1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: What if the one thing that you are asking God 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 2: to bless is actually the thing that he's asking you 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 2: to release. Most of us don't think of ourselves as 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: actually resistant to God. We're trying, we're open, we're showing up, 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: but there's usually something that we're holding on to more 7 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: tightly than we might realize. In Mark, chapter ten, a 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: man runs up to Jesus and he's eager, and he's willing, 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 2: and he asks what it takes to inherit eternal life. 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 2: And yet Jesus looks at him with love and names 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: the one thing that he is not ready to let 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 2: go of. This isn't a story about obedience. This is 13 00:00:49,880 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: a story about surrender. Hey, everyone, welcome back to How 14 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 2: to Study the Bible. I'm your host, Nicole Yunis, and 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: I'm so glad that you're here with us today, whether 16 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 2: you are listening on audio or if you're joining us 17 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: here on YouTube. We are really looking forward to opening 18 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 2: Scripture together and seeing what God has for us as 19 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 2: we continue our journey through the Gospel of Mark. As 20 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 2: you know, in the last few chapters, we've been talking 21 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: about this idea of who is Jesus really and this 22 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 2: way that people keep moving from confusion to clarity as 23 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: they walk with Jesus. And now we're going to see 24 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: a shift happen in our work as we look at 25 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 2: really the authority of Jesus and the authority of Jesus 26 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: being questioned, being challenged, being clarified often for his followers, 27 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: and we see that for sure here in Mark chapter ten. 28 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: So let's take a little bit of an overview of 29 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: what's happening in Mark ten. As usual, as we've seen 30 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: all through the Book of Mark, this is a book 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 2: of action, so it can be easy to kind of 32 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: lose your way in it and be like, Okay, there's 33 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: a lot of different things happening, but all of the 34 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 2: things are connected. Everything in scripture is there for a reason. 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 2: Everything is moving us towards this understanding and what we 36 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 2: want to know and what we are really that I'm 37 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 2: praying actually falls fresh on your ears today, is that 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 2: Jesus is entirely different. The way that Jesus leads, the 39 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: way that Jesus talks about what it means to have 40 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 2: a good life. This is how we understand the things 41 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 2: that we might be holding on to very tightly, that 42 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 2: Jesus actually says do not bring life the way that 43 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: we think that they will. And so in March chapter ten, 44 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 2: we hear Jesus teaching and clarifying and sort of turning 45 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: things on their head over and over again. He talks 46 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:51,399 Speaker 2: about marriage and commitment. Jesus challenges assumptions about wealth, he 47 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: predicts his death again, he redefines what greatness actually means, 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: and he also restores sight to a blind man. We 49 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 2: have this capping off of the chapter where we see 50 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: a blind man whose faith is amazing to Jesus and 51 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: who actually experiences not only receiving Jesus's authority, but also 52 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: having that clarity of knowing exactly who Jesus is and 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 2: exactly what Jesus can do. So the chapter is really 54 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 2: about this question what does it really cost to follow Jesus? 55 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: And we're going to look a little bit more closely 56 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: today at Mark chapter ten, verses seventeen through twenty two. So, 57 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 2: if you have your Bible, if you want to turn 58 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: with me, if you want to take a minute to 59 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 2: read about it, we're going to follow the same journey 60 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: that we always take when we're doing this method together. Right, 61 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: We're going to ask four questions of any passage of 62 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 2: scripture anywhere in the Bible, the first question is always 63 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: what does it say? We want to slow down and 64 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 2: really absorb what the passage is telling us, and when 65 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 2: we ask the question what does it say? We will 66 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: always we should always have more questions when we do that, 67 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: we should be like, Okay, what does this mean? What 68 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 2: would this have meant at the time? How do I 69 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: understand this word or this concept? So you're trying to 70 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 2: kind of dig in and say, okay, what would I 71 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: need to know to really fully understand this passage? The 72 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 2: first thing we do is what does it say? The 73 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: second question is always what's the backstory? What's here that 74 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 2: we need to understand. We just did a little bit 75 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 2: of backstory because we talked about what the whole chapter 76 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: is about. But we want to kind of look, Okay, 77 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 2: what happened before the passage we're reading? 