all things are possible with God

Mark 10: 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?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 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.” 21 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.” 22 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!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “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 man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 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.” 28 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. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” NIV

·        “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

o   Go to heaven after I die, live forever. Enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

• “Why do you call me good?”
• The first thing Jesus wanted to establish is that to get into the Kingdom of Good, it will not be based on being good.

• You know the commandments
• It is amazing to me how many people know about moral laws.
• Most people think that the requirement to get to heaven or to be with God after death is by being good.
• What standard of good? God’s or assumed standard “the big ones”
• His answer was “All these I have kept since I was a boy.”

• Jesus looked at him and loved him.
• Jesus’ love for him was not based on his performance either.
• “One thing you lack,”
• One thing – can one thing be enough to hinder a person from coming in? * What could that one thing be?

1.   “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,…

• 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!” It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” WHY?
• Why give it away to the poor?
• Because they cannot pay it back, because there is no gain in this world for you.
1. Because everything is motivated by what do I get out of it now.

2.   You will have treasure in heaven.

o   Was this the test question?  Do you really believe in eternal life?

o   If my life is only here and I only trust in this natural, temporary life then it will seem like throwing my money away.

o   If I believe in the after life, that there is a real future in the unseen realm, then this will be like good news.

3.   Then come, follow me.”

o   OUR LEVEL OF FOLLOWING indicates if our hearts truly belong to God.

§  We cannot follow him till we let go of the “fear of death”.

·         I am young, I am not afraid of dying!

o   Some are afraid of the end, but more than this people are afraid of coming to the end of this natural, physical existence and having NEVER LIVED

• “Who then can be saved?” “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
• Eternal life – entering the kingdom of God is impossible without God and his way of getting in.  
• Peter said “We have left everything to follow you!” Even the disciple thought that their commitment was enough!
• Everything? My total allegiance? Love? Reliance? Fear?
• We know that is not true if we follow their lives till the death of Jesus. They fought among each other often about who is greater, they feared for their lives…

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 hundred times as much in this present age…and with them, persecutions
• The things we are afraid to lose if we follow Christ we will actually gain and more.
• There are rewards here too, but these are not our motivation anymore.
• Reality balance - persecutions
1. Many times I think we don’t see this promise fulfilled because we avoid the persecutions!
• Rejection that will come by following Christ
1. Face it; people do not understand this kind of life with God.

• But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
• External appearances can be deceiving? The very people we think are living in the blessing may have simply not let go, maybe they are walking away from Jesus. * The ones we think are last, bad off; maybe they are taking the persecutions, difficulties that will make them first in the Kingdom.

Is there a one thing that keeps us from total surrender and dedication?

Have I left all to follow him?