The Rich Young Influencer

INTRO AND HONOR

CONTEXT FOR MARK

Last week recap - Our focus is heaven, our destiny is heaven. When facing discouragement we cling to the cross and the promise of the resurrection. Meaning that one day Jesus will make everything right if we follow after Him.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible The Messiah’s Mission and the Disciples’ Blindness (8:22–10:52)

The failure of the disciples to understand the necessity of Christ’s death provides the background for the transfiguration (9:1–8), which assures Peter, John, and James that God’s kingdom will indeed come (note v 1

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Here we have one of the most vivid stories in the Gospels

Mark 10:17–31 (ESV)

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”

20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

READ AND PRAY

Hiring Pastor Dennis as a pastor

When I was on staff at a church in Texas, my pastor hired this guy by the name of Dennis Chappell.

Dennis started like a year before me. So for 8 years I worked with Dennis and we became very close. He is still such an amazing friend to me.

But his story is CRAZY! This man had 20-some-odd felons - in and out of prison - and had just gotten out of prison for trying to rob a bank. He wasn’t a very good bank robber. But turns out he is an amazing Pastor.

So because of Pastor Dennis’ background — he couldn’t get a job at McDonald’s - but my pastor hired him and it completely changed the face of our church.

Pastor Dennis started a CR program — and we have hundreds of people coming to our church that were from hard backgrounds and struggling with addiction.

Because of that ministry our church exploded.

And it taught me a lesson — People that know and understand that they need God ALWAYS FIND HIM.

The Gospel has always flourished in areas and places where people are hurting and broken. WHY?:

Humility and brokenness are what make the difference between someone who walks away from God and someone who stays and serves God.

This story of the Rich Young Influencer, its about discipleship. It’s about how we choose to be led -OR NOT LED- by Christ.

God does not respond to pride. God responds to faith. God responds to humility.

Pastor Dennis became such an incredible pastor because he knew without God … He was nothing

It is impossible for someone who thinks they have life all figured out to be touched by God.

Thankfully, with God nothing is impossible.

“All thing are possible with God” — is referring to salvation! It’s not referring to whatever you desire you might have.

“I’m going to jump off the roof and fly because with God nothing is impossible!” — uhh yeah no.

No this is about SALVATION! With God — ANYONE CAN COME TO CHRIST!!

I’ve heard people talk about the camel and the eye of the needle and how there was this little gate back in the day and the camel would have to kneel down, to humble itself, to get through the gate —

NOPE. No type of gate exists. It was a made-up possibility that got taught around because its kinda hard to reconcile this verse. Even the disciples don’t know what to do with that Jesus just said …

Jesus meant what He said. It is easier for a literal camel to try and fit through the literal eye of a needle than for a rich person to be saved … That is to say: IT IS A MIRACLE WHEN SOMEONE WHO HAS IT ALL FIGURED OUT SURRENDERS THIER LIFE TO CHRIST.

One of the most dangerous places to be -- is thinking you have it all figured out and you can coast your way through. That is where PRIDE sets in.

Our faith is not a badge we wear and a verse we put in our instagram bio — NO IT IS A LIFE WE LIVE!

Notice Jesus gives him a to do list …

How do I inherit eternal life? — Jesus doesn’t say “well it not a religion its a relationship. So just believe this and go about your normal life.”

Not just relationship - not just “belief” --- GET IN TROUBLE. “Make Room.” WE ARE NOT TO BE RELIGIOUS ABOUT OUR PREFERENCES BUT WE ARE ABOUT GOD’S WORD!!

“Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire”

Marriage is this way …

OUR BELIEF LEADS TO ACTION!

Faith without works is … DEAD!

The book of James talks about being a doer if the Word. Our faith in Christ MUST CHANGE how we live.

It should change how we talk

Who we spend time with

How we conduct ourselves

James writes and say that there is fighting and quarreling among you - WHY? Because your Passion at war within you. Conflicting things in you.

This Rich Young Influencer had conflicting things. He heard. He wanted the right thing. He came to Jesus. The belief was there! And Praise God! But he left disheartened because he wasn’t fully surrendered

It’s like - what were you expecting to hear bro? Jesus told you! You’re the one who asked the question. But we want things our way. On our terms.

This is me!! I love these verses because this is me! “God what must I do?”

Oh…. Is there a cheaper option??

Get workout supplements and label them all different things … podcasts, relationships, whatever, and then Jesus on there

God isn’t wanting to make you better before He makes you new

Jesus and faith are not the avenues you use to get what you want. He’s not a genie in a bottle.

He is a King that we serve

Our world is very self-seeking. Everything in our world today revolves around the self. Live YOUR truth. Do what’s best FOR YOU. I just gotta DO ME right now.

And so we have been shaped and conformed to the patterns of the world and then come to church and expect God to bless our dysfunction

The Gospel of Mark How Much Do You Want Goodness? (Mark 10:17–22)

‘How much do you want real Christianity? Do you want it enough to give your possessions away?’ And the man had to answer in effect, ‘I want it—but I don’t want it as much as all that.’

Ezekiel 33:31 ESV

31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 ESV

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.

We are not afraid of God. We can boldly approach Him like a child would boldly approach a good Father.

But we respect God and we recognize THERE IS A COST TO FOLLOWING JESUS.

We draw near - we can come close - we get to approach the Creator of the Universe - but what’s the first thing we do?

LISTEN TO OBEY

Better to listen and obey than to make - what the NLT calls - “mindless offerings”

We are not here to just go through the motions of church and get our little Ted Talk for the week.

Have you ever noticed how two people can be in the same worship service — and have completely opposite responses?

Our first place as children of God is not to treat Him like Santa expecting Him to grant our every wish — No. It’s to listen and obey His Word and His Commands.

Some of us here may be feeling disheartened in your walk with God. You feel discouraged. Maybe you even feel like its not worth it because God is silent and things aren’t going your way.

MAYBE YOU’RE FEELING DISHEARTENED BECAUSE YOU’RE ACTING LIKE THE RICH YOUNG INFLUENCER.

Like you have everything already figured out — when God is in front of you saying “no - give Me everything.”

God is not after empty motions

God is not after FORM - He is after substance. Who cares how it looks?!

This is where people do get WRONGFULLY religious.

Psalm 40:6 (ESV)

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.

Micah 6:6–8 ESV

6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

We listen and obey

After you accept Jesus as Lord — You have to live like Jesus is Lord.

ALTAR

Those facing discouragement. Feeling disheartened. Maybe its because you’re holding onto something that God has asked you to let go of