78 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: What happened after the passage? 79 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: We're reading what words in here might we want to 80 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: understand as they would have fallen on those first generation 81 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 2: listeners when when someone first experienced this passage or first 82 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 2: heard this story told, what might they have known in 83 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 2: their culture that we don't know today? That we actually 84 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: need to close the gap and make sure that we 85 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 2: understand that this happens to us in our lives all 86 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 2: the time. If you've ever found someone you were talking 87 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 2: about a hobby that they had, and maybe this is 88 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: a hobby or a sports team, or a leisure time 89 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 2: activity like take a board game, whatever, and someone's telling 90 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: you about it, and you recognize that they're using language 91 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: and acronyms and phrases and you actually don't know what 92 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 2: they mean because you're not actually a first generation understand 93 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 2: of that. Whatever that thing is, the sports team, the hobby, 94 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 2: the board game, you would have to say, Okay, I 95 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 2: don't know what it means when you say whatever that 96 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 2: person might have said, Can you explain that to me? 97 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: And that's kind of the way it is with the Bible. 98 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: A lot of times we get thrown off because we 99 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 2: might come to the Bible thinking, Wow, I've been in 100 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 2: church for a really long time, or like I'm like, 101 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 2: I'm a pastor, I should understand this. We might have 102 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: this a little bit of a narrative that says, wait, 103 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: you're an adult, you're a grown up. You say that 104 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 2: you're a Christian, you should definitely understand this. That is 105 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 2: a very unhelpful mindset. The more helpful mindset is, wow, 106 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: this is from a long time ago to different varying 107 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 2: groups of people. Jesus is the smartest man who ever lived. Obviously, 108 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: there's going to be gaps in our understanding, and it's 109 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: actually really awesome to enter in desiring discovery and having curiosity. 110 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 2: But it does mean that if you love certainty, if 111 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 2: you love black and white, if you just love like 112 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 2: a bottom line, sometimes you're going to find that there's 113 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: going to be a gap. And sometimes you're going to 114 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: find Yeah, I'm sort of moving towards clarity or I 115 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 2: feel like enlightenment is coming, but I'm not all the 116 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: way there. And the reality is the Apostle. Paul says, 117 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 2: that's what the spiritual life is going to be like 118 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 2: here on Earth. He says that it's like we see 119 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 2: through a mirror darkly, and I love that because if 120 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 2: you've ever gone into the bathroom in the middle of 121 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 2: the night and not turn the light on, you know, 122 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 2: like what it looks like to see in a mirror darkly. 123 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: You kind of see shapes and forms, but you can't 124 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: see totally. And our spiritual life is a little bit 125 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: like that. Which is why we're always coming to Scripture 126 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 2: asking for enlightenment. We ask for faith to understand, we 127 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: ask for wisdom to understand, knowing that we're on a 128 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 2: progressive journey of revelation through our whole lives. So that 129 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: was a huge aside, but I wanted to make sure 130 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: that we address that. Coming to Scripture with curiosity and 131 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: questions is the posture that allows you to be enlightened, 132 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: that allows you. 133 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: To see things with new eyes. 134 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: And in fact, when we see Jesus really laying into people, 135 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 2: it's often religious leaders who come to him with certainty 136 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: about what they believe, about what they think to be right, 137 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: and He's always trying to undo that and open minds 138 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: up to say, hey, there is a vast way of 139 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 2: understanding who I am and what this world is about, 140 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 2: and in this passage, particularly what servanthood means, what greatness 141 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: really looks like, what it looks like to truly follow me. 142 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: He's always bringing us to new levels of understanding that. 143 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: So when we ask what the backstory is, we're trying 144 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 2: to dig in a little bit to get as close 145 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 2: as we can to understanding how this would have landed 146 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 2: With the first listeners the first people who were either 147 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 2: the bystanders that were present when this happened or the 148 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: ones who heard it later as the story kind of unfolded. 149 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: We want to kind of do the work to understand 150 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: those things. So that's the second question we always ask, 151 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 2: what's the backstory? The third question is what does it mean? 152 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: And what does it mean? Is really about the fundamental 153 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: truth that we find within the passage. The reality of 154 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: a fundamental truth is that means it's the same truth 155 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: that the first listeners would. 