Day 11: The Upside-Down Kingdom (Mark 10:1-11:19)

Welcome back to our study of the Gospel of Mark. And have you ever wondered on that Monday of that first holy week, what did Jesus do? Where was He? Where did He go? What did He teach?

Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem. He's going to, for the third time, tell His disciples, here's the game plan, I'm going to be betrayed, I'm going to die. They're slowly getting it.

Imagine, if you will, He's walking with the disciples, He's heading toward Jerusalem, and He pauses here and there, and there's some teaching and conversation.

Scene number one, we get in chapter 10, verse 1, Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea, across the Jordan. Again, crowds of people came to Him, as was His custom, He taught them.

Some Pharisees came - notice the goal - to test Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” Jesus replied, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

Response, “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and will be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So, they're no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

So, we've heard that before, He's quoting Genesis chapter 2, He's saying the biblical view of marriage is, it's a man, it's a woman, forever, they become one, the only reason for divorce is not because, as in some of the early Greek literature, one wife burned the toast of her husband and he divorced her. I mean, women were treated so poorly, and Jesus is saying, this is what God set up, this is the standard.

When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about how He answered. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. This is what Jesus taught.

As Will Durant said, who wrote A history of western civilization [The Story of Civilization]. He's not a Christian, but this was sort of the standard work, multiple, multiple volumes. He made two observations. One was that the Apostle Paul was the greatest intellect of the first century. His other was, Christianity, the teaching of Jesus, transformed the sexual ethic of the world.

At this point in Rome, there were bathhouses and prostitutes. There was heterosexual sex, homosexual sex. A man would have a wife to raise children. He would often have a slave girl for casual sex. And he would go to the brothels whenever he wanted. And it was just, this is the way it is. And Jesus into that says, no. Not only is it dysfunctional, painful, an outrage to the value of women.

Now, other Scripture will tell us there are times for a biblical divorce. There are times where immorality can lead to a breaking of the covenant. But apart from that, God's intent is this, we're one. And the disciples are going, wow. Jesus, that is, there was a liberal view in the day and a conservative view of the day, and He says an unbiblical divorce married to another person is adultery. Hot topic. Hot topic number two is children really don't matter.

People were bringing their little children, picking it up at verse 13, to have Him touch them. But the disciples rebuked them. They're still stuck in the culture. When Jesus saw this, His response, He was indignant. He said to them, Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them. For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter into it. And He took the children in His arms, and He put His hands on them, and He blessed them.

This is Monday, He's moving toward the cross, and you talk about addressing sort of cultural issues of His day, right? We have ours. These were two really big ones, and He says kids matter, they're valuable, in fact, if you don't come like a dependent, humble child, you can't even receive the life-giving Kingdom that Jesus offers.

The next picture is, of a very wealthy person who has heard some of the teachings of Jesus, and Jesus is very, very popular, and he has a very important question.

We pick it up at verse 17. As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to him, noticed the posture, fell on his knees. So, he's humbling himself before Him. Good teacher, he asked, What must I do to inherit eternal life?

Why do you call me good, Jesus answered. No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, do not murder. Do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. Notice the response. Teacher, he declared, all these I have done since I was a boy. Jesus looked at him - notice the motivation - and loved him. See, Jesus is always looking in the heart. One thing you lack, He said, Go sell everything that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come, follow Me.

At this, the man's face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to His disciples - it's a teachable moment - how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples were amazed at His words, but Jesus said again how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God. It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples were even more amazed, and they said to each other, Then, who can be saved?

Now, you need to understand, again, there's a cultural issue here. Judaism taught during this time, and there's certainly a number of verses that, as you follow God, obey God, He will prosper your life. And by this time, you know, they had a little of their own prosperity gospel going. If you were wealthy and rich, the assumption was, you must be pleasing to God. I mean, because you have blessing, and material wealth is an outward indicator of an interior reality.

