MARK 10:13-31 "[13] And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. [14] But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. [15] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” [16] And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. [17] And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” [20] And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” [21] And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. [23] And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” [24] And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! [25] It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” [26] And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” [27] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” [28] Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” [29] Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, [30] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. [31] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” ESV LESSON NOTES Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, MIT, and Princeton University have some of the lowest college acceptance rates in our country (3-4%). In many different fields, being outstanding seems to be the benchmark for entry (colleges, athletics, promotions, jobs). Within these realms, and others, personal achievements/accolades are the pathway to acceptance (Achievements = Acceptance) Children are great examples of people who are helpless, defenseless, and needy. Unlike adults, children come with no pretense, no artificial or adopted behaviors to impress people. Children come empty handed and they know how to ask for help. And they don't just ask for help, they eagerly receive it. Because of this, Jesus uses these little ones as examples of how one should receive the Kingdom. In Jesus' words in verses 14-15, we see two realities about entering the kingdom of God: 1.) Entrance into the Kingdom of God is received. 2) Entrance into the Kingdom of God is for the child-like. These two realities complement one another because if we are not child-like then we will not receive. In contrast to the child-like reception Jesus speaks about in verses 14-15, we see the rich man perceive eternal life as a matter of personal achievement. Within his conversation with Jesus, Jesus gives the man this command, "... go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (vs. 21) Going, selling, and giving were the means by which Jesus told this man to detach himself from his current master, his idol of possessions. These commands ultimately led to the ultimate command: "come, follow me". Yet, upon hearing this, the man walks away. From here we see a difficult truth: entrance into the Kingdom of God is not accepted by everyone. In the disciples day, those who were rich were considered to be blessed by God. Since this was the dominating ideology, those who were rich were virtually guaranteed a place in the kingdom of God because their wealth was evidence of God’s blessing. This is why the disciples react so stunned after hearing Jesus' teachings in verses 23-26. They ask Jesus a sincere question ("Then who can be saved?") and Jesus responds with the perfect answer (“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”) Jesus lovingly reminds His disciples that entrance into the kingdom of God is completely beyond the sphere of human possibility. What we can’t do in our humanity, God did in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There is an ultimate connection between the child-likeness of verse 15 and the rich man of verse 22. This connection is seen in 3 aspects: Their records. Their responses. What they receive. 1.) Record - Child-like: No Significant Record / Rich man: Significant Record 2.) Response - Child-like: Eager Reception / Rich man: Sorrowful Rejection 3.) Receive - Child-like: Salvation / Rich man: Separation God restores Gospel goodbyes. When we leave good things and say goodbye to dear people for the sake of the Gospel, God does not leave us empty-handed. The God who is able “to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” does not overlook our goodbyes when they are rooted in the name of Jesus. Entrance into the Kingdom of God gives the children of God hope for what is to come. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. As you remember your process of choosing where to go to college, what were some of the schools you were considering? Why? Did you end up at your "dream school"? 2. In your life, what environments or settings do you feel the most tempted/feel the most pressure to relay your personal accomplishments or accolades? Why those environments? 3. Receiving is different than earning. Why is this difference such a big deal in our relationship with God? In your walk with God, do you find it difficult to receive rather than earn? If so, in what aspects is it the most difficult? 4. Have you had any experience with someone walking away/rejecting Jesus? If so, what was that like for you to experience? As you read about this man's decision, what do you notice about Jesus' reaction/response? Does his response capture your attention in any way? 5. Are there any difficult statements/teachings from Jesus that you have had to wrestle with in your walk with Him? If so, what did/does that process look like for you? 6. As you process through this connection between the childlikeness of verse 15 and the rich man of verse 22, what sticks out the most to you? What speaks most deeply to your heart? 7. Have you ever had to say a "gospel goodbye" to something or someone? If so, how difficult was that? How has God shown up since then?