156 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: Have heard as it is to us today. 157 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: That truth transcends age, socioeconomic, gender, personal application. It actually 158 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 2: is the principle that exists. It's sort of the gravity 159 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 2: of the passage. Gravity impacts all of us no matter what. 160 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 2: You can't just be a person who's the exception to 161 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 2: the rule I'm not impacted by gravity. We're all impacted 162 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 2: by gravity. It's just a principle, It's just a truth. 163 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 2: It's just there, right, And so we're looking for were 164 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 2: that fundamental truth that is there for us the same 165 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 2: as it was in the first generation listeners as it 166 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 2: is today. After we do all that work which we 167 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,319 Speaker 2: always do in this kind of fifteen minutes together then 168 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: we asked the question, Okay, what does this mean for me? 169 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 2: What is God asking of me? What am I learning 170 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 2: about my world myself? What am I learning about God? 171 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 2: How do I take this truth that I've heard and 172 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 2: now bring it to that place of saying, Okay, what 173 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 2: does this look like in my life? And oftentimes when 174 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: I'm preaching and teaching in different venues, people will come 175 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 2: up to me and say, oh my gosh, I feel 176 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 2: like that message was just for me. And the reality 177 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 2: was the message was just for you because the Spirit 178 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 2: has enlivened this message to land in your heart. But 179 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: the other reality is those fundamental truths when they come 180 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: to you. God will use that then to bring something 181 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 2: into your mind that is so relevant, so practical, so 182 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 2: true for exactly where you are today. And this passage 183 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 2: particular really really is one of those where if we 184 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 2: don't do the work of asking the first three questions, 185 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: we might miss the real point. 186 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: So let's do that work together. 187 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 2: Mark ten verses seventeen through twenty two, and I'm going 188 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 2: to read those to you today. I am reading to 189 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 2: you from the NIV. Okay, so if you've got your 190 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 2: Bible you want to read along, you can underline. You 191 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 2: might just put some circles around the things that you 192 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,679 Speaker 2: have questions about. Here's what the passage says. 193 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: So as Jesus. 194 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 2: Started on his way, so we want to know where's 195 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: it coming from. 196 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: We'll answer that. In a second. 197 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 2: A man ran up to him and fell on his 198 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 2: knees before him. Good teacher, he asked, what must I 199 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 2: do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? 200 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 2: Jesus answered, no one is good except God alone. You 201 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 2: know the commandments. You shall not murder, you shall not 202 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 2: commit adultery, you shall not steal. You should not give 203 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 2: false testimony, you shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother. Teacher, 204 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 2: he declared, all these I have kept since I was 205 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 2: a boy. Jesus looked at him and loved him. One 206 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: thing you lack, he said, Go sell everything you have 207 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 2: and give to the poor, and you will have treasure 208 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 2: in heaven. Then come follow me. At this, the man's 209 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 2: face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. 210 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, who were 211 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 2: listening to all this happen, how hard it is for 212 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 2: the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples 213 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 2: were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, children, 214 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God. 215 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 2: It is easier for a camel to go through the 216 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 2: eye of a needle than for someone who is rich 217 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 2: to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples were even 218 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 2: more amazed and said to each other, who then can 219 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 2: be saved. Jesus looked at them and said, with man, 220 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 2: this is impossible, but not with God. All things are 221 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 2: possible with God. 222 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: Okay. 223 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 2: So if we were too not follow through on asking 224 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 2: our questions, and we were to just take this at 225 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 2: face value, we might say to ourselves, Wow, should definitely 226 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: sell everything that you have. I think what Jesus is 227 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: saying is that you should not have any possessions. 