True Blessing

What does it mean to be Truly Blessed?
Mark 10:17-31, The Rich Young Ruler

I want us to look at an encounter between Jesus and a young man. The reason why I want to preach on this is, in this passage Jesus’ disciples learn something crucially important. And when I say Jesus’ disciples that includes those here who are Christians. Jesus is risen, he’s alive, and so he is still calling disciples today. If you follow him, you’re one of them. But Jesus’ disciples learn that Following Jesus means finding the true blessing in life. A blessing that is better than any other blessing. Better than health, better than wealth, and even better than family.

Let’s look together at Jesus’ encounter with a young man

One day as Jesus was traveling with his disciples, a young man came running up to him. This young man is excited, he’s passionate. Almost as if he cuts Jesus off as he’s walking. He immediately falls to his knees before Jesus. He’s respectful in how he addresses Jesus

“Good teacher” Maybe he’s heard Jesus speak before. Maybe he has just heard about Jesus. But he certainly respects him. He’s drawn to him.

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Not the typical way to begin a conversation. But it shows again his immense respect for Jesus. He believes there is something about Jesus that qualifies him to answer this question. Somehow Jesus knows something about eternity that this young man doesn’t know. Now you have to understand, this not what we would consider a needy young man. He’s healthy. He’s respectful. He’s wealthy. He’s very confident. He’s seems to have things together.
Yet something about Jesus has drawn him to him. Perhaps it was a recognition of his own mortality. Young and healthy has he may be, he knew it couldn’t last forever. What about eternal life?

I. Pursue the blessing that is greater than health

Let’s face it folks, no matter how healthy you are, you are going to die.

"We cannot live long in this world.We owe God a death.We owe nature a death.The sentence of death is passed upon us. (Richard Sibbes)

I remember working at a cemetery doing landscaping. Which really meant that I mowed lawns. I heard all the jokes. Working the graveyard shift again. Business is dead. People are dying to get in. One of the striking things about working there was the graves that had one year on them. Babies. But one lesson I learned from working there was, ‘We are mortal.’ We are mortal. No matter what other blessing we may have in this life, it cannot compare to a blessing that is eternal. The young ruler is at least smart enough to have figured that out.

J C Ryle once said,

“Years are slipping away and time is flying. Graveyards are filling up and families are thinning. Death and judgment are getting nearer to us all. And yet you live like one asleep about your soul! What madness! What folly! What suicide can be worse than this?” (Ryle, Holiness, 198)

If Jesus offers an eternal blessing, then he is better than health.

Jesus begins answering the young ruler by dealing with the ‘Good teacher’ part first. “Why do you call me good? No one is good-except God alone.” Notice, he doesn’t say, ‘Don’t call me good.’ He is just getting at the presupposition behind the statement. Jesus oftentimes does this when he answers someone’s question. He first gets at the heart of the question. Why would this young man call him ‘good’?

“You are a good teacher, you can see that I am a good man, we both obey the Law, we are both worthy young men.” Jesus is saying, “Only God is good.” Which leaves you with only two options: Either the young man is not good, he does not obey the Law, he is not worthy, or he is God. By the way the same would therefore be true of Jesus, “Either he is not good or he is God.” He didn’t leave a third option for us.

But he continues, “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.” He believes himself to be good. Well Jesus is going to define goodness for him. Here’s his little checklist: How are you doing on the 10 commandments.

Jesus lists the last 6 commandments. He skips the first four. Why do you think he does that? We’ll come to that.

The young ruler is pretty confident in his own goodness, “All these I kept since I was a boy”. That is a pretty confident statement. He has perfectly kept these commandments since he was a boy. Jesus could have pushed him on this. Are you sure about that?

Let’s test ourselves

“Do not murder” Probably not any murderers here today. If there were, you probably wouldn’t admit it to us right now. But remember Jesus tells us the heart of the law is such that anyone who is angry with his brother has already murdered him or her in his heart. Any one who says to his brother ‘You fool’ has broken the commandment. Well alright, one wrong.

