Jesus Offers Hope - When Success Doesn't Satisfy, Part 1

Do you know anybody that's really successful. I mean, it seems like it got a great family, good job.

I can good money to me there pretty athletic play an instrument. I mean you look at a music how their successful but then you get close to annexing kind of bummed out, negative, and even a little depressed.

Ever wonder why today were going to learn why success doesn't always that. Thanks for listening to this edition of moving all the years with children Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry start helping Christians live what Christians whether you're just starting out in your nearing retirement. All desire to be successful is so hard for us to enjoy life. Even when we reached our goals are fulfilled. Our dream for these last two programs in nursery is offers hope explores that issue and brings us a fresh perspective on God's word is a quick reminder if you missed any part of the series along the way, you can catch up anytime@livingontheedge.org or by listing on the chip Ingram. Now here's chip with his talk was success doesn't satisfy Mark chapter 10 if you want to draw a little picture on your note you could put sort of a a U shaped picture of a big fat if you will, and a stick person that would be you and if you can imagine being in this thing that represent your resources. It is your time, your energy, your money, your gifts and your talents.

In other words, it's your capacity and what I want you to know is that all of us have this capacity.

And then there sort of rainbows that go out from this and rainbows of the promises that we believe and what they'll deliver a member like the old picture of the rainbows and there's a little pot of gold what I believe is that we all have and have been taught and believed, consciously or unconsciously, what I call the empty bucket syndrome and so for some you don't even realize you do it, but you take your energy and your time and your talents and your gifts and down deep. You follow the rainbow if I can be beautiful and it's all about my looks and for someone else. If it's like you get this kind of education were all my kids can get this kind of education and for others it's the day that I'm famous, then I'll be fulfilled and for others it's power and for others it's all kind of different things.

Success.

Here's how it goes when I get or accomplish. You fill it in. Then I'll be happy, fulfilled beauty, fame, wealth, power for some it's a little bit more when I get that man when I get that woman or for some that are couples.

When we finally have a child or for others it's when I just in the best and a member. The very first time I heard a Lehman, a guy share a story about empty buckets and it was a different era and his whole message was empty buckets and was an error for some of your little bit older. He said you know Mohammed Ali wanted to be the best they became the best and things didn't change in an experience where he took his gold medal and he actually threw it in a creek. Marilyn Monroe was the most beautiful of her era and she took her own life and he went through power, wealth Howard Hughes was the richest man in the world at the time and he died is a recluse with fingernails this long completely paranoid of everything around him and he just walked through the empty buckets and I remember listening to that and thinking I wonder what empty buckets I am running after that. I'm never satisfied Jesus offers hope when success doesn't satisfy. And sometimes we learned that when we hit rock bottom.

Sometimes we learn it when we achieve what we thought we would never achieve in its empty. Unfortunately the most dangerous places when you're on the journey and you still believe that when this or that comes then you'll be happy as long as you believe the lie success in and of itself wonderful something that can fill your heart, absolutely not. You open your notes.

Jesus is going to address very directly how to find hope and real hope, purpose, love when success doesn't satisfy.

We pick up the story in Mark chapter 10 if you dig in with me, but once you open the Mark chapter 10 and as you open. Let me give you a little bit of the context. This is what's happening in Jesus ministry. Imagine if you will. He's becoming more and more and more popular. Crowds are swelling. He spent 4000.

He said 5000. Some people been raised from the dead. Miracles are happening everywhere he goes now there's crowds and will see as we pick up the text that now there's two groups in these crowds want our people that they just think he's like a rock star. They want to hear his words there, hoping maybe get a meal. Maybe I'll get in on the miracle in their following him and listening.

There's another group called the religious leaders are Pharisees and their being threatened by their position in the more and more popular.

He gets more more they feel like we have to discredit him. So as you would scan and you can do this because you can listen to me and read the same time. If you would scan to the beginning versus some Pharisees come to test Jesus and the way they test him as a ask him what they hope will be a divisive question. Is it right for man to divorce his wife for any and every reason is what they knew was there was one very famous rabbi who said yes to that. And one more conservative one who said no, so they wanted to get him to say something that would divide his audience as you would scan that what he does as he talks about the importance of fidelity talks about the importance that women are not to be used and abused.

A woman is not a sex object. He's gonna say from the very beginning there was a man and a woman what God is put together. No one should pull apart, and even go on to say that unless there is biblical grounds that he would talk about in a parallel passage that when you divorce someone or leave someone or marry someone is divorce you committed adultery, and he says this marriage covenant is very very important in its absolute and was a radical statement because at that time the action normal Roman person would often have 20 wives in the Greek culture. You have three different women in your life you have a wife to raise your family. You would go to the prostitute. They had all kind of temples, prostitutes, male and female. Any time any day and you have a mistress on the side that was just that was just like men used women, the Jews would proclaim a different level of commitment, but the practice wasn't a whole lot different. And so Jesus is saying some things that are really counterculture. After that he's the crowds are leaving, and pretty soon some parents are bringing their little children. They want to be blessed and the disciples and get those kids out here.

