OPEN or CLOSED

I. INTRODUCTION

One of my favorite things to watch is nature documentaries, and specifically ones that have to do with animals.

This past week I found myself awake at night watching nature videos on YouTube like any sane person does at 2:00am. The video I was watching was on Eagles. Flight speed, lifestyles, and so on.

Well, there was one scene where this Eagle was soaring in the sky before taking a dive towards the ground. Moments later the Eagle reappeared before just stopping mid-air and just plummeting towards his death. As the camera approached to where the Eagle had fallen they discovered this Eagle had picked up a rodent that dug into the Eagles chest and crushed the Eagles heart. All the Eagle had to do was let go and he would have had dinner and continued living but he wouldn’t let go and it cost him his life.

This morning we are going to continue our sermon series through the book of Mark and we’re going to look at the account of two people. The Rich Young Ruler and The Blind Bartimaeus. Both of these stories are found in Mark 10.

II. WHAT IS THE CONTEXT

The first story is found in Mark 10:17-22 which says,

“And as he (Jesus) 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?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 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.” And he said to him, “Teacher all these I have kept from my youth.” 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.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The second story is found in Mark 10:46-52

And they came to Jericho. And as he (Jesus) was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus. was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “CALL HIM” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart, Get up; He is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him “Why do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him “Go your way, your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”

What I want to do for the remainder of our time is examine and understand the two responses of these people Jesus interacts with and ask you one question…do you have open hands or closed hands?

Let’s Pray...

III. THE TWO ACCOUNTS

As we look at these two interactions Jesus has one thing I believe becomes very apparent. One is more receptive to Jesus and the other is not. Another way to see it…one has open hands towards Jesus while the other had closed.

The first account we see is of the Rich Young Ruler.

From all appearances he seems to be doing everything right. He is wealthy, he has a high standing as a ruler, and he is still young. He lacks everything yet recognizes that Jesus has something he doesn’t…and he wants it.

His interaction with Jesus starts out strong as he is challenged in his understanding of goodness and his view of God. He is challenged in his false understanding of righteousness, yet, Jesus still LOVES this man and wants him set free of his wordly desire. Jesus final, and ultimate challenge, ask this man to give up his possessions and give his heart to God…yet the ruler is sad because Jesus exposes he hasn’t kept every commandment. He doesn’t love God with all his heart, but rather his love is split.

It’s important we are clear about Jesus teaching that follows in verses 22 through 31. He isn’t saying money or being rich is sin. Jesus isn’t teaching a poverty gospel life. He is simply helping the disciples and those around him understand that NO ONE is able to save themselves.

Salvation is beyond the reach of our works. That is for the rich and poor. Salvation comes from the Lord, through sovereign and divine initiative. It’s never by our effort.

Jesus is simply teaching that God desires and ask for our unconditional surrender. God desires not 99% of our lives but 100%.

The second account we see is of the Blind Bartimaeus

The second character is Bartimaeus. A blind beggar who addresses Jesus not as “Good Teacher” but as SON OF DAVID. This is a messianic title very popular amongst the Jews that we hear on the triumphant entry of Jesus. Jesus stops and calls this beggar forward who leaves behind his cloak most likely his only possession left he owns. He runs to Jesus with nothing and is ready to give him everything. Jesus heals the man and even says he could go his way. Yet this beggar decides to follow after Jesus.

There was no long interaction needed. Bartimaeus recognized who Jesus was and simply wasn’t looking for the quick handout. He was looking for eternal life.

Out of the two accounts we see the rich young ruler doesn’t want to let go of his possessions and Bartimaeus lets go of everything. Our lives should model the life of Bartimaeus yet…if we are honest…do we resemble the rich younger ruler?

Maybe we are not rich or much a ruler…but are there are things we don’t want to let go. Possessions or finite things we have that are trying to share the place of Jesus or really take the place of Jesus in our hearts?

IV. WHY DO WE HAVE CLOSED HANDS?

WE HAVE OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS

One of the biggest reasons we hold onto our possessions in our hearts is because we don’t recognize Jesus for who he really is. Just off these two accounts we see the ruler respond to Jesus as “Good Teacher” while Bartimaeus responds with “Son of David.”

