Sermon Tone Analysis

Follow Me --- Costly or Casual Commitment

Luke 10:17-31

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.”

Luke 10:21

Today is Reformation Sunday—the reforming of the church!

Did you know that Reformation Sunday is the beginning of the Protestant church?! Yes, the PROTESTant church began on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a Catholic priest, nailed 95 Theses (propositions, ideas, and questions) on the door of the Wittenberg Castle.

Luther never wanted to start a new church; he wanted to reform the church.

One of Luther’s 95 theses simply declares, “The Church’s true treasure is the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

That alone is the meaning of Reformation Day.

May our lives, our hearts, our homes, our schools and places of work be reformed by the true treasure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The cry of the Reformation had 5 Solas … (Latin for alone)

Sola Scriptura (“Scripture Alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority.Sola Fide (“Faith Alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.Sola Gratia (“Grace Alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone.Solus Christus (“Christ Alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King.Soli Deo Gloria (“To the Glory of God Alone”): We live for the glory of God alone.

The Barna Group recently put out their report called, “State of the Bible 2019: Trends in Engagement.”

About the same time, the Pew Survey of Christianity in America published their report.

After reading their reports, it might be a time for another reformation.

I don’t want to bore you with all of the numbers, but according to the Pew Research, the data suggests that people who describe themselves as Christian has gone down from 77 percent in 2009 to 65 percent in 2019.

That is a 12 percent drop in ten years.

Barna reports some fascinating insights about how often people read their Bibles and if they feel that the Bible helps them.

An interesting figure is that 48 percent of the Christian population is disengaged from the Bible.

Roughly two in five adults (42%) say the Bible has not had any impact on their life.

I wonder what Martin Luther and the reformers would say to our culture today?

Listen to a quote from Luther when he was asked to recant or die.

“I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.

Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God.”

Let me tell you, I get really excited for every October 31!

Martin Luther had no idea that Jesus’ words to him, “Follow me” would change the face of Christianity.

He was just posting his notes on the castle; wanting some honest debate and discussion.

Boy, did he ever get that!

We are in week six of our “Follow Me” series.

Where is Jesus asking you to follow?

Where is Jesus asking you to deny yourself and pick up your cross?

Where is Jesus asking you to follow in your family, your work, your relationships, your health, your finances?

What is Jesus asking you as you follow Him in your position, power, passion and possessions?

Where is Jesus asking you follow Him and totally trust Him as you follow?

Good thing there aren’t any castles near here, maybe you’d be asked to post a few of your ideas for God’s church?

In 1986 I made a grace weekend called Cursillo.

My pastor sponsored me and drove me four hours to Epworth Forrest in Indiana.

I’d been a volunteer youth director for 4 years.

I thought I was following Jesus.

On this weekend I heard the song, “HERE I AM”.

Listen to the words:

Here I Am, Lord by John Michael Talbot

I the lord of sea and sky

I have heard my people cry

All who dwell in dark and sin

My hand will save

I have made the stars of night

I will make their darkness bright

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall i send?

Here I am Lord

Is it I Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

I remember raising my hand during this song.

Little did I know was that Jesus was calling, “Follow me.”

I thought I was.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is one day following Jesus looked like serving Him for a few hours on Sundays and now it looks like “Follow Me” 24 hours a day.

Today we will take a few minutes to look at Mark 10:17-31.

To set the stage for this passage, we need to know that just before this passage, people were bringing their children to Jesus but his disciples were trying to stop the children.

Remember that Peter, impetuous, bold, no-filter Peter, is in prison and Mark is writing down Peter’s word.

One day soon, Mark shall have written one of the four Gospels.

Back to verses 14-16.

“When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.

He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Jesus sets out a powerful example of how we are to come to him—as a child.

Think about this as we study today.

Today we hear the story is told right after the blessing of the children.

Mark 10:17-31.

The story of the rich, young man.

As we look this story over, enter into the story.

There’s Jesus, disciples, children, and lots of people.

Let us pray … “Dear Lord, Jesus, we come to you today as little children.

Open our ears, hearts and minds to Your living words of eternal life.

Amen.”

Mark 10:17-31

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.”[i]

Eternal Life --- Quantity or Quality

Many scholars believe that this is one of the saddest passages in the Bible.