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20. One Thing You Lack

20. One Thing You Lack. Mark 10:1-31 p. 933-4. Start of Lent . Exciting week: Benedict XVI resigned Oscar Pistorius arrested. Meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk (Russia). Start of Lent . Good to do some “spring cleaning” and “de-cluttering” Divorce & wealth (Symptoms) Does God matter?

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20. One Thing You Lack

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  1. 20. One Thing You Lack Mark 10:1-31 p. 933-4

  2. Start of Lent ... • Exciting week: • Benedict XVI resigned • Oscar Pistorius arrested • Meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk (Russia)

  3. Start of Lent ... • Good to do some “spring cleaning” and “de-cluttering” • Divorce & wealth (Symptoms) • Does God matter? • What does it mean to be a disciple? • Three stories: • Divorce – Choosing the Best or the Minimum • Childlikeness – Coming Empty-handed • Wealth – A Barrier to the Kingdom

  4. 1. Divorce – Choosing the Best or the Minimum • Pharisees: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” • A theological controversy: (with huge practical implications) • Shammai: Limited to marital unfaithfulness • Hillel: Can divorce for any number of reasons. • Can a man divorce ... for any & every reason (Matt 19:3) • Moses’ teaching (Deut 24:1-4)

  5. 1. Divorce – Choosing the Best or the Minimum ... • Jesus: • Moses’ Law – “because your hearts were hard” (v 5) • God’s intent is marriage as a lifelong commitment (v 8) • “one flesh” ... No one could/should separate. • Pharisees focussed on what was permitted in the Law • Jesus focussed on the intent of God.

  6. 1. Divorce – Choosing the Best or the Minimum ... • Divorce is a sad part of human social life. • Bible gives guidance • Depends on the particular circumstances of each situation. • Jesus presents the real question: • How can I make my marriage all that God intends it to be?

  7. 1. Childlikeness – Coming Empty-handed • “Let the little children come to me ...” (v 14) • The real issue: Children come empty-handed. • No wealth, no status, no strength, no wisdom, no power • They come with nothing. • The Kingdom belongs to those “LIKE” little children

  8. 1. Childlikeness – Coming Empty-handed ... • Most wonderful thing about the Kingdom of God – We don’t bring anything to be allowed in. • When we come empty-handed we come as we should.

  9. 1. Wealth – Barrier to the Kingdom • An honourable, righteous, law-abiding man comes • Jesus “looked at him and loved him” (v 21) • He lacks one thing (v 21): Empty-handedness !! • He lacks open-handedness. • He wants to add God to his current life. • He doesn’t want to give his current life to God.

  10. 1. Wealth – Barrier to the Kingdom ... • Wealth considered a sign of God’s favour • ‘Who then can be saved?” (V 26)

  11. 1. Wealth – Barrier to the Kingdom ... • Do we have to sell everything and give to the poor? • All things are possible with God (v 27) – • God can change hearts. • Should all Christians live in poverty? • We should be willing to live as God calls us to live. • Hold our possessions and finances lightly with open hands

  12. One Thing You Lack • Empty-handedness may mean “open-handedness” • Will I let Jesus set my lifestyle? • Am I willing to work less and earn less to be more available? • Am I willing to simplify my life? • Am I eager to be generous?

  13. One Thing You Lack “No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much ...” (v 30)

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