MARK 10:17-22
A SUPPLICATING SUPPLICANT
SUFFERS SHAME
I. THE SUPPLICANT: * MARK 10:17, 20
A. Show. Mark 10:17
B. Sincere. Mark 10:20
C. Successful. Mark 10:20
II. THE SAVIOUR: ** MARK 10:18, 19, 21
A. Seriousness. Mark 10:18
B. Scrutiny. Mark 10:19
C. Solicitude. Mark 10:21
III. THE SURPRISE: *** MARK 10:22
A. Sorrow.
B. Selfishness.
C. Sham.
There are some interesting things about this passage which make it very intriguing. These things include the facts that we know not the age, the name or the wealth of this person who comes to meet Jesus.
The scene before us is reported in a rather abrupt manner, which is the style of Mark. Suddenly we are confronted with a man coming out of no where running to meet Jesus, falling on his knees and begins worshiping the Master in the open air. It seems as if Jesus is not taken aback by this person but pauses and gives the man His full attention. We do not know if the man stayed on his knees while the two talked, but we do know that when the conversation was ended, the worshipper walked away and left Jesus with His disciples. As the scene before us draws to a close, we see this Supplicating Supplicant Suffering Shame and what great shame that was.
I see three things in this passage before us regarding this rich person and the Eternal Son of God. The first thing I note is in regard to THE SUPPLICANT. This is followed by THE SAVIOUR, who loved this person a great deal. Then, I see THE SURPRISE of how this whole scene closes. Taken together, these three entities teach us all something about our religion, our actions and our ultimate love in this world and in that which is to come.
* THE SUPPLICANT: Again, we are introduced to a person that remains nameless in the Scriptures. This is often the case-names were not important when meeting Christ. What is important is the inter change of ideas and words that the Master had with those whom He met. This man, this SUPPLICANT, meets Jesus and when the conversation ends, the worshipper walks away leaving Jesus.
I see that this man makes a great Show of his faith in front of Jesus and the disciples. Seeing Jesus away off, the man runs to meet Him. There is nothing wrong with running to meet the Master, I wish the world would run to meet Jesus instead of running away from Him.
Not only did this man come running to meet Jesus, he did something unashamedly: he knelt at the feet of the Master. This man was not so proud that he could not kneel in public at the feet of the Lowly Galilean. Again, I would to God that we had more people who were as humble as this worshipper and would kneel to Him in public as well as in private. There, in the open, this man, came running and then he knelt and the whole crowd saw him make his worship come alive in public. At first, one would have to say, “Wow! What dedication he had for Jesus.” At least this was what the man wanted people to say. Upon closer examination, one might be tempted to think a bit differently after Jesus had talked to him. It is such a shame that so many people worship Jesus in public but deny Him in private. The Church of Jesus Christ is full of these types of followers and we call them “hypocrites” and rightly so. Maybe, this man really was sincere, but at the last he walks away showing just how deep his faith was.
Since this man came in such a hurry to meet Jesus and then to fall at His feet, one would have to think the best of him. Yet how Sincere was he? According to the text, he admits that he was very Sincere in his devotion to the Law and the Prophets. He was a very good professing Jewish man. You would not catch Him breaking the Sabbath, nor would he be found guilty of lying, or telling false tales on someone. Likewise, he was a very good son to his father and mother. Wow!!! How religious this man was! All those that knew him could vouchsafe for his acts of piety and outward keeping of the Law of Moses. He would make any religious body proud to have him as one of its own, because he kept all the outward signs of his faith in tact and he practiced them regularly. “Right on young man, you go sir. You are a great example of what it means to be a religious man.” I am sure he probably heard accolades such as this from many a rabbi and fellow Jewish worshipper.
Not only did he keep these outward aspects of his religion in tact, but he readily admitted that by now they were second nature to him. He said that he had done these things about which Jesus had just spoken, but he has done so since he was a mere youth. He kept them for so long that by now, they were a part of his psyche. He was Successful in his outward religiosity.
It is no wonder that he went running to Jesus and knelt before Him. In his mind, he had a right to do so and by so doing, he could garner some more subtle approbations form the onlookers. After all, he was used to having others pass judgment on his religiosity-he had done it so long. And, if he could get Jesus to compliment him on just how “holy” he was, well that would certainly make him the “cock of the walk.”
** THE SAVIOUR: Oh, how I wish I could be like Jesus in so many areas of life and this is one of these areas where I would be as astute as He was. But, alas, I am not and I fall victim of not seeing the entire picture at once like He did. Only, as time comes and goes then-sometimes-I see the real hypocrite and wonder why I did not see the signs a long time ago.
