Embracing the Great Kingdom Paradox Mark 10:17-31 ONE THING A LONGING for Jesus results in a BELONGING to Jesus when we fully EMBRACE God s Kingdom GRACE. As Easter is rapidly approaching, we are looking at some key encounters Jesus had along the way. Last week we looked at the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. This week we are days away from Passion Week. Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem Jesus cleansing the Temple The Last Supper His crucifixion and resurrection By this time there were ever widening opinions about Jesus. The religious leaders had not only rejected Him, they were plotting to kill Him. The people however, were beginning to sense He was actually the Messiah. There was a young man in the crowd who was being swayed toward Jesus. Let s read his encounter. ONE THING A LONGING for Jesus results in a BELONGING to Jesus when we fully EMBRACE God s Kingdom GRACE. Mark 10:17 31 (ESV) 17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother. 20 And he said to him, Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, You lack one thing: go, sell all that
you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, Children, how difficult 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 person to enter the kingdom of God. 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, Then who can be saved? 27 Jesus looked at them and said, With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. 28 Peter began to say to him, See, we have left everything and followed you. 29 Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Jesus used many different approaches to awaken people to the Kingdom of God. He PERFORMED MIRACLES showing the Kingdom of God was here. He TOLD PARABLES to illustrate the Kingdom of God. He USED SYMBOLS to represent the Kingdom of God. But one of His most used devices for sharing about the Kingdom of God was He gave PARADOXES. Paradox: A statement that defies logic and seems to contradict itself yet expresses a valid truth compelling one to think. Some simple paradoxes: This is the beginning of the end Please ignore this notice Answer truthfully (yes or no) to the following question: Will the next word you say be no?
I can resist anything except temptation Deep down, he s really shallow You can save money by spending it Nobody goes to that restaurant because it is too crowded You shouldn t go in the water until you first learn how to swim Are compulsive liars telling the truth when they admit they are compulsive liars? If, for some reason, you didn t get this message, call me In this story, Jesus uses two paradoxes to illustrate that entering the Kingdom of God requires an altogether different mindset. Number 1: The Great REQUEST Mark 10:17 20 (ESV) 17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother. 20 And he said to him, Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth. Jesus had set the standard for entrance into the Kingdom of God moments earlier. Parents were bringing their children to Jesus that He might touch them. Mark 10:15 (ESV) 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Entrance into God s Kingdom requires HELPLESS CHILDLIKE DEPENDENCE. This young man had the trifecta of everyone s dreams He was RICH
Luke 18:23 he was extremely rich. He was YOUNG Matthew 19:20 the young man He was a RULER Luke 18:18 a ruler asked him He was on everyone s RSVP list The Jews of that day followed a principle many in America today follow Wealth and Power are signs of blessing John D. Rockefeller would have agreed! He once said that riches were a gift from heaven signifying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. This RICH YOUNG RULER, however, knew something was missing. He knew there had to be more He realized another great paradox Having it all still leaves us wanting more He came with the RIGHT ATTITUDE he ran up and knelt before [Jesus] He came to the RIGHT PERSON and asked him, Good Teacher, This was a monumental statement! It was well known that no one was GOOD except God. In fact, the Rabbi s never allowed anyone to, especially themselves, to be called GOOD. So, for this young man to come up and call Jesus good was in many ways recognizing Him as God!
He asked the RIGHT QUESTION what must I do to inherit eternal life? So far he s doing great! Number 2: The Great REQUIREMENT Mark 10:21 (ESV) 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Jesus realizes this young man is serious He is not like the religious leader who earlier asked the exact same question, but with an entirely different attitude. Luke 10:25 (ESV) 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? This LAWYER asked out of UNBELIEF The RICH YOUNG RULER is asking out of sincere longing. Exodus 20:3 (ESV) 3 You shall have no other gods before me. Mark 12:30 (ESV) 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Number 3: The Great REFUSAL Mark 10:22 (ESV) 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
This young man is the only person recorded in Scripture to have come to Jesus honestly seeking truth and to have walked away in a worse condition than when he came. Proverbs 14:12 (ESV) 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Number 4: The Great REVERSAL Mark 10:23 31 (ESV) 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, Children, how difficult 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 person to enter the kingdom of God. 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, Then who can be saved? 27 Jesus looked at them and said, With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God. 28 Peter began to say to him, See, we have left everything and followed you. 29 Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Jesus says that WEALTH IS A HANDICAP! Matthew 6:19 21 (ESV) 19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:24 (ESV) 24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV) 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty,
nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Revelation 3:17 (ESV) 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.