“Do not commit adultery” Here some of us are on safer ground we may think. I’ve been faithful to my wife for however many years. Again, Jesus explains the heart of the law “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Anyone here ever lust? Ever have impure thoughts? I remember I told the youth group that I probably broke all of the ten commandments. Immediately you know what they all thought about.

“Do not steal” Okay now we are doing well, right? How do you steal in your heart? Stealing is stealing. Well, ever cheated on your taxes. Ever cheated on a test, that is stealing. Ever asked someone to punch you out at work so you can leave early. Ever walked out of store with something you didn’t pay for and decide not to go back in.

“Honor your mother and father” Ever say any dishonoring thing against your parents? As a kid, you ever disobey, talk back, argue with you parents? Ever lie to your parents? That breaks two commandments right there! That’s just half of them right there.

How we doing with goodness? Ready to agree with Jesus? “Only God is good”

It is almost humorous that this young ruler could say “All these I have kept since I was a boy.” You must have been some remarkable boy! Yet Jesus is very gentle with this young man. In fact, I love this part, the Bible says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”

Don’t miss little comments like that. Jesus isn’t repulsed by this guy. He’s not trying to pick on him. He’s trying to get at the heart of repentance and faith. He loves him, as only God can look on a sinner and still love him.

Jesus doesn’t push him on any of these six commandments. Instead he says something else “One thing you lack,” “If you have done all that you said you have, one thing is left” “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”


II. Pursue the blessing that is greater than wealth

When you hear this, be honest, doesn’t it kind of shock you? Wait a minute Jesus, you want him to sell everything! To give up everything he owns. Isn’t that a little extreme? I mean, he’s come to you, he’s fallen on his knees before you, he obviously respects you! Isn’t it a bit unfair to ask him to give up everything he owns?

And let’s be even more honest, one of the reasons it doesn’t sit well with us, is we don’t want to have to give up everything. If Jesus calls him to do it, that means he might call us to do it!

The issue is, Jesus can see right through us, to the heart. He knows where the issue really lies. Will this man give up what is most valuable to him, the center of his life, the passion and pursuit of his life to follow Jesus. Money is an idol for him. In that time, it was believed that if someone is wealthy, they must be right with God. Perhaps it is one of the reasons he thought he was good and worthy. Maybe he thought, if I am wealthy, obviously God is blessing me. I must be good. I’ve got loads of blessing for crying out loud!

Jesus sees right through this and tells him to give it up. Sell it, give it to the poor, and follow him. It’s an idol.

The young man can’t do it. His face fell. He went way sad, because had great wealth.” Wealth had become his God.

Here’s the amazing thing. You know what the first commandment is? The one that Jesus didn’t mention? “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” In fact the first four, the four that Jesus didn’t mention, are all about putting God first in your life.

Jesus didn’t change the subject, he was still dealing with the commandments. He just focused on the commandments that the young ruler was most evidently breaking. He loved money more than God.

Jesus was willing to accept him, faults and all. “Come, follow me.” But he must give up his idol. As Jesus said elsewhere “You cannot serve two master, God and money.” The young man chose money.

Jesus turns to his disciples and says, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples are shocked at this. Remember they believe that if you have more money, that means you are more blessed by God, which means you are more good, good-er. They are thinking, I must have heard that wrong.

Jesus tells them, let me give an illustration about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. 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

They are confused, “Who then can be saved?” If this is true of the rich who are ‘good-er’ than us, who in the world can be saved? How can anyone be saved?

Jesus responds, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Isn’t that the whole point he has been making from the beginning of this conversation? Only God is good. No one can save themselves by obeying the commandments and living a good enough life. That’s why he told him, ‘Follow me’. Follow me and receive the true blessing. The only blessing that can save you eternally.

Peter responds, “We have left everything to follow you!” That’s a little self-congratulatory, but still honest.

Here’s how Jesus ends this discussion “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

III. Pursue the blessing that is greater than family!

Whatever the blessing is, it is even greater than family. And I am a guy who loves his family.