The first words that came from the mouth of our Lord was a rebuke to this man. Previously, the rich man called Jesus “Good.” This seems to be a clear affirmation of this man’s thoughts about who Jesus was-He was good. And so, as it reads, this man is paying Jesus a fine compliment when he called Jesus, “Good.” But, the text seems to imply that Jesus was not “good as a mere mortal” only God was/is “Good.” He tells the man, ‘You called me ‘good’ but I am not ‘good’ only God is ‘good.’”
Why did Jesus say this? Was not He “good” also? The answer lies in the thoughts of the man who was kneeling before Jesus. When he exclaimed that Jesus was good, he was not really honoring the Master at all. He was merely saying this for the sake of the crowd and the people would have to give him another compliment on how he was able to worship Jesus with just the right words. When he called Jesus, “Good” and when Jesus answered him as He did, the Master was simply saying-and which the man caught, “Sir, may I remind you, that I am God and I am good and I know your heart. You are not playing any games with Me at My expense. You may have “buffaloed” your way through life up until now and fooled the people with your outward show of Piety, but let me remind you, I am God and I know your heart and there is nothing hid to my eyes-I know your heart. I, as God, am indeed Good.”
The Seriousness of Jesus struck this man to the quick. There would now be no more mere playing righteousness to Jesus. This man came for a show and Jesus took charge of the situation. Through out the rest of the encounter, this man was on the defensive and he knew there would be no more acting by him. Oh, I love our Lord. He was a man’s man. He sized up every situation and He always took control. He never danced to anyone’s tune. Every one did His dance or they danced alone. Jesus knew what was in this man’s heart, and He was going to expose him in front of all. This man came to humiliate Jesus, and He turned the tables real quickly. May that always be remembered. We may hide-even for years-our hearts, but if we go to Jesus, He will expose them and we will be embarrassed at what He reveals to us, which is in our hearts. That is why it is best to have our sins cleansed and our heart made anew, this side of eternity, because one day He will expose all men’s hearts and intents.
Next, I see the Scrutiny of Jesus as He began to expose this man’s hypocrisy to himself and to others.
First of all, Jesus casually asked him about his keeping of the Law, specifically the Ten Commandments. No problem here-this man was home free on all of the ones about which Jesus asked. As a side line, keeping these commandments did not guarantee this man’s salvation, and to those who have the erroneous view that they can abide by keeping the Ten Commandments and make it to Heaven, need to see that Jesus thought differently. One by one, the Master ticked off the commandments which related to inter-personal dealings with others. One can almost hear this man exclaim, “I got You beat on this one, Jesus, I have kept this one since I was a youth-I am okay, Next?”
The Scrutiny of Jesus was just starting, and He knew where He would end; however, this shameless man did not know where Jesus was going and he wound up in his own trap set by the Master. The man won the round of close Scrutiny, but Jesus was not done with His probing yet. Remember how this man came to Jesus-would he return as he came?
Then, quickly, the Master shifted gears on this man and spoke about His Solicitude concerning the man’s heart and his real worship now and what it had been since he was a youth. In spite of the fact that this man came running to Jesus and kneeled before Him as a show, Jesus stilled loved him. To think, about all the times that I have embarrassed Jesus and He still loves me!!! When I think of all the times that I inadvertently shamed my Jesus and yet, He still looks on me and loves me!!! I cannot comprehend such love. Neither could this man comprehend the love of Jesus. This man came for a show, literally came to mock Jesus, and yet He loved him. What love.
Jesus had by now let the man know that what he had been doing was good, but not good enough and what Jesus was now about to say would completely rattle this man, because underneath all of his outward show of holiness, and right living, there was a greedy heart that made its god-money.
Out of nowhere, Jesus began to talk about money, laying away treasures in Heaven, and having right concepts regarding the love of money. No one else knew why Jesus was talking this way-no one except the man before Jesus. The Master was deeply concerned, so very Solicitous about this man’s future estate, that He broached the only part of his life where God was not in control-his money. Here was the real heart of this man. All the outward show of piety and right living evaporated in the withering light of Jesus’ expose over the real god of this man-his money and his riches.
There had to be a tense moment at this point of the encounter. One can almost see the shock on this man’s face and to feel the tension mount as this worshipper knew he was exposed for who he really was, a hypocrite. All of his past, all of the accolades he might have garnered for his religiosity, all of the admiration he garnered because he was so “holy” had just evaporated into thin air. The man must have thought about these things for a moment which probably seemed like a life time to him, but then he decided the cost was too great to surrender to Jesus-he left Him.
