A Young Man’s Question”
Third message in the series: “Conversations With Christ”
Mark 10:17-31
LET’S LOOK AT OUR TEXT:
17 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?"
18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-- except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: ’Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’"
20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21 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.
I have often thought this the most tragic of conversations Jesus
ever had.
Just think about it…
How many people that you read about in the Gospels did Jesus personally invite to “Follow Him?”
There were not very many.
The ones who did are household names today.
We don’t know this young man’s name.
Here, we find young man being invited by the Son of God to “Follow Him” turning Him down.
Wow, knowing what we know today…that was a big mistake!
He walked away from the ride of a lifetime. He walked away from amazing possibilities.
The issue, apparently, was the part about selling everything he had and giving it to the poor.
I think most of us would have a problem with that too.
Jesus’ disciples had a problem with it. Look at the rest of the text:
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24 The disciples were amazed (thambeo – stupified) at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26 The disciples were even more (super-abundantly) amazed (thambeo - stupified), and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
I think Jesus’ guys thought he was a little hard on the kid
stupify: “to cause utter consternation”
consternation: “to alarm and dismay”
dismay: “to experience misgivings”
misgivings: “to anticipate failure”
I think the disciples heard Jesus require something of that young man that they were unwilling to do themselves.
Jesus knew where they were going with this so He adds:
27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
Thank God for Peter with his bad case of Foot-in-mouth disease!
I think we can often identify with him when he would speak
up to Jesus.
It’s as though he is saying; “Good grief Jesus, what do you
want from us. Haven’t we all given enough to follow you?
Sometimes, for us, the call of Christ seems simply out of the question.
How could I possibly give up what He is asking me for?
Listen to the Lord’s response to Peter;
29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-- and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Jesus responds with a promise and what sounds like a riddle.
The promise implies that any sacrifice one would make in following Christ will pale in comparison to the blessings that will follow because of the sacrifices.
The mysterious statement “The first will be last and the last first” challenges the world system and introduces a kingdom value.
We live in a “me first” time.
“Me, myself and I” seems to occupy the thinking of most everyone around us.
A book whose title I will mention later offers these suggestions:
"Think about yourself. Talk about yourself. Use "I" as often as possible. Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others. Listen greedily to what people say about you. Expect to be appreciated. Be suspicious. Be jealous and envious. Be sensitive to slights. Never forgive a criticism. Trust nobody but yourself. Insist on consideration and respect. Demand agreement with your own views on everything. Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them. Never forget a service you have rendered. Shirk your duties if you can. Do as little as possible for others." Oh, the title of the book; “How To Be Miserable”
Jesus is saying; “The Kingdom of God – where I’m inviting you to live your life everyday – isn’t like that.
He says that if we can learn to put ourselves in last place more often…we will actually – in the end – wind up on top.
That takes us back to verse 27:
“Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
There you go!
We just can’t do this sort of thing in our own strength…it’s unnatural!
Now, let’s not be too hard on this young man:
· He’s sincere in his questions
· He is a decent and upstanding
· He’s respectful, even humble
But, Jesus saw something in his heart…
You have heard me say this before:
“The Lord is not so interested in what we have as He is what has us.”
· The scriptures tell us: “God looks on the heart.”
· The scripture says: “There is nothing that is hidden from God.”
· Proverbs 23:7: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
The Lord invites each and every one of us to follow Him:
Follow Him as savior
Follow Him as healer
Follow Him as deliverer
Follow Him as counselor
Follow Him as Lord and King
Follow Him as ministering people
It is an ever unfolding process.
Here is a letter an employment agency wrote to Jesus 2000 years ago that I somehow got my hands on:
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.
The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully.
As part of our service, we make some general comments for your guidance, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation, and comes without any additional fee.
It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.
One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new venture. Sincerely,
· Jesus saw His disciples through different eyes.
Jesus sees great possibilities in partnering with each one of us.
He says: “Come follow me…”
For each and every one of us the response will be different.
God has a unique plan for each one of us, but it does involve… being a follower.
Following isn’t always the easiest way to go…
Dr. Steven. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst.
To her surprise, she received this letter from the college:
"Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower."
What does the Lord see in my heart when I come asking His blessings?
Ready to follow…or only willing to lead…
I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP – That’s what this fellows hadpassed on.
Disciple: follower (Websters)
Disciple-maker: Teaching someone to do what you do. Basically the same way you do it.
I ask leaders all over the world…look behind you…is anyone following you?
I ask this question because of my working definition of a leader:
“A leader is someone who is being followed.”
LET ME SHARE WITH YOU MY DISCIPLE-MAKING STRATEGY: (SLIDE OF CONCENTRIC DOUGHBOYS)
Discipleship is spiritual reproduction.
· Reproduction as a human being – my children/Grandchildren
· Reproduction as a child of God – preaching/witness
· Reproduction as a man of God – mentoring
· Reproduction as a leader (Gift) – mentoring/training
· Reproduction as a pastor (Calling) – mentoring/Institute
I want to take this opportunity for allowing me to speak into your life at one or more of these levels.
I believe each of us should have a strategy like this.
Let me talk to you about the pastoral (Calling) reproduction level of my strategy.
Draw attention to brochure and Institute Slide Show
· Finally: Let’s remember that the Lord invites us all to follow Him…it is only the things in our heart that hold us back.
· Perhaps NOW would be the time to give Him those things.
· At what point are you in the process (Savior to Minister – Disciple to Disciple-Maker)
· What holds us back from following His voice and moving forward…
Mark 8:34-35
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross (implication – self denial) and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