Kids aren't important.

Only important people.

This is the rabbi.

He does miracles and if looking looking at text to scan down where it talks about the children. Notice the word says Jesus is indignant. He says to the disciples. It let those children come in. The children came and he prayed for them and he blessed them, and then he makes this amazing statement. He said unless you become like a little child. You'll never enter the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is synonymous in this time for eternal life.

Having a relationship with God, your sins forgiven. Unless you become like a little child what what you mean by that will little children are dependent little children are trusting little children are kinda naïve and gullible.

You know when their parents say were to go out for ice cream.

They don't think like you can take him in the backyard, and with them real fries can crank they just jump in the car really celebrate your birthday tomorrow. Great many kids just believe whatever you tell and he says they also recognize that there dependent little kids come and ask when they get hurt they don't go. I can handle this myself but right and he says unless you become like a little child. What's the emphasis of humility. Children are humble dependent they recognize their need.

So I want you to get the context there's mushrooming crowds. He spoke about the fidelity and importance of marriage and that is talked about humility and then something happens. He's ready to walk away and as he walks away. There's a very arrest the Craddick smart, educated moral man who's been listening. Now we pick up the story we pick up the story in verse 17 of Mark chapter 5.

Follow along with me.

It says as Jesus started on his wife was ready to leave, a man ran up and fell on his knees before him.

Good teacher. He said what must I do to inherit eternal life.

He's been listening excess. How do you get in on what you been talking about Jesus is will why do you call me good, no one is good except God alone.

Now very interesting point here. There's two words in Greek for good one means intrinsically good or altogether good. It's about the character or nature of someone and other means good as it's beautiful it's nice it's winsome. He uses the first work in essence what he's saying he's coming to Jesus after watching him and saying, now the Scriptures true. Only God is good, inherently altogether good and Jesus is saying. So do you really believe that I'm the Messiah. So you believe I'm God, you're coming in is is that we are coming from and then he he says now make sure is only one who's good you're clear on what you're calling me and then he goes on and gives them a little test he says 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, his response teacher. All of these I've kept since I was a boy and then if you if you had your Bible and have a pen underline this Jesus looked at him and loved him whatever he's going to say whatever he's going to do. He's motivated because he deeply loves this man.

One thing you lack, he said, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor.

Why and you have treasure in heaven. And then invitation then come, follow me at this the man's face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth and Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said, notice the back to children. Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God is easier for a camel to go to the Isle of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples were even more amazed and they said to each other will then who can be saved and Jesus looked at them and said with man this is impossible, but not with God, with him all things are possible.

And Peter, listening to this realizing you know we have done what you ask. There's almost this unspoken question like will what's in it for us. The price tags pretty high. Peter said to him, we left everything to follow you, Jesus, as I tell you the truth, no one is left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive 100 times as much in this present age homes, brothers, sisters, mother's children in fields and you might underline this because we want to skip this one along with them. Persecutions and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first menu have big standing in this life. In this day who like the rich young ruler will be last, and many who are last who don't have the standing will be first. Jesus offers hope want you to notice that when we look at those three stories. The issue with divorce.

The issue with the children and the issue now is idolatry. The Bible is never negative about people that have money. The Bible never speaks negatively on someone who happens to be rich.

But the Bible is very clear that money and stuff has the propensity to take root in our heart and the place of God. And so the story is present in all three synoptic of Matthew, Mark, and Luke and success in the world's value system happens. Three ways sex, power and money when he talked about divorce. What was really addressing.

He said it positively fidelity but why were people divorcing remarrying divorce and remarrying the sex we talked about humility. What is talk about was the opposite of power when he talked about idolatry. The idle was money sometimes wind of the story is told of this rich young ruler. I think he gets a little bit of a bad rap. Jesus offers hope to a man, his bio he's wealthy, successful moral, powerful, sincere and intelligent. I don't about you but I wouldn't mind that bio for me. Would you what if someone said, tell me a little bit about your wife about your best friend. It happened to be you and this is all well I mean he's wealthy, intelligent, or she successful moral self-aware.

I mean, he was listening to Jesus teach. He watched him with the children and he was aware something is missing something is missing but it's not money. I've got money.

It's not religion that we hey, I've kept them from my youth, but something is missing and then he had the self-awareness and the humility you know what he just got done teaching you just bless the children, Jesus is walking away this man in his Armani suit. With all these peasants runs after Jesus slides in falls at his feet, humbled himself in front of all these peasants is is what what do I need to do to inherit eternal it says he ran he fell at his feet.

