Mark | Chapter 10

Mark 10:1-5

“The need to find the rest person”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 1-2 The timing and the test
3. Vs. 3-5 Diagnosing the problem

Introduction

We come now to a very difficult teaching that will no doubt cause ½ of the people here some level of discomfort. The teaching we shall hear is from Jesus and the topic is marriage and divorce. Before we get to the teaching I hope you know me well enough that for those of you who have gone through a divorce I have no interest in making you relive a painful part of your life nor do I want to condemn any of you for the ending of your marriage. My sole responsibility is to teach this text by the power of the Holy Spirit in away that is truth and love. 

Vs. 1-2 The timing and the test

Vs. 1 This phrase indicates the end of Jesus stay in Galilee and Capernaum and the beginning of His final destination Jerusalem. That’s the first thing I note is that this section introduces a new direction for Jesus as He is leaving the Galilee region for the last time as comes to Judea. When we line this section up with other accounts we get a fuller picture of the chronological events: Leaving Galilee He and His disciples went to Samaria and then the northern part of Judea. During this time, He sent out the 70 disciples into the surrounding villages as He had done the 12 earlier. Jesus also took a trip in winter to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Dedication also known as Hanukkah. He spoke at the feast as recorded in John chapter 10, then they left and came to the eastern side of the Jordan river in an area known as Perea and it is in this area that our story this morning take place.

Vs. 2 This verse gives us some very important details as it relates to this topic as we are told that the “The Pharisees came and asked Him. Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? Testing Him.” The word “testing” means to put to test for the purpose of discovering Good or evil but in this case the word would be better rendered “tempt” as they were soliciting Him in order to cause Him to violate the word of God or the interpretation of the word by the religious leaders who were split on this issue. This reveals to us that the motive behind the question wasn’t for clarification it was for entrapment. Thus the question with regards to divorce was as controversial in that time as it is in this time. These religious leaders were hoping to maneuver Jesus into a position where He would have to choose between to widely popular but differing views held about divorce thus making Him unpopular with at least ½ the people.

1. Rabbi Hillel interpreted Moses words in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her…..he can write her a certificate of divorce…and send her out of his house.” In a very liberal manor. The wife’s uncleanness that had caused her finding no favor could be for any reason that displeased him such as burning the toast. Hillel’s interpretation was very popular with some men as it made men the absolute masters of their homes and their wife’s as mere servants at there beckon call.
2. Rabbi Shammai, taught this verse as the exact opposite saying that divorce was strictly limited as he emphasized the phrase some uncleanness, as moral failure. This position was also very popular among many of the Jew’s in Jesus time.  

These are roughly the same two positions we see the church today split over. Should divorce be granted easily on the basis of “incompatibility” or is marriage sacred and only be dissolved under very strict conditions? This was the question that the Pharisees hoped to entrap Jesus in.

Vs. 3-5 Diagnosing the problem

Vs. 3 The Pharisees came with a question on divorce and worded it as what Moses “allowed” in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 but Jesus corrected it as it was not a suggestion but a command. The command was not that they must divorce but a regulation to stop the abuse as it was always a private matter and not a public one.  In Jesus’ answer He not only avoids the trap but develops two important arguments as it relates to the question:

1. Vs. 3-5 This week we will focus on the first part of Jesus’ answer as He takes them back to what Moses wrote in the law to establish the reason for the law that they questioned Him about.
2. Vs. 6-10 Next week we will focus of the second part of Jesus’ answer as He takes them even further back before the law to Genesis where the focus isn’t upon divorce but rather marriage where Jesus will show three things with regards to marriage: What He did = Action of God, Why He did it = the plan of God for marriage and What happens if you don’t follow His plan = the warnings of God.     

Vs. 3 In that day divorce was so common that it often clogged the Rabbinical courts because of the liberal interpretation of Moses words in Deuteronomy 24 if a husband simple said three times publically “I divorce you” she would be given a bill of divorcement and sent packing.

The first thing I notice is the basis on which Jesus answers their inquiry as they had asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife” and Jesus responded with “What did Moses command you?” Jesus didn’t answer based upon His opinion but referred them to the authority of the scripture. He never superseded the word of God, He viewed the Bible as the final authority on all issues pertaining to life. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount teaching He had said that “He had come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.”

Vs. 4-5 The second thing I notice is after the Pharisees responded in verse 4 to Deuteronomy 24:1-4 revealing what Moses had said, Jesus reveals to them something that the passage and the law didn’t tell them namely the reason for the law permitting divorce which Jesus says was for the sole reason “hardness of heart”! But just what was Jesus communicating to the Pharisees when He said it?

1. First the fact that a man had to “write a certificate of divorce” meant that what was going on in the marriage that had been kept private was now out in the open and public. The hardness in the man’s heart (since women were not allowed to divorce based upon Deuteronomy 24:1-4) would be written down for all to see what the man thought qualified the disillusionment of the marriage contract. According to Romans 3:20 the law always makes us conscious of sin or the hardening of the heart. At the time that Moses heard from the Lord and wrote this law, men were setting aside their marriage’s for all sorts of reasons and it was private as well as an epidemic in the nation. The Law of Deut. 24:1-4 revealed the hardness of men’s hearts as well as the problem of hardness of the nations heart.
2. Second “hardness of heart” by its very words suggests a diagnostic deviation from the original intent. The Greek word for “hardness” is where we get our medical word for “sclerosis” a condition of the hardening of the arteries of the heart. God created the human heart to be full of love, gentle, kind, honest and open. Essentially all the qualities of the “fruit of the Spirit” described in Paul’s letter to the Galatians in chapter 5 verse 22-23 “love, joy peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Sin or hardness of heart replaces these God created characteristics with sinful hardness of “bitterness, selfishness, impatience, indifference, hostility and deceitfulness.”

What Jesus reveals is that Mosses looked at divorce from the standpoint of the husband since he was the head and leader of his household and said that if the husband saw something displeasing in his wife (what ever that may be as Moses didn’t specify but we know it wasn’t adultery as that was already mentioned as punishable by stoning). Then divorce was permitted not to shame the wife but to make the husbands attitude towards his wife public, open and clear for all to see. So if the husband said, “I’m through with her she burnt my toast for the last time” all would see his true and clear attitude of being unloving, critical kicking his wife out of the home for not meeting his standards. I noticed something in the Transkei of South Africa as it relates to marriage and that is men have to pay a bride price “laboli” but after they do so they treat their wife’s as property. Now as Christianity as come into their culture, though they still have to pay a bride price they are understanding that this doesn’t make her his property and they have a loving relationship with her. Without it men beat their wife’s and miss treat them but not in the Christian home. So divorce from Moses perspective served two purposes: It revealed the sinful heart of the husband and it released the wife from having to further endure the treatment any further.

            The New Testament elaborates on this further as Peter writes in that “Husbands were to dwell with their wife’s with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being joint heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” In other word’s husbands were not to react annoyingly or angrily when their wife did something that displeased them. Instead they should react in love, compassion and thoughtfulness. He should seek to understand her and listen to her as to the reasons why she said or did what displeased him. Marriage is to provide a safe and loving environment for both parties where difficulties can be worked out and resolved in an atmosphere of accepting and forgiving love. Hard hearts can only become soft and pliable when they recognize that they are in over their heads and need to hear and rely upon the Lord. Than as they hear from the Lord on what they need to change and repent and begin to walk in obedience the heart becomes soft again. Unfortunately, it often takes the pain of divorce to cause us to learn something about ourselves. But far to often when you talk to folks who have been through a divorce all they seem to learn is that they married the wrong person instead of learning that perhaps in some way they “WERE THE WRONG PERSON” as well. The breakdown of the family should frighten this nation as we see that most of all the ills of our society are caused by this hard heartedness. We need Christian men and women to act as Christian men and women like never before, each of us needs to look within our own hearts for signs of hard heartedness and repent and make a change. All the law can do is diagnose the problem it can’t cure it and permitting divorce just diagnosed the private condition and made it a public predicament so that everyone would be aware of the problem. Next week we will take up the 2^nd aspect of this question as it relates to God’s design for men and women, MARRIAGE! 