Jesus tells us, that sometimes we are called to leave family and friends and parents. What does he mean by that? Well let’s be honest friends, sometimes following Christ, being a Christian means going against the wishes of your family. It means upsetting friends. In fact sometimes it means outright rejection by friends. Sometimes even disownment. This is particularly true if you come from a muslim, or Jewish family.

Let’s test this, I just want to see a show of hands, how many here can think of family, friends, relatives that you no longer have a close relationship with because of your faith in Jesus?

The reality is following Christ sometimes means leaving family and friends. Not necessarily intentionally. Remember Jesus calls us to be salt and light, to be in the world but not of it. We are not called to disassociate ourselves from those who don’t know Christ. Usually it happens the other way. Those you used to be so close with no longer want anything to do with you because you follow Christ.

Jesus says you will receive a hundred times that in this present age and in the age to come. But friends, the reality is the blessing is that satisfying. The blessing is even worth leaving friends and family if need be. Like the old hymn goes “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back.”

This isn’t to say that being a Christian is being on your own and lonely. The exact opposite should be the case. Here’s where the church comes in. There are new brothers and sisters, in the faith, new mothers in the faith. (He doesn’t mention fathers, because you already have a Heavenly Father. We’ll come to that more when we talk about Adoption in Christ.). But as a Christian you have a new family. It’s a rather large family. How many people here come from a big family? Your new family in Christ is bigger. A few billion or so. It’s a rather diverse family. Every tribe, tongue, and nation. It’s a close knit family. One in Christ for eternity. But it is a new family.

[In Mark 3:31 Jesus looks around at those with him and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”]

The blessing is even greater than family. This more than anything reveals the nature of the blessing. Whatever this blessing is, it ihas to be one amazing blessing. Better than anything else! (have I built this up enough yet).

Anyone guess what the blessing is yet? The blessing is not a thing, it is not an item. The blessing is a Person. As we will look more into in the upcoming weeks, the blessing is God himself!

The one all satisfying thing in the universe. The only thing in the Universe that can satisfy our souls. As Augustine said, “O Lord, You have made us for Yourself and our hearts our restless until they find there rest in You.”


Conclusion

Friends, I don’t know about you, but my heart breaks for the rich young ruler. If he had only followed Christ as Jesus called him. If only he had taken door #2. If only like Alice he had followed the rabbit down the hole. If he had only taken the road less traveled by. If only he followed Jesus.

In the upcoming weeks we are going to be talking about what it means to follow Christ. We are going to open up door #2 and take a look. We are going to take a peak down the rabbit hole. We are going to get a birds eye view of the road less traveled by: reconciliation, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification. These are weighty matters friends. As we look at these together, consider Jesus’ calling to follow him. Behind every one of these blessings is Jesus command ‘Follow me’

Imagine if this story ended with the rich man giving up everything and following Christ! The thirteen apostles. No more unlucky #13 right? Imagine right there and then, he sells all his possessions, his camels, and his clothes. He gives it to the poor. He sees his own sinfulness and imperfection. He says to himself “I myself am lawbreaker. I myself am an idolater. I myself am not good. But you know what, God is good. And with God all things are possible, even saving a sinner like me.” I’m not sure how he is going to do it, but I’m going to follow him.

Eventually he would have set his eyes on the cross and seen the suffering servant, crushed for his transgressions. He would have beheld the resurrection and been blown away at the hope of eternal life displayed before his eyes. He would have realized that following Jesus is a greater blessing than health! Following Jesus is a greater blessing than wealth! Following Jesus is a greater blessing than family and friends! In the end he would have received the blessing, God himself.

Sadly, it’s too late for the young ruler. His health, his wealth, and his family and friends, are all long since past. From dust they came and unto dust they did return. But it isn’t too late for you and I. Door #2 is still open to you friend. The rabbit hole is still available to you. The road less traveled is still at a fork in the woods. And Jesus’ words are still speaking to us “Follow me,” “Follow me”