Sunday, January 25, 2015 New Heights Christian Church, Kent, WA Micah Adamson

Sunday, January 25, 2015 – New Heights Christian Church, Kent, WA – Micah Adamson

Mark 10–Jesus on how to be saved

(Have treasure in Heaven/Enter the Kingdom of God/Inherit Eternal life in the Age to come/See)

Mark 10:26(NIV84)The disciples were… amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Introduction:

Mark is a passion week narrative with a long introduction, Mark 10 is the end of the introduction.
Mark 1-10 = 3 Years of ministry
Mark 11-16 = 8 Days of the passion week (Sunday-Sunday)
Peter is telling us that the disciples can see dimly and almost get Jesus at this time in the story:
Mark 1-8: They know now Jesus is the Christ/Messiah/Anointed One/Coming King.
Mark 9-16: They just don't know what being the Christ means.
They expect a king who will conquer and rule (Ps. 2, Is. 9), not one who will suffer and serve (Ps. 22, Is. 53).
In Mark 8, Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ.
In Mark 9, Jesus met with Moses and Elijah on a mountain on the East of the Jordan River.
In Mark 10, Jesus ministers on the East of the Jordan River in Perea and then crosses the Jordan from East to West and heads into Jericho, like Joshua and Elisha.
Mark 10 ends with Jesus on the short trip from Jericho to Jerusalem where the king of Israel should reign.
The leaders in Jerusalem have been planning to kill Jesus since Mark 3, which could be why Jesus is outside of Judah sending His disciples on mission trips, but now He’s getting close to Jerusalem.
Every time Jesus runs into the Jewish leaders they object: He's hanging around sinners, His disciples aren't fasting or they’re harvesting on the Sabbath (Mark 2), or eating with unwashed hands (Mark 7), or Jesus is healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3), etc.
Now they are going to start trying to trick Jesus into saying something that will get Him into trouble (will happen again in Mark 12, where both their questions and Jesus answers will get better).

Body:

Mark 10:1-12 (NIV84)DivorceHardheartedly Looking for Loopholes

10Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

It’s hard for us to see how this question about divorce could get Jesus into trouble.
But, remember how much trouble a preacher can still get into by taking a stand for a Biblical definition of marriage today.
What do the grounds for divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1 mean if a man "finds something indecent about" his wife who "becomes displeasing" to him.
The conservative position = "indecent/unpleasing" mean sexually sinful.
The liberal position = "indecent/unpleasing" means anything that the man doesn't like.
They might be trying to get Jesus to affirm the conservative position on divorce so that they can attack him for hypocrisy for hanging around with sinners again (Mark 2).
Or they might just be trying to get Jesus to weigh in on a controversial issue that the crowds are split half and half on, so that no matter what Jesus says, He will lose half of His audience.
Matthew 19 = the disciples seem to agree that Jesus' view on divorce is too conservative.
Jesus equal application of divorce laws to both men and women is probably a bit shocking.
Or they might remember that John the Baptist was arrested and executed by Herod for sharing his opinion about divorce (Mark 6).
Jesus avoids all the traps saying that this entire conversation is looking for loopholes since God’s intention for marriage revealed at creation trumps individual laws with loopholes.
In the OT,God let people get away with some things never meant to be due to hard hearts.
This makes me feel a little bit better about the allowances for polygamy and slavery in the OT.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4 = trying to reduce the damage caused by divorce, especially to women.
A certificate of divorce at least allows a woman to re-marry instead of becoming destitute.
Divorcing one woman to marry another = a loophole to claim that you didn't commit adultery.
Formal divorce is designed to keep the murder rate low and allow wronged women to re-marry.
God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and it was never meant to happen (Genesis 2:24).
As followers of Jesus, regardless of what civil marriage law says, the correct question for us must always be, "What does God intend for marriage to be?"
To call Jesus the Christ, requires us to allow Jesus to define marriage as judge at the final judgment.
I have more fear calling serial monogamy sin than I would calling homosexual marriage sin.
According to Jesus, moving from one marriage to another without cheating on your current spouse before you divorce, it’s still wrong.
God intended for marriage to be between one man and one woman until one of them dies, anything else is evidence of hardness of heart.
Hardheartedness can be forgiven by Jesus’ softhearted obedience and sacrifice in our place.
But, as Jesus’ people we must call sin by its proper name, whether that sin is divorce, homosexuality, lust, or any other way of looking for loopholes to break the commandment not to commit adultery.

Mark 10:13-16 (NIV84)The Little Children and JesusUndeservingly accepting the kingdom as a gift

13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Remember the disciples’“Who’s the greatest”argument from Mark 9?
Jesus said beforeto become like a child. It looks like the disciples missed that.
Look what makes Jesus indignant: keeping others from Jesus.
Jesus says that in order to get into the Kingdom of heaven you have to enter like a child: humbly, undeservingly accepting the kingdom as a gift
Infant Baptists point out Jesus said children/infants of believing parents are in God’s Kingdom.
Adult Baptists point out Jesus/disciples could have baptized these children, but did not.
R.C. Sproul, points out that this passage isn’t directly addressing the issue of baptism at all.
Let’s not be like the disciples and miss the point that entering God's kingdom is a gift, and even a gift that is most often receive because someone carried us to Jesus.
Trust in Jesus to save you. Bring your kids (and others) to Jesus at the only source of salvation.
Luke 19 includes “The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector” right along with these two stories to further contrast coming to Jesus asking for a gift or asking for what you are due.

Mark 10:17-27 (NIV84)The Rich Young Man (A)Keeping what you’ve earned or trading it for life

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.