Mark 10:6-12

“Caution! Marriage Construction Zone!”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 6-12 The purpose, plan and problem of marriage

Introduction

Two weeks ago we began the passage looking at the question imposed by the Pharisees to entrap Jesus. In answering the question of “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” This week we see that Jesus further answers this question on divorce by examining the original purpose of marriage. The point of emphasis seems to be, “Why focus of the termination of the marriage instead of examining how to have a healthy marriage?” Most of us will immediately recognize the words of verses 6-9 as they are most often quoted during their marriage ceremony. The real problem isn’t divorce but marriage. Divorce just reveals the problem that already exists, which is the difficulties of being motivated and committed to stay together. In quoting Genesis chapter 5 verses and chapter 2 verse 24 Jesus deals with three aspects with regards to marriage:

• Vs. 6 The PURPOSE of marriage: “But from the beginning God made them male and female”
• Vs. 7 The PLAN of marriage: “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife”
• Vs. 8-9 The PROBLEM of marriage: “and the two shall become one flesh, so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefor what God has joined together, let not man separate.” 

Vs. 6-9 The purpose, plan and problem of marriage

Vs. 6 The PURPOSE of marriage: “But from the beginning God made them male and female”. Jesus took them back: Before the state of society in which they were living, before the word of Moses which was born out of the hardness of hearts, before the habits of people in the past, Jesus took them all the way back to the beginning from creation, where the Creator had a purpose in His creation that required a plan then needed to be carried out by obedient hearts. Jesus says that the two distinct sexes was His idea, it was all apart of His design. He made humans biologically and psychologically different from each other not so that they would COMPETE with each other but so that they would COMPLETE and COMPLEMENT each other. Much of the struggles within the marriage is do to a lack of understanding and appreciating God’s original design in the differences. Humans are three dimensional beings: Body, soul and spirit! Physically, in the body men and women are visibly and notably different. The difference is NOT to be thought of as better or worse, just different. But men and women are also different in the psyche or soul as their emotional make up is different by design. Many in society, such as the modern feminists, want to dissolve these created differences but nothing they do can change these visible difference. A lot of the feminist’s arguments began as counter attacks to the abusive attitudes of men, that exclude them from equal pay for equal work, the right to not be harassed by men simply because of their physical differences and the right to publically vote in a democratic election. But unfortunately the modern feminist chose to ignore the Created differences between men and women and in so doing created more social injustice. For example, the modern feminist wanted to be sexually promiscuous like men without consequences, so they created the false idea that being in charge over their own bodies gave them the right to be over the offspring in their bodies. Calling this their “Choice” while ignoring the reality that their choice gave them legal rights that men never had, to terminate life! And with this legal right they have committed genocide as well as Gender-O-cide as over 1/2 of those that they have “chosen” to terminate would have been female in gender. Men and women are different and their differences ought to be celebrated not obliterated as God by His design created that way from the beginning. But there is one way in which they are identical in trifold creation and that is in their “spirit”. Paul wrote of this truth in Galatians 3:28 saying, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave of free, there is neither MALE or FEMALE; for you are all one in Christ.” Paul speaks of a “godly feminism” not one that demands the right to take a life but one that is free to experience LIFE in total equality alongside their brothers in the family of God. In Christ we can truly enjoy the distinctions of the sexes in a harmonious way that doesn’t make demands or lord over each other but respects and enjoys the completeness that the two bring together that compliments each other.

Vs. 7 The PLAN of marriage: “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.” Jesus says that God had a plan as He quotes Genesis, “For this reason”. The reason that humans were made male and female was so that we would be joined to one another and become one. This passage does away with two currently acceptable practices with regards to marriage:

1. It destroys the false notion of same sex marriage: It take a man and a woman to have a marriage, He didn’t make them male and male or female and female, simple biology reaffirms this truth. The current legislative practice of same sex marriage goes against the biology of God’s plan as they can not be joined and become one flesh. The courts may attempt to reaffirm their liberal agenda but they will be unable to change the simple biology of the truth. It takes two distinct and very different sexes to make a marriage and no amount of legislation or court cases will ever be able to change this fact.
2. It destroys plural marriages or polygamy: The text is very plan as it says, “a MAN (Singular) shall leave his father and mother (not fathers and mothers) and be joined to his WIFE (Singular). And the TWO (not three, four, five etc.) shall be ONE (not MANY) flesh.” Marriage is clearly by plan designed to be one man and one woman joined for life!

Further more God’s design is that the marriage relationship is to be the highest earthly relationship possible in this life. Marriage is to take priority over all other human relationships, business, friendships, familial and even parental. Jesus doesn’t say that they shall be PARTNERS, a TEAM, a CORPERATION, or a UNION. No He says that their relationship is to be the most intense of all relationships as they will no longer be TWO they will become ONE! God’s plan for marriage: Taking two distinct and very different individuals, male and female, with different backgrounds, education, experiences, talents and gifts. And blending their lives together so completely that they are ONE flesh not two any longer. Jesus quotes Genesis and says that this work isn’t instantaneous instead it is a process as they shall “BECOME” one flesh. God’s plan is not that a man and woman would live together as separate individuals like roommates. They aren’t to allow the differences to separate them, instead those differences are to drive them to the Lord so that they will die to self and love their spouse. Apart from this a marriage becomes a place where two opposites compete as rivals, instead of working together, pulling for each other as ONE. Can you imaging if our bodies acted out what many marriages look like? Stub your toe and the mouth barks down to your foot, “What an idiot you are, can’t even do the simplest of tasks of putting one foot in front of the other.” A successful marriage isn’t a PRODUCT of marrying the “right person” it is a PROCESS of each person working each and every day at becoming the “right person”!  

Vs. 8-12 The PROBLEM of marriage: “and the two shall become one flesh, so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefor what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Jesus finishes with His third and final point about marriage, that marriage is a journey, not a destination. When the process is ended by one or both of the parties it’s going to be painful as you are pulling apart two that have been joined into one back into two which is always going to injure both. Jesus examines this beyond the scope of present Jewish life as His illustration to His disciples when questioned further included husband’s and wife’s and presently only husbands could divorce. Both would be equally liable to maintain purity and faithfulness in the marriage. The phrase, “What God has joined together” isn’t a reference to the wedding ceremony, instead it is a reference to the mystical spiritual union that takes place within a marriage. God does this working through every aspect of a relationship, intimacy, conflicts, trials, victories as well as defeats all shape two souls into one as they tend to reveal hard places of our own hearts that need to be broken down and made soft. It is this softening that causes us to have Christ like characteristics in our marriage. Every newlywed ought to have a sign up in their first home together so all can read it regularly to remind them. The sign should be: “Caution!!! God at Work, Construction Zone”.

