Entering the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:13–31)

CPT: Jesus taught that people entering the kingdom of God are saved by God’s power through a child-like faith.

Purpose: To drive the church towards the pursuit of the kingdom of God.

CPS: Entering the kingdom of God is not by your good works but by God’s power alone.

People entering the kingdom of God have a childlike faith.

People entering the kingdom of God have a grace-based salvation.

People entering the kingdom of God are saved by God’s power alone.

Introduction

Attention

We are going to talk today about the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God? How does one enter the kingdom of God?

My wife and I have been in California for twelve years. One thing I’ve learned about Californians is that they love their Disney. When I came out here, people would talk about their trips to Disneyland. I never knew anyone who had been to Disneyland until I moved out here. I had a co-worker at one of my jobs in California. She loved Disney. She would sing Disney songs. She would the kids at the shelter sing Disney songs. She would share photos of her trips to Disney. Californians love their Disneyland.

Disneyland is known as the Magic Kingdom. Disneyland is known as the "Magic Kingdom" due to its ability to transport visitors into a world of imagination, fantasy, and wonder. It’s designed to help you escape from the pressures of the world into a magical experience. It’s imagined as a place where dreams come true and the imagination knows no bounds.

You need some magic just to enter Disneyland. If you go for just one-day to Disneyland, the cost for a ticket is right around $100. That means, for a family of four, you are out about $400. So not only is it a magical kingdom, you are going to need some magic in your wallet to get you in there.

But while the Disneyland Magic Kingdom is not free, entering the kingdom of God is free. It is a free gift. The Lord paid the ultimate price on the cross so that you can have the free gift of salvation. Salvation is a free gift for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, you can enter into the greatest kingdom there is, the kingdom of God. His kingdom is far greater than any kingdom on earth will ever be.

We don’t enter the kingdom of God through good works. Entering the kingdom of God is not by good works but by God’s power alone. But what does entering the kingdom of God look like? We will look at entering the kingdom of God today in Mark 10:13-31.

Scripture Reading

Mark 10:13–31 CSB

13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them. 17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “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 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard 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 They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Pray

Entering the kingdom of God is a core part of Jesus’ teachings and a core part of this passage. In this passage, Jesus says people should receive the kingdom of God like a child. The kingdom of God belongs to people with a child-like faith. He says it is hard for people to enter the kingdom of God, and in fact, it is something that is impossible with man, but possible with God.

If we are going to talk about the kingdom of God, first we must ask, what is it? What is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is both now and near.

The kingdom of God is now: Col. 1:13 describes the kingdom as something that God has transferred us into through Jesus. Luke 17:20-21 describes the kingdom as not coming with something observable, but is in our midst. In Romans 14:17, Paul describes the kingdom of God as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus describes the kingdom of God in Mark 4:26 as a man scattering seed in the ground, scattering the gospel throughout the land.

The kingdom of God is near: In Matt. 3:2 and Mark 1:15, the kingdom of God has come near in Jesus. In Matt. 6:10, we are to pray that God’s kingdom come and his will be done on earth and heaven. In Mark 9:1, the core disciples get a glimpse of the kingdom through the transfiguration of Jesus. The disciples ask Jesus about the kingdom in Acts 1:6, in which Jesus spoke about a future time.

In Matt. 6:33 and Luke 12:31, we are told that we should seek the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is a core message of Jesus and the early church. It is something that we should proclaim. At the end of Acts, we read these verses about Paul’s life:

Acts 28:30–31 CSB

30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

The core message of the church is to proclaim the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is now and it is near. Repent and believe the good news of Jesus.

When is the time to enter the kingdom of God? Now is the time to enter the kingdom of God. We enter into the kingdom of God now and in the future kingdom by the power of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Now is the time for the Holy Spirit’s work in your life in entering the kingdom of God.

What do we learn about people entering the kingdom of God from this passage? First,

People entering the kingdom of God have a childlike faith.

In our first scenario in Mark 10:13, we see parents bringing their children to Jesus. The parents want the rabbi Jesus to bless their children, but the disciples rebuke them. They speak harshly to the parents because they are bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus responds this way in Mark 10:14:

Mark 10:14 CSB

14 When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

The term “indignant” means angry, and this is one of the rare times that Jesus is described by the writer as angry. There are other times in Scripture where Jesus expresses frustration, such as flipping the money tables in the temple, but this time Jesus is described as actually angry with his disciples.

