Rich or Poor

Your Bibles with you, then turn with me if you would take Mark chapter 10 and will start out verses 13 through 16 there bringing children to him that he might touch them and the disciples rebuked them.

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and he said to them, let the children come to me.

Do not hinder them for just such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them that with me as we got our Lord in prayer.

Heavenly father.

I've been humble this week as I have studied Jesus fellowship with children. He put them on his lap.

He blessed them with a touch. He'll limit his arms and gave them assurance of his love. He took time out of an unbelievably busy schedule to express love for children father. This convicts my heart how often I've neglected my own children and grandchildren because stuff is more important father.

Jesus uses lesson to teach us how to relate to him.

We are to relate to him with helpless dependence are also looking today at a wealthy man whose intentions were good, but his motivation was worldly, may we learn from his example to love you more than money.

Help me to exalt Christ today. Help me to see this wonderful congregation so that we would leave this building. Realizing that nothing is more important than our relationship with you where it is in Jesus precious and holy name we pray.

Amen.

You may be seated. I have a dear friend. I stood up in his former church on the sanctity of life Sunday and challenged his congregation challenge the congregation. They are if they would take a stand. A strong stand against abortion, and then he encourage them to pray that the government would establish laws to protect the pre-born after that service was over the pastor. The church walked over to him and he said to him, don't ever do that again. He said church is not the place to mention abortion.

It brought my friends heart he found out in his denomination believes that abortion is just a woman's right to choose any said no this is not right that baby in the womb as a human being, and abortion is plainly and simply murder. He left that church. Praise God is one of our deacons today. We have other members of our church to go to abortion clinics and they stand.

They are as people are women are coming in.

Considering having an abortion and I talk with them and they tried everything they can to encourage them not to do it offer ultrasounds and and I pray with Clement oftentimes get the chance to share the gospel with them. We have many people in our church who have a great heart for the pre-born who care about them and and who give money and spend time and effort to do everything they can to protect babies in the womb.

I am honored to pastor a church like that it blesses my heart because I know that Jesus had a heart for children. Some communist countries today they limit the number of children that you can have an a in a particular family and that number is is usually limited to two and if the mother has is expecting 1/3 child.

Oftentimes they will force that woman to have an abortion. We see the same kind of of just wickedness going on in Jesus time when Jesus was born King Herod the great sin out of order that all the baby boys in Bethlehem that work two years old and under should be murdered and they did that, and days before Jesus was born.

Many people in Israel worship a false God, who is called Malec and they went into Gehenna to worship this false God was availing that Jesus used to refer to hail, but they went in there was an altar there.

They took their their babies newborn babies lay them on the altar and they burn them as a sacrifice to this demon God. We live in a country today a country today that I know is very sad, has a very sin pardoning culture. I believe that even people in our city and harden culture today would have a great problem with people burning their children as child sacrifices. If that's so, then I got a question and that question is why is abortion uploaded and condoned in our culture. Cindy and I went to the gate pregnancy center banquet a few weeks ago was a Dr. they are Dr. Liles from Florida who was teaching us that night on when life begins any Brownian lease had on the big screen he brought in picture after picture after picture of ultrasound pictures that they had taken and they showed each time as the sperm entered the egg. There was a flash of light that was produced happened every time over and over again but let me tell you something.

Life begins at conception.

We need to understand that we need to stand by that. I wish I could show you the slides if you go to YouTube and look up date of pregnancy center Dr. Liles, you'll find that and it's an amazing amazing thing.

The Roman government that ruled over Israel in Jesus day had little regard for children. Not long ago a papyrus letter was excavated in Rome and it was written by a politician whose name was solarium. It was dated buyer dating system is January 17 one BC. He was right into his expectant wife and he said these words to her in his letter. He said if it's a male child, let it live. If it's a female child, let it die in our culture today. Pedophilia is absolutely rampant little children being kidnapped sex sexually molested and then often murdered to hide the evidence. Think most of you heard of Epstein island where is is absolutely proven that that this pedophilia is going on and is going on where children are being absolutely ravaged just day after day after day, fudge, politicians, movie stars, billionaires, go to Epstein island and they've gone there for the purpose of getting together with little children and ravaging them.

I'm not talking here about politics I'm talking about sin when a culture turns on children and the culture is is having operations transgender operations and mutilating a child's body and the church is not crying out against it, then God help us. This passage should be warning to our nation. Jesus loves the little children and he is called us as the church to little children to I got six points I want to share with you this morning .1 is our Lord's elevation of children.

