Mark 10:1-52 - Skip Heitzig

welcome to expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God as we explore the Word of God in a way that is interactive enjoyable and congregational would you hi would you turn in your Bibles to a Mark's Gospel chapter 10 I got a text a little bit ago from dr. Collins dr. Steve Collins who's here by saying yes said 52 verses in 1 night you can do it got more faith than I have no I think we can do it let's let's pray and get started father we do thank you for the opportunity to sit in what we simply consider a large living room the family gathered in a very informal way but in a reverent way where we are gathered we're focused we're still before you and you get our full attention and just in the simple act of reading and reflecting on the scriptures like in Nehemiah's book of old as Ezra stood up and read from the law and gave the sense so the people could understand we as we gather for father pray that we would receive the sense from your spirit of what is going on here and apply truth to our hearts in a way that we would grow from glory to glory and from grace to grace in Jesus name Amen as we open up to chapter 10 Jesus is on the move and he is making a journey that I have made many times myself the big difference is that I made it by bus jesus made it by foot and you have to consider that when you read the Testament we read that Jesus went here and Jesus went there and his disciples went to that place and then we take a trip to is from a go man this is great it's such a small little place try it on foot and you get an appreciation for what it's like to travel with Jesus and how arduous it was especially in that part of the world where there are some pretty hefty topographical elevation changes nonetheless Jesus beginning in chapter 10 is on the move from north to south from Galilee down to Judea he is really on the way to the cross but he has some ground to cover before he gets there leaving Galilee and in particular leaving where he has headquartered for three three and a half years that is Capernaum a beautiful spot right on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee he now moves south he is finished with his Galilean ministry he's on the way to the cross but there's still some ground to cover there are still places to go and there are people to see I say that he's going to Judea actually he's going to be crossing the Jordan River going east of the Jordan River into modern-day Jordan into what was called at his time pariah but since Perea was part of the land given to Herod the Great at one time though it's technically not part of Judea and you can look at all this in the back of your Bible if you have a map nonetheless though it was not technically Judea it was all put under the name of Judea because Herod the Great once reigned over it now at this point Herod Antipas is in charge of that area number Herod Antipas he's the guy who got John the Baptist's head cut off now that'll be important as we get into chapter 10 but I'd always wanted to see the place of Jesus baptism and that's really the crossing point where most people would go over a cross toward the East Side was at the place in ancient times called Bethabara the place of the crossing of the children of Israel under Joshua's time and also where Jesus was baptized on this last trip we made over to Israel a new site was opened up and you were able to see not only the Jordan River in that spot but also that area that you can see toward the eastern side toward Perea where Jesus now goes with his disciples in verse 1 then he arose from there they're being Galilee there being Capernaum he arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side or eastern side of the Jordan and the multitudes gathered to him again and as he was accustomed he taught them again the Pharisees came and asked him is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife notice what it says testing him the Pharisees come to Jesus for one simple reason they're losing popularity the grip of their authority is being slackened they don't have the power they don't have the pole they once had people are following Jesus in mass that causes a jealousy to erupt so they they want to test him they want to ask him a question to get him in trouble that's the idea now how could it get him in trouble well who's reigning over this area I just mentioned it is Herod Antipas Herod Antipas had John the Baptist's head cut off because of John's view on marriage and divorce because Herod Antipas unlawfully took his brother's wife to himself and that riled up his wife and so at a party you know the story we've covered it John the Baptist's head was delivered on a platter to Salome a the girl the daughter hoping that that could be a repeat performance they come to Jesus and they test him asking him about this question of divorce is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife I suppose that no ancient nation had a higher view of marriage than the Jewish nation they believed that it was a responsibility of Jewish men and women to be married they looked highly upon marriage they looked unfavorably on somebody who wouldn't get married in fact the rabbi's used to have a saying that the very altar itself sheds tears when a man divorces the wife of his youth so having that as their background wanting to test Jesus as they ask him this question about marriage there was a problem passage the problem passage in the law was Deuteronomy chapter 24 it's the only passage in the Old Testament that actually speaks about the divorce procedure I'll just read it to you since I have it marked in my Bible to turn to when a man takes a wife and marries her and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her and he writes her a