How typical this man is of the many who come to Jesus, trying to get His approval over anything but that which they refuse to surrender to Him! Then after counting the cost, they walk away form the Master regardless of what it ultimately costs them. Not only did he walk away-he walked away sadly. This departure of him was so different than the meeting he just conducted with Jesus. In place of the applause of the onlookers, he left with their worries and concerns over his future and his state of being. He walked away sadly. One has to wonder if his money was as valuable to him after this encounter with Jesus as it was before he came running to Him.
*** THE SURPRISE: The surprise to the ending of this meeting really took everybody off guard. As the man made such a great show of reverence, one would suspect that the story would end on a high note. This was not what happened. Indeed the opposite was what unfolded before everyone’s eyes. As the crowd watched in silence, the man slowly arose and departed from Jesus. What a shocker! The Bible not only tells us that he left Jesus but it describes his leaving with a graphic detail.
This man left in Sorrow. He left in in this state due to his great wealth. Jesus had just told him the only way to Heaven-for him-and that was not what the man wanted to hear. Oh, if only Jesus would have exclaimed how great he was and how fortunate everyone was to have such a man in one’s midst, he would have been pleased as punch, but not Jesus. He zeroed in on the man’s problem and the man could not part with his money-he left in Sorrow.
It would be interesting to know, in today’s terms, just how much that man had. Yet, the outcome would still be the same. Wealth and riches are all relevant to the ones who posses them. What might be wealth to one might be near poverty to someone else. It is all in the owner’s mind what is wealth.
One day, a news reporter asked Mr. Rockefeller, “How much money does it take to satisfy a rich man?” Old J. D. shot back the answer, “Just a little bit more.” Wealth, great money or just a little, seems to posses the soul of its owner. It did here and the man walked away in Sorrow because he could not part with the god of mammon.
Not only was this a shocker for the people who were looking on in earnest, but another surprise was that suddenly this man was exposed as being very Selfish. He no doubt gave some money to the Synagogue in his times of worship. Why, he even might have helped some poor people along his journey of living a “holy” life. Who knows, he might have started a local charity drive, or been a chairman of a worthwhile community outreach to help the destitute. Maybe he even heard accolades about his generosity and how he gave, we just do not know. But when Jesus began to talk to him about that which possessed him and not the other way around, he left and suddenly he was exposed as one who was very, very selfish. Serving Jesus opens the pocket book of the believer. This man kept his wallet in his robe and his bank account in tack at the local bank; he walked away with a downcast face. He was to the core, a very selfish person. It is no wonder that Jesus was recorded as having a love for this man. He knew the inner thinking of His worshipper and knew that money-not Christ-was his god and Jesus knew this man was selfish and would soon expose his true self.
Lastly, this man’s greatest surprise was that his religion and deeds were a Sham. Abraham Lincoln once said, “You can fool some of the people some of the time and you can fool most of the people most of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” Sooner or later, the truth will come out. When a boy, I heard the old timers say, when talking about the people who shouted out loud in church, “It is not how far one can jump up and down with shouts, it is how straight the path they walk once the shouting stops.” I have to agree. Far too many people treat religion as something they can turn off and turn on; their religion is just like this man’s was, a Sham. It was all play acting. No, he never viewed this as such. I believe the man really believed in his relationship with God, but all of that changed when Jesus exposed his inner self to him and he walked away very sorrowfully.
No wonder the crowd was SURPRISED. This man came running to Jesus, he knelt in worship and all thought highly of him. Yet when Jesus turned on the search light of Heaven, the man could not stand the glare of the truth and walked away sorrowfully because he was rich.
As I conclude my sermon, I have to ask myself about my walk with God. Are there areas of open display to all about my faith and love for Christ while I cover up the inner man, hoping no one sees me for who I am? If Christ would come to my door and talk with me tonight, would He walk away with great sorrow because I could not surrender to Him what He wants? This man could not, would not, surrender to Jesus what He wanted and He left Jesus with His disciples. No, Jesus did not want the man’s money turned over to Him, not Christ. My Bible says that God owns the cattle on the thousand hills and Christ had no need of this man‘s wealth, He needed this man’s heart. He certainly does not need my money-he needs my heart, my will, my all.
This man clung to something that would soon be left to another and he would die with his greed clinging to his heart, dragging him down to a devil’s hell. Jesus did not ask for one cent-He asked for his heart. He would ask the same of me tonight if He came to my door. What would I give up for Him that I have not already surrendered to Him? I do not have the answer, but all I can say is what the song writer wrote years ago, “All for Jesus, all for Jesus.” That is what Jesus wanted then and still does.
What say ye to His demand?
