What Pill Has Jesus Prescribed for You? - Mark 10:17-22

 

Mark 10:17-22 NIV

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

What Pill Has Jesus Prescribed for You?

Here we have a rich, possibly young ruler, that seeks a concrete solution to entry into the Kingdom of Heaven that he can obtain by his own works. But we learn from Jesus, that anything that takes the place of God, must go.

Salvation CAN’T be had by DOING one or many things. Eternal life is not given by doing. Eternal life comes from God and our relationship with God. And to inherit eternal life is to enter God’s Kingdom. We don’t inherit by what we do, we inherit by whose we are. And the whose we are is something given to us by God and God alone.

Our life with God is not a list of acts we DO. Our life with God is not brought about by our list of good things or bad things that we DO.

In these few verses, we hear a message. Jesus teaches us to lose our life for Him and have the Gospel or God Himself save us.

Hear and see the words of Jesus in Mark…

Mark 8:35 NIV

³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

We inherit eternal life by God lifting us up, out and away from ourselves.

Yet this man tries to butter up Jesus with flattery. Good Teacher, he says. Don’t let or think flattery or buttering up gets you anything. Flattery is an addictive drug you give and an addictive drug you receive. Be careful in the giving and be careful in the receiving. Flattery leads to many a fall in the giving and the receiving.

Jesus even questioned the words of the man when being called Good. Perhaps Jesus was trying to point the man to the knowledge that really good is God. Was Jesus trying to show the man that He was God? That’s something to think about. So, once again, be careful with flattery. Rather be truthful and caring in giving or receiving flattery. Only God is really good.

And don’t be confused or blend Christianity into “Being Good.” This confusion happens all the time. You see, Christian love to God and neighbor is not the LAW we DO. No, it is the LAW made complete in Jesus.

You can be a good guy, but that doesn’t make you a disciple.

In Jesus’ day, the rabbis believed that all 613 commandments were all important. But here, with this man; Jesus cites only the second table of the 10 Commandments, as we know them today. The second table of the 10 Commandments are the commandments that deal with “neighbor.”

It was taught, at that time, that man should, and could, keep all 613 commandments of the day.

But, this rich man, wanted something different to do to prove his own godliness. And here is where Jesus teaches this man and us as well. Man’s actions are unreliable in producing perfect good in God’s sight.

We need to realize that it’s not about my works, your works, or our works, that make us good in God’s sight. No, it’s by faith. Hear and see the words of Paul in Galatians…

Galatians 3:24 NIV

²⁴ So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

Jesus sees people as what they were AND what they could be.

And here in this passage, regarding the rich man, Jesus was prescribing a unique pill to this man for his particular situation. For this man, wealth was holding him back from discipleship and eternal life with God. Perhaps and very likely, Jesus has a unique pill prescribed for your life as well.

It’s a disciple that goes beyond personal good. Rather than chasing riches, power, prestige, honor, glory, or whatever idol we make for ourselves, a disciple is instructed here, by Jesus, to let it go to the other. By loyalty to Jesus, and in absorption in Jesus, the disciple of Jesus lets go of self. A true disciple is devoted to self-sacrifice to God and neighbor for the journey of life.

As we follow Jesus we witness, how the cross came at a great cost. Don’t deny the cost that the cross caused Jesus. As Jesus lost himself for us on that cross, Jesus lost his “man” but not the Gospel.

How many new disciples, excited by the Gospel message of new life, run up to Jesus, but, when they learn the cost, turn away? The cost of the cross is real.  The grace of God came at a great price. See it and don’t deny that grace is not cheap. Yes, grace may be free, but that definitely does not make it cheap. Jesus paid the price for grace. Understand this.

If we be disciples, we can look to Jesus and see, as witnessed in Hebrews 12…

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus makes this price of grace very deep for Himself, very costly for Himself, yet the price of the disciple will be personally small as compared to what God has done for you and me and all people through Jesus, life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.

As is witnessed here, Jesus didn’t even promise eternal life even if the rich man sold his all. Jesus only promised the rich man treasure in heaven. To live, we must toss away what “hinders.” Remember Jesus telling his disciples to not “hinder” the little children from coming to Him?  That goes for children and disciples. Jesus calls us out of ourselves, Jesus calls us away from whatever we idolize, to toss all of that away, and follow Him.

Why would we follow Jesus?

Jesus offers friendship and a lifetime of development in relation to God and with God.