certificate of divorce puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house when she has departed from his house and goes and becomes another man's wife if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife then the former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife she has been defiled for that is an abomination before the Lord you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance the issue the problem with that passage is what does the passage mean by uncleanness if a husband finds some uncleanness and his wife at the time of Jesus there were two main schools of thought the first school was the conservative school headed by a rabbi named Shem ie he believed uncleanness meant in context some sexual immorality he had a very narrow view a conservative view but on the other hand there was a more liberal view a wider view and that was the view of Rabbi Hallel who said uncleanness well it could mean a lot of things if for example said Hallel if a wife cooks a meal and she over seasons the meal so it's not to his liking that to him is unclean and grounds for divorce how crazy is that if the wife speaks to another man in public grounds for divorce if the woman is a brawling woman grounds for divorce if she speaks disrespectfully of his parents grounds for divorce that was a very liberal view uncleanness had broadened it out quite a bit in the school of Hallel the liberal view another rabbi came later named rabbi Akiba who even said uncleanness could even be if the husband eventually finds a woman more beautiful than his wife well eventually that could include everyone so which view do you think was most popular at the time of Jesus the very narrow conservative view or the very wide liberal view the my liberal view like in any period of history let's not take it to mean so literally let's just broaden it out and kind of make it whatever we want to make it people still do that with the Bible so they try to trick Jesus with his question hoping that he's gonna answer one rabbi or the other and alienate one group over the other I love how Jesus answers it basically he says let's go to the Bible forget what that rabbi says or what that robot rabbi says that's not the issue their opinions of Deuteronomy 24 aren't the issue the issue is what scripture says that is always the issue so back in mark he answered verse 3 and said to them what did Moses command you what does the scripture say they said Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and to dismiss her and jesus answered and said to them because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept but from the beginning of creation God made them male and female for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh so then they are no longer two but one flesh therefore what God has joined together let not man separate Jesus takes them back to the beginning what did Moses say well Moses said this well now let's go back even before Moses let's go back to the very beginning why does he do that because he wants them to understand what God's view of marriage is because you'll never understand God's view of divorce do you understand God's view of marriage and and the way God originally intended marriage according to Christ and in context of Scripture is that it is to be intimate and it to be permanent one flesh intimate a husband and wife come together they exchange souls if you will they eventually have offspring that blends both of their personalities both of their genetic structure into one and it's permanent what God has joined jesus said let no man put asunder or separate when God first created man and put him on the earth and God created a woman and brought the woman to the man and he said this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she will be called woman because she was taken out of man God immediately said for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave or be joined unto his wife the word in Hebrew means to be glued permanently together I love superglue it's just one of the best inventions ever it's amazing how that super glue seems to make the joint even stronger than it was before I've had so many things break and I just go get out the super glue when God brings a man and a woman together he's got his own super glue they form a unit they become one flesh dodd joins them together he glues them his intention inseparably now there is a problem with superglue if you try to separate what you've joined together you make a bigger mess out of the project go home and try it take a couple things just take paper two pieces of paper glue them together the next morning say yeah I've decided to separate those to try to separate them now if you come to go I did it I'll ask you this question do they look the same were you able to separate those two entities without damage answer in every case will be known because that was not the intention once you glue it together effectively it's one unit that's God's intention and marriage you need to understand that Jesus is telling him to understand what he feels about divorce what God has joined let no man put asunder in the house his disciples also asked him again about the same matter he said to them whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her and if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she commits adultery well we need to understand about Deuteronomy 24 the passage in question Moses permitted or commanded a certificate of divorce depending on which text you read is that Deuteronomy 24 really isn't an issue about what constitutes clean.this or uncleanness in that situation it's really a chapter written about the divorce proceedings in order to protect the rights of a woman and the reputation of a wife if her husband