MARK 10:17-27
WITH GOD, SALVATION IS NOT
MERELY POSSIBLE, IT IS CERTAIN.
In
the name + of Jesus.
A man of great wealth came to Jesus as he
was leaving town. This rich man ran
to Jesus with his concern. Now, rich people
don’t run; a rich person has people run for him. And it is more than that. “A man ran up and knelt
before him” (Mark 10:17). If he fell on his knees before Jesus, he must
have been afraid and panicked. He did
not waste any time getting to what was on his mind, and he seemed to think that
Jesus had the answer to alleviate his fears.
In fact, it was an important question: “Good Teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17)?
I
wonder what happened in this man’s life that he found the matter so
urgent? People might wonder at times
about what it takes to get into eternal life, but it usually doesn’t produce such
anxiety. Something traumatic must have
happened. Perhaps his father had just
died. Perhaps he had been sick. In any case, he knew that something was not
right in his life. Ironically, he was also
convinced that he was in good shape.
Jesus pointed
him to God’s word for the answer. Where else
could we turn for the answer to this all-important question? God is the one who sets the standard for good
and evil. God has entrusted all judgment
to the Son. So, who better than Jesus to
give the answer? Jesus said to
him, “Why do
you call me good? No one is good except
God alone. 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’” (Mark 10:18-19). Jesus’ answer had
two parts. In the second part, he had
the man measure himself up to God’s standard.
What does God demand of you? If
you have done this, you will live. If you
have not, you will perish. So, which have
you done—the good or the evil? And in
case this man got stuck, the first part of Jesus’ answer was this: “No one
is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18).
The rich man,
however, did not quite get it. He
replied, “Teacher, all
these I have kept from my youth” (Mark 10:20). He insisted he was
a good man. To be fair, I suspect most
people would have agreed. When we talk
about who is good or who is bad, we usually limit it to how people behave or to
how they treat us. They usually have to
be really bad for us to call them bad. Rapists
are bad. Murderers are bad. Human traffickers are bad. But most people are not rapists, murderers,
or human traffickers. So, we conclude
that most people are good because most people don’t go to jail. Some people are not criminals but are jerks. If they act that way toward us, then we call
them bad. But what if a man is a brain
surgeon and is a jerk? Then we have to
decide which is greater, his boorish behavior or the good he does. It depends if he operated on a loved one or
is at a cocktail party and won’t shut up.
This is a self-centered way to judge good and bad.
However, there
is only one who is good—God. He sets the
standard for good and evil. The Bible proclaims
this sentence upon us all: “There is no
distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:22-23). More accurately, we continue to fall
short of the glory of God. No one is
good in the sight of God because no one has done the good God demands. Like the rich young man, we may have
convinced ourselves that we have kept the Commandments. You may not have murdered someone, but how many
people do you wish were dead or would at least suffer? You may not have cheated on your spouse, but
have you fantasized about bedding down with another or ogled pictures on your
computer? You may not have robbed a store,
but have you cheated your employer by milking the clock? You may not have committed perjury, but have
you delighted in gossip because you wanted to believe the worst about someone? And on it goes. Like the rich man, your outward behavior
might suggest you are good. But the
Commandments show that your heart was evil all along. Repent.
Jesus wanted to show this rich man that he
was not as good as he thought. His fear,
love, and trust were in his wealth. Jesus
loved this man. He was not trying to
stick it to him, but to get him to recognize his need for a Savior. So Jesus told 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.” Disheartened
by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Mark 10:21-22). The rich man had a god that he prized above
all. He loved his goods. He would not give them up, not even for
eternal life. I don’t know if this man
ever did come to faith Jesus. If not, he
went to his grave. And then he had
neither his wealth nor eternal life.
Jesus looked around and said to
his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to
enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at
his words (Mark 10:23-24). As if this were not disturbing enough, Jesus
doubled down. He declared that salvation
is even harder than that. Jesus said
to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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” (Mark 10:24-25).
I am sure Jesus’ disciples believed that
salvation was possible for them, even probable.
They had done so much for Jesus!
Suddenly, they were just as panicked as that rich man who came to
Jesus. They were
exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible…” (Mark
10:26-27). This is precisely what
Jesus wants us to know. The disciples
thought that they had done something that the rich man had not. They had left their businesses and homes to
follow Jesus. But Jesus’ words had them
very concerned. If it is easier for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle than for people to be saved, what hope
is there? With man, it is impossible. Who can do the works God commands? Whose heart is pure and wholly devoted to
God? Then who can be saved?
With God, salvation
is not merely possible, it is certain.
The fact is you cannot save yourself.
If you are to be saved, someone else must save you. “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark
10:27).
It should not have to be said, but perhaps it must. People use this verse, “All things are possible
with God,” to refer to just about anything—to landing a job, to beating cancer,
to winning a championship. While it is true
that God can do anything, it is not true that you can do whatever you want
because with God it is possible. Not
everyone wins a gold medal or gets the lead role. “With God all things are possible” is true,
but that does not mean all things are promised or guaranteed. This verse refers to our salvation which is
far more important than riches, awards, or feats of strength.
With God, salvation is not merely possible,
it is certain. That is because Jesus has
done all the work to save you. He saved
you from your failings against the Commandments by keeping them for you. Although the whole world belongs to him, he neither
coveted nor took anyone’s possessions.
Although the priests and politicians were corrupt, he did not slander
them. Although he accepted the company
of prostitutes and sinners, he did not engage in sin with them. Jesus has done all things in purity and
perfection. For there is only one who is
good—God who came in the flesh. With
Jesus, keeping the Commandments was not merely possible, but certain.
The rich man would not give up his wealth
for the kingdom of God. He discovered
that he could not do what he was told to do.
Neither do we. But Jesus gave up
everything for you. He left the glory
and majesty of heaven to come to earth as a man. He took the form of a servant—submitting to
the Commandments of God, submitting himself to the laws of government, and even
enduring the wicked schemes of those who thought they were powerful. Jesus submitted to betrayal and to beatings,
to slander and spitting, to the scourging of the Romans and to the scandal of
the cross. Jesus gave up all he
possessed and he has given it to the poor in spirit—to you. The holiness you need to stand before God,
Jesus gave to you. The clean conscience
you need to dwell in peace, Jesus has given to you. The place in the kingdom of God that you and I
do not deserve, Jesus has secured for you.
With God, salvation is not merely possible, it is certain.
Still, it is hard. It is hard for us to give up the blessings
God has given us. Sometimes it is hard even
to give up the sins we like. Those must
be cast away. Like the rich man, our attraction
to this world is strong. How foolish! Do we really think our sins benefit us more than
what God is pleased to give us? If God
has been pleased to give us blessings here and now, do we think that the
blessings to come will be lacking in quality or quantity? Are the temporary riches of earth to be
preferred to the eternal riches of heaven—riches he is pleased to give us already
in the word and sacraments? Whatever
earthly blessings God gives us now—no matter how beloved or beneficial they are
to us—they will be lost. Even if we keep
them until the day we die, we will die and they will be useless. And if God should choose to take away the possessions
he gives us before we die, never forget that God still possesses us! Whatever we lose in this world, we do not
lose the Savior whose promises are certain, guaranteed, and everlasting.
With God, salvation is not merely possible,
it is certain. The question asked by the
rich man is important. It has eternal
implications. But his question also
betrayed a common misunderstanding: “Good Teacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17)? What do you have to do to inherit
something? Nothing. You can’t do anything to inherit
something. Someone must include you in his
will, which is his choice, not yours. Then
he has to die so that his possessions are given to you. That is exactly what Jesus did. He put your name in the Book of Life so that
you will be saved. He died and has made
you heirs of eternal life. He does the
work of saving you and of sustaining you in the faith. He gave up everything to have you as his possession,
and he gives you everything you need for this life and the next.
God’s love for
you is not merely possible; it is certain.
God’s forgiveness of your sins is not merely possible; it is certain. The resurrection of the dead is not merely
possible; it is certain. And your place
in heavenly glory is not merely possible; it is certain. For, Jesus is risen. He lives and reigns to guarantee all his promises. He has gone to prepare a place for you, and
he will come again so that your place will be with him.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