Look at verse 13 through 14 there bringing children to him that he might touch them and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, little children come to me. Do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of God. These parents were bringing their little children just so that Jesus could touch them. As we been going through the gospel of Mark. We seen that that when people lead sicknesses or disease or infirmity's they would often come to Jesus and Jesus would heal them just by simple touch.

I think of the woman who had issue blood GM issue blood for 12 years she gone to one doctor after another after another. Nobody been able to help her.

She completely run out of money. She hears that Jesus is in town, huge crowd. There she goes down into the crowd to see Jesus said, and she weasels her way through the crowd, she reaches between two people and she touches the him of his garment and is soon as she touches it. Pam is like that is made will think of the blind man that Jesus came up to the ASTA be able to see Jesus reached over and put his hands on his eyes and he was healed just like that. So oftentimes we see the healing ministry of Jesus taken place through his touch. In this situation is not what's going on here Jesus is touching is not about physical healing. These parents are bringing their babies to Jesus and and Jesus takes a little children in the in his arms and the wholesome, and he reaches over and he puts his hand on their head. I think a lot like Jacob did with his grandkids Ephraim and Manasseh, and Jesus does that pray sublimity blesses them in the name of his father have been blessed over the last couple months watching Sam Grubbs as he becomes in you, daddy and I have watched Sam and Howie how he holds his baby in the whole little Levi up in his arms, a look.

Adding an Levi looks back at him and he caresses. He and any praise forming any talks with him and they laughed together. You can see the connection that's going on there something the touch of Jesus of these little children is very much like salmon and Levi are experiencing Lynn what happened disciples come up to these parents that are bringing these kids to Jesus and and all of a sudden they start rebuking the parents say hey yeah this Jesus didn't have time for this. What you doing. This is this is this is not call for younger to get away. Jesus did have time for little children get away from him. He's got important business to take care of Jesus sees these parents start to walk away with her hand drop down and the Scripture says that Jesus was indignant. The Greek word for indignant means a state of anger that is aroused by injustice. Jesus turns around he looks to the to the disciples and he says this to them.

Let the children come to me. Do not hinder them for such is the kingdom of God, the great theologian BB Warfield said that childhood owed as much to the gospel as womanhood and wouldn't he mean by that he meant before Jesus came around. Women were treated like second-class citizens. People just denigrated them didn't pay much attention to them, just use them in whatever Jesus wouldn't do that he wouldn't allow that Jesus uplifted women and he let them know that they have an important role in the in the home is not a lesser role is just a different role with they have in the home. The apostle Paul tilt tells us that we as husbands are to love our wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her that that we are to love our wives so much that would be willing to die for our wives if necessary, that we are to cherish our wives that we are to door our wives. Jesus is saying the same thing here, about how a father of to relate to his children on she listens carefully, Charles Spurgeon saw winter par Exelon said I will say broadly that I have more confidence in the spiritual life of the children that I have received in this church that I have in the spiritual condition of the adults that received I will go even further than that and say that I have usually found a clear knowledge of the gospel and a warmer love to Christ in child converts then and the man converts. I will even astonish you. Still more by saying that I have sometimes met with a deeper spiritual experience in children of 10 and 12 years I have in certain persons of 50 and 60 years.

What a call for parents. Young people Bible school teachers and club workers to keep at it while we parents must never resort to extracting bogus conversions from our children. We must cultivate their spiritual awareness and sensitivity, and above all pray fervently and in detail for them Texas to point to our Lord's elevation of children's faith versus 15 to 16. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it, and he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them and what is it mean to receive the word of God like a little child I it is Jesus talking about innocence. The little child is innocent with that's what you think you had been around little two-year-old lightly. Have you that now I know they can be huggable and they can be lovable and and they can it be sweet sometimes innocent, absolutely not. They were born with the CN nature. All of us were born with the CN nature. We need to understand that I like the way that Jonathan Edwards so eloquently put it. He said our children are just Vipers in diapers and that's very true. So if Jesus did not mean innocent here. What did he mean he meant that every child who's ever lived. Despite race, culture, background and ethnicity is one thing in common and that is that is helpless dependence, helpless dependence every single child who is ever lived is absolutely completely totally, objectively, subjectively, existentially helpless folks, helpless, helpless dependence, go home and remember those two words, if you don't remember anything else that's what children are and that should be what we are is as God's children. This is what Jesus did.

Jesus paid it all. Jesus paid it off in the work, not us. We are just helplessly dependent on what he did nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling naked came out to the four dress helpless, helpless look to the for grace. If you come to Christ like that.

Most of the people in our world not come to Christ like that and they say the reason is we got self-respect you with.