lets her go a certificate has to be in place because if she's not guilty of sexual immorality then she is let go unlawfully and her reputation remains intact his reputation is on the line so it was to protect her that's the idea of those first few verses but notice that Jesus said whoever divorces his wife and marries and other commits adultery against her so here's the deal according to Scripture there is one reason why a person or persons can get a divorce and that is adultery sexual immorality and according to Deuteronomy 24 that has to be stated so that if if somebody says well we're divorcing because we're not compatible well who is compatible eventually you will find an incompatibility in anyone because we're human we all have our own will we have our own propensity proclivities bents the other reason for a believer is that if an unbeliever first Corinthians chapter 7 wants to depart Paul said you're free in that matter let the unbelieving person depart but if the unbeliever wants to stay married to the believer tells the believer stay in that marriage and so when Jesus says what he says he's simply saying if you divorce for any reason like rabbi Hillel and Akiba are telling you just know this if it's not for the reason of sexual immorality adultery when you marry somebody else you will be perpetuating adultery all over the place you'll be proliferating adultery by an unlawful remarriage there is a lawful reason for divorce and thus remarriage but if it's for the wrong reason you will be proliferating adultery all over the land and again according to Deuteronomy 24 the land becomes defiled well the disciples had to ask him about that again and he gives him that answer then they brought little children to him that he might touch them but the disciples yet those crazy disciples they've been with him a few years but they sure don't get his heart but the disciples rebuked those who brought them but when Jesus saw it he was greatly displeased and he said to them let the little children come to me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of God assuredly I say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it and he took them up in his arms laid his hands on them and bless them it was very common for parents to bring their little children to a rabbi that the rabbi might pray for them give them a blessing pray for their future etc was very very common in fact the Jewish Talmud encourages parents to do that part of the oral law that was codified and written down tells parents to do that get your child blessed by the rabbi they bring their children to Jesus now the idea of the word here for children is little children toddlers little little kids that Jesus might hold them that Jesus might bless them I love that I would encourage parents to do the same get your kids to Jesus as young as you can bring them to him you've heard me quote Charles Haddon Spurgeon he used to say before a child reaches seven teach him all the way to heaven and better still the work will thrive if he learns before he's five as impressionable as they are as open as they are as much as they'll receive get your children to Jesus early that he might bless them parents you are partners with God in making disciples of your children think of yourself in that capacity I'm God's partner to train this child in the ways of God that's my role on this planet when Jesus saw it he was greatly displeased he's rebuking his disciples for this let the little children come to me do not forbid them for of such notice that of such is the kingdom of God that's an important little phrase that's an important little nugget of truth of such is the kingdom these were toddlers these children were probably too young to have a mature knowledgeable kind of a faith that we would expect people who make decisions to follow Christ to have I believe embedded in this truth is the idea that God extends salvation to little children below what we would call typically it's called the age of accountability what happens to little children do they go to Limbo that's what I was not growing up no they go directly into the presence of God and I believe anybody who is mentally even if they're physically an adult mentally they're inhibited and have the capacity of a child it's extended to them as well I've given a whole message on this assuredly I say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it and he took them up in his arms I'm sure it was a delight to the parents and probably looked at their disciples like see he does like my kids he laid his hands on them and He blessed them now as he was going out on the road one came running knelt before him and asked him good teacher what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life this passage is typically called the story of the rich young ruler all three Gospels Matthew Mark and Luke all three synoptic Gospels tell us that he was rich or wealthy he had great possessions Matthew tells us he was young Luke tells us he was a ruler so you put them all together he was a rich young ruler however I don't know how rich he really was he walked away from Jesus I look at him ago poor guy poverty-stricken wealthy perhaps but only materially not spiritually not eternally so I know he's called the rich young ruler I look at him as a poor fellow but he runs to Jesus and he asked the question that betrays two flaws in his thinking number one that Jesus is merely like any other great human teacher a good teacher a good master putting Jesus on the same level with any other great rabbinical teacher second flaw in his question is that it's possible to earn your way to heaven what must I do emphasis on I to inherit eternal life so Jesus said to him I've always loved this why do you call me good no one is good