Possible with God

Background Scripture: Mark 10:1–27
Lesson Scripture: Mark 10:17–27

Introduction

This lesson is positive and affirms that all things are possible with God. God can save anyone who comes to Him believing in Jesus Christ for salvation. Salvation is for the whole world, but not everyone is willing to accept it. On judgment day, many souls will be sent to Christ’s left hand because they loved the world. They trusted in their material possessions instead of finding their security and salvation in God. This is a sobering reminder.

Key Verse

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Like a hero in a story, the fine young man in our lesson seems too good to be true. We picture a young man, very rich, and part of the ruling class (Luke 18:18). But he is not just rich—he is also good. He has kept the law from his childhood. His conscience is clean, and his record is flawless.

There is something about him we cannot help but love as we see him running to kneel at the feet of the homeless Man of Nazareth. Jesus looked at this wonderful young man, and He loved him.

The rich young ruler came to the right person, and he asked the right question: “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Perhaps the answer startles us as much as it must have startled him. “Sell out; give it all away. Let it all go, and come follow Me.”

What inner dissatisfaction brought this young man to the feet of Jesus? He did not bring sins to be forgiven. By his own testimony, he felt he had none. Did he think he could use his money to advance Jesus’s ministry? Was he seeking praise or commendation? He must have had a longing for more assurance and a greater fulfillment than he had found.

During His ministry, Jesus mingled with all classes of people. He had no home, yet He entered the homes of Pharisees, tax collectors, fishermen, and synagogue officials. He taught the poorest of the poor and visited with Sanhedrin members like Nicodemus. His healing power brought joy to many people, from roadside beggars and destitute widows to Roman army officers.

But though Jesus generously reached out to all men, there were some who held themselves beyond the reach of His love. The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous (Luke 18:9). Many of the Jews traced their lineage from Abraham (John 8:39), believing it gave them favor with God. And the rich young man in our lesson chose earthly wealth instead of simple obedience. Many of those who are wealthy, self-righteous, or proud of their race do not see Jesus for what He really is. The assets they love blind them to the far better gifts Jesus came to offer.

What if a famous and wealthy financial advisor had told the young ruler that he could triple his wealth by investing everything in a Roman building project? Would he have considered it? Jesus offered treasure in heaven, but at the cost of poverty on earth. The young man’s faith simply did not reach that far. He held on to the wealth he could see and walked sadly away from his chance for far greater riches—riches so grand that no mortal can imagine them.

The disciples, for the most part, came from the working class of people. Most likely, some of them had tasted poverty and even hunger. Traveling with Jesus, they were familiar with life on the road. But they were still astonished to learn that riches were dangerous. It was hard for them to grasp that the kingdom of heaven is for only the man or woman willing to let go of everything else and cling to the cross. Jesus made it very clear: “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

Practical Truths for Today

The story in today’s Scripture is a lesson on the consequences of affluence. By most measures of wealth, nearly all North American readers of this lesson are rich when compared with the rest of the world. If the rich young man were to divide his wealth among the poor today, very few of us would be worthy recipients—we have too many assets to qualify. In fact, most of us are completely unacquainted with true poverty.

Not all wealth is measured in dollars or in holdings. We may have natural talents or a prominent position. We may have a valuable reputation or a creative mind. We may be gifted with logic or business acumen. Or we may simply be rich like the young man of our lesson; we have money, homes, lands, businesses, vehicles, sports equipment, and much more. Many of us have “great possessions,” requiring almost all our time to maintain them. Too many will spend the rest of their life trying to acquire even more assets, and at the end of life struggle to wisely distribute them.

We fear poverty. We cannot imagine life without money. The mere thought of homelessness makes us uneasy. And, truly, there is no salvation in poverty. A poor man is no closer to heaven than a rich man. Though not limited to the poor, poverty has its own set of problems, including a sense of inferiority, a tendency to worry, the temptation to steal, and the difficulty to share. A poor man’s main advantage is that he has fewer things in which to place his trust.

It is a very real possibility that some who consider themselves Christians are not ready for the judgment day. Like the rich young man, they have kept the “commandments” and feel good about their record. They may have used their money for good causes. But if they love and trust their money more than they love and trust God, they will not be saved. A covetous man or woman cannot enter heaven. If you find yourself in this condition, drop everything and run to the cross. Do not linger to collect even one more dollar. Flee as you would flee from an inrushing tsunami or a tottering building in an earthquake!

All Christians in an affluent society are at risk of being harmed by the affluence in their environment. Advertising seeks to shape our desires. The high cost of housing makes it difficult to purchase a home without a mortgage. In many settings, even a modest home and lifestyle can only be obtained with many hours of labor each week. It seems impractical and unwise to live in North America without at least a small reserve, but to maintain that supposed necessary reserve can place a subtle, ceaseless negative pressure on our faith.

In Mark 4:19, Jesus warns that “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in” will choke the Word. We do not suddenly or deliberately leave the narrow way, but there may be a slow, relentless deterioration in our spiritual fruitfulness. Over time, the harvest in our spiritual field may decline. Someday, what was once a fruitful field can become a tangled patch of brambles and thorns.

Consider the thief crucified beside Jesus. Naked, helpless, and despised, he brought nothing to Jesus but a plea for mercy. Though he had likely broken all the commandments, the door of the kingdom swung wide for him, but the rich young ruler found the door closed. His wealth could not fit through. With eyes blinded by wealth or self-righteousness, we fear the cross, but the cross of Jesus is a treasure that makes all other treasures seem worthless by comparison. Paul said he counted the things that were gain to him but dung (Phil. 3:6–8). Letting go of earthly wealth and taking hold of the cross is the wisest investment a soul can ever make. When we come as the penitent thief came, anything is possible.

With men it is impossible to be saved. This is true whether we are rich or poor. Neither poverty nor riches will ever get us through the door into the kingdom of God. Only by the marvelous love and power of God will anyone be saved. The disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?” The answer is simple but not easy. Salvation is for everyone who places his hope in the blood that stained the old rugged cross.

Illustration

Peter Waldo was a wealthy, successful merchant in medieval Lyons, France. The sudden death of a friend during an evening meal abruptly reminded him of the uncertainty of life. As he searched the Bible, he discovered its teachings. As he made his priority to serve God, his life was transformed. He paid to have the Bible translated into the language of the common people. He gave the land he owned to his wife and then distributed the rest of his possessions to the poor. Because he promoted and taught the true biblical faith, he was eventually forced to leave his home and flee for his life.

No doubt there were many other rich merchants in Lyons when Peter Waldo lived there. Their houses have crumbled and their rich robes have vanished. Their names and their deeds have been forgotten, but the heritage of faithful men like Peter Waldo still enriches us today.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” 1

Questions

1. Much is written in the media about various addictions, such as opioid addiction and alcoholism. Are North Americans addicted to wealth?
2. Because riches are deceitful, how can we know whether we have been deceived?
3. Should we seek poverty?
4. Define the difference between covetousness and good stewardship.
5. 1 Jim Elliot (1927–1956), Christian missionary killed by the Auca Indians in Ecuador
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).