Just like external religious activity was assumed to be an internal indicator of righteousness with God. Well, Jesus challenges both, and the disciples are going, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, are You kidding? I mean, if that guy can't get in, who can? Now, before we go on with the disciples, let's pause, remember it's Monday, He's covering hot topics, divorce, the value of children, humility, coming like a child, and we learned from, the other Gospel writers, especially Luke, this man was a rich, young ruler, and he asked, you know, how can I inherit?

He knows he's got a need. I've kept all the external commandments, but I know something's missing. What do I need? And, Jesus helps him understand that he overestimates the value of his external righteousness. And Jesus loves him, and He loves him so much, He looks past his external activity, and He looks into his heart, and He says, mmm, idol.

Ooh, this is a big one. A lot of people have it. Very dangerous. I'm going to have to do surgery. I mean major surgery. This idol is cancerous. Idols always promise a lot. Idols, like tentacles, take hold of our hearts and they pull us away from God and they keep us from true worship. And so, Jesus wants to free him and He wants him to have treasure in Heaven forever and ever and ever.

So out of love, Jesus says, go sell everything that you have and come follow Me. You have treasure in Heaven. Now pause. If Jesus is who He said He is, this is the wisest counsel He could ever give, and this would be the wisest move this man could ever make. But this idol was a barrier. Does everyone need to sell everything we have to have eternal life? The Bible doesn't teach that.

But the Bible does teach if there is an idol in your life, and it could be money in this case, it could be family, are you ready for this? It could be a ministry, it could be an addiction. Anything that you think is going to come through for you to make your life work, that you put ahead of God, is an idol. And God, in His kindness, in His great, great kindness, will point at that idol and say you have to give that up for your own good.

But in this case, the issue the disciples have is, Jesus, you know, we're going toward Jerusalem. And we've heard a lot of radical things, but you are really messing with our categories now. If someone who keeps all the commandments, I mean, right? He's externally pure and he wants to be saved, because of his money and this idol can't be saved. Well, like, well, who can, right? I mean, how do you get there?

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” Guess what Jesus is introducing? There's no amount of good works ever, ever, ever anyone can do. He's made the point, believe, believe, believe, believe. Your faith has made you well. Daughter, your faith has made you well. Because you believed, it's faith. He's saying, salvation is a gift.

And then Peter, I love Peter. He's always asking the questions that I would ask if I was there. Peter said to Him, we have left everything to follow You. In other words, Lord, I mean, we are all in and the price tag has been high. And now Jesus is going to remind them, Yes, you are all in and you all have a reward greater. And for anyone who goes all in like you, they have this too.

Jesus says, I tell you the truth, no one who's left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields - right? Every relationship or any, you know, assets - for Me, and for the gospel, will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age of homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, and with them persecution. And in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first - they have it made in this world - will be last. And the last will be first.

And so, He, tells them, even your sacrifice, as difficult and challenging as it is to follow Me and put Me first, you'll be rewarded in this life.

And you might ask yourself, well, how does that really work? I mean, how could that be? Money's powerful. It is a barrier. And Jesus wanted them to know two things. Number one, it can't be an idol. And number two, when you walk with Me, I got lots of money. I got lots of homes, I got people all over the world. Billions of them. And as you walk with Me, you can expect that those resources will be available along with persecutions.

Well, they were on their way up to Jerusalem and Jesus was leading the way and the disciples were astonished while those who followed were afraid. How's that? We're on our way and we're going like astonished and everyone else going should we be hanging out with this guy?

He's kind of the, on the most wanted list. And so, again, he took the 12 aside and told them what was going to happen. He wants them to know, I'm not a victim. He wants them to know what's going to happen is planned. I'm not a victim, so when this happens, don't get uptight.

We are going up to Jerusalem, He said, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priest and the teachers of the law, and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him.