but one and that is God Jesus is saying only one of two things number one I'm no good or I am God why do you call me good you call me good teacher there's only one good intrinsically by nature and that is God himself you call me good master is it because you recognize something within me it's not denying his deity it's actually affirming his deity and giving this poor young ruler the ability to affirm I do recognize something about you I've heard you I've seen you I recognize who you are why do you call me good there's only one good and that is God you know the commandments do not commit adultery do not murder do not steal do not bear false witness do not defraud honor your father and your mother Jesus mentions six of the Ten Commandments and interestingly there the second table of the law remember the Ten Commandments are divided into two sections the first for deal with your relationship vertically with God the second six deal with your relationship with people and the law is summed up do you remember what the law summed up in one word what'swhat's the word love love you say you keep the commandments you know what the law says do you really love your neighbor as yourself do you really love God with all your heart you know what the law says are you really keeping it are you really doing it and he answered and by the way notice how many of the commandments are put in the negative do not commit adultery do not murder do not steal do not bear false witness on this guy's gonna go I've done all those how many people do you know that heavy self-righteousness like this guy built on negatives I must be a Christian because I don't do that and I don't do this and I don't do the other thing what do you do what's the positive spin about what's the positive part of that he said teacher all these things I have kept from my youth Wow hmm could you say that I don't know that I could I couldn't Jesus then Jesus and this is a tremendous verse looking at him loved him what that look must have been like but it's something that Peter remember because Peter tells mark who writes this the day that I saw Jesus look at that wealthy successful young man was a look of sheer love maybe it's because Peter remembers it was the same look that Jesus had for him the night that Peter betrayed Jesus same look perhaps a look of love that melted his heart Jesus looking at him loved him and said to him one thing you lack go your way sell whatever you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me please don't misunderstand what he's saying he's not giving people a call to poverty or philanthropy that if you give or sell everything and become very poor and become a philanthropist that you'll earn your way to heaven that defies the very point of the context he is simply exposing the true heart of a self-righteous young man who says I've kept the law since I was young when I was at the dentist last time and I never liked going to a dentist I love dentists so if your dentists I'm not saying I don't love Dennis but I don't love gold I don't love the experience of the dental chair and especially when he takes the little sharp probe and he starts probing around does this hurt is that tender yeah let me just tell you yes just before you even start with that little thing yes yes yes to all the above but they love to poke until well tell me how that feel and then they ask you a question you go oh what the last time I was in the dental chair and they gave me a shot of that novocaine they happen to hit right at the nerve so that I could feel it all the way through my head and up toward the back and I said you nailed it man you got that nerve you didn't get around it you got the nerve itself and he was trying to describe the anatomy and how the body works I didn't care just whatever it hurt Jesus is not saying you're saved by the law he's using the law as a probe to expose his heart to show him how this young man has not kept the law from his youth he says one thing you lack go sell whatever you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven come and take up the cross and follow me but he was sad at this word and he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions the idea was to stop this young men man dead in his tracks to get him to realize that he was owned by another God he said I know I've kept all those commandments yeah but there's one commandment young man you haven't kept and that's the first commandment which says I am the Lord your God and you will have no other gods besides me I can prove that you are serving another God go sell what you have give it to the poor and then follow me I won't do that and because you won't do that that proves that that money owns you that wealth owns you those possessions possess you that's your God that's the God that you serve and that's the probe that's the needle with the novocaine on the nerve and the saddest verse in the narrative one of the saddest verses in all of scripture is but he was sad at this word and went away he walked away from salvation he walked away from Jesus for he had great possessions then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God and the disciples were astonished at his words but jesus answered again and said to them children how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God I've heard many comments and read many things and heard many sermons on these verses over the years and I'm always intrigued when preachers try to explain this away as saying well you know what Jesus is really saying by going through the eye of a needle is that there was a gate next to one of the main gates in Jerusalem that was very short and very narrow and a beast of burden like a camel couldn't go through that eye of the needle gate next to the big