Approaching Christ (Part B)

In his case as well. Cost him service to price it could be something else. Maybe with you. It's not well maybe it's just just lazy. I don't know. Maybe there's something else is getting in the way a hobby. Maybe it's your family. Maybe get you into your family to have any time left Christ maybe at your career. Are you doing to your career tubes or maybe a bashful shy whatever it is you got to get rid of that whatever stopping you from serving. You've got to get get it out of the way. This is what the story is about. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 10 and part two of this message approaching Christ is what one commentator says he felt Jesus felt great compassion for this sincere truth seeker who was so hopelessly lost. You can only get that if your Calvin is I guess this is as God does love the unsaved, yet he does he do something about them being unsaved and will open this up a little more.

Now you may disagree with me. It's okay. Have had people wrong before and I still love you. You notice one of the perks of having a pulpit, you get to say those kind of things. More often than others from an audience when he waits this one thing you lack said after the man said these things that I do now. Matthew gives us a little bit more information.

I mentioned that the that that is that helpful to the story all the witnesses of the other evangelists. Matthew and in Luke Matthew chapter 19 in Matthew's account of this, when the young man said to him, all these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack Jesus said to him, the man brings that up. I've done this, Lord, but I'm still empty. I'm not fulfilled something's missing. Then Jesus said to him, if you want to be perfect. That is, matured Kelly Austin, the Greek finished if you want to be perfected, go, sell what you have given to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me.

So now this becomes not so much a nymph of distrust discussion of eternal life, but it is present. Service I've done what you said for inheritance, but I'm still lacking Jesus as we need to follow me get rid of that other stuff can follow you want to get to the next level. This is what you do, go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor. This is again as I read it not to do directly with salvation. He was say but like so many.

He was unfulfilled. How many Christians have we met over the years and know Jesus is submitted that nothing they do absolutely nothing for Christ.

The still going to heaven. That is not going first class okay. I couldn't think of anything else felt it was a good moment to say something very witty because I have nothing else but very witty to her, slow congregation selling and giving will not save a single soul. Christ is not save you sell your stuff you get saved, unless ridiculous and is not New Testament theology is not what the Bible teaches at all something other, because they needed to say this to everybody. If this was a formula. His riches robbed him of availability to serve, and that is one of the big reasons why some people don't something is not the time to busy that the operative words to busy to busy for Christ. So we gotta be careful of these things here are not getting conviction.

Well, that's what part of what coming to the house of God is about Lord, singling us out to listen.

You will take this from a man which will take it from my word. Won't you, and he lays it out the way we're doing it right now.

This is why the Army three synoptic Gospels are so beneficial to reconcile and harmonize the story so that we can really get how the exchange took place, he says, and you will have treasure in heaven.

That's rewards.

He does not say and you will get into heaven if you sell your things come, follow me, you'll get into heaven.

That's not what's going on remembering this is not after Pentecost still under the law of Moses, and he says income take up the cross and follow me a direct calling to this man. He gave this calling to the 12 and they took it. The fishermen were fishing and Christ said, come, follow me, I'll make you fishers of men to drop their nets and they followed him this man's not doing but it does mean is damned in his soul.

The cross he mentions take up the cross, they don't know that we don't understand Christ is going to the cross to save us from our sin, but nowhere in the New Testament has God promise to make the believer's life easy and comfortable.

If we obey him. God does not say in the New Testament.

If you obey me.

I'm going to make your life one.

He did say something like that to the Jews in the Old Testament you follow my commandments. I will bless your heart, as I will bless the fruit of your womb bless you if you stay with me and work overall.

But in the New Testament is take up your cross.

Okay that did work was verse 22 when he was sad at this word and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions is well in his case, his wealth cost him service to Christ. It could be something else. Maybe with you. It's not well maybe it's just just lazy. I don't know. Maybe there's something else that's getting in the way a hobby. Maybe it's your family. Maybe you too into your family to have any time left for Christ maybe at your career you to enter your career terms, or maybe a bashful or shy.