When Jesus was alone with His disciples they wanted further clarification one the matter of marriage and divorce and Jesus chose a powerful illustration of what the separation is like that each person would understand the sense of destruction when we attempt to pull apart what God has joined. The illustration was adultery. Intimacy is an important part of marriage, it’s a visible picture of what marriage ought to be and why God reserved intimacy for marriage. Intimacy begins with two separate, different and opposite people coming together in mutual surrender, for the purpose of enjoying each other by giving each other pleasure and by becoming one physically, emotionally and spiritually for a period of time followed by a lingering since of contentment and peace! It is this very act reserved for marriage that God wanted to create new human life from as a further illustration of two becoming one. This passage doesn’t say that the person who remarries after divorce will LIVE in adultery, but that it is like an ACT of adultery. These words were to cause the person living in a marriage a moment of sobriety, a time of reflection to contemplate the responsibility they may have in a failing relationship. Their focus must not be on what the other person is or isn’t doing but what they are or aren’t doing. Divorce cause this kind of destruction in what God has created but I don’t believe Jesus is suggesting that there is never any reason for it only that what lies behind it is hardness of one or both hearts. Over the years of serving the Lord and witnessing the destruction of hard heartedness in relationships I’ve had a front row seat to events that I wish I didn’t have to witness. I’ve been their when one spouse has committed adultery, I’ve seen what when one spouse’s hard heartedness seen in them physically hurting the other, when addictions to drugs, alcohol and other criminal behavior has destroyed what God has made into one. I don’t tell what people that they have to stay or leave in a marriage where such abuse as happened it isn’t my decision and I’m not the person having to live through what they are living through nor am I the person going to have to live through the tearing away from what God has joined together, they are.

            The teaching is that marriage is unity and not a unit, that marriage requires duality but is not two instead two working as one. He teaches that humanities design is the union of fatherhood and motherhood. That together they make up a typology of the Godhead.   

Mark 10:13-16

“God’s workshop, the playground”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 13-14a Becoming child like
3. Vs. 14b-16 The religion of a child

Introduction

Our last two times together we looked at marriage and divorce and today our initial focus will be on children. It’s not surprising that the family is very important to the Lord after all it was His idea that was implemented at creation. This morning we will begin our teaching looking at two seemingly very different events:

• Vs. 13-16 The first four verses record the annoyance of the disciples as some brought children to Jesus and His corrective response to them.
• Vs. 17-22 The next 6 verses record the very familiar story that we know as “The Rich Young Ruler”.

At face value these two stories seem to have no connection and are just random events that have ended up next to each other on the same page. I believe they are connected not textually but by way of theme. Before we get into this section verse by verse allow me to explain how the theme of children being kept away from Jesus is connected to Jesus’ words to a rich young ruler. The connection is verse 14 where Jesus says to His disciples, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” The focal point of the connection is this little phrase “for of such is the kingdom of God”. Jesus told His disciples that there is something in the characteristics of ALL children that is absolutely essential for a person if they are going to be in the Kingdom of God. The puzzling thing about this is that Jesus DOESN’T tell us what those characteristics are. The very next story is the rich young ruler whose sole interest is to find out what he must do to enter the kingdom of God. There is your connection! These children possessed some untold riches that the rich young ruler, with all he had, recognized he was still lacking. He had, no doubt, witnessed the children coming to Jesus, heard what He had told His disciples and then approached Him later wanting to know how he could go about to obtaining it.   

Vs. 13-14a Becoming child like

Vs. 13-14a This is one of the most painted scenes in all the Bible, artists love to depict this story in their art. One can easily see the children crawling all over Jesus, sitting on His lap, pulling on His clothes, grabbing His hands and touching His face. All of them eager for His attention and He eager for theirs even as a young man of 30 years of age who wasn’t married and had no children. I often wonder if His time with children wasn’t His most enjoyable time on earth as children represented in so many ways the ideal of the creation and the hope for the kingdom of God? I also wonder if His amazing way with adults wasn’t enhanced because of His unique ability to see the child in each and every person He met? The story before us has two major points:

1. Vs. 13-14a Jesus’ rebuke of His disciples at their protectiveness of Him with regards to people bringing their children to Him.
2. Vs. 14b-16 The Unspoken qualities that children posses that are essential for entrance into the kingdom of God.                   

The word “they” in the Greek is in the masculine gender which suggests that it was the father’s that brought their children to Jesus. Mark indicates for us that the motive behind the disciples was a misguided sense of protection as they were concerned that parents were wasting Jesus’ precious time. We are told that “they brought little children to Jesus” but the Greek has it that they kept on do so. The phrase “that He might touch them” refers to a custom of laying hands upon someone for the purpose of praying a blessing upon them which finds in origins in Genesis 48:14-15 where Joseph brought his two sons to be blessed by his father Jacob. Usually this blessing was to be bestowed by the ruler of the synagogue but here appears to be instigated do to the enormous popularity of Jesus as the miracle working prophet. What us of further interest is that the Greek also has it that every time they brought children to Jesus to bless the disciples kept on trying to stop or rebuke the effort. Clearly the disciples believed that there were greater needs where His time could be better spent than blessing children. There were lepers to be cleansed, lame that could be given their appendages back, blind that could be given their sight but these little children needed none of those things and His time with them took away His time with others. It all sounds rather reasonable when you put it that way doesn’t it. In fact, it sounds rather familiar as we often sight things far less as reasons we don’t have time to enter act with our own children and grandchildren. I think of that 1974 hit song by Harry Chapin “Cats in the Cradle” that was recorded from a poem written by his wife Sandra. It’s about a father who is “to busy” to spend time with a son who longs to be just like his dad and ends up unfortunately becoming just that. I believe that song points out a very real problem that apparently was prevalent in Jesus time as well; the rush to not spend time as a family. We have all become to busy and we wonder why we see a generation not very different than us children of the 60’s who took the lie of Timothy Leary and “Turned on, tuned in and dropped out”. The only real difference today is what our youth is turned on to, tuned into too and dropped out of! I believe Jesus understood the incredible resource our children are when families are more than just living in the same house.

            I’m fascinated by how children were naturally drawn to Jesus! What a lesson Jesus is giving His disciples that children don’t need to become more like adults to be respond to things of the kingdom of God but rather that adults need to become more like children in order to become responsive to the kingdom of God. These disciples didn’t need to get in the way keeping the little children from coming to Jesus they needed to get out of the way.

            The Greek word “greatly displeased” is a strong word with great emotion visibly indicating indignation. This response reveals the degree of Jesus’ displeasure at His disciple’s misrepresentation the nature of His kingdom. Jesus then went on to command that they stop hindering the children from coming to Him and forbids the practice ever again.

Vs. 14b-16 The religion of a child

Vs. 14b-16 The 2^nd point Jesus made is that children are models to emulate if you are to enter the kingdom. Jesus isn’t saying that as adults we need to be “childish” but rather “child-like” to enter the kingdom. Yet as I’ve noted Jesus doesn’t elaborate on what those qualities or characteristics are. Instead He just emphasizes the necessity of emulating those qualities as He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” It seems to me that after making such an absolute statement concerning the qualities found in children and not telling us what they are assumes three things:

1. These qualities ought to be pretty self evident as not needing to be said.
2. In not saying them, was a way employed by Jesus to draw people into their discovery. This in turn would make adults begin the process of becoming like the qualities He had just said were essential for the kingdom of God.
3. Finally, as I noted above I believe that we can test our answers by evaluating the qualities that the rich young ruler possessed and lacked.

Here then are the guidelines for our search: These qualities must be universal to all children, in all ages, through out time. They also must be qualities that adults can and should get back too but often lose as adults. I believe that there are three such traits and I personally look for these in the men who I disciple as I believe Jesus did as well.  

• Transparent: The first quality that you see in children is their overall approach on life, is SIMPLE and uncomplicated. Children are what they are, they go right to the heart of things and ask the boldest of questions. They are not Politian’s and don’t worry about things coming out right. They also don’t put on airs, if they hurt or something isn’t right they let you know. They are direct and immediate in their approach to things. Above everything else they are curious which gives them an overall uncomplicated nature. Further more they demand the same direct approach to life and are excited to share it with whoever is closest to them. This vulnerability is what is often exploited by adults but is what makes them children. This kind of TRANSPARENCY is what I believe is the first quality Jesus speaks of. All children possess it and all adults must get back to it if they are going to receive the kingdom of God.    
• Teachable: The 2^nd quality in children is there hunger to learn knew things. Everything and everyone is a discovery. Their favorite word is “WHY”? It propels them beyond the status quo and normal fears, that overwhelm adults. They are all right in telling you that they don’t know something in order to learn what they don’t know. They are open to instruction, they are clay, not cement! The key to teaching them is hitting on that discovery in a way that is right on the edge of out of control. Children love new ideas and new ways of doing things and will quickly try to emulate what they have just learned. What is amazing to me is to see what happens to adults, we often lose that teachable heart and it is replaced with a heart that is arrogant and believes that it already knows more than anyone else. If the favorite word for the child is “WHY” then the favorite words for the adult is the explanation of “WHY NOT”! Jesus says that adults need to get back to discovery and a teachable heart if they want to receive the kingdom of God. I have found that it is possible for us adults to get back to teach-ability but it usually comes at the price of trials and brokenness.  
• Transference: The final quality is often debated by parents observing their own children but is nonetheless true of children. All children and I do mean ALL, have to put into practice what they have learned. Oh it may not be when we parent’s want them to, or the way in which we want them too but rest assured our children will be applying what they learned and teaching others to do the same. Such “transference of information” is a hall mark of being a child as they are by nature responsive and will parrot what they have learned and heard. Often this makes for some embarrassing moments for adults do to what they have unwittingly taught them concerning words and phrases as well as actions. Further more this transference of what they have learned is almost always seen in “immediate obedience” that goes unnoticed or unappreciated by adults. What I love to watch in children is that once they have learned some new thing they don’t wait until they have mastered it before they are immediately trying to teach another child how to do it. These little people are natural disciple’s as well as discipler’s, why it’s in their nature. Adult’s have lost the desire to pass on with excitement what they have just learned to others and will leave what they have just learned and found beneficial to the “Professionals”. Jesus tells us that if we want to receive the kingdom of God we will need to get back to a messy life of going for it as we share His love with others!       

The Greek has it that Jesus took them up one by one and fervently and passionately kept on blessing each one of them. What an adult need’s, according to Jesus, is not to abandon child-like qualities but go back to them. Our home is heaven but according to this the playground is God’s workshop! Christianity is preeminently the religion of a child! Hey, saints, “little ones” will you join me in a new revolution of these traits? Let’s not settle for being “old Dogs” but instead by like little children: Transparent, Teachable and Transference!  

Mark 10:17-22

“Un-complicating the complicated life”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 17 The rich, young, ruler
3. Vs. 18-20 The definition of “Good”
4. Vs. 21-22 Possessed by possessions

Introduction

Two weeks ago I spent only a brief amount of time demonstrating the correlation between two stories that are side by side in the text but appear to be miles apart. Often the Bible seems to be like that: Random short stories disconnected to each other. But when you examine the text in detail you find something completely different, a masterful tapestry of inner connected fabric that is so connected and so beautifully placed together that I see the Holy Spirit’s inspiration on every thread. There are several clues in these two stories that indicate their connection:

1. First, is Jesus’ words with regards to the essential nature of childlike qualities as He said “for such is the kingdom of God”. Then again in verse 15 He said, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” When you examine the text concerning the rich young ruler his initial question to Jesus is, “Good teacher what must I do that I may inherit eternal life?” The subject matter is the same both in Jesus’ statement as well as the ruler’s question, qualities for the entrance into the “kingdom of God”.  
2. The 2^nd correlation is far subtler, as the initial question of the rich young ruler seems to indicate that he had to have been witnessing the encounter Jesus had with the children and His disciples. I say this as it only makes sense to the context with regards to his question which implies self examination where he apparently felt that he was missing at least some of these qualities, how would he have known this unless he had been present during the conversation?  

Vs. 17 The rich, young, ruler

Vs. 17 Luke and Matthew in their recording of this event both call this man “the first one” which speaks of preeminence. Else where the word is used for the chief of a synagogue or the head Pharisee. It is used in classic Greek to describe a great man or a prince. His address of Jesus as the “Good Teacher” is reversed in the Greek and is “Teacher, Good One” and thou a sincere compliment still implies an imperfect standard for it’s evaluation as the comparison was human not divine. I must say that I’m very impressed with this young man for three reasons:

1. First, this young man believed Jesus’ words were true and not just an opinion of a religious leader. How easy it would have been for him to dismiss this conversation, especially if he believed that he was lacking these unspoken characteristics. 
2. Second, he did a self evaluation in which by his own comprehension he felt that he was missing the necessary characteristics. He is not of the majority that believe that they are good enough as they are for the kingdom of God, very impressive!
3. Finally, when we compare this passage with Matthew chapter 19 and Luke chapter 18 we are given further insight as we are told that this young man came from a well to do family (verse 22) as well as the fact in Luke that he was a ruler. This is the only place in the gospels where a person comes before Jesus and leaves worse then when they came in. He may have been rich, young, a ruler and religious but he was something else and he knew it, he was empty!

As I noted two weeks ago we ought to be able to test our theory of what the child like qualities that are essential to enter into the kingdom of God by what we see displayed and not displayed in the story we are examining this morning. The first characteristic I mentioned that children every where at all times possess is TRANSPARENCY. I described this characteristic as an overall approach to life, that is simple and uncomplicated. Children are what you see and they go right to the point, curious and inquisitive. The question is, did this rich young ruler either have this quality or recognize that he was lacking it when he came to Jesus? He exhibited not only a simple directness in approaching Jesus but also an honest evaluation of himself. He had an inner yearning for spiritual truth that he realized that he was lacking and he wanted it now. Though the rich young ruler possessed the quality of TRANSPARENCY that in no way suggests that this transparency doesn’t need to receive from Jesus the answers to the question he had just posed.

Vs. 18-20 The definition of “Good”

Vs. 18-20 Jesus investigation begins with one word and how he had come to this conclusion, “GOOD”. This young man had made the measurement of “GOOD” a comparison between flawed humans where one is less damaged than the other. Jesus asks, “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus is saying don’t use this term as a means of courtesy. He never wanted people to give Him honor or title till they knew what they were saying! This young man needed to think both on WHAT good is as well as WHO good is! As I see it there were two things that need to be answered that the rich young ruler had wrong:

1. What is the base line of good?: Jesus wastes no time in addressing his assessment. There are those that want to suggest that Jesus is denying that He is God by saying, “No one is good but One, that is, God.” But in reality Jesus’ answer is not self denunciation of deity but the opposite. Jesus in other places that Jesus spoke of His deity such as John 10:30 where He said that “I and the Father are one.” In Matthew 26:63-66 in His exchange with the religious leaders just before His crucifixion, He said that in the future they would see Him sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming in the clouds from heaven. The response of the religious leaders tells us that they understood that Jesus was saying that He was God as they tore their robes and accused Him of blasphemy. The point of Jesus questioning lies in the young man’s evaluation of what is good:
2. Is it a comparison between others in humanity, a percentage that we must be above others to be considered “GOOD”? Does God grade good on the “curve”?
3. Or as Jesus points out to this young man is the standard God and His goodness. Does God grade good on the “cross”? This would lead this young man to realize two very important truths:
4. He isn’t good and never will be good enough!
5. And the person he had asked this question to is non other than God the Son who is the only person who has ever walked upon this earth who is GOOD! That is why Jesus asks him the question, “Why do you call me good?”      
6. Is it possible to inherit eternal life if it is based upon our performance?: Inheritance is based upon relationship not performance and clearly this rich young ruler didn’t grasp that. That is the reason behind Jesus quoting keeping the commandments, which he claimed to have done since he was young but yet still recognized that with regards to “inheriting eternal life” he was lacking.   

In verses 19-20 Jesus next gives the divine precepts to which God had given man to regulate man’s duty to to their neighbor. To which the young man sad that he had “guarded” those commandments which he meant that not only had he obeyed them, he had honored them his whole life. This brings us to the second characteristic I mentioned two weeks ago that every child every where possess, TEACHABILITY! The definition is a hunger for discovery that propels children every where beyond their fears. Children aren’t afraid to tell you that they don’t know something if honesty will enable them to gain what they lack. It is clear to me that he does indeed posses TEACHABILITY not only was he willing to investigate the commandments as it relates to his own application of doing something to inherit eternal life, his evaluation came back that though he had done all of these things since his youth it still had not enabled him to “INHERIT” eternal life.

Vs. 21-22 Possessed by possessions

Vs. 21-22 This young man was dominated and controlled by what he possessed and Jesus told him that to be free he had to get rid of what he had because what he had because in truth it had him. This wasn’t a plan for divesting himself of wealth, income redistribution, but for him to recognize that such pursuits were the wrong pursuit. In the bible there are 490 verses that deal with faith, more than 500 that deal with prayer but there are over 2000 verses that deal with money in the gospels alone there are 288 verses, that’s 1 out of every ten. What this shows us is that God is very concerned with how we handle the resources He has given us because if we aren’t careful what He has given us, will imprison us! The third and final quality that all children posses is TRANSFERENCE! The desire to apply what they have learned, another way of saying this is obedience. The question at hand is does the rich young ruler posses this trait or can we see that he came to the understanding that he didn’t? Jesus told the rich young ruler that this one trait of transference was lacking. Jesus also invited him to come, take up his cross and follow him. Notice that Jesus gets to the heart of the matter in two ways:

1. First, Jesus brought him to a place where the rich young ruler would have to evaluate what he wanted more, the temporary comforts of this life or eternal life. Jim Elliot put it best when he said, “He is no fool who gives up what he can not keep to gain what he can never lose!” “What value do we place on that which we can not keep?” Obedience can only come about when we realize that the things that we value in this world are keeping us from the true riches of His kingdom! 
2. Second, Jesus brought him to the understanding that inheritance is relational not performance. Jesus invited him to come, take up the cross, and follow Him. Obedience, is seen not only in a onetime decision but a daily walk where we take up that which requires us to die to self and follow after Jesus. 

Upon hearing this the rich young ruler went away profoundly sad as he had great possessions. It became clear to him that he could not serve two masters! The rich young ruler was possessed by what he possessed. This rich young ruler was transparent; he was teachable but when it came down to it he didn’t want to be fully obedient if it cost him what he had because he was wealthy. Did you notice that Jesus told him that in placing the right things on the throne of his heart that he would have treasure in heaven? There will be no poverty in heaven, heaven is not a place of lack it is the place of plenty.

            There is one last thing I want us to realize and that is I don’t believe that this is the end of the story with regards to the rich young ruler. When we look at the gospel according to Mark you quickly realize that there is almost no recorded first hand knowledge of events. The reason for this is that most of the events were told to Mark by the person who disciple him Peter. There are only two exceptions that I can find where the writer seems to have information about the situation that only he could know. In Mark chapter 14 verse 51-52 we are told that at Jesus arrest there was a “certain young man who followed Jesus having a linen cloth thrown around body. And the young men lay hold of him, and left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.” This is the only reference of this incident recorded and it is believed that Mark records this event about himself, identifying the fact that he was a late follower of Jesus. The other passage is the one before us where we are told that in verse 21 that Jesus, “looking at him, loved him…” That kind of information could have only been known by the person whom Jesus looked at. These two verse indicated that the rich young ruler perhaps was the gospel writer Mark. He is also known as John Mark and was the nephew of a wealthy disciple named Barnabas. Mark’s mother Mary was a wealthy women of influence in Jerusalem who owned a large home there. It seems to me that Mark later reconsidered and followed Jesus whole heartedly. 

Mark 10:23-31

“The prison of prosperity”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 23-27 A chainsaw, a blender and a syringe
3. Vs. 28-31 The advantage of adversity

Introduction

We conclude this section with the aftermath of the temporary decision of the rich young ruler, whom I believe is none other than are very own gospel writer Mark. Jesus’ words on the “prison of prosperity” has caused much debate for thousands of years. This has led to many a twisted interpretation of not only Christians and prosperity but the illustration Jesus chose to use of “a camel going through an eye of a needle”. I promise that we will give the proper interpretation both of these based upon the context this morning. But before we get to that we will need to set the scene: This passage like the story of the rich young ruler is still connected to the three essentials that all children possess. This passage breaks apart into two sections:

1. First Jesus addresses in verses 23-27 the danger of affluence. He points out the “trap of treasures” upon the affluent as such wealth impedes the essential child like qualities for the kingdom of God. Those characteristics of: Transparency, teach ability and transference.
2. Jesus’ second point is discussed in verses 28-31 where Jesus contrasts the “prison of prosperity” with the “advantage of adversity” as it relates to producing those essential qualities for the kingdom of God!      
3. Vs. 23-27 A chainsaw, a blender and a syringe

Vs. 23-24 Jesus doesn’t declare the impossibility of a wealthy person getting saved, but the difficulty of him getting saved. The disciples were astonished at the type of kingdom God had: A place where it is essential to possess the characteristics of a child and a disadvantage to be a person of means. Especially sense the Jews regard affluence as a token of God’s favor and Jesus says the opposite. We would not associate the wealthy as being “disadvantaged” yet clearly Jesus did. The Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle once observed that “For every hundred men who can withstand adversity, only one can withstand prosperity!”

Vs. 25-27 The astonishment of verse 24 now broke into despair with regards to the salvation of all, “If the rich couldn’t achieve salvation how could the poor”? The affluent had advantages that others didn’t have and the disciples believed this gave them a greater advantage not only in this present life but for the kingdom of God. The thought was that they could “buy” their way to a better place. Prosperity has nothing to do with salvation or spiritual health for that matter. There is no more “righteousness in riches” than there is “piety in poverty”; a mistake that the early church made as they took vows of poverty and took up life in monasteries.

            Because of the disciple’s astonishment Jesus has to repeat His truth and even use an illustration. I have read for years the multiple ways well meaning people have tried to interpret this passage that would allow under difficult circumstance the affluent being able to acquire the essential traits to enter the kingdom of God. The most popular interpretation of this illustration is that there was a gate in the wall that surrounded Jerusalem that allowed unloaded camels to pass through if they got on their knees. In this story this gate was known as the “eye of the needle” or the camel’s gate. So in this interpretation the point is that if you humble yourself, unload the advantages of affluence from your life get on your knees you can make into the kingdom of God. Those that hold to this interpretation point out Jesus words to the rich young ruler and his reluctance as the reason that their interpretation is correct. While I agree that the interpretation is consistent with the story it is not consistent with the context. First there are three small matters:

• The word for needle does not refer to a gate but the tiny eye of a sewing needle.
• They were not at Jerusalem when Jesus said these words, so the illustration didn’t match the geography.
• They have never found any historical or archeological evidence that there was a gate or a situation that required such a gate in Jerusalem or else where.

Simply put the interpretation of this illustration is made up! This interpretation has about as much relevance to the story as the the boy who answered his Sunday school teacher. The teacher was trying to pound the point of the illustration home to his class with the use of props. He held up a sewing needle and a life size picture of a camel and asked if it was possible to get a camel through the needle. Expecting to get the correct answer from the students he was surprised when a boy with a big imagination answered YES! When the teacher asked how? The boy said, “Why all I need is three things: a chainsaw, a blender and a syringe”! The reason I reject this interpretation of the “eye of the needle” is the context of the passage as it gives us the answer. The disciples clearly understood the illustration as they were again astonished and asked “Who then can be saved” to which Jesus responded, “with men it is IMPOSSIBLE…” That was the point of the illustration to demonstrate the impossibility of not only the affluent being saved but all men being saved apart from God. The wealthy have no more advantage than the poor have a disadvantage it is impossible for all apart from God. Now remember that this has to do with the three essentials necessary for the entrance into the kingdom of God that all children posses that adults and especially the affluent lack.

Transparency: Affluence destroys the child like characteristic of self evaluation as it creates a false sense of security that is dependent upon secondary values. The affluent aren’t concerned where their next meal is coming from; they are only concern is whether or not they will like what they are eating. They are not concerned about whether or not they will have clothing or shelter only if what they are wearing or where they are staying is fashionable. The affluent are more concerned about secondary things then they are primary things. So the evaluation of their own heart and lack tends to be on external things not internal things. Thus often the concern of the spiritual aspects of their life are in their surroundings not the condition of their own heart. It is for this reason that Jesus said that the affluent were at a disadvantage when it came to being open to change as they were less likely to examine their own life as to what needed to change and more likely to try to change their surroundings!     

Teach ability: As a whole the affluent are less teachable as their wealth has created in them a sense of success which they attribute to superior knowledge. Instead of humility and a teachable spirit the affluent are often afflicted with arrogance. The affluent would much rather people listen to them, then to listen and learn from others. They would much rather be served then to serve and because of this they are much more inclined to demand their way then seek God’s way.   

Transference: Finally, affluence removes people from the realties of life the consequences of disobedience. Life on earth becomes the affluent person’s heaven! It can gradually cause people to be so dependent upon the “good life” that they won’t let go for the “better life”. They become owned by what they own, possessed by what they possess, left cling to the very things that entrap them to this temporary life. This is why Jesus warned against the affluent life as it has an inherent danger of keeping folks from the three essential child like traits necessary for the kingdom of God.                

But note this, Jesus says with man it is impossible but not with God, with God all things are possible. That’s grace! We will see this change in the example of our rich young ruler, John Mark, who turned down the offer of Jesus and went away sorrowful only to be found at Jesus’ arrest where he will leave even his clothes behind to follow Him. Yes, riches can remove us and keep us from these traits that are essential for the kingdom but God can remove us from the enslavement to of our treasures and return us to a transparent, teachable and transferent heart. It is marvelous to see a wealthy person in the hands of the living God freed from what they posses because they are so thoroughly possessed by Jesus! They realize that they are only stewards of God’s resources not owners of wealth. They begin to freely invest into the kingdom of God and instead of worrying about their investments. They are more concerned over their own moral bankruptcy and spiritual poverty than their portfolios.

Vs. 28-31 The advantage of adversity

Vs. 28-31 Jesus now moves of to the contrast between the “prison of prosperity” with the “advantage of adversity” as it relates to producing those essential qualities for the kingdom of God! The key to this section is Jesus’ closing statement of “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” This phrase of Jesus’ has caused many through church history to interpret this to mean that Christians should do what Jesus said to John Mark, the rich young ruler. That is to sell everything they own and give it to the poor if you are going to be a true follower of Jesus. But again the context of this final phrase eliminates this as the meaning. Jesus had said this in response to Peter’s assertion of what they gave up to follow Jesus. Jesus’ response indicates that Peter was still missing the point that poverty didn’t lead to piety any more than riches led to righteousness. Jesus wasn’t referring to external things but an inward attitude of the heart that recognizes that all we have is a gift from God and gifts from God are meant to be shared, not hoarded or squandered. We do not own our possessions and finances we are stewards over the things God has entrusted to us. We are responsible to take care of our needs and the needs of our family’s. It may come as a surprise to some of you that one of those needs is our enjoyment and pleasure as Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17 that “God, gives us richly all things to enjoy.” We should enjoy “all things” that God has given us as we are being responsible as good stewards. It is interesting that with this change of attitude concerning what God has given us we become more free and secure than if we believe that everything we have belongs to us. When we see our self’s as stewards and we see a lose in wealth and resources we see it as God limiting His provision instead of us losing money. When our financial situation changes we aren’t devastated as we realize it wasn’t ours it was all His and this change was His doing not ours. We also will recognize that our true wealth is in the “riches we have in Christ” not material things that can be affected by “rust, moth and thief”. As such there is nothing that can ever happen to take away our wealth in Christ instead the only thing that can affect our true wealth is when we fail and see our earthly assets as ours and of greater value than our eternal treasures!

            The truth Jesus told Peter was that we never give up anything for God that He hasn’t first given us! Second Jesus told Peter that you never turn over anything that God won’t restore to you a hundredfold. That words “hundredfold” doesn’t mean 100% but 100X as much. In other words, we aren’t just receiving back what we gave back to God but 100 times that! You might have noticed that little two words “with persecutions” in verse 30. Jesus offers 100 times the persecution along with all the blessings of “houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children and lands”. Now persecutions don’t seem to be a blessed advantage in the Christian life do they? But according to Jesus they are “blessed persecutions” when we have enemies because of our faith as believers they indicate that we are living with the right priorities and essential child like characteristics. They also enable us to stay transparent, teachable and transferent.

Mark 10:32-40

“The price of Christian ambition”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 32-34 Same desire different goal
3. Vs. 35-40 The way to the throne

Introduction

There is a change in the narrative as Mark draws our attention towards Jesus third prediction of His death, burial and resurrection. This time Jesus makes this prediction while on the way to Jerusalem. You have to wonder how much “new understanding” the disciples could handle as they had just been informed that the kingdom of God required the three essential characteristics that children have and then heard that the advantages of affluence was a liability not an asset. Now Jesus goes back and revisits chapter 9:30-37 and the discussion on ambition and greatness as it relates to the kingdom of God. In the world ambition is a prized trait and it may surprise Christians that according to Jesus it is something that every believer ought to desire as well. What is different is:

• The practical means to greatness: The first shall be last and servant of all.
• The path of greatness: Greatness and glory run through the cross, which can not be avoided.

Vs. 32a This account on Jesus death burial and resurrection, as well as the preceding two, reveal that Jesus’ death was not an accident. He clearly foresaw the cross and continually spoke about it as He directed His steps towards it. When you compare Jesus’ words concerning the event of the cross each time He mentions it He increases the details about it. The one consistent element in His unveiling is that He never spoke of the cross without mentioning the resurrection; which was the one thing His disciples never seem to be able to hear. Mark’s words indicate that the atmosphere on this trip was very intense as he writes, “Now as they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid.” The Greek makes it apparent that there was a procession on the way up from Jericho to Jerusalem: Jesus out ahead of all, followed be the disciples who were amazed and the crowd that were always around behind the disciples and were afraid. What they witnessed was a notable determination on Jesus in spite of a sense impending doom. I sat through a security briefing at the mission conference aimed at given us “civilians” valuable information concerning identifying, awareness and avoidance while serving in a foreign field. The instructor was a man who had a long career in law enforcement who started the briefing by saying that “He trained people to go into danger where He is now telling us how to not only spot it but avoid it”. Jesus leading the way into danger and disaster with a fixed determination, where others would have taken every opportunity to run from it.

Vs. 32b-34 Jesus adds three details that He hadn’t included and these had to do with the Roman’s as Jesus said that the Religious authorities were going to turn Him over to the the “Gentiles” “mock Him, scourge Him, and spit on Him and kill Him.” One of the interesting realities to these briefings is that the knowledge didn’t require supernatural insight on Jesus’ behalf. According to Jesus’ own words in the parallel passage of Luke 18:31 what was about to happen was that “written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.” Our Lord was not only the author of scripture but a great student of it as well and was well aware of what was predicted about His death burial and resurrection by just knowing Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and other Old Testament passages.

Vs. 35-37 Jesus words concerning His death burial and resurrection brought about a discussion among the son’s of Zebedee “James and John” for two things that had three implications. As Jesus set His face towards the cross He was keenly aware of His upcoming agony, but not blinded by it as He saw His victory. Where as His disciple’s s seemed:

• Overwhelmed by the agony
• Oblivious to the victory
• Preoccupied with their position

In Matthew’s account of this story we are told that it was James and John’s mother who approached Jesus with this request. This suggests that she was talked into doing so by these two, as His answer is only directed to them. Many commentators who rake these two over their request. But based upon Mark chapter 9 and Matthew chapter 19 verse 28, I believe their request motivated by Jesus’ words encouraging Christian ambition. When we look at Matthew 19:28 right after Peter had spoken of all that they had given up to follow Jesus, He said, “I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, YOU who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” These two brothers were just jockeying for position upon the promised thrones. When you consider the three things that a throne symbolized there is no wonder Jesus finds no fault in their request. These thrones symbolize: Preeminence, Proximity and Power!

1. Preeminence: They wanted to sit next to Jesus in a place of honor and exaltation which was nothing more than what He had just promised them according to Matthew. This would be like you and I asking Jesus to grant us the privilege of going to heaven.
2. They weren’t demanding it
3. They didn’t claim they had earned it by their works or perfection
4. No, they humbly asked Him to do what He promised He was going to do

These were NOT words of presumption but words of great faith and the reason why we see no rebuke from Jesus at their request. Would to God more of us earth goers were this heavenly minded to not strive for earthly positions but instead humbly ask and desire heavenly one’s!  

• Proximity: Once these disciples knew that 12 thrones were waiting them, it’s quite admirable to desire the ones closest to Jesus. In a world where so many Christians want to be “JUST” saved but not close to Jesus I believe that this is a wonderful thing to see in these two who are again asking Jesus to grant them to be closest to Him. Oh to God each of us in our personal devotion would humble ask our Lord to grant us to be closer to Him. These two knew that they were going to sit with Him but they wanted to go deeper than just sitting with Him they wanted to right next to Him!    
• Power: Finally, these two wanted “more power” as that is what a throne next to Jesus represents. They had already experienced some of this as they had been sent out and had seen that even the demons were subject to them in Jesus name. They were simply asking for more power to accomplish His purposes just as He promised. Not only do I not find this objectionable, to God I pray that all believers requested more power to do what He has called us to do.

Vs. 38 There was no rebuke from Jesus for the request! No words of disappointment at how arrogant of them to even think of such a thing. Jesus was in favor of their godly ambition to be in heaven seated next to Him in power. That’s why Jesus says, “You don’t know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They were asking for the right things and Jesus implies that they were asking to be on the path that He was currently on. Our Lord’s concern was that in their ignorance they were wanting the right things but without understanding what the cost of obtaining them meant. The path of “Glory” ran right through the very path that they were perplexed about namely the “CROSS”. They desiring the “glory” but hadn’t considered the price tag. To explain the price tag to them Jesus employs two metaphors that would help them understand what He faced at the cross: A cup and a baptism!

1. The Cup: The imagery of the cup is all over scripture; there is Psalm 23:5 where we are told that “My CUP runs over…” which in this Psalm is clearly a good thing. But we can also see the imagery in scripture where the “CUP” isn’t so pleasant. Many times in Jeremiah the Lord speaks through the prophet about Israel having to drink the “CUP” of the discipline of God. And in Luke 22:42 while in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays to the Father, “If it is Your will, take this CUP away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” Putting it altogether and we see that the imagery behind metaphor of the “CUP” is having to take the experience of what life hands you, circumstances and situations which you have no choice in. Yes, they can be filled with joy and peace but they can also be filled with despair and destruction but either way you have no choice but to drink from it. Specifically, Jesus used this in reference to the cross which included the rejection, torture, ridicule, beatings, spitting, nails, thirst, dislocation of bones, slow draining of blood and labor of breath. And worst of all the cup of the cross meant that all of humanities sin was placed upon Him, which brought about the separation from experiencing the presence of the Father.          
2. The Baptism: The baptism is also an event that Jesus must pass through and by the use of the word it was to engulf Him, physical, emotionally and spiritually. There would be no part of His being that wouldn’t be touched by the baptism of the cross. The cross would saturate every aspect of His being and overwhelm all His senses. There is no ridding out the “wave” of baptism is drowns you in an inescapable fury that toss you and keeps you under only to let you up for a breath to do it all over again and again!

Vs. 39-40 I admire two qualities that these two exhibited (albeit blindly) as they replied to Jesus question of Cups and baptisms:

1. Their blind optimism: These two didn’t flinch at the cost, they quickly without hesitation said, “Sure Lord bring it on, we can’t wait to get started.” They were not afraid of paying the cost. I would much rather be around folks like these two who are more than willing to go for it than hesitate.
2.  They saw it as a bargain: There was not sense of which they said, “Wow, we had no idea of the expensive of the thrones, we’ll pass”. This reveals to us that in spite of the cost they saw what they were asking for of far greater value.

That begs the question, did these two fully understand the cost of what they were asking for? Probably not but πGod is so faithful to give us what we don’t fully grasp. Some one has well said that when it comes to the cups and baptisms of the cross most folks would adopt the attitude if I leave them alone they will leave me alone. The truth is that cups and baptisms as we have already seen aren’t something we choose they are chosen for us. Paul said in Colossians 1:24 that he “rejoiced in his sufferings for them, as it filled up in his flesh what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ..” Paul recognized that we are called to suffer along with Jesus as we bear His reproach, shame, anguish, suffering and even death. This is what happened to James as we are told in Acts chapter 22 he was beheaded by Herod and John faced his cups and baptisms being boiled in oil and exiled on the Island Patmos. The places of honor as well as the cups and baptisms are chosen by the Lord. God’s focus is people not events as His goal is shaping and molding us into His image to fulfill His purposes.   

Mark 10:41-52

“The unasked question”

1. Introduction
2. Vs. 41-45 Worldly ambition verses godly ambition
3. Vs. 46-52 That I might receive my sight

Introduction

This morning we come to the conclusion of chapter 10 and two stories that again seem to be disconnected.

• The first story in verses 41-45 is the aftermath of the request made by the brothers Zebedee (James and John). Their twofold request with it’s three implications became know by their fellow 10 disciples and it “greatly displeased” them. So much so that Jesus has to step up and speak on the differences between worldly ambition and godly ambition.
• The second story that Mark addresses is in verses 46-52 and the healing of “Blind Bartimaeus”. We will need to be good biblical detectives this morning to see the connection between these two seemingly unconnected stories but in doing so we will be greatly rewarded for our effort with another life transforming application point.  

Vs. 41-45 Worldly ambition verses godly ambition

Vs. 41 I’m a bit curious as to how the other ten learned of James and John’s request. My theory is that they over heard it because they were in close proximity. That would make the real reason that they were upset, is these two opportunists beat them to the request. The word Mark uses for “greatly displeased” in the English translation sounds very respectful, but the Greek word means “indignant”. Webster’s dictionary defines it as “feeling or showing anger because of something that is unfair or wrong which leads to a person becoming very angry.” The scene according to Matthew started out with Peter’s comments about having left everything to follow Jesus. This was followed by Jesus words about the 12 thrones that they would one day occupy. Which led to the amazed observation of the disciples about the fixed determination upon Jesus as He was out in front going to Jerusalem to face the cross. The contrast between their view and Jesus words where obvious: The 12 heard about the thrones and two of them beat the others to the request to being closest to Jesus on the thrones. But Jesus knew that before the thrones there awaited a cup and baptism known as the cross that He must go through. This is the complete context to what transpires.

            The envy and jealousy of the 10 towards the two brothers must have reached a level to where Jesus saw the need to instruct them all “AGAIN” on the differences of worldly ambition verse godly ambition. The ten (no doubt led by Peter) viewed the request as a coup that was out maneuvering them for a special position. They clearly saw politics and were upset that these two who were already apart of the inner group were seeking to move up which would have meant that Peter was the odd man out. To correct this Jesus:

• First, in verse 42, acknowledged the methodology of worldly ambition as it relates to the kingdoms of the world which was very much how his disciples were viewing the kingdom of God.
• Then Jesus, in verses 43-44, restated the methodology of godly ambition as it relates to the kingdom of God. The point Jesus wanted to get across was not only the difference between them by why He encouraged godly ambition as a means of changing the world. 
• Finally, in verse 45, Jesus uses His own example of godly ambition that they saw put into practice each and every moment of the last 18 months that they had been with Him.   

Vs. 42 This phrase “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them. And their great one’s exercise authority over them” would have been completely understood by the “rank and file” of Mark Roman readers. The competition and jealousy that we notice in these disciples is unfortunately all to familiar in the body of Christ but it exists do to the failure of the church to practice godly ambition not because they do. God’s view of the church is not an organization but a living organism; one in which each person has a part that is equally important and necessary for the vitality of the whole. The apostle Paul was attempting to get this point across to a competitive Corinthian Church in his 1^st letter to them when he wrote in chapter 12 verse 12 “For as the body is one and has many members, but all members of that one body…” Then in verse 18 Paul wrote, “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you..”. I’m afraid that at times the church as mimicked the world’s organization structure at the cost of God’s organism structure. The outcome of that is we see a corporate hierarchy where those in leadership roles arrogantly wield authority, bossing others around and measure their own power and success by how many people are subject to their orders. This type of leadership looks just like the world where jealousy’s and rivalries are prevalent and back stabbing, kissing up and other forms of manipulation is common place. I believe that there are two reasons why the world’s organization structure is all to common in the church today:

1. Ignorance: That was the case here with the disciples, they didn’t yet know of another form of ambition and that is what Jesus was teaching them about godly ambition.
2. Sin: There are those who know that the world’s organization structure is not Jesus’s method but choose to ignore it so they can maintain power and lord over people.

Vs. 43-44 Having identified the problem (worldly ambition) Jesus offers the new methodology of godly ambition. The words, “Yet it shall not be so among you…” ought to hang over every church board meeting to remind us that we aren’t lords, we are servants entrusted with God’s resources and sheep. In Matthew chapter 23 verse 8 Jesus said, “But you, do not be called Rabbi; for One is your teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.” The church is not to operate as a hierarchy of power, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:24, “Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are FELLOW WORKERS for your joy; for by faith you stand.” No one; not the pastor, the board, the deacons or denomination is ever to be be the boss or bully pushing around their fellow brothers and sisters. Jesus is the Head of His church and will always be! We can look out over the differing forms of church government and see that no matter what form practiced we can see the same failure which is because of worldly ambition instead of godly ambition. There has never been a form of church government that has been immune to it because the problem is not the structure but the heart behind it (worldly ambition instead of godly ambition). The church has simply failed (Catholic and Protestant, Baptist and Pentecostal) to live out these simple God given instructions of our Lord. A pastor or other leadership in a church are simply people who have been given the responsibility to exercise the proven calling and gifts in away that glorifies Jesus, furthers His kingdom and causes God’s people to grown in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

            Then Jesus repeats chapter 9 verse 35 and the great little visible example of how you can determine if you are functioning as a leader with godly ambition, “Whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.” Godly ambition is SERVANT LEADERSHIP; and when exercised in the power of the Holy Spirit something amazing happens. Authority is established not by constraint but by willing submission as you have demonstrated that you value the people above your position and self! Those in authority in God’s church are those who have time and again demonstrated that they are servants of all and because of this have gained respect and honor from their fellow brothers and sisters that have been constantly served by them and have no problem submitting to their leadership.

Vs. 45 Of course the greatest example of this is none other than Jesus Himself who, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Here is Jesus, the One who spoke everything into existence, the only One who has every right to be served by that which He created and He choose instead to relinquish His rights in order to meet our needs and demonstrate what true godly ambition is.

Vs. 46-52 That I might receive my sight

Vs. 46 First let’s address the threefold connection between these two stories:

1. When you look at the other gospel accounts you realize that Mark leaves out many other events that happened at this time. For instance, Luke tells us of Jesus coming to Zacchaeus’ house which happened at this same time. Matthew speaks of two blind men and never reveals the name of either. This revelation suggests to us that the Holy Spirit through Mark hand picked this story in connection with what had just transpired.
2. Then there is a repeated phrase that connects these two sections. In verse 36 Jesus asked at the request of the two brothers James and John, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Then down in verse 51 at Bartimaeus’ continual cries Jesus asks him the same exact question, “What do you want Me to do for you.”
3. Finally, there is the odd double repeat of Bartimaeus’ name which certainty would draw the reader’s attention to this story. You see Bar-Timaeus means “Son of Timaeus”, so why does Mark say it twice in verse 46? It is not normal for the Greek or Hebrew and is quite redundant as they mean the same thing. 

These three things cause me to believe that these stories are very much connected and that is further enhanced by what Timaeus means. This blind man’s name means “Son of Honor”! What are the odds that right after there was a through discussion on the request of having the place of “HONOR” next to Jesus that you were totally “BLIND” about the cost of; that you would run into a “BLIND MAN NAME HONOR” which Matthew doesn’t even record his name as one of the two blind men? The healing of Bartimaeus is the perfect illustration that would heal these disciples so that they could enjoy their places of HONOR in godly ambition at Jesus’ side.

Vs. 47-52 The trouble with these disciples is that they were as spiritual blind as Bartimaeus was physically blind. The difference was that Bartimaeus unlike the disciples was very aware of this fact and wasn’t willing to shut up about it even when he was warned to be quiet. Bartimaeus was far more concerned with his blindness then he was of anything else, as threw aside his garment to come to Jesus.

Don’t you find it a bit interesting that as Blind Bartimaeus comes before Jesus that Jesus asks, to my way of thinking an obvious answer, when addressing a blind, “What do you want Me to do for you?” I mean what else would Bartimaeus want but to receive his sight? And sure enough that is exactly what he asks for and receives for the first time in his life. So are you ready to put this all together for our application? Remember James and John’s request as they desired three things: Preeminence, Proximity and Power from the Lord, but were blind as to the cost? Here then is the antidote to that which hinders us from godly ambition and enjoying an ever increasing amount of these three things in this life. We need to be asking the Lord to continue to “Cure our blindness about ourselves!” That is what keeps us from:

• From enjoying heaven now
• From a growing closeness to Jesus
• From a greater power from Him to do what He has called us to do

Oh that each and everyday we would be like Bartimaeus and ask Jesus to grant us that we may receive our sight about our self’s! David said it so well in Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me. And lead me in the way everlasting.” 

This is a placeholder. Notes will be added