gate that's what they say it was unless that camel were bowed really low and stripped of its saddle and any of the goods it was carrying and though it wasn't impossible for the camel to go through the eye of that needle that small short gate it was difficult you had to strip it down and get it through the only problem with that interpretation is no such gate has ever been found there's no evidence of one existing number two when Luke tells this story the word he uses in Greek for needle Bell na means the eye of a surgeon's needle a small little needle so it's beyond doubt that he was referring to a needle in one's hand a surgeon's needle not a little gate that didn't exist next to a big gate and so he said because they were astonished it's easier for the camel to go through and I have a needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven in other words you cannot buy your way nor can you earn your way into heaven I'll tell you I'll tell you in a minute why it astonished them so much and they were greatly astonished verse 26 again saying among themselves who then can be saved now why why is this such a difficult thing for the disciples here's why they were raised in a Jewish culture the Jewish culture in which they were raised taught them to believe that if somebody has wealth it is because God has greatly blessed that person because that person is a righteous person a couple of passages that were used really misused to apply to this is Deuteronomy chapter 8 there's two different verses one that talks about you God's people being brought into the Land of Israel and when you eat of the fruit of the land and you are filled you shall bless the Lord and then in Deuteronomy 8 I'm guessing around verse 18 if I correct the second passage it says for it is the Lord your God who gives you the power to get wealth they put all of that together and said a wealthy person has a greater capacity to give to the poor to give alms therefore a greater chance of entering heaven by giving alms and by working hard to get a place in the kingdom it was their belief system so there's not like blown away it's like well then then you know if the rich can't be saved these people who are obviously blessed by God and able to give a lot of alms who then can be saved Jesus looked at them and said with men it's impossible I'll just let that sink in teeth tonight because if you're thinking I want to get saved how can i what can I do to enter the kingdom of God what good thing must I do like the rich young ruler it's impossible can't be done you can't save yourself but not with God he continues for with God all things are possible what is a human impossibility is a divine certainty because salvation is a free gift of God Ephesians tells us you can't earn it but you can receive it then Peter loved this guy love love love this guy and so glad that soon we're gonna be going through first and second Peter Peter began to say to him see we have left all and followed you now you know what he's saying he remembers the whole conversation with the rich young ruler we've done everything you told the rich young ruler to do that he didn't do we've done it been there done that got the t-shirt did it jesus answered and said to him assuredly I say to you there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children think of all the sacrifices some have made to follow Christ some have lost their family lost their marriage lost their job lost their status lost their life or lands for my sake and the gospel's who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time houses brothers sisters mothers children lands notice with persecutions it's part of the deal and in the age to come eternal life many who are first will be last and the last will be first you know what bugs me can I just give you a little personal you know it really bugs me when people say let me tell you what I've sacrificed for the Lord I'll shut up I've given up so much to go like do what God has called me to do oh really you know what you've given up hell eternal damnation eternal condemnation you received eternal life yeah but it's a hard okay with persecutions part of the deal don't be surprised at that and there are people in the world that really get persecuted I remember first time somebody laughed at a Christian bumper sticker I put on my Datsun pickup truck I know I'm dating myself when I even say Datsun pickup truck and people laughed at and I thought I would persecuted they left of my bumper sticker reality check there's people who are dying for their faith with persecution but Jesus says you know what you'll be given back so much even now here and now I lost so many friends when I gave myself to Christ I gave my life to Christ I wonder if my old friends wanted nothing to do with me but you know what I got a whole new set of friends I got a whole new family I got a whole new mom dad sisters brothers now they're as they were on the road as they were going on the road going notice up to Jerusalem now there this is this is let me just set set the little paint the brush here this is the final movement of Jesus to War Jerusalem where he will be tried after he's arrested and crucified he's left Galilee he has moved east of the Jordan down in Perea now he's going to cross back over the Jordan River in the area of Jericho and from Jericho make that 15 mile hike up to Jerusalem it's a very very steep road he's making that with his disciples and that notice this is they're going up to Jerusalem Jerusalem's about 2500 feet above sea level Dead Sea area where Jesus is at as 1290 feet below sea level that's at the shore of the Dead Sea Jericho's a little higher than at 4 like Palm Springs you know kind of raised up it's still really really hot in the summer and so