Follow Me

October 25, 2009

Lesson: Mark 10:17–31

Key Verse: Mark 10:21

Introduction

Who is this man who comes to Jesus asking, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16)? We usually refer to him as the rich young ruler. He was rich in possessions, young, but old enough to seek wisdom, and he held a position of authority which led him to respect another in such a position. John Calvin speaks of him as one who “did not come treacherously, as the scribes were wont to do, but from a desire of instruction; and, accordingly, both by words and by kneeling, he testifies his reverence for Christ as a faithful teacher.” In the same manner we should come to Jesus.

Faith is the gift of God which enables us to be convinced that God our Father loves us, that the Son is our Savior, that the Spirit is our Comforter, etc. Faith includes the acceptance that God is our faithful instructor, the one who is able to lead us into all truth. This means that we who are called Christians are those who hunger after righteousness and desire to be taught by the Spirit through His written word; and that this Word, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is that which God has given His people, and preserved for us throughout each generation. In other words, we should be discipled by the Spirit through his Word and therefore obey faithfully the Great Commission to disciple nations.

“The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth …wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore is to be received because it is the Word of God. …The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.  …Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word” (Westminster Confession).

Therefore, we are to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, coming to the Word of God as did the ruler of our lesson, desiring to be instructed by him. We must then be willing to obey his Word, and not go away sorrowfully in any kind of unbelief.

The Question—Mark 10:17–20

A young man of high authority kneels before Jesus, asking him “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers with a question, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” Jesus desires that this ruler come to the understanding that the truth of the answer to his question comes only from God. He proceeds to lead him to the truth of inheriting salvation by pointing him to that which he already knows. Jesus continues, saying, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.” The ruler answers, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.”

The ruler is one of high moral character. He reveals a love of God by being taught and keeping the moral law of God. Yet his heart seems to lack a full conviction that he has this inheritance of which he seeks. The Lord does know this man’s heart. He is encouraged by being able to say that he has been faithful in his response to the Ten Commandments. He has studied the Word of God. However, “Christ did not take into consideration what men can do, but replied to the question, What is the righteousness of works? or, What does the Law require? And certainly we ought to believe that God comprehended in his law the way of living holy and righteously, in which righteousness is included; for not without reason did Moses make this statement, He that does these things shall live in them (Leviticus 18:5), and again, I call heaven and earth to witness that l have this day showed you life (Deuteronomy 30:19)” (Calvin).

What must we do? Can we change our spots? And, what really is eternal life? Christ defines eternal life, speaking to his Father, saying that “this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Chris, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Those who come to know God in such a way are those who Christ ransomed with his own blood. He had said that the Father had given him authority over all flesh, “that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (17:2). How then can we inherit eternal life except that it is given us by the Father through the Son?

We inherit eternal life as a gift from our heavenly Father. Paul urges us to give thanks to our Father who has made us able to “be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:12–14).

Discussion: What does it mean to inherit eternal life?

The Answer—Mark 10:21–22

God’s Messiah looks upon this young ruler with tender mercy, an unconditional love which seeks only goodness for his life. He speaks to a soul which acknowledges that something is missing, saying, “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.” The soul that hangs onto earthly treasures as a means of hope and salvation has only his own self to look to for salvation. If your eyes are set upon the scintillation of this world as hope of gaining treasures that last and do not rust, then your soul continues to live in darkness without hope.

It is Christ who gives treasures that are eternal. It is recorded that this young man was sad at what Christ said, and “went away grieved; for he had great possessions.” It was his love for his possessions that made him grieve. His thought was on being material poor. However, he had to become poor in spirit. He had to hear the words of Jesus, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). Can you imagine someone going to a large feast with a hand full of sandwiches? One must empty oneself of everything in order to be filled with goodness which God has provided. God places flesh and life upon the dry bones of the sinner, making him more elegant than he ever was. Blessed are those who are in poverty. Whether rich or poor in the goods of this world, it matters not— the Christian must be in poverty of spirit,  he or she must realize that there is no strength within oneself— and so the Christian must come to the Creator and Redeemer to be strengthened. The natural man says that God helps those who help themselves. The Christian says, God help me because I cannot help myself.

Discussion: What makes the soul seek after riches and at the same time grieve over the loss of them?

The Lesson—Mark 10:23–31

Jesus looks at his disciples, saying, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” Jesus answers their astonishment at his words, saying, “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 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.” Our Lord reveals the nature of such a trust in that there are those who are persuaded, believe that to gather riches, monetary wealth, etc., is their only hope of survival. When one is persuaded to do good or bad, they find the attachment so great they are unable to let go. Therefore, they need the work of the grace of God.

The disciples continue in their bewilderment, saying, “Who then can be saved?” The answer is, “No one!” For if we are saved by works, then there is no need of grace. Our Lord expresses the truth that there is only one who can save: “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Let us not take this statement out of context, to use it as a catch-all phrase to answer things in Scripture we are not able to understand. For our Lord expresses here the truth of how we obtain eternal life. That which is impossible for us, is possible for God our Father. For only the Son can satisfy the Father by paying the price of the ransom on our behalf. We may accumulate the riches of the world, but lose our souls to eternal punishment. For it is Christ Jesus who bore “our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Peter raises his voice, still thinking about what they have done in following Jesus: “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.” How easy it is for us who are following Jesus to think that our act of following will gain, on its own merits, a blessing from our Savior. But, great is the grace of our Lord in bringing our following him to have with it gifts of blessings. Jesus answers his disciple: “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, but he shall receive an hundred fold 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. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” Christ takes the worse scenario, that of persecution when men are separated from all fellowship, and gives the promise that He holds in his hands the blessings that is theirs.  The serving Christian “shall have abundance of comfort while he lives, sufficient to make up for all his losses; his relation to Christ, his communion with the saints, and his title to eternal life, shall be to him brethren, and sisters, and houses, and all” (M. Henry).

Discussion: What does it mean to be saved and then to follow Jesus?