YOUR CHOICE, JESUS OR
THE WORLD
Mark 10:17-31
THE BEST QUESTION TO ASK
V:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and
fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what
must I do to inherit eternal life?"
A. The text says the man ran to Jesus.
1. We really
don't know how much time we have to live, so it is an urgency
to establish
a relationship with Jesus.
2. We can prepare
for tomorrow, but we cannot determine what will happen
tomorrow.
3. We can be
prepared for the final outcome if we have a relationship with Jesus.
a. If you
don't know Jesus, you should run to Him as quick as you can.
b. If you do
know Jesus, you should run the race with
Him.
B. The man asked the
most important question .
1. The answer to
this question determines the quality of your present, and the quality
of your future
on earth.
2. How you respond
to the answer of this question
determines your final
destination,
heaven or hell.
C. The man came to Jesus, the one who is the answer to this
question.
1. He humbled
himself before the Lord Jesus.
2. He gave Jesus
the respect as a teacher who knew the answer.
3. He gave Jesus a
double honor.
Not only did he
call Jesus "teacher", but he call Him "Good".
DON'T THINK TO HIGHLY OF YOURSELF
V:18 "Why do you
call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone."
A. Jesus humbled
Himself before the Father in the presence of man.
1. Even though He
was God in the flesh, He would not allow others to think of Him
as Good.
2. Even though He was equal to and one with
the Father, He made Himself
submissive to
His Father in heaven.
B. Jesus set the
example for us to follow.
1. Jesus wants us
to be one with Him as He is one with the Father.
2. Man was
created in the image and likeness of the Father.
3. Our image was
damaged when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden.
4. Only Jesus can
restore our image.
V:19-20. " You know the commandments: 'Do not murder,
do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not
defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he
declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
A. First, Jesus tested the man's obedience to the law.
1. He was a good
man.
2. He had a good
character.
3. He was obedient
to the law.
B. He was satisfied
with who he was.
1. He was not
content with where he was going.
2. Since the man
called Jesus his teacher, he had heard Jesus talk about eternal
life.
3. He
considered himself knowledgeable about the law but he was not sure about
eternal life.
4. We have the
Word in front of us, but are we sure about our eternal life?
5. The question is,
if you die today are you sure you have a place in heaven?
C. The law is not specific about how to get to heaven.
1. The Law was
tutor to live a life of obedience and as a result how to obtain
the promises
of God in the promise land.
2. The man was
confused because heaven was not specifically addressed in the
law.
3. He knew how to
be good according to the law, but not how to be perfect in
Jesus.
4. Good according
to man's concepts, want get you into heaven.
THE WORD IS LOVE
V:21-22. " Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One
thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
A. Jesus was sent down from Heaven, because God is love.
1. Jesus loves His
creation.
2. Jesus look at
the man without judgment, but with love.
B. The man had
everything he needed.
1. He was
satisfied with his material possessions.
2. He trusted in
his possessions.
3. He was satisfied
with his goodness because of his possessions.
4. He probably
gave to the poor, but made no sacrifices to support the poor.
C. The man had it
going on earth, but he had nothing in heaven.
1. Jesus gave the
man three unexpected requirements to
gain a place in heaven.
2. First, he was
required to sell all he had.
3. Second, he had
to give all the proceeds from the sell to the poor.
4. Third, he had
to follow Jesus.
5. That is what
Jesus requires of us, to sacrifice our lives for Him.
a. If anyone
try to save his life, he will lose it.
b. If anyone looses his life for Jesus, he
will find it. Mat 16:25
MUCH KNOWLEDGE BRINGS MUCH PAIN
V: 22-23. " At this the man's face fell. He went away
sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his
disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom
of God
A. The man who came looking for salvation, was not willing
to give up his wealth
to obtain it.
1. Jesus requires us
to completely surrender ourselves to
Him.
2. Jesus does not
want partial surrender.
3. The man trusted
the wealth that Jesus made available to him, more than the Word
of Jesus.
4. The rich man
was not willing to make sacrifices for eternal life.
5. He wanted
heaven but at a minimal cost.
B. He was an almost
Christian.
1. He was materially rich, but spiritually
poor.
2. He was
materially fixed on earth and spiritually doomed to hell.