wherever you are around Jerusalem if you want to go to Jerusalem you always have to go up now that's important because the Bible measures in terms of its directions instead of east north and south east and west it measures it by topography because you walked in those days so when it says let's go up to Jerusalem you actually may be north of Jerusalem and say let's go up to Jerusalem now today we would see the mapping oh no you've got that wrong you mean go down to Jerusalem because you're up here on the map and so in in latitude you you're gonna go down no I'm walking and I'm walking up that hill so I'm going up to Jerusalem so you might be way up in Galilee and say let's go down or let's go up to Jerusalem even though you're going down on a map you follow me also it was believed that whenever you make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem no matter where in the world you lived you're always going up when you go to Jerusalem you might live in Rome and it might be most Bibi those beautiful Villa you live in in Rome or Beverly Hills but when you leave Jerusalem and go to Beverly Hills you're going down you leave Beverly Hills and you go to Jerusalem you're going to the place of worship it's always a step up to go worship God think of that every Sunday every Wednesday let's go to let's go up to church that's why if you are Jewish and you live outside of Israel and you immigrate to Israel you know what they call it alia Alia means to go up we're going I'm moving to Israel we're gonna make alia we're going up in life so it has a kind of a dual connotation they were going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was going before them and notice it says and they were amazed and as they followed they were afraid and then he took the twelve aside and began tell them the things that would happen there's a lot in that verse I just want to quickly explain it again I'm gonna move very very quickly and talk very very fast we can get through this but number one I went going up it says they followed Jesus they were amazed question is when you read that you go why were they amazed doesn't say why they were amazed Luke's Gospel says that Jesus set his face steadfastly to go to Jerusalem or as the King James set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem I believe what they were amazed at is that Jesus Christ was dead-set steadfast I'm going to Jerusalem nothing's gonna keep me from that he was so centered on that that they were amazed he kept going back to the goal going to Jerusalem let's keep going to go and after Jerusalem they were amazed that he was so intent and then they got afraid because he'll explain what's gonna happen now there's already lots of controversy following Jesus wherever he's at going up to Jerusalem is gonna fuel the fires a lot more so they go from amazement to fear because they know that something bad could really happen and he's going to explain to them indeed that is the case then it says he took the twelve aside again what does that mean they're going up to Jerusalem they're not the only ones traveling it's almost Passover time so there's lots of pilgrims from around Israel going up on all the roads from all the villages to worship in Jerusalem because there were three mandatory feasts you remember Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles this is Passover lots of people are going up so because there's so many people the Lord wants to tell them something so he takes him aside from the rest of the pilgrims going up on the road and tell us the things that would happen here's his message to them here's a sermon behold or hey check this out we're going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests to the scribes they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles and they will mock him and scourge him and spit on him and kill him and on the third day He will rise again it's a third time Jesus tells them this chapter 8 chapter 9 he said it now here in chapter 10 he tells him again okay uh news flash boys word up on this just so you know priming you for what's going on here I'm going up to Jerusalem got you you need to know what this means they're gonna hate me mock me spit on me and kill me so they were afraid before they're really afraid now and the last sentence just went over their heads they forgot all about it third day I'm gonna rise from the dead over their head didn't even pick up on it they do not expect a crucifixion and I can prove that because it says later on after Jesus rose from the dead they forgot that he actually said that and the third day He will rise from the dead I want to make a comment really quickly there are people who try to put Jesus in a couple different camps and I I hear this Oh every Christmas and Easter when these lame television networks have a new show about Jesus new facts we've uncovered they're just old lies in new documentaries one they try to cast Jesus as some gentle naive do-good philosopher just kind of like happy but really naive who got caught up in the roman government machinery and got himself crucified or a revolutionary who started a coup and is the victim of his own issues pride whatever he's a victim of his own popularity what I see here by Jesus three times telling them in advance this is what's going to happen to me it shows me none of those are even a possibility according to the New Testament record the fact that Jesus could tell his disciples and one of these predictions in another gospel he says they're going to crucify me tells him the exact manner by which he's gonna die shows me this is a planned event it's not oops I'm really in trouble now they're gonna kill me oops I got caught up in the roman government machinery and i'm gonna get myself crucified oops