Whatever it is you gotta get rid of that whatever stopping you from serving. You've got to get get it out of the way, this is what the story is about Augustine Argosy and was very articulate in the days before the Roman Catholic Church really got bad. Augustine said unjustly as anything love which is from him.

If he be forsaken for if God blesses you with well and you don't and and and you let that get in the way of serving God. That's unjust you committing a crime with God. This young man. He had come so excited he ran in front of prize and you know just good teacher but his priorities were not in the right order. He had something between him and serving the Lord and that's where the conversation went that he just said all these I've done for my youth. Thank you very much. That would've been less God, you know: on something else from him wealth made him.

For him wealth made him unavailable. He went away sorrowful came running excited left sorrowful demand was more than he anticipated.

We know something about that.

We we are anticipating something and is something not what we expected this to me is wrong.

You may have been caught off guard.

He was, he didn't recover well not at this day.

Who knows what happened afterward, I believe, will see him in heaven. I'm not again looking to bulldoze them into hell because of this exchange says for he had great possessions, no sin, and that a lot of Bible characters had great Boaz was rich. For example, Abraham was Solomon was filthy rich. So there's nothing wrong with the possessions is what you do, that he was not ready to break free. Another Augustine quote since I pulled up my Augustine filer, look for a few more because I am not full of you.

I am a burden to myself.

Well said.

That's what this this may young man could say when he got home. When he prayed on his knees. So before we rush to judge this man, we must ask ourselves what what I have done if Christ asked me to part something that was precious to me to go serve him when I do that because Tracy asked us to depart from sin to come serve him, but nothing's direct, not directly they will come with we come follow him.

Of course, so I don't rush to judge him and I'm a little cautious about someone who smugly condemns this man regarding yeah well you still going to hell with so what hope I don't mess up around you anyway. Not all sins tempt us money does not really do it for me. I mean I know money is a good servant but it's a vicious master and but but always with all of us. There's at least one prevailing sin that really does hound us at least one some of you may have more than one because you greedy at the joke just a funny joke actually beholding your belly is so greedy he has more sins and everybody else is greedy around pushing it in and you think it's embarrassing me but I this is all is on now so I'm taking it so to summarize this.

This was a man hungry for God. He ran in front of Jesus and said you know good good teacher. You know you just devoted here in fulfilling the law he was devoted to fulfilling the law. He had nothing else at this time we have the New Testament grace and we have so much more what Jesus told him what to do in his answer he affirmed I/O.

I've done this again. Matthew 1920 the young man said him all these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack men knew there was more to this couldn't be it. Even in his 30s. He knew there was more in the church proves us all the time to so many people that love the Lord, the good Christians, but again they are letting something getting the way of serving them and so someone else fills it in one. One thing I've known that Christ will do to get someone to service. Say to them. Final get somebody else hand.

Who wants to hear that. I don't want to hear that getting a moral good. I'm sick of this. Okay I'll get somebody about Roto you will prove we built that way and Christ is okay. I can use that I'm not you know you you messed up that way but I can use it so Jesus told him what to do either.

He fulfills it by faith places, but if you want a higher level. This is what you've got to do and it is explicitly stated that Jesus loved him, looking at him. Nothing can undo that statement. It is a sublime simple statement that the Lord loved on him, because the Lord saw that the that he love God is had some issues that he had to work through and who hasn't everybody that comes to crisis got something to work through and it's a rolling thing you know you may have something in your 20s and then by the time you get your third you do something else and then you get your 40 something that was in your 20s is back again. The cat came back he would stay away so be ready for that kind of stuff. Don't be so doing it again.

Yeah surprised well anyway the kingdom of serviceable was primary, but it goes on the Jesus going to take this moment, let me expand on this verse 23 Jesus looked around and said to the disciples how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God because it is Jesus just difficult boys. Well, I got your attention. You see this young rich man.