228 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 1: I think what Jesus is. 229 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 2: Saying is that in order to really follow him, you 230 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 2: can't be rich. You have to give away all your money. Now, 231 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 2: it is possible that Jesus is saying that to you. 232 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: But before we get to that, let's actually work through 233 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 2: the passage. Let's ask the questions that we would ask 234 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 2: of this passage before we get to the application. Okay, 235 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 2: so what do we know happens in this passage? We 236 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 2: do know that this man approaches Jesus sincerely, but then leaves, 237 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 2: and he leaves sad and conflicted. We know that this 238 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 2: man kind of backstory was the word used here was 239 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: like a ruler approached Jesus. So this was a person 240 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 2: of means. This was a person with a name. This 241 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: was a person probably with leadership and status, who comes 242 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 2: up to Jesus very earnestly and wants to know what 243 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: obedience looks like. What does it actually look like to 244 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: follow Jesus to know eternal life? And what happens here 245 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 2: is that Jesus doesn't. 246 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: Expose just a behavior. 247 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 2: He exposes where trust actually is in this person's life. 248 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: So what Jesus does is he asks him the hard question. 249 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 2: He looks at him with love, and we see Jesus 250 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 2: do this. Remember in other places in the gospel, remember 251 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 2: when Jesus healed to the paralytic and it says that 252 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 2: he looked at him. And then remember he looked at 253 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: the religious leaders who were in the room, and it 254 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,959 Speaker 2: said that Jesus knew what was in their heart. So 255 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 2: think about this interchange, this conversation that's going on. So 256 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 2: before we get to saying, well, let's take it at 257 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 2: face value. 258 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: You got to sell everything that you own. 259 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 2: The first thing we want to do is we want 260 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 2: to engage in what's happening in the conversation. Right, So 261 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 2: in the conversation what's happening, we want to kind of 262 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 2: lay that down and see that. Jesus enters into a 263 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 2: conversation where this man says, here's this what it means 264 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 2: to me to be righteous? 265 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: And Jesus says, tell me what it means to you 266 00:13:58,760 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: to be righteous? 267 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: And the rich young ruler says, I do this, and 268 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 2: I keep this commandment, and I keep this commandment, and 269 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 2: I keep this commandment. 270 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: And then Jesus says. 271 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:09,719 Speaker 2: What he really exposes is but what would it look 272 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 2: like for you to have full allegiance to me and 273 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 2: not to anything else in the world. And that's what 274 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 2: causes the conflict. That's what causes the man to go 275 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: away sad. Now, how do we know that what Jesus 276 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: is talking about is not specifically wealth. Well, we know 277 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 2: that because we see Jesus expose hearts all through the 278 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 2: Gospels in all kinds of different ways. 279 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 3: Right. 280 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 2: Remember that the religious leaders were often holding really tightly 281 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 2: to their rules, particularly their rules about Sabbath, and Jesus 282 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: would do something like heal the man with the withered 283 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 2: hand right in their presence, right on Sabbath, and then 284 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 2: ask well, what. 285 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: Is the greater law? 286 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 2: You see, he was exposing this legalism, this concept that 287 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: if I do the right thing, if I follow your rules, 288 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 2: can I get what I want? But what that's doing 289 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 2: is centering the person. And this is what we do 290 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 2: all the time. We say enter ourselves and say, can 291 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 2: I be the one who sets the rules of engagement 292 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 2: with you, Jesus? And what Jesus says is no, Like 293 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: what it means to follow me is that I set 294 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 2: the rules of engagement. 295 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: Do you love me enough? 296 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 2: Do you understand what I'm inviting you into in a 297 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 2: way that actually lets you experience what good life looks like. 298 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: What I love particularly about this story is that Jesus 299 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 2: doesn't just say to the man, hey, here's one more 300 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 2: rule for you to follow, go back and live your 301 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: righteous life. No, Jesus says, no, here's the thing that 302 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 2: you could do, and then you could come follow me, 303 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 2: You could come be with me, you can come enter 304 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 2: into all that's happening. Imagine what could have been different 305 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 2: in this man's life if this at this point he 306 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 2: actually did what Jesus said. For all we know, he 307 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 2: might have been one of the fathers of the early Church, 308 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 2: he might have been one of the people who was 309 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 2: building the church in the first century, and he still 310 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 2: might have been one of those people. 