i'm a victim of my own popularity baloney it's a planned event revelation 13 he's the Lamb who was slain before the foundations of the earth for God sent his son into the world it's not a victim of anything it was a planned event long before the universe existed from the foundation of the earth then James and John the sons of Zebedee came to him saying teacher we want you to do for us whatever we ask you laugh but I know you have prayed a prayer like that Lord now I'm gonna pray something and I want you to do exactly as I tell you he said to them what do you want me to do for you they said to him grant us that we may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left hand in your glory now I suppose they had an argument even before they approached Jesus about who's getting the right hand who's getting the left hand both were places of honor but the right hand clearly was the highest place of honor so once they had that ironed up they come to Jesus jesus said to them you don't even know what you're asking are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with they said to him we're able this is called zeal without knowledge jesus said to them you will indeed drink the cup that I drink and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give it is for those for whom it is prepared Matthew gives us some very interesting insight into this particular story mark Peter is gentle and generous with him saying these two boys went to Jesus but Matthew rats on them and tells us how they went about asking Jesus Matthew said they used their mother to be the voice can you imagine you sent your mom to ask him that question Jesus asked them a question are you able to drink the cup that I drink now the word for cup the idea of a cup is to enter into the full experience of an ordeal are you able to go through what I'm gonna go through and they go yeah not even knowing he just said I'm gonna get killed be able to follow me all the way and go through it I'm oh yeah so you guys really weren't listening a couple verses ago right he says to them you will indeed drink the cup you will be baptized with the baptism but to sit on my right hand my left hand is not mine to give but for those for whom it is prepared yep you guys really are gonna enter into suffering in pain James was the first martyr of the church Acts chapter 12 Herod had his head cut off John will be exiled to Patmos for his faith entering also into suffering not a whole lot has changed when it comes to the kingdom of God now and Christian service there are people who well let me put it to you this way when I first left the beach and came out to New Mexico I told all my friends where God had called me to go and ask them to come join me and serve the Lord with me and you're going where what's the name of that state knew what they'd like never heard of it yeah I'm I'm just gonna see what the Lord has come and serve coming well you know I don't know if the Lord's called me and I I can go with that but what was interesting is after a church was established here and some knew that they could have an actual job that like pays money with benefits insurance I feel called but are you guys able to be baptized and to drink this cup and when the ten heard it remember two came to Jesus is using mom when the ten heard it they began to be greatly displeased with James and John you can imagine what that sounded like and I think they were just mad because they didn't think of it first Jesus called them to himself and said to them you know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever of you desires to be first shall be the slave of all for even the son of man as Jesus himself did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many in the world there's a pyramid guy on top is on top of the pyramid and the lesser people are below him in the pyramid Jesus says turn it upside down that's my kingdom Richard Lenski are Solinsky great commentator one of my favorites in New Testament stuff talks about this pyramid and he says great men don't sit on top of lesser men great men bear lesser men on their backs that's what Jesus did I find even among Christians this idea in Ministry of a celebrity status well we have handlers for everything we do now why don't you be their handlers buddy why don't you serve them Jesus came to serve people he didn't have handlers he served them and notice the word servant verse 43 and slave in verse 44 realize you are the personal property of another you're his servant you're his slave maybe we should put that in all of our business cards so the doctor Reverend pastor skip his holiness how about slave of Jesus Christ now they came to Jericho hey man I think we're going to do it now they came to Jarek and we're in Jericho already man we've been at we left Galilee and we're in Jericho that's a long walk they came to Jericho and as he went out of Jericho now it's leaving Jericho going upwards towards Jerusalem what we would call south but it's up topography with his disciples and a great multitude blind bartimaeus no we don't know his name I know you're looking at it going yeah it's Bartimaeus Bar means Sun Timaeus was his dad and that's the explanatory note following it the son of Timaeus he's called Bartimaeus Bartimaeus means son of Timaeus that's who he was we still don't know his name he's the son of Timaeus he's Bar Tomatoes sat by the road begging and when he heard it that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out and say Jesus son of David have mercy on me then many warned him to be quiet but he cried out all the more son of David have mercy on me blindness was common 2,000 years ago in this part of the world the Sun was very bright people didn't have sunglasses sand blue a lot like it does around