2019-02-27 Mark 10

Mark 10:32–34 CSB

32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him. 33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

I. Why is the context before important?

Mark 10:22–27 CSB

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.”

The preceeding context helps us understand who we are.

Mark 10:23–26 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!” 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?”

Illus: Take a moment and look through the text with me… between the last prediction and his death and the current one 9:30, the disciples had argued about who was the greatest, gotten irritated because people were driving out demons without their authorization, the pharisees had try to trick Jesus on the question of divorce, the disciples tried to shew off “unimportant kids”, and a rich moral man left heartbroken from Jesus’ presence.

All of these events added to the understanding that Mark is leading your to. Each of these shows men who are far too important in their own eyes trying to either one up or impress Jesus, and walking away humiliated.

In each of these instances, the men walked away broken as Jesus exposed their own sinfulness.

You cannot approach Jesus and not walk away broken and aware of your sinfulness.

There is a false idea that coming God is all about God cherishing both you and your mess. My experience is that any genuine experience wiht God will expose your sinfulness and lead you repentance and faith.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 CSB

9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Illus:

9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males,, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The preceeding context leads us to look for how God makes all things possible.

Mark 10:23–27 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!” 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.”

Illus: As the story of the rich young ruler ended, the people were perplexed at what it took to gain God’s kingdom.

It was like, if that guy couldn't receive God’s kingdom, how can I.

Moment after moment passed as people tried to find another way… and all of the passages lead to Jesus’ prediction of His death.

Each of these moments lead you to say, only God’s plan in Jesus will work.

How often do we try every way possible to live and find our own way. God allows it for a purpose… to help you see how helpless you are, and how desperately you need Him.

Romans 7:22–25 CSB

22 For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, 23 but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.

II. What does the main text teach?

Mark 10:32–34 CSB

32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him. 33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

Don’t miss the great contrast between the preceeding text and the main text.

Mark 10:33–34 CSB

33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

Illus: Both the rich young ruler and Jesus serve as contrasting examples.

truthfully they serve as excellent examples today.

How many times do we buy into a false Christianity which looks very much like the Rich Young Ruler. We are moral, kind, great intentioned, but devoid of any power or longing for God. Our faith is all about our worldly gain, and do whatever we can to reject pain and sacrifice in our lives.

The life of Jesus is anything but the rich young rulers. Where the rich young ruler ran from sacrifice. Jesus walked obediently towards sacrifice.

Where the rich young ruler sought all this world had to offer in the name of God, Jesus sacrificed himself for this world in the name of God.

The path to God is the path to sacrifice. It is following Jesus in sacrifice. It is taking up our cross and following Him.

Ephesians 2:1–5 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

The main text points to God’s way over men’s way.

Mark 10:33–34 CSB

33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

Illus: When Jesus predicted his death, the rest of the story had not been written. He was speaking to people who did not understand that he would literally die.

For most, God’s work would be seen through force. Jesus affirmed over and over that he had come to die.

Just imagine if our identity followed. If we were the people of death who gladly sacrificed ourselves, our wants, desires, and rights for those who mocked us.

The picture of the cross is not one of Jesus dying in front of his adoring fans, but instead of him dying in front of a mocking crowd.

Our call in taking up our own crosses is not to sacrifice ourselves for adoring fans, but instead to give our lives to the very people who mock us.

Mark 8:27–33 CSB

27 Jesus went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 They answered him, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he strictly warned them to tell no one about him. 31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

III. What does the context after reveal?

Mark 10:35–37 CSB

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him and said, “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask you.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them. 37 They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”

The following context leads us to ask how we would respond.

Illus: So we might be ok with Jesus dying, but the direct response to Jesus predicting his own death was the disciples asking how they would benefit.

It is like we say, “I am so thankful that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I don’t have to deal with any pain myself.”

Faith is not gaining the benifits of the cross without the cost. To embrace Jesus you must embrace both the glory of the cross with the cost.

Jesus says take up your cross. Is your faith real enough that you gladly give up your life for Him.

Mark 10:41–45 CSB

41 When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”