We study two events in today's passage. One involves humble little children and the other involves a man who values wealth more than he values his relationship with God.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 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. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16) The disciples feel it's a waste of Jesus' time to be blessing all these little children, but this is because they have not learned the lesson He taught a few days ago in which He held a small child and warned them never to hinder the faith of a little one. He also pointed out that in order to be great, we must serve even those who can give us nothing in return, and He used the small child as an example. The disciples want to shoo these children away but Jesus lovingly takes them in His arms and blesses them. He is the greatest of the great, yet He has time for the meek and helpless. These small children have no power or influence, yet He treats them with care and respect.
"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?' 'Why do you call Me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good---except God alone.'" (Mark 10:17-18) Critics have used verse 18 to make the statement that Jesus is denying that He is God. On the contrary, He wants this man to examine why he believes Jesus has the answer he seeks. Jesus has repeatedly used the Messianic title "Son Of Man" in reference to Himself. Time and again He has claimed God is His Father, and to be the adult son of someone was to be his heir and his equal. He has presented all the credential of the Messiah by performing the miracles that were predicted by Old Testament prophets. If He is not who He claims to be, He is not good. Jesus is asking the man something like, "Why do you call Me good? Only God is good; does this mean you believe I am God? Why have you come to Me for advice on eternal life? Do you believe I can give you eternal life?"
Next Jesus quotes a portion of the ten commandments which have to do with how to treat our fellow man. "You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' 'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'" (Mark 10:19-20)
This man is telling the truth. He has faithfully followed God's commandments in regard to his interactions with other human beings. But Jesus sees straight into his heart. He knows this man has not kept a commandment that has to do with his relationship with God. He has broken the commandment that says, "You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3) He has kept the letter of the law, but has lost the heart of it. The law is not merely a keeping of rules, but the building of a relationship. "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.'" (Mark 10:21)
The man has put another god before the living God: his wealth. "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." (Mark 10:22) Jesus isn't saying that we all must give our earthly goods to the poor in order to follow Him. He's saying we must lay aside anything that hinders us from following Him. That will be something different for each of us according to our individual personalities. In this man's case it was his wealth. Wealth is what he really worships more than anything else, so Jesus urges him to cast this idol out of his life so that God can have the number one spot in his heart.
After the man departs, Mark tells us that, "Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!' The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said again, 'Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'" (Mark 10:23-25) In ancient times wealth was looked upon as proof of the favor of God. The thinking of the disciples was, "Wow, the Lord has really blessed this man! He must be a pretty good guy. God must be pleased with him to have given him so much money." But as men such as Job and Solomon pointed out, the wicked sometimes prosper in this fallen world while the righteous suffer hardship. Wealth is not proof that God is pleased with a person's life.
The thinking of the world led the disciples to believe this man has a better chance of getting into heaven than they do, but the opposite is true. This man trusts in his riches. This man constantly has his mind on his riches and is always worrying about how to keep his money and about how to make it multiply. He has little time left over to think about God, so his worship has become legalistic. He keeps the law as best he can because he knows right from wrong, but at the same time his heart is very far from God. He's trying to obtain salvation through works, but salvation has never been obtainable by works. Salvation is by faith. Salvation comes through a relationship with our Maker, not through the keeping of rules. God wants our hearts. If we give Him our hearts, our obedience to Him will naturally follow. But obedience is a heavy burden when our hearts aren't in it.
"The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.'" (Mark 10:25-27) I bet you've heard the expression, "What can you give the man who has everything?" The trouble with immense wealth is that it has the tendency to make a person believe he has all he needs. In general, who is more likely to cry out to God for help: the person who needs God to put daily bread on the table, or the person who lives in complete comfort without a care in the world? But we find several examples in the Bible of wealthy men who are faithful to God. And we can find many examples in our world today of wealthy individuals who love the Lord with all their hearts. By the standards of a fallen world, such a thing appears impossible, that a person who has all he needs materially speaking would still turn to God for the needs of his soul. But such things do happen, because nothing is impossible for God.
"Then Peter spoke up, 'We have left everything to follow you!' 'Truly I tell you,' 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 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'" (Mark 10:28-31) Peter is thinking that surely he and the other disciples will be highly regarded in the kingdom of heaven. They've left their livelihoods to follow Him. They've risked their reputations to follow Him. It will soon be a risk to their lives to follow Him. Jesus assures Peter there is a reward for putting Him first. These men who are going to share the gospel with the world will endure persecutions, and some of their family members and friends will turn their backs on them, but at the same time they will gain a new family and friends. They will become members of the ever-growing body of believers. They will also inherit eternal life because of their faith and because they have not put other gods in place of the one true God.
Jesus reminds Peter not to be overcome with pride. It is God's business who holds the highest positions in His kingdom, and it may not be those we expected. It may not be the ones who most visibly served Him or who gave the most money or who devoted the most time to church work. It may be the prayer warriors who knelt privately in their homes every morning. It may be the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes. God will sort these things out when the time comes. In the meantime, Peter is not to be concerned with who is the greatest, but with how best to serve God and his fellow man.
No comments:
Post a Comment