And three days later, He will rise. Boy, that's specific. He knew exactly what was going to happen. In this context, His followers are now thinking, I wonder where my position is going to be in this coming Kingdom. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. Teacher, they said, we want You to do for us whatever we ask. In other words, blank check. We're going to ask something, but could You say yes, in advance? What do you want Me to do for you, He asked. They replied, Let one of us sit at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your glory.

I think Jesus kind of shook His head and looked at them and said, You don't know what you're asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I'm baptized with? And you know, I think this is, they were getting it. We can, they answered. Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I would be baptized with, but to sit at My right hand or My left is not for Me to grant these places belong to those for whom they've been prepared.

Now, get this response. When the ten other disciples heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Why? Because those two asked first , right?

Then notice this. Jesus called them all together. He said, You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all - great passage example - for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. Literally, that little word for, a substitute for many.

And so now as He's heading, He's covered hot topics. Now there's two of them that want to be great. He's again told them greatness is being servant. The Kingdom values are upside down from the world's. And then they're getting into Jericho and so they're getting real close. And I think this is sort of a reminder about who really matters to Jesus.

He's had a rich young ruler come, who turns away sad and as they're walking, it says, Then they came to Jericho and as Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, that is son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout. Jesus, Son of David, Son of David, that's a messianic term, have mercy on me. Many rebuked him and told him, be quiet. He shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus stopped and said, call him. So, they called to the blind man, Cheer up, on your feet, He's calling you. Notice this, you want to know what faith looks like? Faith is believing in the character of someone and the promises of someone to the point of acting. Often, when it doesn't make sense.

Throwing his coat aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. You say, I don't get it, Chip. If you were blind and in a big crowd and you had a cloak, would you throw it aside? Like, how are you going to find it later? He believes that Jesus is going to heal him.

Jesus called him. What do you want Me to do for you, Jesus asked. The blind man said, Rabbi, I want to see. Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you. Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus along the way.

The rich young ruler, super religious, goes away sorrowful. A beggar, someone who's not righteous in the eyes of the Jewish world, he just hears about Jesus, calls out to Him in his desperation, He's calling you, throws his cloak aside and runs to Him, what do you want Me to do for you? I believe Jesus is saying that to some of us right now. What do you want Me to do for you? And the man knew. I want to see. What would you say to Jesus? If Jesus said to you right now, What do you want Me to do for you? Tell Him. And then be willing to throw a cloak or whatever aside and run toward Him.

Now, after this happens, it's Monday, it's late afternoon by now, and Jesus is approaching Jerusalem, and they pass Bethany, and the Mount of Olives, and He says to a couple of disciples, there's a colt, it's never been ridden before, here's where it is, go get it, and if anyone asks about it, say the Lord needs it, they bring this colt and Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would come in peace and, old tradition is, an army would go out on a white horse. That's for victory. But an emissary, someone coming in peace, would ride on a colt or a donkey.

And so, Jesus comes in to Jerusalem. I mean, this is, the big moment. And guess what? The crowds are going crazy. The apostles, they take some of their cloaks and put it on the donkey, and, others are putting it on the ground, and people are grabbing branches, and, right? It's the whole Palm Sunday that we celebrate.

And He comes in riding on this donkey, Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. This is the King. They're recognizing Jesus is the King. Jesus is the King. And then He comes in. And the religious leaders say, You better tell them to shut up. Don't you understand what they're saying? And He turns to them, He goes, If they were held quiet, the rocks would cry out. This is who I am, is what He's saying.

And then He goes into the Temple, and He clears it out, and He turned over the tables and He says what? My Father says this is to be a house of prayer. And Jesus has thrown down the gauntlet on Monday. And He has I mean, blown open things. He's been worshipped as the king. He's come on and fulfilled prophecy. He said, this is what I'm doing. He went right into the temple like He owns it, like it was His, because it is. And He scattered people, and He grabbed a whip, and He drove people out. And then the text says, as the day was ending, He went back out to Bethany.

And tomorrow, on Tuesday, He'll do His last public teaching. And that's where we pick up the story. You don't wanna miss it.