311 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: But in this. 312 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: Moment, what Jesus exposes is where the rich young man's 313 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 2: trust really lies. What he exposes is that oftentimes, and 314 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: this is true for us too, we are holding tightly 315 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: to things that we ourselves might not even realize. We 316 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: are adding something to our relationship with Jesus. We're like, Jesus, 317 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 2: I'll follow you as long as I get to keep blank. Jesus, 318 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 2: I'll follow you as long as I'm still kind of 319 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 2: relying on. 320 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: Blank, whatever that thing is. 321 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 2: And what Jesus does is he exposes that control in 322 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: this man. So here's a couple things that we might 323 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 2: want to understand as we go in a couple of 324 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: backstory pieces that will help us here. The first is 325 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 2: that wealth was considered security in first century Judaism, so 326 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 2: wealth was actually interpreted as God's blessing, so to be 327 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: wealthy was to believe, and that sort of talks about 328 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: this in Deuteronomy twenty eight that God had blessed what 329 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: you have done, And so even the disciples were being 330 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 2: shaped by informed by that same concept, which is why 331 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 2: they were so amazed at what Jesus said. When Jesus 332 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 2: turned it all in his head and said, no, like 333 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 2: being rich makes it difficult to enter the kingdom, they thought, 334 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: wait what? Because what had been interpreted from the Old 335 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 2: Testament was if you are rich, God has blessed you. 336 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,400 Speaker 2: Now Here's my question. Is anything really different since first 337 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 2: century Judaism or do we still believe the exact same thing? 338 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 2: Do we still believe that prosperity means that God is 339 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 2: on my side. If I have lots of good things, 340 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 2: then God is blessing my life, and that is easy 341 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 2: to fall into. It is so deceptive and so easy, 342 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: which is why I think that Jesus states this reality. 343 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 2: He is not He's not cursing or condemning or shaming wealth. 344 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 2: He is merely stating the reality that when you are 345 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 2: surrounded by lots of wealth, it is much more difficult 346 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: to embrace the Kingdom of God. When you have a 347 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 2: lot that you are holding in your hand, it is 348 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: a lot harder to let it go. Maybe this is 349 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 2: why we see that oftentimes it is people who are 350 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: very desperate, it is people who are on the margins. 351 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: It's people who think I've got nothing to lose that 352 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: come to Jesus with such incredible faith. Maybe this is 353 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 2: also why Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount 354 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 2: the very first thing he says is blessed are you 355 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 2: who are poor in spirit, for yours is the kingdom 356 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 2: of God. You see, wealth and poverty aren't as much 357 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 2: about the things that we have as about the posture 358 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 2: of our heart. Do we understand our actual need? Do 359 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 2: we understand our deficits? Do we understand our deficiencies in 360 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 2: a way that help us really grasp how amazing the 361 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 2: gift of Jesus's love is, how incredible the gift of 362 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 2: grace really is. It really makes the rest of these 363 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 2: things that we might be holding in our hand become 364 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 2: less weighty, become less important, become less of a sense 365 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 2: of like this is the thing I need in order 366 00:18:50,040 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 2: to control. The Next thing that happens in this passage 367 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: is we see that Jesus really exposes what's missing in 368 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 2: this man's life, which would be full devotion to God. 369 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 2: And as Jesus kind of engages with him about what 370 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 2: commandments he's following, the rich young ruler leaves off a 371 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 2: very important commandment that Jesus is going to repeat in 372 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 2: the next chapter, which is in Deuteronomy six y five. 373 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 2: And that's the place where it says you shall love 374 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 2: the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, 375 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 2: with all your mind, and with all your strength. And 376 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 2: so when Jesus uses this guy's place of security and 377 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 2: he says, leave that thing behind, because that's what loving 378 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 2: me with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength 379 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 2: look like. He's exposing that lack of complete devotion. And 380 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 2: what we need to know is that we can be 381 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 2: obedient without full allegiance. And this is the theme that 382 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 2: we see coming up in the Gospels. Now you might 383 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 2: be thinking, oh gosh, what am I going to do? 384 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 2: Like God must be so disappointed in me, Jesus must 385 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 2: be so ashamed of me. Don't miss what happens here. 386 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 2: What does it say that Jesus does when he's engaging 387 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,239 Speaker 2: with this man. It's says he looks at him and 388 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 2: he loves him. He loves him enough to not leave 389 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 2: him where he is. He loves him enough to not 390 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 2: let him think that if he just checks all the boxes, 391 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 2: he's actually experiencing. 