Here we read that overwrote quickly. This is a guy who's not embarrassed.

This is a guy who says this, Jesus has something that I need something's missing and is not religion and is not money is not intelligence is not power is not wealth but he's got something I need but he recognizes his success has left him empty anybody here for little bit. That way, let's take a deeper look. Let's look at the passage little more carefully and see what was behind this successful man's question reveals his perceived need. When he asked the question, what must I do to inherit eternal life. As I started this passage I noticed there's a couple of assumptions that this young rich intelligent moral man had assumption number one.

He realizes something is missing. Assumption number two the means to achieve it was something you do. I gotta do more. I've got to perform in any of us in this area, by end of that. The way you get ahead the way you get anything from anyone and even God is you got it do something so Jesus pillow test the knee and begins to help them understand relationships are about doing there about being and loving that flow out into doing and so Jesus answer reveals his need versus 18 to 21. First, it's with the question, why do you call me good. There's only one who is good member when Moses said show me your glory.

I want to see who you really are and God says no one can see my glory and live but most of the time what there's a place in this rock you get in that and then I'll pass by you and I'll let you get a glimpse of my back and then as he did that he declared who he was. This is the Lord who is good, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. When God uses one word to describe himself is altogether.

It was he's gracious, generous, good, and so this man says good teacher and Jesus is in the true sense of the word. There's only one who is good and now he's testing is that you believe I is this a declaration you've humbled yourself in front of these people your wealthy, intelligent, rich man who self-aware, who doesn't mind being embarrassed who thinks I had the answer. Are you really saying on the Masai to get more than he bargained for. And so then he takes him to the law when I was a kid, you known cartoons always thought like the 10 Commandments are like five on one and five.

On the other, like the two tablets there's four on the first one and six. On the other. The first tablet is about your relationship with God.

It's vertical and the first one is have no other gods besides me. The issue is idolatry. The next one is you can't have any graven images and others can't worship anything visible that reduces God and then you don't take the name of the Lord in vain.

So the first floor all about your relationship with him the next six are all about the relationships of people. If you study this carefully. Jesus rattles off all six of the second tablet.

How are you doing when it comes to relating to people and the guy says basically pay. I mean if giving out A's on a student on the second I've done all those that then he goes from there to do. He looks at his heart.

And please don't miss this everything he ask him to do from this point on he loves this man.

I mean if you are a teacher and you saw someone with that intent. He wasn't proud he wasn't like I don't need anybody he wasn't he didn't think he trusted in his wealth. But Jesus saw his heart and so Jesus says to him, here's the challenge sell everything that you have if I'm really good and on the Masai, then let's test this sell everything that you have let go of what you're hanging onto then notice and give to the poor.

He wanted them to experience joy.

Have you ever given to the poor dear given you may be a single mom and you and she can't pay her rent.

You secretly pay for it and you experience the joy or you been in a situation where maybe been on a missions trip and you may want to give some money to someone and that just changes the course of their life member going on one missions trip in the Philippines and is only like 70 or 80 bucks and we over there could buy enough penicillin we say like six kids lives. It was like whoa for 70 box when people learn to give you start learning to give Jesus wanted understand it's not religion is not about all the things you don't do then and now. So many people think following God's.

I don't do this, but don't lose or don't do this. I don't do this, I got news for you. People are dead.

Don't do that either. A lot of it is what you do, do it's loving and caring. Jesus wanted him to experience what it's like to release what holds you in and bring life to other people and the joy it would swell his heart and he said what this is for your benefit.

See we can to think that life is us little tiny thing called time and Jesus gave him an assignment that would change all of his eternity. He said when you sell and when you give, you have Uzi looking out for what what to say. Look in your Bibles you have, what in heaven treasure. This is real stuff this is real reward. This is something that would pay out for him for ever and ever and ever. And then he gets this personal amazing invitation and then come to me there's crowns. This guy is getting a personal invitation into these 12 guys and hang with me going on in her circle. I don't see a lot of this want you to come. I want to be close to you on a new life with you. I want to bless you. But there's this obstacle. You can't see it but the fact that you could sense that something is missing the fact that you responded to my teaching. The fact that you saw how I treated children.

The fact that you know better than using women. The fact was you were getting it. Now let's do some spiritual surgery so you can get the life that's really life.

Let go of the idol in your heart. Great act of love, the rich man's response revealed the condition.

The true condition of his heart and the God that he served his face fell. It was like I want help I want help I want help show me what I need to do.