3. He could see
wealth on earth, but he couldn't see wealth in heaven.
4. He went away
sadly back to his wealth, when he could have went forward
gladly with
Jesus.
C. Jesus gave the man a choice; Heaven or hell.
1. He chose to keep his wealth and life in hell.
2. We have a
choice, heaven or hell.
3. We have a choice
to follow the flesh or to follow Jesus.
4. We cannot follow
two masters, it is either the world or Jesus.
AMAZING GRACE
V:24-25. " The disciples were amazed at his words. But
Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom
of God kingdom
of God
A. Man is caught up in his fleshly desires and cannot enter
heaven on his own merits.
1. Those who have
much, rely on their wealth.
2. Since the rich
have every thing, they can't see how relying on God is
beneficial.
3. It is easier for
the poor to rely on God for their health and strength.
B. To explain His doctrine, Jesus uses an example that we
can see as
physically
impossible.
1. When man has
wealth, he is blinded to the one who provided
the wealth.
2. A rich man's
wealth becomes bigger than Jesus.
3. A rich man's wealth is more important than
Jesus.
4. A rich man sees
his wealth as the way into everything and the way out of
anything.
5. The man's wealth
is the camel, the eye of the needle is the Kingdom
of Heaven
6. The ways of the
world is wide, but the way into heaven is a straight and narrow path.
V: 26-27. The disciples were even more amazed, and said to
each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and
said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are
possible with God."
A. Jesus left the door open for the rich man to be saved.
1. He came to Jesus
with an attitude of pride.
2. He left with a
more humble attitude.
3. He came with
confidence in himself, he left Jesus with doubt.
4. He came to Jesus
ignorant, but He left enlighten.
5. He came to Jesus
not knowing how to obtain eternal life, he left with
with the knowledge
of what it takes to get into heaven.
6. He came thinking
Jesus was just a teacher, he left knowing Jesus was the
way to eternal
life.
7. He came thinking
he was on the right path, he left knowing Jesus was the
right path.
REWARD FOR SERVICE
V:28-30 " Peter
said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29 "I tell
you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers
or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30
will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes,
brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions)
and in the age to come, eternal life."
A. Making sacrifices for Jesus has rewards in this life
while we live and in the heaven to
come.
1. Following Jesus,
has a 100 fold increase in this life.
2. God loves a
cheerful giver.
3. When we serve
Jesus faithfully with our time and resources, God will make
blessings
available to us, that we cannot conceive or think.
4. The disciples
left every thing to follow Jesus but will gain everything in Jesus,
B. Our mission on earth is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
1. That means
talking, walking and living,
2. We have the
proclaim the Gospel with our mouths.
3. We have to walk
according to the ways of the Lord.
4. We have to trust
the Lord in all our circumstances.
EQUAL IN HEAVEN
V:31. " But many
who are first will be last, and the last first."
A. Those who are first in this world, will be
last in the kingdom of
heaven if they
should make it.
1. The rich are
first in this world and have the best of everything.
2. They have
their reward on earth.
3. The poor on
earth who confess their faith in Jesus have the best reserve for
them in
heaven.
B. The rich will have to loose their dependence
on their wealth to
have any chance
of relying on Christ.
1. The rich will
be the last to come to Christ.
2. The rich will
be the last to find true joy which is only found in Jesus.
3. The rich will
be the last to find true peace which is only found in Jesus.
4. The rich will
be the last to find true love which is only found in Jesus.
5. The rich will
be the last to find forgiveness which is only given through
faith in
Jesus.
6. The pursuit of
wealth pushes the rich away from Jesus.
7. The Word says
seek the kingdom of heaven first and all we need will be added
to us.
C. Another way to look at this statement, "The first
will be last and the last
will be
first" is to consider a race.
1. All the runners
start out together and only one can finish first.
2. The one who
crosses the line first is first.
3. The one who
crosses the line last is last.
4. There could be a
case where all the runners cross the finish line at the same time.
a. Everybody is
first and nobody is last.
b. Or,
everybody is last and nobody is first.
5. In the kingdom
of heaven, everybody is equal.
IT'S YOUR CHOICE, I HOPE IT IS JESUS
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
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