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 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 amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Rich (Mark 10), Young (Matthew 19), Ruler (Luke 18)
Unlike the question before, this man appears to want a real answer about how to get eternal life.
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say: Jesus doesn’t say that He’s not God.
Jesus does call this man’s attention to his definition of “good” since his question is about goodness.
C.S. Lewis calls people “silly” who are willing to call Jesus a “good” teacher, by redefining “good” to mean that they are already “good” too (Mere Christianity51-52).
Jesus definition of “good” is “as good as God”, so if you don’t mean Jesus is God, don’t call Him good.
Next, Jesus gave this man 5 or 6 of the 10 Commandments (depending on if you take “do not defraud” as a summary of all of the 10 Commandments or a way of rephrasing “don’t covet”).
All of these commands are from the second table of the law having to do with people not God.
The man said he’d kept them, so Jesus showed him that hismoney was his god and that hurt people.
Even though Jesus loves this man, he doesn't appear to be saved at the end of this story.
Disciples were bothered by the idea that rich can’t be saved based on their theology of riches:
Law (Deuteronomy) = Things will go well for you when you do what’s right.
Prophets (Isaiah/Jeremiah) = The wicked rich can oppress the righteous poor.
Proverbs = If things are going well for you it proves you are good.
Job = Bad things can happen to good people.
Ecclesiastes = Good things can happen to bad people, and in the end no matter what has happened before, both good and bad people die.
John 9, Luke 13 = Disciples believe bad things only happen to bad people
Americans tend to think either that wealth proves you’re good or wealth indicates you’re bad.
Jesus says it’s more complicated, even rich/good people aren’t good enough, and need to be saved.
Jesus wasn’t saying that there was a 50% off sale on salvation: normally you have to believe but today…
The disciples get that it’simpossible to be saved from Jesus’ parable:
Eye of a needle = the tiny part of a needle where the thread goes through.
Camel = a big animal that you ride on.
This man loved his money more than the poor, God, Jesus, oreven his own soul (Mark 8).
Jesus didn’t always tell all rich people to give away everything, but the willingness to give is a strong indication of faith (Mark 12).How we spendmoneyis a good indication of what we believe.
I'm grateful that we have a savior who can do the impossible and save us even from the sin of the love of money if we repent, agree that this sin is wrong and trust in Jesus.

Mark 10:28-31 (NIV84)The Rich Young Man(B)Keeping what you’ve earned or trading it for life

28 Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”

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.”

At this point, peter remembers that the disciples have left everything to follow Jesus (although they arguably didn't sell everything and give it away, they did leave their stuff behind).
Jesus reassures Peter that anyone who has given up things to follow him will be rewarded, both in this life and the next, but will also be persecuted/have hard times in this life.
“The first will be last and the last will be first” could mean starting well doesn't mean ending well.
Did anyone else think of this line during the Seahawks game last week?
Jesus could mean people who have it easy in this life, will have it hard in the next (Luke 16).
Jesus could mean everyone who follows Him will be well rewarded, so don't worry about the details.
“The first will be last and the last will be first” could be the definition of a tie (John MacArthur).
Matthew 19-20 tells a parable next where workers all get the same pay regardless of how long/hard they work.
In the Seahawk’s game last week, at the over-time coin toss, which team was in first and last?

Mark 10:32-34 (NIV84)Jesus Again Predicts His DeathThe kind of King Jesus Christ is

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

Everyone is astonished/afraid that Jesus is going back to Jerusalem since they want to kill Him.
This is at least the third time Jesus has told his disciples He is going die and rise again.
This time Jesus goes into great detail about his coming death, all of which comes true.
The perfect Messiah needs to die in the place of His imperfect people in order to save them.
The disciples don’t get that this is the kind of king Jesus is any of the times Jesus says it, as evidenced by the next story. Here’s what the disciples immediately think of:

Mark 10:35-45 (NIV84)The Request of James and JohnThe kind of King Jesus Christ isn’t

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Remember the disciples’ “Who’s the greatest”argument from Mark 9?
Jesus said to become the servant of all the last time too.
Two out of three times that Jesus has said that he is going to die and rise, the disciples have started thinking about who will be the greatest.
Maybe they have concluded that “rising” means“rising to power”.
Look what Peter admits made the disciples indignant:others asking for positions they wanted.
Jesus was indignant when children were prevented from coming to Him.
James and John had some bad motives, but maybe we should cut them a little slack:
The other disciples wanted these positions too.
Matthew 20 = James and John’s Mom was in on this request.
James and John believed that Jesus was the Christ who actually would reign in the near future.
Jesus and the disciples walking into Jerusalem didn’t look like a good strategy to become king.
Jesus looked like he was down by 12 points with two minutes left in the game, and they weren’t giving up on Him. That’s faith.
Mark 15:26-27 = Tells us in two consecutive verses that when Jesus was hung on the cross, the sign called Him the king of the Jews, and there was a robber on His right and His left.
James and John didn’t know what they were asking for because they didn’t know what king of king Jesus was and what kind of coronation He would have[1].
They didn’t know what kind of kingdom the kingdom of God was either, which is why I don’t think that they were asking for rewards in heaven someday, but places of power in Jesus’ cabinet now.
I wonder if the fact that James died first (Acts 12) and John died last of all the apostles may have been an odd way that Jesus granted their request.
Jesus described His death as a baptism and as a cup.
Baptism is a picture of dying and rising again with Jesus (Romans 6)
The communion cup is a participation in Jesus blood (1 Corinthians 10)
Jesus death is the ultimate example of how Jesus was willing to be the servant of all.
Jesus is our savior and our example of humble service (Philippians 2).

Mark 10:46-52 (NIV84)Blind Bartimaeus Receives His SightBlindness of eyes or heart

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”