I want that much of my security is my money, my God is my money. Money defines my success. This is a guy that made the list on the front of Forbes. This is a guy. The people knew who he was when he walked in the room because of how many zeros behind his portfolio. Oh wait a second, I want what you have but see that sex, money, power, mantra, I can't give up what I can see if what I can't see, so his face fell when he went away said Jesus was testing him, God has unlimited resources he could've given his money back to them the next day or the next week or the next year, but we know for sure is that he would have joy that his money can never bring you have security that is never money can never bring you have a relationship with God and peace and rest in his soul that his money can never bring. I mean, isn't that why he was running over and sent Jesus see his money, revealed his hard your money reveals your littlest message with success doesn't satisfy will be right back with his application for this teaching series. Jesus offers hope.

It's been said that hope is the oxygen of the soul. The fact is we all put our faith in someone or something. But what happens when our dreams are dashed, or someone what's a stone or life just falls apart. Where do we turn when her situation. She goes to the core in the series 2 points us to the only true source of our hope for using familiar New Testament parables chip illustrates how we can experience and safeguard God's indescribable hope in our lives. If you're feeling hopeless. Don't miss a part of this series.

For more information about Jesus offers hope go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003 Listeners tap special offers will chip you give us a lot to think about and process today.

I know a lot of people use journals to write out with her thinking even their prayer sometimes is drilling something you do or found helpful.

You know I do journal and I don't want to make anyone feel guilty, like only spiritual people journal. I know people that don't journal, but I will tell you that it is been one of the most foundational spiritual disciplines in my life, especially for those of us that happened to be verbal processor. Some of us don't really know what we think, until we say it, and is, I think we all have a power or a level of denial about reality that is far deeper than most of us ever imagined that week we really think were doing okay in the words we say is really what's really going on and what I found was when I write out thoughts, or even write out prayers or I often will start this is how I feel today or this is what I'm struggling with today or gone I really want to thank you for this. Today is I find when I start writing I I've I've actually had times where I've written things down to how I look and I think that's not true, Inc., Ingram. I can't believe that you're actually lying. I mean, what if what you think someone's going to read this someday and think your spiritual and what I found is by writing it down. It stares back at me and it really helps me be honest and I think the other thing is that we tend to think that however were doing emotionally is reality.

So sometimes I'm a pretty up person yeah Ron, I love God, things are great and other times I get really really down even depressed and I can feel like while you know my lives in Madison.

I'm a terrible datum a terrible pastor you know no one loves me. Blah blah blah blah blah. You start that pity party will what I have is these journals were I get to see the mountains and the peaks in the valleys and the mountain peaks and then I read the Psalms and I realize you know I'm not alone. This is normal ups and downs are normal and then what I have is this track record of many years.

Actually, in my case that God has been faithful and as I journal it allows me to see where he's really working in my life and not get too fixated on how I happen to feel in a certain day, so I think journaling or really help and we have a tool that I think be great help for you. Thanks chip we do have a great resource designed to help you develop the practice of journaling.

It's a beautiful compact notebook of his tools full of meaningful scripture versus popular lyrics to hymns and insightful quotes from influential Christian leaders. There's also plenty of space for your notes and personal journaling. Our hope is that this resource will help you spend more intentional time with God in prayer and if you like this journal get a few more to pass on to friends there a perfect gift for any occasion to order your prayer Journal, just visit LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003. Listeners tap special offers.

As I closed the teaching time today. I ended with the statement your money reveals your heart were ever your money goes. That's where your heart really is.

It's not where I think it is it's not where my singing shows it is it's not where my religious thoughts tell me it is. But at the core my money reveals my heart. What's really important. And if that's true I mean is just you and me right and you don't have to say this out loud menu likely in the car or maybe doing this by yourself, but if I could ask you privately, what would your money say about your heart of what would it say about how important people are.

What would it say about how much you really love God, what would it say about your priorities and if if we could work just like super close friends and you just said hey you know, here's my bank statements. Here's my portfolio. Here's my giving. Here's my debt level. I just want you to see all my money so you can help me discover exactly where my heart and values and passions are, what would it say and what I want to say is that that's a question that you and God need to have a very serious heart to heart talk about in our next broadcast him to talk about how to redirect your harden and talk about how you don't have to be like this rich young ruler because money is a deceitful thing and stop the materialism is a disease that other people have we all have it. It's just how much do we have it in you know what I don't want you to miss the peace in the life and the joy and all the wonder that God has for you that success can never deliver. So why don't you think real hard about that and let's get together next broadcast and will talk about the solution just before we close. I would think each of you who's making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians. A few found chips teaching helpful which are not yet on the team. Would you consider doing that today to donate.

Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate all me up or give us a call at AAA 83336003, let me thank you in advance for whatever the Lord leads you to do: select time for everyone here. This is saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge