Idols

We Can’t, but God Can

Message at 37:30

We Can’t, but God Can

Dave Riddle - 8/7/22

Key Passage: Mark 10:17-31

“Good teacher, what just I do to inherit eternal life?” 

  • Mark 10:17

Jesus’ curious response

  • Jesus tailors his answer for the question asker

  • Mark 10:18

    • Jesus starts by redefining “good”

  • Mark 10:19

    • You know the commandments…

      • He lists five of the six commandments that talk about our relationships with others.

        • He leaves out “do not covet”

    • Jesus knows this man’s heart and sets him up a little bit.

Really!? Wow.

  • Mark 10:20 - “I have kept all these commandments from my youth”

    • He saw himself as a good person.

Jesus being Jesus

  • Mark 10:21

    • Looking at him, Jesus loved him…

      • emblepō: to observe fixedly, or to discern clearly

      • agapaō: divine, unconditional, perfect love

    • “You lack one thing”

      • Sell all you have… and follow me!

        • Take up your cross and follow me.

        • Jesus knew what one thing stood between this man and his ability to surrender to Jesus.

    • Jesus see each of us clearly and sees OUR one thing that stands between us and our ability to surrender to Him.

A Poignant Moment

  • Mark 10:22

    • He was dismayed by this demand and he went away grieving because he had many possessions.

      • Jesus offered him a choice and he chose his own desires over following Jesus.

The Hard Truth

  • Mark 10:23

    • What stands between YOU and a full surrender to following Jesus?

  • Mark 10:24-25

    • The disciples were astonished.

    • It went against their cultural understanding of blessing and favor.

The original question revisited 

  • Jesus’ set up pays off

  • Mark 10:26

    • “Then who can be saved!?”

    • “With people it is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God”

  • Romans 8:3

    • What the law was powerless to do, God did.