here there really weren't eye drops like we have today or protective contact lenses unsanitary conditions prevailed in that part of the world and I've also told you about a common condition that produced a blindness from the birth where the baby picked up in the birth canal during the birth process in the conjunctiva the mucous membrane of the eyelid a certain bacteria jnana tourim a fermion ana term so they were born where after a few days after pus filled the eyes eventually within a week or two the baby would be become lined now Jericho is interesting because Jericho had a balsam plant that grew around it that was used to treat blindness so there was an inordinate amount of blind people who lived in Jericho hoping for a cure a medicinal cure since that was one of the medicinal centers research centers for lack of a better term in that part of the world if you become blind if you don't have a family to support you you often become a beggar and you go to a gate an opening of the city where travelers and you are gather come in and out of and and you take advantage of their hopeful generosity that's the idea he heard he couldn't see but he heard this crowd and he heard that it was Jesus so he just cried out Jesus son of David have mercy on me stop right there this man lacks the Faculty of physical eyesight but he saw better than anybody else in that crowd because he called Jesus the Son of David that's a messianic term to him he's a rabbi he's a good man good master what must I do to inherit eternal life to this man he's Jesus the Son of David the Jewish Messiah don't know how he knew that maybe he just being a beggar in the gate of Jericho heard the news of travelers for years going back and forth of Jesus healing the blind and the Deaf and raising the dead and when he knew Jesus was in his town he identified him Jesus son of David it's the very term they will use in a few days on the Mount of Olives Hosanna to the son of David blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord a messianic term so though he was blind physically he could see better than anybody else in town Helen Keller one of the most famous visually impaired people in history said it is better to be blind than to have two good eyes and with your heart seeing nothing at all he saw in his heart who this was Jesus stood still verse 49 and commanded him to be called then they called the blind man saying to him be of good cheer now they just said shut up now they said hey dude cheer up he's calling you and throwing aside his garments and came to Jesus so jesus answered and said to him what do you want me to do for you was that really necessary wasn't it unnecessary for Jesus to ask him a question he's blind everybody knows he's blind he's crying out for mercy what can I do for you three guesses I mean anybody can answer the question why does Jesus asked him the question he wants him to articulate specifically I think there is a principle he didn't say the Lord just blessed me generally I'd like to I'd like to be cured of my blindness he asked that specifically the blind man said to him rub Oni is the intensive personalized form from rabbi my personal rabbi that I may receive my sight a specific prayer will lead to a specific answer which will generate a specific praise be specific when you pray so that when it gets answered you can praise him specifically for the answered prayer jesus said him go your way your faith has made you well and immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road don't you find it interesting that they tried to tell him to be quiet be quiet you know you're bugging Jesus please learn this lesson you can never bug Jesus you can never bother him he's never like - I'm too busy I'm like God yeah I don't like running a universe could you like lay off for a while you're always talking never or her don't let anyone dissuade you press in come immediately received his sight and followed Jesus on the road so now he can see and he's following Jesus what did he see well he saw Jesus go up to Jerusalem then didn't he he saw Jesus get up on that donkey in the Mount of Olives and he heard the shouts of Hosanna he would see Jesus get crucified in a few days and rise from the dead but the first thing he would ever see besides those things the first thing he would ever see would be Jesus Wow how's that how how cool is that there's a hymn writer I close with this I've told you the story I love this true story Fanny Crosby was her name they called her that she wrote eight thousand Christian hymns of worship eight thousand and a minister said to her one time miss Crosby God has blessed you with so much talent it's a pity that you were born blind she said if I had but one request it would be that I would be born blind because that means the first face that will ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior the first thing this man saw when his eyes were opened standing in front of him was Jesus Christ what a thing to wake up to and unless you see Jesus you're blind father we thank you for the time we've spent in this chapter this wonderful chapter of love of Jesus with his disciples from Galilee to Perea Judea Jericho and then up to Jerusalem thank you that we've been able to follow through this gospel and be transformed by these truths in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig

Views: 6,491

Rating: 4.6129031 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary Church, Skip Heitzig, Mark, John the Baptist, John Mark, synagogue, missionary, New Testament, clergy, baptism, satan, devil, King of the Jews, kosher, law, disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John

Id: 671D5PfJ5G4

Length: 63min 48sec (3828 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 11 2018