Why? Back to the children image… here is a reading from John 1…

John 1:12 NIV

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Jesus calls all of us, each and every day to adventure with Him, to follow Him, with the gifts God gives us through the Holy Spirit, through the raising of new life daily in our baptism. Remember? Can Billy come out to play? Jesus calls each and every one of us to come out into this world with Himself and all the saints past and present, to leave our idols behind and follow Him in action and love for God and all those Jesus leads us to each day of our life now and into eternity.

How are we to respond? Run! Run to Jesus and play! For Jesus has set in our presence something eternally valuable. Witness these “kingdom of heaven” words of Jesus from Matthew 13…

Matthew 13:45-46 NIV

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

In this case, with this man, he was perfect in the “DON’Ts” But Jesus prescribed the DO pill which would bring the ZOOM of life for this rich man.

This is the only time in the Gospels when someone refused to follow Jesus on Jesus’ invitation.

And finally, my week’s study led me to this possibility. Maybe or maybe not?  But maybe also, in some way, for one of us who turns away from Jesus’ invitation to follow him at great personal cost of something we have idolized.

Some think that maybe this rich young man turned out to be Barnabas. Maybe? Just maybe. Barnabas was named Joseph, a rich Levite from Cyprus. He owned land and sold that land and brought the money to the feet of the Apostles. And… they gave Joseph and new name…. Barnabas.

If you have run from the call of discipleship because of something you have made an idol, in this life, perhaps it’s time to think it over. God’s grace and love and salvation are still present. Leave those idols behind and turn to freely received the costly grace of God in Christ Jesus.

Yes, seek the LORD and live. Lord, may we count our days and give us the wisdom to see your love and grace. May we all take care NOT to turn away from God… today… tomorrow… and forever.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this YouTube music video…

“Come to Jesus” – Chris Rice

Come to Jesus

 

Back to Paradise - Mark 10:2-16

 

Mark 10:2-16 NIV

² Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

⁵ “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ⁸ and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. ¹² And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Back to Paradise

Here, Jesus takes us back to Paradise. Jesus takes us back to Paradise in the Garden of Eden, on a wonderful, teaching, event of love. Yes, a time, like it was always intended to be, a time of union with one another and in union as children of God.

Yea, I know, at first glance this looks like strict instructions from Jesus on how to handle divorce. But, as my week’s study progressed, I began to change my thoughts on this idea. Why? I realized that Jesus didn’t come into this world, or rather God didn’t come down in flesh, to make new rules and regulations for all of us to follow. Jesus didn’t come here to make Law. No, God came to us in the flesh of Jesus to fulfill the Law, not make more Law.

The religious leaders of the day are trying to trick Jesus into laying down the Law as something different of what Man had made the law on marriage or divorce to be. The questions from the religious authorities are really about tricking Jesus on the law on debates about marriage and divorce in that day and time. But rather than falling for this, Jesus takes us back to Paradise. Jesus takes us back to where the answer is not more law.

Think about it, look to the purposes of God giving us marriage. In some ways marriage is a manmade thing of sorts. But the real marriage is with God. God wants us to be in total union with Him. So, our marriage with God is intended to be perfect and permanent. Think back to what God tells us through His Word about Paradise in the Garden of Eden. A time before we were deceived by the devil to an idea that we may become like God if we DO, this or that.

God created man and woman equal in His sight. But the marriage we people sought from God is different from the marriage that God seeks for you and me. God’s marriage is NOT for convenience or pleasure. Rather, God’s marriage purpose is both physical and spiritual, with Him. This is like all union with God our Creator. We belong to God as His children in perfect union.

So, you see, this isn’t about Jesus making Law’s for us to live by in marriage and divorce.  This passage is about God’s love for those He created to be ONE with Him and live with Him in His Kingdom.

Marriage is about depending on each other. Marriage is NOT about dominating one another. Marriage is designed to be an ideal situation by God with the sexes and each of us as His Children. Yes, we depend on God and we depend on each other as equals with man, woman, brother, sister, or neighbor.

And Jesus teaches us to be His Children, in His Kingdom. Adults need to turn or reverse ourselves and become, or realize that, yes, we are Children in the company of God.

As the adults tried to prevent the children from coming to Jesus, He got mad! Really mad! Jesus was mad only at a few things. One was preventing people to come to Him, especially children. Jesus doesn’t get mad much. Even on the cross after persecution, mockery and all of that: Jesus wasn’t really mad at the people. In fact, Jesus forgave them because they didn’t know what they were doing. Really! I think they knew exactly what they were doing, in the flesh. But Jesus knew that in respect to the Paradise of God and His Kingdom, these people had no clue what they were doing. They had no idea that they were killing The Creator!