Wealth gets in the way creates an ally with the world and that causes friction between the spirit and the flesh that you otherwise would not have.

Paul said money is a root of all evil. And you know when you get it you start you get this mindset final by another one and the dependency on God begins to diminish because you become self-sufficient in contrast to the little children that are totally dependent on God and so we have to take receivers okay God has blessed me with this I'll get to a problem. Proverbs 1022. The blessings of Yahweh makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. So if God blesses you with wealthy not to feel guilty.

That's what the proverb is saying it's a blessing, but what you can do that blessing you going to make it serve the Lord you going to make it serve yourself that tail wags the dog you got a problem. So Jesus look there at his disciples and he brings this up, does not say this man is doomed and going to hell because of his money. This is just difficult for those with money, we are not told that Jesus rebuked him, which he would've if this were such an issue of the Foley I thinking he certainly would have made that painfully clear. Well, verse 24 and the disciples were astonished at his words. When Jesus answered again and said to them children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.

This is what you you one of those two birds with one stone. The rich man comes up in price deals with that. But then he understands that his disciples think as people did at that time if you had money than you were good with God. That is the problem that Jesus is bringing to the surface.

It was contrary to the Jewish concept of divine approval at the time and this is from Deuteronomy 28 regards as you do this I will bless you well in time. They twisted that to mean if I acquire wealth.

I'm good with God nevermind obedience I've got the wealth that's the probe I don't need to obey. I've got the well that is where the big problem came in ignoring obedience to the Lord. But the die was cast in the minds of people that would Job is even spilled into the Gentile world. Job accuses said Joe for you to lose your fortune.

You must be really bad. That's the whole argument of the of his friends against him and George Joe would not back down and by God EE print Job Job even told God I I'm not going to give up my integrity. I see it this way.

I can't lie to you and tell you I see it another way, this is how I see it… Would Job a little bit too but not like the friends told friends you better go to Joe. Please pray for you about deal with you they were scurrying over there camels were pooped anyway Jewish thinking summarized this mindset this way home. The Lord loves he makes rich sound like one of those prosperity teachers doesn't that this hellish teaching that if you're poor. God does not is not finding favor with you. Jesus said the Son of Man is nowhere to hang his to lay his head. I've no home foxes have old bird foals birds there have Nesta somewhere man is nowhere to lay his head. No words in having money largely many of the women contributed to him financially. Well he says children, how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God is emphasizing this. He says it twice. He's very serious about this is good to have things money can buy, so long as you don't lose those things money can't buy which is your salvation, which is righteousness which is love and true and all of the attributes that come with pursuing the Christ like life.

Verse 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.

What if you put a lot of grease on that needle for some through getting into heaven through well this is what he is saying getting into heaven through wealth is not possible. You can buy your way. Now there are those that will take this well there was a little gate no born on the gate and there's no proof of that came out of the 1800s. This is this is best to take just as he said it in fact there's a Persian proverb the same thing but a set of a camel is an elephant.

The largest animal in Israel was really the camel so the Jews adopted it and said it is easier for a camel to go through when he wanted to say that something was impossible, and so those interpretations about. There's a little gate called. I have a needle in the other.

Take the burden off the donkey to get this just not necessary and not it. Verse 26 and they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, who then can be saved again because they had this mindset. If you're rich, you gotta be good.

If you are following Yahweh of us. They won't wouldn't apply this to a pagan if a pagan was rich.

They wouldn't say will he's good because God's blessing, but prosperity is not attached to salvation, not financial or material prosperity. And despite God's blunt denial of this wrong idea.

The teaching still process there still people think that if God if you have money, God loves you and if you don't have a lot of money.

You not love so much. Anyway, it takes the whole Scripture to make a whole Christian and not fragments of the Scripture. And that's how they promote their their lives to take the they take the piece to cherry pick verse 27 that only Cherry Creek, but that's one of the big tactics. Verse 27 but Jesus looked at them and said with men it is impossible, but not with God or with God all things are possible.