Why are the parents bringing their children to Jesus? It was a common practice for parents to seek the blessing of the rabbis upon their children. The rabbis were seen as people with a close connection with God. With Jesus, he was someone who was healing the sick, making the blind to see, and casting out demons. Even Nicodemus, a Jewish teacher, said to Jesus in John 3:2 “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.” The people saw Jesus as a teacher who was close to God.

The parents wanted the rabbi Jesus to bless their children. Blessing children were a part of Jewish culture. In Gen. 48, Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph. In Gen. 27:27, Isaac blessed his son Jacob. Even in our benediction that we say every Sunday, that comes from an Israelite blessing. Aaron and his sons are told to bless the Israelites by saying in Numbers 6:24-26 “24 May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.”  He was told to pronounce the name of the Lord over the Israelites, and that God would bless them.

We don’t know why the disciples were rebuking the parents. Perhaps there were too many, and they were trying to hold them back. We read about large crowds around Jesus. Whatever the case, the Lord uses this as an opportunity to teach his disciples about entering the kingdom of God. He says in Mark 10:15:

Mark 10:15 CSB

15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

What is Jesus saying here? To understand this, one has to understand a childlike perspective. In a healthy family environment, a child has an implicit trust in their parents. They are not worried about where their next meal is coming from. They are not worried about who will provide for them. There is an implicit trust that my parents will take care of me. They receive the authority of the parents without hesitation.

Now, you may say my kids don’t do that. Well, I understand. My kids didn’t always, either. But the general principle is that children have an acceptance of their parents that is simple and is real. They know other adults exist, but they don’t want other adults. They receive their parents, trust their parents, and want their parents. The childlike faith that children have in their parents is the same childlike faith that God is seeking from people. A trust without hesitation. Father, I trust you and I know that you have all things in control.

In Psalm 131, David speaks about this childlike spirit, which he describes as a weaned child. He says in Psalm 131:1-2:

Psalm 131:1–2 CSB

1 Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too wondrous for me. 2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like a weaned child.

People need this kind of childlike faith in entering the kingdom of God. It is a faith that is not proud or haughty. Instead, it is a soul that is submissive and quieted before God. A soul that says, “Father, I need you.”

As you mature as a Christian, your faith becomes more childlike in a simple trust in God. One author said it this way,

Maturity of faith is found in childlike trust—trust that sees ourselves as small and God as mighty.

John D. Barry; Rebecca Kruyswijk

It is a mature faith that can say, “I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child.” As you mature in your childlike faith, the smaller you see yourself, and the greater you see God.

People entering the kingdom of God have a childlike faith.

Second,

People entering the kingdom of God have a grace-based salvation.

The Lord has a conversation with man who is known is Scripture as the young, rich ruler. We don’t know his name. This conversation is in three of the four Gospels. Mark just calls him a man, but the account of this interaction in Matthew describes him as a young man, and the account in Luke describes him as very rich and a ruler. Therefore, he is known as the young, rich ruler.

He starts off this conversation in Mark 10:17 by saying, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mark 10:17 CSB

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

He was being respectful to Jesus according to Jewish culture. A respected rabbi would have followers who sat at his feet and asked questions. Here, the man comes, kneels before Jesus, and asks him a question to get a better understanding of Scripture.

He’s asking a question consistent with Hebrew Scripture. The Jews believed in an afterlife. They believed in a resurrection of the dead and rewards for the righteous in the kingdom of God. The book of Daniel spoke of a future resurrection in Daniel 12:2:

Daniel 12:2 CSB

2 Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.

Daniel 12:13 spoke of this future eternal life as an “allotted inheritance at the end of the days.” The Jews had an understanding of this inheritance as coming to the people of Israel who were faithful to follow the commandments.

The young man is examining his life and wants to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. Perhaps he feels like something might be missing, and he wants to ask the good teacher.

WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD?

Jesus asks an interesting question in response.

Mark 10:18 CSB

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.

He says, “Why do you call me good?” This is interesting. What is Jesus saying here? He says, “No one is good except God alone.”