Yet, in contrast, me and you? I get mad all the time! I get mad especially when I’m offended. I get mad when I feel persecuted. I get mad when my ego is hurt. I get mad when I’m mocked or made fun of. I get mad at the leaking plumbing under the sink. I get mad at all kinds of goofy stuff, that really doesn’t matter one bit.

In this case regarding the children, Jesus WAS mad! Jesus, wanted to bless these children for the evening. So, Jesus commands, let the children come to Him! Don’t hinder the children from coming to Jesus.

But do we? Do we hinder children from coming to Jesus in our day and time and life?

Do we make Jesus unattractive by the way we act as examples? Do we hinder the children from coming to Jesus when we put Jesus behind our selfish interests? Do we hinder the children from coming to Jesus when we neglect taking a child’s religious life seriously. On some level, we have intentionally or unintentionally been guilty of hindering little children from coming to Jesus. Look deep inside of yourself and see this sin.

A child depends on the parent or the guardian and even the neighbor. A child cannot receive the kingdom if our own pride and self-righteousness gets in the way. A child stumbles on the parent when the parent claims the “Look what I did” stuff going on today. And then think about this… we ALL are really Children of God! So don’t let yourself get in the way or “hinder” any Child from Jesus, small or large, young or old. This stuff makes Jesus mad! Cut it out!

Rather, look at the children. Children teach adults so much. As the children come to Jesus, they receive Jesus with humility, trust and total dependency. The children love the evening blessing of Jesus. Why? Because a child knows how to receive the Kingdom of God as a gift.

And here we are, once again, Back to Paradise and Pointing to Jesus.

Yes, even in the Garden of Eden, God was Pointing to Jesus.

Enter the Kingdom of God as a child. See, how God, is in Jesus, and open the door to see Jesus’ presence and invitation in life for you and I, to answer that eternal question that Jesus asks and invites me and you to follow.

“Can Billy come out to play?”

Of course, I can, and I ask you, Jesus to lead and guide me Back to Paradise… today… tomorrow… and forever.

For you created the children to be like God to live with God, to be blessed by God, to live with God, to be happy with God. So, pay attention and don’t drift away from God’s presence and Jesus eternal blessing. It’s all there for you to receive and receive freely.

Thanks be to God!

I leave you with this intriguing YouTube music video - I especially appreciate how he "Points to Jesus" and how it reminds me of the God of Paradise...

God of Heaven | Ben Everson A Cappella

Seasonal Gift! - Mark 9:50

 

A Seasonal Gift

 

Mark 9:50 NIV

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Wow! Look what dropped out of my notes on my desk! It’s wonderful! I found the final page of notes on the Gospel for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost on Mark 9:38-50. It found me thinking of a great review and what a gift God drops on my lap every now and then.

So, here are my thoughts on this final note of scripture from last week…

A disciple of Jesus that loses saltiness, has lost the Gospel message of Jesus free act of suffering, death and resurrection. God sent Jesus into this world to save this world, and this world contains you and me. On the cross Jesus took upon all the sin of men and not only forgave our sin but died in our sin. And when Jesus stated that it was finished, He meant just that. The power of sin is finally defeated. But, you say, why do we still have sin, death and destruction? Notice the words the power of sin… the power of sin is death. As God gives us the faith to believe in what Jesus has done, the power of death is gone. God claims us as His own children and even though we die to this world, death is not final. Jesus will come again to raise us up to live with Him forever in eternity in a new world, in a new body, with the awesome Spirit of God.

So… if a disciple has lost their saltiness, has lost the Gospel message; that disciple is of no use anymore. If we lost the Gospel of Love by blessing violence and hate; it’s true, we disciples have lost our saltiness.

So… now what? Turn! Point away from yourself! Point to Jesus! He’s God the author of life here and into eternity.

Little Ones and Spooky Stuff --- Mark 9:38-50

 

Mark 9:38-50 NIV

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^[44]  45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^[46]  47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸ where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
    and the fire is not quenched.’

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Little Ones and Spooky Stuff

This passage of scripture, at first, to me, sounded harsh, creepy and spooky. But as the week sped along, I began to hear a message of charity and attitude towards others.  Others like my friends, neighbors, and fellow disciples of Jesus.

At first, I wanted to dwell on hell, and cutting things off and all the typical seasonal Halloween stuff you see in the neighbor’s yards. But that really isn’t what this passage came to finally speak to me. Let me explain…

The thought of the day, during this time with Jesus, was that the proof of discipleship could only be claimed if the disciple exorcised an evil spirit.  Some of that spooky, evil, Exorcism movie stuff, I guess. But that really missed the point.