That's called the skull, pride, and independence in the Scripture, look what Jesus did in verse 16 Jesus took the little children in his arms he hail them and I can just I feel certain that he put his hand on their head light like Jacob did to his grandchildren and they took their headlight lighted up against Jesus chest, and they could feel is Jesus was praying for him. I could feel the love I could feel the joy that Jesus had formed me ask you something, I would you like to know Jesus is interceding for you that he's praying for you and you could feel his joy and his love for you. As he prayed we tell you, folks, we should feel that because that's exactly what's happening. Paul tells us in Galatians 64 that we had this kind of relationship with God when the Lord saved you. He doesn't just forgive you of your sins and send you all out to the world.

He adopts she went to his family.

JI Packer said this about God's adoption of us into his family said adoption is the highest privilege that the gospel offers higher even than justification to be right with God, the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the father is even greater. Galatians chapter 4 verse six is and because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba father knew all the means daddy's means daddy that that's how would look at this God is God who is the creator of heaven and earth is God who is the sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent God. This God who is King of Kings and Lord of lords.

We are to look at him and we are to call him daddy.

Daddy and this passage, Jesus took the little child and he put them up on his lap. He put his hand on his head and the heat blasting blasting with loving blasting with joy. He blessed him with a verbal blessing present sister Jesus is doing that for us, for you and for me is his children even as we speak. Hebrews chapter 7 in verse 25 says consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Romans 834 who is to condemn Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that he was raised one at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Once again, what is it about little children that Jesus looks for in us and his children. It is this helpless dependence, helpless dependence, the realization that Jesus did it all and we bring nothing to him.

All we bring is our surrender by moving all the rich man's question.

Look at verse 17 and is he was setting out on his journey man raiment ran up to him and knelt before him and asking good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life. This man came running up to Jesus in Luke's gospel we are told that he's rich. That is young and that is a ruler. In other words, he's got money and he's got clout here is a man that is in the upper crust of Israel and so he's looking Jesus and when he looked in Jesus. He saw something that just drew him to Christ. It was his holiness.

It was his wisdom, it was his wisdom so he runs to Jesus and he kneels before Jesus showing him respect, and then to show him even more respect, the Coliseum, not just teacher but good teacher.

So here he is on to picturing down on his knees. He looks up to Jesus with a burning question. What must I do to inherit eternal life. He had riches he had authority. He had good standing in the community that he did not have assurance of his salvation and he was of the opinion that there must be something that he can do to earn his salvation.

I had Texas 2.4 and that is the Lord's answer to verse 18 through 19 and Jesus said to him why 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 fraud defraud, honor your father and mother, RC Sproul, as usual, has some great insight here.

Listen carefully to what he said Jesus gave an interesting answer.

He said what you call me good, no one is good but one, and that is God.

Some of the critics of the Christian faith point of this text is a manifest evidence that Jesus did not consider himself sinless that he recognized there were weaknesses in his character because he disavowed that he was good. However, I'm quite convinced Jesus spoke these words in a very different intent. He knew that this man did not know to whom he was asking his question. He knew this man did not know that he was talking to God incarnate. So Jesus was calling attention to the rich young ruler, superficial understanding of true goodness a superficial understanding.

We all share.

We are quick to call one another. Good without giving thought to what goodness entails. Usually we employ the term good in a comparative way. If I say that my dog is a good dog. I did not mean that my dog has a highly refined ethical sense of propriety. I simply mean that as dogs go, she is fairly well-behaved. She comes when I call her.

She does not bite the mailman.

She's housebroken, compared with many dog she's a good dog.

Same applies when we say the person is good. We simply mean that, compared with many other people here she is a good person. However, we dare not judge ourselves or others in relation other human billions ultimately genuine goodness is defined by the character of God and his character is made manifest in the law.

Therefore, we need to judge yourself against that standard. The standard of the ultimate righteousness of God. When we do we very quickly see what the psalmist and then the apostle Paul declared there is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands, there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside.

They've all together become unprofitable is none who does good, no not one. So Jesus force this young fellow to see that he, Jesus was perfectly good and that he, the rich young ruler came way way short. Jesus questions him about his life to make him see is your life really lined up with the holy law of God. Jesus starts parents found out the commandments, do not keel do not commit adultery, do not steal. Not but bear false witness, do not covet. Honor your father and mother. You notice that those particular commandments and Jesus mentioned were all commandments that had to do with Jesus is our with man's relationship to man.

Now those are the easy ones to keep.

Compared to the ones about man's relationship to God. God so that you have no other gods before you, you shall not make in yourself any graven image shall not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain as you honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

Those of the telephones to get in the easy ones to let him see that you can even keep the easier ones at Texas 2.5 that the rich man's delusion.

Look at verse 20 and he said to him, teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. You can almost hear this young rich young ruler breathe a sigh of relief. He thinks ever what Jesus is said and and then he says to himself I got this. Kathy is not done that. I've never murdered. I've never had sex with anyone other than my wife. I have never stolen. I don't live I don't covet done all those things. So I'm good is what he's thinking we take what Jesus could've said, but you don't have a clue. You don't have a clue. You haven't Those commandments since you got up this morning, much less all the way through all the way back your childhood you have not kept them.

Jesus could've said, did you not hear the sermon on the Mount where I explained the commandment to not murder to not keel is all about is not just the physical act of killing but it's also hatred and bitterness in the heart and he will you not there when when I explained what the Sabbath commandment is all about, that shall not commit adultery is not just the actives of this sin that he's talking about. It's the thought like lust in the thought life. The demands of God's law or deeper than simple outward appearance. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. This young man harbored the hope within himself that he can earn his way into heaven. We ask you something is a concept in today's world here in America and our culture. Is it any different than it was back in, in Jesus's day. Most of you probably know, the two diagnostic questions that are asked in the evangelism explosion witnessing program quit where you asked these two questions, get the conversation going and help people to see whether there genuinely saved or not the two questions are these number one.

Do you know for sure that that you when you die, you're going to be with God in heaven.

Number one and number two is this if God were to ask you, why should I let you into my heaven, what would you say when these questions were asked to church members of multiple denominations across our nation. The answers that were given were by far lining up with a works based salvation. When people say when you asked them this question.

What well I tried to live a good life and I've never murdered.

I'm not a criminal.

I go to church. Almost every Sunday I go to Sunday school. I'm a deacon I'm an elder. When we answer those questions as people relying on their performance, their good works there. Obedience to save them. So let me ask you something if you were standing before God today, and God asked you personally. Nobody else around.

Just you and God. He says why should I let you into my heaven, what would you say would you say this I have done nothing to merit my salvation. Absolutely nothing. I am trusting in what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross of Calvary. I'm trusting that when Jesus died on the cross.

His shed blood washed away my sins. He died as a substitutionary atonement for me.

He died in order that he might give me his righteousness, and take my sin away forever and forever. Then he runs the dam on the third day to break the power of sin, and he broke the power of death over me as he rose from the dead. I do not trust myself. I'm putting my trust in what Jesus did, not what idea to gain my salvation. Can you say that from the depths of your heart. Do you mean that God were to stand before you and say why should I let you into my heaven, what would you say what would you say .6 is the Lord's command. Verse 21 through 22 and Jesus looking at him, loving, and said to him you like one thing go sell all that you have 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.

Lord Jesus heart went out to this man. Scripture says that Jesus looking at him loving. He was sincere. The man was, not arrogant genuinely believe that he had The law of God.

He really wanted to know how to be saved and have eternal life to Jesus says okay one thing. Now you must do this, go sell everything that you have. Take all that money and go in distributed among the poor and then come, take up your cross and follow me. While in other words let's see if you really keep the commandments for if you put your wealth above God, then that wealth becomes your God, have you done that is what Jesus is asking Scripture says this man walked away disheartened Greek word for disheartened means devastated downcast. This man went to the synagogue every Sabbath.

This man worshiped in the temple many, many, many times, humanly speaking, it was a good man but Jesus forced him to see that money was his God, and it was a God he would not give up. So the one who ran to Jesus with great expectation walked away from him with his hand down his heart broken and just deep depression and distress. He walked away from Jesus books the pearl of great price was standing right in front of this man and he turned his back and he walked away. This would be like a person handing you $1 billion is in here take it and you turn around to somebody else and you take a wooden nickel from their hand, is with this young man had done, he thought his possessions more important than God.

He he preferred his bank account to the riches of the kingdom of heaven. This story we see the gospel going, we see the gospel of Christ pays our sin debt and gives us his righteousness. Only Christ righteousness full-field the holy law of God.

It's a gift nonpayment. It's a gift.

We don't learn it we receive it as a as a gift by grace through faith. So I'm asking that question one more time. What would you say if God said to you. If God said to you, why should I let you into my heaven, what would be your answer is probably dear Lord Jesus, you are the pearl of great price. You are the King of Kings and Lord of lords.

You are the second person of the Trinity. You are the creator of heaven and earth, may we be wowed by your glory. And may we realize that if we had Jesus then we have everything.

It's in Jesus precious name we pray. A man