Mark 10:17-31

In the Kingdom, Jesus Must Be First (17-22)

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?"

The Man

Our story begins with a man desperate for Jesus. The other gospels tell us he was a young local ruler (Matthew 19:20, Luke 18:18).

The Question

But we can't help notice something off about the man's question. Modern believers know he asked amiss. What must I do to inherit eternal life?" To him, there was an action he could perform that would unlock eternal life, something he could do to earn salvation. Of course, we know salvation is a gift from God -- no one can boast (Romans 3:27). We must receive Christ's all-sufficient work by faith.

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.'"

Jesus Plants A Seed

When the man asked his question about eternal life, he gave Jesus a title. He called him "Good teacher" (17).

Jesus latched onto the phrase before answering the man's question. "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone" (18).

Jesus was planting a seed in the man's mind. He had thought too lowly about what it meant to be "good." So, when he saw Jesus, he thought of him as a good teacher. But the Bible says there is none good, not even one, but that all are lost and broken under sin (Romans 3:9-10).

The man needed to understand this for two reasons:

  • First, he needed to think of himself as broken and under sin.

  • Second, he needed to think of Jesus as God the Son.

The Second Tablet

But Jesus didn't stop there. He reminded the man of some of the commandments (19). Don't murder. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't defraud. Honor your parents.

These six rules came from the second tablet of the ten commandments, and that tablet had everything to do with mankind's relationship with others. In other words, the second tablet gave commands on how to treat other people.

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.

The Claim

The man made a big claim. "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth" (20).

Jesus' Love

But Jesus didn't respond as he did to hypocrites. He hated hypocrisy and often rebuked it, but here Mark tells us Jesus looked at him and loved him (21).

Jesus' Diagnosis

So, from a posture of love, Jesus diagnosed the man.

Jesus told the man to sell everything and give it to the poor before following him (21).

Jesus isn't sharing a path of works-based righteousness. But this man had a problem. He thought of himself as a keeper of the second tablet, but he was breaking the first.

If the second tablet has to do with our relationship with others, the first tablet has to do with our relationship with God. The first commandment was "You shall have no other gods before me " (Exodus 20:3).

The Man's God

And though this man felt he'd been faithful in how he treated others, Jesus' demand on his life made it obvious he was out of step with God.

Jesus' Command

He was not following the true God, but the money god.

To this, Jesus said, get rid of everything and follow me. He didn't tell the man to follow God. He told the man to follow him. To Jesus, getting the first tablet right meant following him. Jesus is God, the only one worth following. In the kingdom, to have life, God must be first. Jesus must be first.

The First Commandment

In the kingdom, God must be first, but the man didn't want Jesus to be first in his life.

In wanting his possessions more than Christ, the man wanted too little. His problem wasn't wanting more, but settling for less. He should have wanted more.

Our Lives

This man's story should remind us that following Jesus requires the radical reorientation of our priorities. We should make no other god before him. We must give him first-tablet devotion.

You Cannot Enjoy The Kingdom Without God's Help (23-27)

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."

Wealth Can Hinder From The Kingdom

Once the man went away in sorrow, Jesus spoke to his disciples (23). He ruminated on the hindrance wealth can be, keeping someone from entering the kingdom (23, 25).

The Danger Of Wealth

It is important to note that Jesus had (and has) wealthy followers.

In Jesus' kingdom, every class and income bracket can find hope in the truth of the gospel. Jesus did not think wealth could only be acquired by trampling down others. Nor did he think even having wealth was a sin.

But wealth can be dangerous. Christians who are wealthy need the Spirit's help and great maturity to navigate their wealth.

  • With wealth, the heart is tempted to fixate on this world alone.

  • Wealth can also tempt us to think everything good can be bought with a price. But the best things in life -- love, joy, peace -- are not guarantees for those with means.

What Wealth Is

The Bible says wealth is a test. If your heart can navigate wealth and still be devoted to God, you have passed the test.

The Bible says wealth is also a responsibility. We are stewards of everything God has entrusted into our care.

Difficult. No, Impossible.

The disciples couldn't believe what they'd heard from Jesus. They grew up in a society that believed wealth was a sign of God's blessing.

But Jesus added: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible " (27). The rich young ruler could have gone into the kingdom.

Notice: Jesus did not say "God can save anyone." Though true, it's not his point. He said with God, all things are possible. With God.

In other words, God would have joined up in empowering this man to abandon all to follow Jesus.

As You Pursue The Kingdom, God Will Help You

As you pursue the kingdom, remember that it will be impossible by yourself. Self-denial, living for others, is unnatural to us. But, as you follow Jesus, he will help you.

"I am with you always," Jesus said, "Even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

God Rewards Life In The Kingdom (28-30)

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.

Jesus' Promise

Jesus did not rebuke Peter but instead told him of the great blessings of following him. Any house or family or possessions believers leave for Jesus and the gospel's sake will not go unrewarded. Jesus said we would receive a hundredfold now and eternal life later (30).

Loneliness

But some of you might wonder why you are still lonely.

  • First, we are likely meant to understand Jesus' promises in the realm of Christian service. The disciples devoted themselves to Christ's work.
  • Second, the massive network Jesus described is yours as a believer, but might not be your experience. This means that while you have a worldwide family, you haven't yet gotten a chance to enjoy it.
  • Third, Jesus is the best family and friend you could ever have. Even when the church seems awkward for you, Jesus is there for you.

With Persecutions

Mark also included a little clause from Jesus -- with persecutions (30). This would have comforted Mark's original readers, believers in Rome who suffered much persecution at the hands of the empire.

And this phrase should comfort us as well. No one wants to be persecuted, but it can have a purifying effect on the church, and it also can deepen our Christian friendships.

31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

The Man

This is a statement Jesus often used in his teaching. In this story, it is powerful. Think about the rich young ruler. We don't know what came of him. Perhaps he submitted to Christ later in life. But, at this point, he placed himself first. And Christ tells us he will end up last.

Jesus

Jesus, however, is the opposite of this man. He was eternally rich, but became poor for us (2 Corinthians 8:9). He was young, being about 33 years old at this point (Luke 3:23). He was a ruler, being the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). But Jesus, the ultimate rich young ruler, let himself be last. And because he lowered himself more than anyone else, the Father will exalt him more than anyone else (Philippians 2:9-11). He will end up first.

He is our example. He is the one we must emulate. In the kingdom, God himself is our example. He gave up more than any of us will ever give up. Will we give up a little to follow him?