There are a lot of people in the world who, although they are not ready to cross the line and call Jesus God, they like his teachings. If you can get them to start talking about Jesus, they might say they like him as a teacher. Now, for sure, they pick and choose his teachings. They might say that they like his teaching in Matt. 5:39 on, “Turn the other cheek.” Or they’ll say they like Matt. 7:1, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.” They love that one. If I get into the context of that, that would be another sermon.

They love some of these statements, but you can’t treat Jesus in that way. You can’t just pull out some statements and say, “Well, I like these.” Jesus had amazing teachings, the greatest teachings that the world has ever seen, but he said things about himself that take him beyond the realm of a good teacher.

See, you can teach good things, but once you start calling yourself God, then it becomes, “Hold on, wait a minute.” In John 10:30, Jesus said “30 I and the Father are one.” The Jews tried to pick up rocks to stone him because he was calling himself God. In John 8:58, Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I am,” taking on a name of God. And in other areas, he took on divine claims, and he accepted worship.

These type of things are not in the realm of a good teacher. You can’t treat him in that way. If you saw someone claiming to be God, you wouldn’t sit and go, “Wow, you are such a good teacher.” You would say this man was out of his mind. This is the point from CS Lewis. Either that person would be a liar or a crazed person, unless there was reason to believe that person was who they said they were.

This is the question that Jesus is asking the young, rich ruler. “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. Are you calling me God?” If the understanding of Jesus only gets you to his teachings, if you only understand Jesus as a good teacher, you’ve missed the biggest understanding of who he is, God in the flesh.

WORKS-BASED SALVATION

The man’s question, “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” comes from an understanding of salvation as works-based. It’s an understanding of salvation that says, “If the good in my life outweighs the bad, if I’m generally a good-person, I will go to heaven.” Many people have this view today.

It’s basically a view that states, “I’ve basically been a good person. The good will outweigh the bad.” Islamic theology has a concept of this in their understanding of eternal judgment. They have these scales at judgment, and your good is on one side, and the bad on the other side, and you hope that your good will outweigh the bad so you can go into heaven.

In Islam, you have to accomplish these five pillars, a profession of faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and a pilgrimage, but that’s not a guarantee. You still don’t know and hope that you will be found worthy at the end.

The young, rich ruler is doing a similar thing in asking Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Have I checked off all the boxes.

The Lord starts with the man where he is. He says, “Okay, let’s take a look. Let’s review the commandments.” He goes through a list in Mark 10:19 “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.””

The young, rich ruler is proud of himself. He says in Mark 10:20 “20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”” He’s getting ready to get a high-five from Jesus. He’s getting ready to hear from Jesus, “You’re awesome, you’ve done some really great things in your life. You’re such a good guy.”

But Jesus doesn’t do this. Instead, he identifies something within the man. Jesus always knew what was in a man. This is something that stood out in his ministry. It says this in John 2:25:

John 2:25 CSB

25 and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.

So Jesus looks at this young, rich ruler, and knows what is inside of him. It says in Mark 10:21 “21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him.” Isn’t it good that, despite knowing what is inside of us, Jesus loves us?

Mark 10:21 CSB

21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus says, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” I see the one thing inside of you that you are placing before God. There is an idol in your life, and that idol is your wealth. You value the things in your life more than you value God.

This is where an understanding of a works-based salvation gets you. You might feel like you basically a good person, but God will expose quickly the god in your life. He will expose quickly that you don’t value God. Despite how good you might have convinced yourself that you are, there is idolatry in your life that he will expose in an instant, because he knows what is in a man or a woman.

He walks away grieving, because his idol was exposed. He valued his wealth more than he valued God.

Entering the kingdom of God is not about doing a bunch of good things. This is the thing people get confused about. They believe that, if you are basically good, you go to heaven. This is not what the Bible teaches.

In fact, this is what frustrated the Jews about the message of Christianity. They would say to Paul, “Are you trying to tell me that someone who made a bunch of bad choices in his life can just trust in Jesus and it all goes away? Poof?” And he would say, Yes, because salvation is not by works but by God’s grace through faith. He says in Romans 3:27-28:

Romans 3:27–28 CSB

27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

He also says this in Eph. 2:8-9:

Ephesians 2:8–9 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

See, if you believe in a works-based salvation, you could kind of pat yourself on the back and say, “Wow, look at what I did!” But salvation doesn’t work that way. Pride leads to a fall.