Look at that be said about anybody is natural about anybody is impossible for poor person to be saved without God.

It is not possible, but these men needed a special class because again, their theology was borrowed.

What I mean by borrowed theology they learn things about God from hearing somebody else without ever investigating it themselves and then they repeated. We see this all the time, see people to God helps those who help themselves show me that the Bible is true, then it would not hold true and borrowed theology is something we want to be careful of. That's what you bring your Bibles to church and do your own research and have your devotion time in your study time. Salvation is beyond morality. There are atheists that are moralist they believe in Nero human decency, but that going. Now the rejecting Christ willfully rejecting Christ, so it's got to be more to it than that.

Ephesians 2. For by grace you have been say through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, lest anyone should boast a bicycle stand up in God's face and demand to be in heaven add diver my way better when I'm Doris will open doors are right but to go south. It is alarming to hear people suppose that there sins and their fault.

Somehow excused by a holy God. Just because they compare themselves that relative goodness compared to the other guy.

God says this about man's morality without him, but we are all like an unclean thing in all our righteousness are like filthy rags.

We will fade as a leaf in our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Great prophet Isaiah said my on my best day. I'm not good enough for God and his this is emphatic language in the Hebrew is as filthy rags that are very emphatic using is really bad compared to the purity of God. That is the context and salvation of horses, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they've not believed and how shall they believe in him whom they not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unless they are sent.

As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. My point for reading that verse is this. Those who have a borrowed theology are wrong about Christ are they going get right about Christ can be through what we say to them, and how we live around them. We have an active role in the salvation of souls and to disagree with God is to not walk with God, we agree with God, we may fail carried out all the time we agree with him.

Verse 28 were about done with good will make it were going to make this then Peter began to say to him see we have left all and followed you with Peter picked up on this. You told him to leave his welding come follow you, while you told us the same thing we did do this so we good right and deliver does not directly say to Peter yes Peter is not directly say that doesn't have to say that in this significant because were so quick to question our own salvation, which is an act of faithlessness. If you done something wrong.

You can repent working to fix it. God understands that verse is the person that thinks that their sin is just tolerating it's okay. I don't have to deal with it that something other, so this is allergies somebody is wearing pollen.

Would you please stand up.

Verse 29 giving his productions.

Lotta work to edit the sermon for radio. Just keep on their toes.

Hi Josh, anyway, back to verse 29 so Jesus answered and said to Shirley, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters other or mother or wife or children or lands from my sake and the Gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life. We all see that curveball. Don't worry his eye rolling along apples, oranges, brick. I'm pleased with the persecutions prodigiously skip that for another time.

If anybody's thinking you know what, I'm just going to follow the Lord to get these goodies and any throws in this this, straighten everybody out this verse is about dedication of the life is not about just in debt. Salvation only has to do with going forward and leaving behind things that are in the way of answering the call serving Christ has its rewards, and it also has the opportunity for more persecution.

Spiritual rewards are primary, he says, or wife, singular, which is a slap in the face against polygamy and there are still those out there that are trying to use the Bible support polygamy and not just the Mormons so that you can't that's a one verse, you would've said or wives if there was some tolerance for that father in verse 30 is omitted because we have our father in heaven and increases with the persecutions of course. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you say all kinds of evil against you here comes falsely, for my namesake early church was accused of all source of things to meeting you know at night because they won't want to buy the seeds to cannibals. That's why they drink the blood and eat the flesh were almost out of here so the early church was accused of these things they were false and of course that's a very important thing now we come to verse 31, but many who are first will be last in the last first notice that he said many and not all it is a proper, it is not an absolute. Sometimes the first will be first and is helpful to remember that I think there's been a lot in this chapter to consider for me. I like the whole part about the relative goodness versus the actual goodness of God because I think that needs to be stressed will speak to unbelievers you might be good next to him, but is not next to him you going to be judged. It's next to the Jesus Christ of of the Bible.

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