392 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: Full and free life. 393 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 2: He loves him enough because he knows that wealth is 394 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 2: ultimately an oppressive experience. Without Jesus, wealth and security and 395 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 2: control and anything that we think is going to bring 396 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: us real life that actually doesn't have the power to 397 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 2: bring us real life is ultimately enslaving. It's actually going 398 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 2: to give us the opposite of what we think it would. 399 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,239 Speaker 2: And I say this all the time, but I'll say 400 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 2: it again. Guys, if wealth was actually a sign of 401 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 2: God's blessing, if wealth was the thing that was going 402 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 2: to bring you a good life, how come all celebrities 403 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 2: are messed up? How come everybody's all cranked up and 404 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 2: messed up and sad. And I know it's not everyone. 405 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 2: I know there are some happy rich people, but there's 406 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 2: also a lot of really miserable rich people. So we've 407 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 2: got to disconnect this concept that if I just had X, 408 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 2: I would be happy. If I just got that promotion, 409 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 2: I would be happy. If my kids would just behave 410 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 2: I would be happy. 411 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 1: If I would just. 412 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 2: Get this get to move to this new place, I 413 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 2: would be happy. If I just had that relationship that 414 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 2: I was looking for, and then I would be happy. 415 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 2: This is what the good life looks like. And this 416 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,479 Speaker 2: is why Jesus looks at his disciples who are amazed 417 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 2: by what he's saying, and he's like, friends, it is 418 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 2: harder for a camel to go through the eye of 419 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 2: a needle. He chose the biggest thing in that the 420 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,199 Speaker 2: biggest thing you could think of at that time, and 421 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 2: the smallest thing that you could think of at that time. 422 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 2: Like He's like, I'm gonna use the biggest thing and 423 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 2: the smallest thing, and I'm gonna say this is why 424 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 2: this is hard, because as long as you are still 425 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 2: in the mindset that as long as I got this thing, 426 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: I would be happy, then you're not actually living in 427 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 2: full allegiance to Jesus. And without living with full allegiance 428 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: to Jesus, we can't actually experience full freedom. This is 429 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 2: why this passage feels so harsh, because this is how 430 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 2: important it is. It is so important that we are 431 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 2: understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is completely different than 432 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 2: the Kingdom of Earth. So we ask the question, Okay, 433 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:08,199 Speaker 2: what does it mean to you? What does it mean 434 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 2: right now believing Jesus is trusting Jesus. Those two things 435 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: can't be separated. To believe Jesus is to trust Jesus. 436 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 2: And I don't know what he's asking you to give up. 437 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,120 Speaker 2: I don't know what he's asking you to maybe even 438 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 2: just open your hand with But I know for me, 439 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 2: when I ask the question what does it mean for me, 440 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 2: It's really about raising my awareness about the things that 441 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: I so easily trust before I trust God. It's about 442 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,480 Speaker 2: the things I so easily believe are needed in order 443 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 2: for me to experience a good life. And it's about saying, God, 444 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 2: help me live with open hands and an open heart. 445 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 2: And today, Jesus, I want to follow you full stop, 446 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 2: one hundred percent wherever you're sending me. Help me to 447 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 2: see what you're asking me to let go of. He 448 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 2: might be asking you to make a radical change, but 449 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 2: he might also just be asking you to engage in 450 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,679 Speaker 2: what the King of God looks like in your life. 451 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:02,120 Speaker 1: Today. 452 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 2: Jesus is not about wrecking your life, and less the 453 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: thing that you believe is bringing you life is wrecking 454 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 2: your life. And then yeah, Jesus says, hey, if you 455 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 2: want to be obedient with me, it's going to mean 456 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 2: letting that thing go. All right, everyone, thanks for being 457 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 2: here today. We'll see you next week. 458 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 3: How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unice is a 459 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 3: production of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you like 460 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 3: what you heard today, please take a second to rate 461 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 3: and review the podcast in your favorite podcast app so 462 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 3: that more listeners like you can find the show. For 463 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 3: more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.