Salvation is not about being good. It is about faith in the one who is good.

I realize my need for him, and I realize that I am lost without him.

Salvation is not works-based. Salvation is grace-based.

I don’t get into heaven because I deserve it. I get into heaven solely based on his grace in my life. I get to heaven because he loved me, and died for me.

A childlike faith says, “God, I need you. I submit myself before you. I need your grace in my life.” It is good that it’s not up to me. By God’s grace, he went to the cross so that I could be free to follow him.

What is God’s grace like? I think of my own marriage. Jeannette and I have been married for 26 years. I can’t imagine my life today without her, but I have done a lot of things to mess things up. Yet, we are married today because of the grace of God in my life. God came in and changed my life, and that led to a change in our marriage. Our marriage is a testimony to the grace of God.

It is a grace that I don’t deserve, but a grace that I am so thankful for.

People entering the kingdom of God have a childlike faith.

People entering the kingdom of God have a grace-based salvation.

Last,

People entering the kingdom of God are saved by God’s power alone.

After the conversation with the young, rich ruler, the Lord says to the disciples, in Mark 10:23:

Mark 10:23 CSB

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples hear this and are astonished. Now, for sure, there were some wealthy people they would agree were not entering the kingdom of God. Tax-collectors were wealthy, but for sure they would say, “Yep, not entering in.” They would see a guy like Herod, and many would agree, “Not entering in.”

But many of the high-ranking priests in first-century Israel were not poor. The high priest and the leading rabbis had access to wealth and privilege. The Jews would see this as a sign of blessing from God.

Certainly, if the high-priest and high-ranking priests were not entering the kingdom of God, who was? The kingdom sounded like it was going to be pretty empty.

In fact, in the Old Testament, many of the heroes of the faith had wealth. Abraham was a man of wealth. King David was a man of wealth. King Solomon was a man of wealth.

Jesus doubles down by using a picture for us to understand how impossible it is. He says in Mark 10:25 “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.””

Well, they are all shocked again and say in Mark 10:26 “26 They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”” Jesus responds with these important words.

Mark 10:27 CSB

27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

Here is the key to all of this. You are not entering the kingdom because of your good works. I don’t care how convinced you are that you are a good person. You are not convincing God. With man, salvation is impossible.

Salvation is impossible with man because of our sin. Without Jesus, sin will always separate us from God. It is impossible to be saved from a human perspective.

But from God’s perspective, all things are possible with him. He looked down and said, “They can’t do it. It is impossible for them. I’m going to step in their place.”

He sent the Son of God to take on human flesh and do what was impossible with man, and was only possible with God. He did that because he loves us.

Peter tells Jesus in Mark 10:28 “28 Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.””

This is what I love about salvation. So often, we think that getting people to salvation is the finish line. We say, “Great you made it. Okay, let’s see others get over the finish line.” But salvation is not the finish line. Salvation is the starting line.

Jesus says at the end of this text in Mark 10:29-31 that there is no one who has followed me who will not see an impact in their life now, and in the eternal life to come.

Salvation is the start of a new life. It is the start of God’s work in you. It is the start of entering the kingdom of God. There will be a work of the Spirit of God in your life.

When I became a Christian, I was on fire. I was reading the Bible, I started preaching to prisoners, I would be in the police car at work and talking to the guy next to me for eight hours about Jesus.

You could imagine, that wasn’t popular. I started being called Bible boy, and people didn’t want to ride in the car with me. But I didn’t care. There was this new passion in my life. There was a joy in my life, and if you were with me, you were going to hear about Jesus.

When God touches your life, it’s a radical thing. When you come to Christ, your friends are going to know. Your family is going to know. They’ll say, “This is the same guy, but this is not the same guy.”

Thank God, because the guy that I used to be is not the guy I want to be. Jesus makes you a new person, and gives you a new life. It’s not because you deserve, but because of his grace. God loves you.

Apply

Conclusion

People entering the kingdom of God have a childlike faith.

People entering the kingdom of God have a grace-based salvation.

People entering the kingdom of God are saved by God’s power alone.

Conclude

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!