MARK 10:28-34
SPIRITUAL COURAGE, NOT SPIRITUAL ARROGANCE
I. Greetings:
II. Introduction: The rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-22 was challenged to give away all his money in order to follow Jesus. He had much property and could not do it, so he walked away.
Q How many of you know people who do not follow Christ today because in their estimation the cost to them is too high?
An = Ask them to raise their hands if they know someone like this. Let them share what the high cost is.
Note: At least these people are honest. They have counted the cost and seen the price to be too high; at least they are not phony. They walk away, instead of going to church and pretending to be what they know they cannot be.
Note: Remember, Jesus agreed, the cost was too high and impossible to pay for someone who was rich.
III. Peter’s Realization: Mark 10:28-31.
A. Peter’s Response: Mark 10:28.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:23-27.
Q According to Jesus, was it easy to enter the kingdom of God if you were rich?
An = According to Jesus, it was impossible unless God helped you.
Note: Notice though how Peter responded to Jesus’ message. Peter was ever the one who spoke what few would dare to say.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:28.
Q What was Peter claiming he had done?
An = He was claiming that he had left all for Christ. He had done everything the rich young ruler would not do. Peter had said it was not impossible for him. He had done it. Peter thought it was not something God had to do, but something he was able to do.
Note: >>>> You read Mark 10:21, especially emphasize the part “…and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Notice the similarity between Jesus’ command to “follow me” and Peter’s claim to have left all to follow
Peter seemed to be pretty pleased with himself. Many followers of Jesus Christ are.
B. Jesus’ Response: Mark 10:29-31.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:29-31.
Note: Notice that Verse 29 was the condition for the results listed in verse 30.
Q What were the conditions for blessing, according to verse 29?
An = the sacrifice of our home, family, and occupation. Following Jesus was an expensive commitment. Maybe belonging to a church or synagogue was not such a deep commitment, but truly following Jesus was.
Q What were the reasons for sacrifice, according to the end of verse 29?
An = The reasons were Jesus Himself and for the sake of the gospel: “…for Me and the gospel”.
Q Was sacrifice, in and of itself, valuable?
An = No! I think we know of many people who sacrifice for the sake of religious pride. They do not do it for Jesus or the sake of the salvation of others through the gospel. This becomes evident in their attitudes towards others.
RQ Do you know such people? Is it very hard to be around such people at times?
Q What were the results or rewards of such sacrifice, according to verse 30?
An = After they have listed the rewards of verse 30, point out to them that such rewards come in both this age and the age to come.
Q What did 100 times mean?
An = God takes away nothing from us, without returning it in a new and glorious form. Never pity someone truly committed to Christ, envy their courage, but do not pity them.
Q How were persecutions parts of the reward?
An = Have everyone turn to >>>> I Peter 4:14-16 and have someone read it. Note also, much of our closest bonding with our new Christian family comes from persecution, (Lane, p. 372).
>>>> Have someone re-read Mark 10:31.
Q Why did Jesus add this verse?
An = It is hard to evaluate sacrifice. Therefore Jesus gave a caution. It is the caution of reversal. Again, salvation should not bring pride, because pride is not freedom. Pride is the absence of freedom.
IV. Jesus’ Reminder of His Own Sacrifice: Mark 10:32-34.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:32.
Note: To “go up” to Jerusalem, meant to go to Jerusalem. In later Church History it became a code word for going up to die for Christ because that was where Jesus went to die.
Q What was Jesus’ physical position visa-vi the disciples in 10:32?
An = Jesus was leading the way, or walking, out in front of them. His body language spoke of His resolve.
Q What was the disciples’ reaction?
An = They were astonished, amazed and had fear. Read parts of Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest, on March 15. “There is an aspect of Jesus that chills the heart of a disciple to the core and makes the whole spiritual life gasp for breath.” “At first I was confident that I understood Him, but now I am not so sure. I begin to realize there is a distance between Jesus Christ and me; I can no longer be familiar with Him. He is ahead of me and He never turns round; I have no idea where He is going, and the goal has become strangely far off.” “The discipline of dismay is essential in the life of discipleship. The danger is to get back to a little fire of our own and kindle enthusiasm at it (cf. Isaiah 1:10-11). When the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it will come that following of Jesus which is an unspeakable joy.”
Note: Where God is taking His disciples is not always understood. We do not always understand why we must go to Jerusalem. Resurrection does follow humiliation.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:33-34.
Note: There were three predictions: He was to go up, what was to be done to Him, and what He did. One thing can be drawn from this: God has the last word, not man. His action was the last action. In God, death and humiliation is never the last word.
Q What was the emphasis of 10:34? What strikes you about how the Gentiles treat Jesus?
An = what strikes me is the humiliation! They would “arrest” Him who was all powerful and “condemn” Him who was totally innocent. Then they would “mock” and “spit” on Him, who was the source and fulfillment of all glory, who was the beginning and the origin of honor. They would “flog” Him who did nothing but heal others, and “kill” Him who gave others life.
However, they did not have the last word. The last word was God’s. Three days later He would rise!
Q Does it bother you that persecution is part of following Jesus?
An = Jesus said to stay true, and you will be able to say as in Isaiah 50:4-6 that we were true and now we can sustain and strengthen others, and we have intimate fellowship with our Lord.
>>>> Have someone read Isaiah 50:4-6.
Note: Just as in Jesus’ teaching Isaiah also has a condition-result type of teaching here. The condition is in 50:4-6, the willingness to suffer. The result is in Isaiah 50:7-9.
>>>> Have someone read Isaiah 50:7-9.
Note: If we are willing to suffer, we will stand, we will not fail.
>>>> Hebrews 12:1-3.[:]