This wasn’t about belonging to a club and having the correct handshake or wearing a funny furry hat or something. No, discipleship that competes for positions of power, like we heard and read about last week, causes people, that is the “Little Ones” to turn and run away from God. As disciples we need to put this “Who is the Greatest” stuff behind us. Stop it! Disciples who fight about power, or greatness; lose their “salt.” If you, as a disciple of Jesus are fighting for power, prestige and greatness, the “salt” of the message of the Grace of God is lost to your own selfish needs.

Even in this passage, we see how Jesus points away from Himself and towards His Father in heaven. As a disciple of Jesus; we too must point away from ourself and to God. As a disciple of Jesus, we don’t want to cause another to sin also, by pointing to our own inward pride of self.

Now, let’s consider, in this passage of Scripture, “Little Ones.” Little ones now here are those who believe in Jesus. And how we act and move and love has an impact on “Little Ones,” or others.

“Little Ones” are the humble, poor, the lowly and the uneducated. The “Little Ones,” here, have the Spirit of faith planted by God within them.

Jesus loves “Little Ones.”

Matthew 11:25 NIV

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

 

A disciple’s view of faith must be a view taken with a wide lens. We don’t want to see just some small detail. The Kingdom of God has infinite measurement. Refrain from trying to label or title something too fine. Don’t make the Kingdom of God too exclusive out of our own arrogance and pride. Look at how Jesus accepts “Little Ones” into His presence and gifts these “Little Ones” with grace, love, faith, forgiveness and salvation. So, don’t fall into the evil trap of excluding “Little Ones,” so that you, yourself can be more exclusive. Remember, “Point to Jesus” --- NOT yourself! Don’t set fake goals or limits on others, while following God’s love.

Little Ones are special to Jesus. If I see something often, like green grass, I need to be aware and understand that even the green grass is special. A lot goes into the “green” of the grass that is amazing. Likewise, a lot goes into a cup of water. For now, just keep this in mind.

The gift of the cup of water of service, love and kindness is a BIG thing to the one who is thirsty. The gift of a cup of water meets physical needs with the spiritual power of the love of God.

Matthew 25:35-36, 40 NIV

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Don’t lose sight of the point, for something less. Whatever gets in the way of entry into the Kingdom of God… well, get rid of it! Cut it out! Toss it away!

And finally, with this passage, many get hung up with the whole “Hell” thing. So, let me deal with this now.

Gehenna or some refer to as Eternal Hell or the Lake of Fire…

Revelation 19:20 NIV

²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

 

Revelation 20:10 NIV

¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

The second death stuff…

 

John 8:24 NIV

²⁴ I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

 

Revelation 21:8 NIV

⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

 

All this eternal separation from God.  Don’t get confused or hung up here on this and miss Jesus’ point. We can get stuck on this stuff and miss the Gospel message.

 

Gehenna was a place in the valley of Hinnom, southwest of Jerusalem, where human sacrifices were offered.

 

2 Chronicles 33:6 NIV

⁶ He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

 

Jeremiah 7:31 NIV

³¹ They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.

 

Later, Gehenna became a dump where the worm never died and the fire never went out. Sound familiar? Look back at Mark 9:48. This is a real place, in the time of Jesus, that no one wanted to go to, after all, it was the dump with a wicked history. But this was NOT Hades, or the place of the wicked before the judgment. So, don’t get confused or hung up on the idea of eternal punishment or torment. This is kind of like getting hung up on Halloween, and then, we miss All Saints Day. Well… sorta… kinda….

 

No, here, in this passage, Jesus is teaching his disciples. Part of the teaching is how we deal with “Little Ones,” and another part is how we deal with ourselves… also “Little Ones.”

 

We deal with other “Little Ones” with charity, kindness, service and love.

 

We deal with ourselves as “Little Ones” with discipline, to follow Jesus. We can be strict on ourselves. We can look at the things that impact ourselves. If, in action or word, I spoil the message of God’s Grace and Love; I need some salt. I’ve lost my way as a disciple and am no longer, “Pointing to Jesus.”

 

So, to be salty once again, I repent of my selfishness, my exclusiveness, my need for power and greatness, and turn to God for forgiveness. And as I turn… God freely and willingly and lovingly salts me with His Grace and Love and wraps me in His arms and claims me as His “Little One.”

 

So, enough of the Spooky Stuff --- enjoy this season of life. Listen and “Point to Jesus.”

 

Yes, I too am God’s “Little One” … today, tomorrow, and forever. Thanks be to God!

 

Enjoy this fun YouTube music for the week…

 Jesus Loves the Little Ones