What one thing do you lack?
Mark 10:17-34
The Rich Young Ruler
We are now just four weeks away from Easter Sunday 2018. Easter happens to be on April 1st, April Fool’s Day. I kind of think that God the Father enjoys the irony in that one.
Satan really was a fool to think he could kill Jesus and keep Him dead. We’ll leave that for Easter.
Today I want to look at an encounter between Jesus and a “Rich Young Ruler”. Kind of like Jesus meets Mark Zuckerberg. At the age of 28 Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook and yes he is Jewish was raised Jewish and excelled in every way.
He was enrolled in Harvard and dropped out to pursue his Facebook business. They still gave him an honorary degree. His estimated worth is now 72.4 billion dollars and he is now the fourth wealthiest man in the United States and closing in on #3 Warren Buffett.
Mark is now 33 years of age but let’s imagine him at 28 approaching Jesus much like this “Rich Young Ruler” did in Mark Chapter 10.
This message is number two of seven as we look at seven key events in the seven weeks prior to the Passion of the Christ.
Last week the key event was the resurrection of Lazarus. That got everyone’s attention in a big way. This week we find Jesus still in Judea near the Jordan River teaching the crowds and demonstrating miracles.
This rich young man runs up to Jesus and kneels at Jesus feet while asking a question.
“Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Mark 10:17 KJV
I find it interesting how this man of substance approached Jesus and how he addressed Him. This very wealthy, very powerful young man has a significant measure of wisdom. He knows that Jesus is no ordinary teacher or master and so the word “Good” is used at the beginning of this salutation.
Jesus lets this rich young man know that the use of the word good should be reserved for God alone. Why call me good Jesus responds. Mark 10:18
In fact it seems Jesus is giving this rich young man an opportunity to reconsider using another word in his greeting.
The greeting says a lot about what this rich young man thinks of Jesus. He did not call Jesus, Messiah, or Lord, but did consider Jesus a good Rabbi.
I think that’s interesting don’t you?
This very wealthy young man did come on his knees and that says something significant. He was not without humility even though he possessed great social stature.
But wait. Is this a case of someone feigning humility?
“Humility is putting others first in thought, word, and deed. It resists the temptation to self-aggrandize. It's easy to feign interest in another person if there's something in it for you, like a job promotion or increased recognition.”
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/11/16/five-ways-to-tell-if-humility-is-real-or-fake.html
This young man lays his cards on the table as he asks his question.
“Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Mark 10:17 KJV
Here is a super wealthy young Jewish man who has come into his own. You might call him a self-made man. Maybe a billionaire by our standards yet this man who has or who can have literally anything he wants seems to want one thing – eternal life.
For some reason he thinks Jesus knows how or where to get it. I guarantee you this young man thought long and hard about putting this question to Jesus in just the right way.
Jesus addressed the first half of that salutation first the good part and then Jesus goes right into the - what part of “what must I do to inherit eternal life”?
This really seems like an odd question to get from a wealthy young Jewish man who has his world on a string. Jesus accommodates this young man with the very tried and true Bible answer. Obey the commandments and law of God. Mark 10:19
Immediately the young man lets Jesus know he is an obedient observer and practitioner of God’s law. Was this pride on the young man’s part or honesty?
We are not to judge. We do see that this young man is pleading a case.
You see in Jewish culture to be wealthy is to be blessed by God even if it was an inheritance or your own hard work it remains as a blessing from God and the conclusion was that God blesses the obedient, for God loves the obedient so therefore this young man must have been extremely obedient and therefore extremely loved by God.
Mark tells us that Jesus looked at him and loved him so that much is true. Mark 10:21
It may well be that this young man was a pious, God loving rich guy and that he was not feigning humility after all.
Right here folks I have to stop and offer a caveat; God is no respecter of persons.
Acts 10:34
Yes God does enrich some folks but again He has His reasons. Now as then some people think that rich people – even super rich people are disqualified from the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us that is not the case.
Jesus offers this young man the answer. The full answer. If you are reading this in the N.I.V. then you only get the half answer. You will have to read it in the K.J.V. to get the full answer.
Here it is…
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”
With all that this god-fearing young Jewish man had he lacked one thing. One thing that money cannot buy.
The cross. Notice that Jesus did not say take up your cross as He had said earlier in Mark 8:34, or as he had said it in Matthew 16:24, or in Luke 9:23
Jesus said “the cross” not a cross not his cross/your cross but “the cross”.
Saints what cross do you think Jesus was referring to?
That’s right “the cross” of salvation. You can have all the money and all the power and all the prestige in the world but if you do not have the blood of Jesus covering you from His cross then you do not have salvation.
Think of it friends what Jesus just offered this god-fearing wealthy young man?
I think he was offered an opportunity to have a front row seat at that cross because with every step Jesus was now taking He was stepping closer and closer to Golgotha and the cross of salvation, the cross of redemption, the cross of sacrifice.
Wow what an offer, what an opportunity to see first-hand the price of such a salvation and the wealth of God’s love for us.
Such an offer was beyond what this rich young man could afford for the Bible tells us “22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:22 KJV.
It was killing this young man to walk away from such an opportunity. He was grieved.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Then Jesus repeats it again…in case they didn’t hear Him.
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God.
Cross reference your NIV folks against your KJV again.
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Immediately the Disciples begin to think about their own situations and what they have given up to follow Jesus.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
We are going to that cross, that’s the reason all of you have followed…because you know the wealth of that cross you know the prestige of that cross and if you keep following you will see the power of the cross of Christ.
Don’t let a little thing like a financial fortune stand in the way of you and the cross of Jesus.
Follow Him.
Amen
