-30. It is an undeserved, free gift. Your own abilities do not save you – in fact, they can lead you away from God. Come like a child, helpless, dependent, before the feet of Jesus, crying out “I believe! Help me in my unbelief!”
Isn’t the gospel amazing? Isn’t it just the most wonderful news you’ve ever heard? Isn’t this something we just want to run out and tell people? New life! New life! And given as a free gift! The price has been paid. Come as you are, and receive. Jesus can save. Only Jesus can save. But, boy, can Jesus save! Anyone, any place, anytime. Perhaps you, right now. Come as a child and say “Daddy, please let me be yours”.
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar