Mark 10:17-23 "And when he was gone forth
into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good
Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (18) And
Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that
is, God. (19) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit
adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not,
Honour thy father and mother. (20) And he answered and said unto
him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. (21) Then
Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go
thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
(22) And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he
had great possessions. (23) And Jesus looked round about, and saith
unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the
kingdom of God!"
I used a longer portion of Scripture this morning, but there is a blessing if you only read the Scripture. I have some very definite thoughts about this young man. I want to share them with you. First, I want to say this is not talking about how to get to heaven. The Word of God is very steadfast on the fact that we are saved eternally purely and simply by the shed blood of Jesus Christ plus nothing. There is no amount of good works whereby we could deserve or merit eternal heaven. So, if not eternal heaven, then what is this talking about? The last four words of today's Scripture tells us that: "the kingdom of God". So before we continue on, let us define the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven. Paul tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Jesus told us that the kingdom of God is within us. It is a state of the heart whereby we experience the peace and joy of Jesus Christ as we walk in fellowship with him through this life.
This young man asks Jesus a question: "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Have you ever asked a question, but did not know how to word it? But let's assume that his question means exactly the way He asked it. What may I do? When you look at the final conclusion to this scene, we must come up with the answer there is nothing we can do to inherit eternal life. Just a few verses after today's text, we shall see Jesus saying, "with men it is impossible, but not with God." So, let's assume the man asked the question, meaning exactly what it says. Jesus answers His question, but then goes on to talk about what the young man could do to experience that which is accomplished and given of God.
Now, we read the man was "sad at that saying, and went away grieved." There are those who would say this man was not a child of God and did not make it to heaven. I do not pretend to know the mind and heart and purpose of God, but there is one thing that is said in this text that causes me to believe the young man was/is a child of God even though he went away grieved. "What is that one thing?" you might ask. For me, it is found in verse 21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him." Jesus loved this young man. Again, others might say this love was a general love. Actually this word love is the very same word as in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." I do not believe that Jesus ever has extended His agapao love to anyone in vain. The same applies to Jesus as was spoken by the Father in Jeremiah, "Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee unto me."
This next part is my opinion only. I cannot prove, nor disprove what I am about to say. When the Roman soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane to take Jesus, we read that all His disciples forsook Him and fled. Mark is careful to include a detail that the others do not. We read these words. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: (52) And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." (Mark 14:51-52) Again, this is my thought. Could this have been the same young man? After he left the presence of Jesus, did he come to an understanding that those things, which he held dear, could not give him peace and joy. Did he give everything away except for on linen cloth to cover his body? I cannot prove it to be so; but, it gives me joy to think this could possibly have happened.
I can see this is getting to be quiet a long devotional this morning. I have used these first three paragraphs to speak that which, in the end, is God's determination. There is a lesson for me to be found in this encounter with Jesus. The word, riches, in verse 23 does not only indicate money or wealth. The word also can apply to anything that we would see about ourselves that would place us in a prominent place. In verse 28, we find Peter speaking, "Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." It could easily seem to me that Peter was seeing himself as being "rich" in that he was willing to do more than the young man was willing to do. But, did Peter's leaving everything behind gain him favor to enter heaven? No. But, did Peter's willingness to leave everything enable him to see the power and glory of Jesus Christ and to experience the joy of the Lord? Yes, it did.
I sum it up in this manner. Our obedience unto God does not gain us entrance into heaven. But we are definitely blessed to experience many wonderful blessings when we are willing to lay everything aside and do the bidding of our Lord. It may not even make sense to us at the moment, but we can have great peace and joy if we are following the direction of our Lord.
I used a longer portion of Scripture this morning, but there is a blessing if you only read the Scripture. I have some very definite thoughts about this young man. I want to share them with you. First, I want to say this is not talking about how to get to heaven. The Word of God is very steadfast on the fact that we are saved eternally purely and simply by the shed blood of Jesus Christ plus nothing. There is no amount of good works whereby we could deserve or merit eternal heaven. So, if not eternal heaven, then what is this talking about? The last four words of today's Scripture tells us that: "the kingdom of God". So before we continue on, let us define the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven. Paul tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Jesus told us that the kingdom of God is within us. It is a state of the heart whereby we experience the peace and joy of Jesus Christ as we walk in fellowship with him through this life.
This young man asks Jesus a question: "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Have you ever asked a question, but did not know how to word it? But let's assume that his question means exactly the way He asked it. What may I do? When you look at the final conclusion to this scene, we must come up with the answer there is nothing we can do to inherit eternal life. Just a few verses after today's text, we shall see Jesus saying, "with men it is impossible, but not with God." So, let's assume the man asked the question, meaning exactly what it says. Jesus answers His question, but then goes on to talk about what the young man could do to experience that which is accomplished and given of God.
Now, we read the man was "sad at that saying, and went away grieved." There are those who would say this man was not a child of God and did not make it to heaven. I do not pretend to know the mind and heart and purpose of God, but there is one thing that is said in this text that causes me to believe the young man was/is a child of God even though he went away grieved. "What is that one thing?" you might ask. For me, it is found in verse 21, "Then Jesus beholding him loved him." Jesus loved this young man. Again, others might say this love was a general love. Actually this word love is the very same word as in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." I do not believe that Jesus ever has extended His agapao love to anyone in vain. The same applies to Jesus as was spoken by the Father in Jeremiah, "Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee unto me."
This next part is my opinion only. I cannot prove, nor disprove what I am about to say. When the Roman soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane to take Jesus, we read that all His disciples forsook Him and fled. Mark is careful to include a detail that the others do not. We read these words. "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: (52) And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." (Mark 14:51-52) Again, this is my thought. Could this have been the same young man? After he left the presence of Jesus, did he come to an understanding that those things, which he held dear, could not give him peace and joy. Did he give everything away except for on linen cloth to cover his body? I cannot prove it to be so; but, it gives me joy to think this could possibly have happened.
I can see this is getting to be quiet a long devotional this morning. I have used these first three paragraphs to speak that which, in the end, is God's determination. There is a lesson for me to be found in this encounter with Jesus. The word, riches, in verse 23 does not only indicate money or wealth. The word also can apply to anything that we would see about ourselves that would place us in a prominent place. In verse 28, we find Peter speaking, "Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee." It could easily seem to me that Peter was seeing himself as being "rich" in that he was willing to do more than the young man was willing to do. But, did Peter's leaving everything behind gain him favor to enter heaven? No. But, did Peter's willingness to leave everything enable him to see the power and glory of Jesus Christ and to experience the joy of the Lord? Yes, it did.
I sum it up in this manner. Our obedience unto God does not gain us entrance into heaven. But we are definitely blessed to experience many wonderful blessings when we are willing to lay everything aside and do the bidding of our Lord. It may not even make sense to us at the moment, but we can have great peace and joy if we are following the direction of our Lord.