The Young Ruler approaches Jesus with the understand of a good morale teacher. He is looking for Jesus to instruct him into his understand and not radically change his life. The Ruler is looking where he has to sign on the dotted lines to secure his spot and hope that Jesus shows that too him. And way too often this is how a majority of Christians view Jesus. We like to see Jesus as savior but not Lord. We like to see Jesus as the guy who fixes our problems, gives us blessings, and answer when we pray to him but how dare he try to away my FILL IN THE BLANK.

Now, if you are somehow who believes that Jesus is savior and Lord and he was much more than a morale teacher I want to let you know something…you are in the minority. There is a viral video on TikTok right now that claims Jesus was a racist who needed to and did repent of His sins. This isn’t a new thinking. In fact, a majority of those who call themselves “Christians” would probably have no problem being ok with the video after watching it. Now a lot of these same people would be ok by calling Jesus a “Good Teacher” and I hope you know that is the majority and not the minority.

If you believe that Jesus was God who lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again you are in the minority. I say this because way too often we are ok with people being ok with Jesus being just a morale teacher. Jesus wasn’t ok with it so we cannot be ok with it either. When Jesus challenges the ruler on only God was good it wasn’t because wasn’t saying he wasn’t God he was challenging the ruler on his view of Jesus.

Is Jesus just a good teacher or is he savior and Lord? When we have the right understanding of Jesus our hands are much more likely to be open. I love what Charles Spurgeon says,

“Men will allow God to be everywhere but on his throne. They will allow him to be in his workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow him to sustain the Earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, but when God ascends on his throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth.” - Charles Spurgeon

I’ve only been saved for what will be 9 years this April and one of the biggest things I’ve noticed in conversations with friends, interactions with people in college, and watching the people in Church is that they will love when Jesus meets needs, they will love when Jesus heals the sick and lame, and they love Jesus sermons. But when Jesus ascends to the throne and Lordship, a word a lot of people don’t like, collides with their “self-autonomy” they want no part of it and either leave or more often try to explain it away but ignoring that part of Christ. Don’t let that be you.

WE HAVE OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF SALVATION

After the ruler is challenged in his view of Jesus he is than challenged on his view of salvation. The young ruler thinks he kept the law perfectly and thus decides he is worthy of eternal life. He actually starts his question with “what must I DO?”

This the same white knuckle calloused hand approach to Christianity that has left so many on the outside looking in. It’s never been about what we can do to inherit eternal life but always about what Jesus has done. Ephesians 2 reminds us that it is by grace through faith in Jesus that points us to eternal life. It’s Romans 3:23 that reminds we all have sinned and fallen short. That we missed the mark.

The Young Ruler had his eyes on his eyes on what he could do and not Jesus. Salvation is all about the realization that you have missed the mark and are in need of a savior and the only one worthy of that title is Jesus. You can either:

(1) Look at all your accolades of how you kept the law so well

(2) Look at the ground in despair thinking I’m not good enough...

(3) Or look at Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who has started a good work in you and will bring that to completion.

You did nothing that God said was worthy of salvation. You didn’t pray hard enough, you didn’t follow enough rules, you didn’t give a big enough tithe, you didn’t reach a new level of hospitality....God stepped into your world and called you to salvation according to his will because God is the active one in salvation and he is calling people to himself and our response is not to work harder with the white knuckle approach it is to surrender and live a life of praise towards him. To let God have your heart by letting go of everything you have and following him. That’s the difference in the two accounts. The ruler couldn’t let go and Bartimaeus could. One couldn’t let God be God and the other could. I’ll end with this I promise.

V. CONCLUSION

If you’re sitting here and wondering what in the world do I do than? Let me encourage you to see the example of Bartimaeus. Drop what you have and run to Jesus. Fall in love with Jesus. Spend time with Jesus. And follow Jesus.

Story of Abraham Lincoln and the Slave Girl