Mark 10:13-31
Key Verse: 10:15....“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

 Today, Jesus teaches us who is fitted for the kingdom of God. We have to receive the kingdom of God like a little child. The rich young man tried to enter the kingdom of God with his human efforts and could not accept Jesus’ invitation to the kingdom of God because he was not like a little child. Let’s accept the kingdom of God like a little child and live for the gospel and Jesus so as to inherit the eternal life. May God bless us to have treasure in heaven. I pray that God may bless many young people to make decision of faith to follow Jesus.

PART I. JESUS AND CHILDREN (13-16)

Look at verse 13. “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them” (13). Many parents knew that there was a blessing in Jesus. So they brought all their children to Jesus to have him lay his hand on their heads to be blessed. But the disciples saw that some children were very noisy. They thought that children would hinder Jesus’ message and they were too small to understand and not yet qualified to come to Jesus. They did not have any room to welcome the little children because their hearts were hardened like the Pharisees. They saw the little children from the practical point of view. So his disciples rebuked them, “You children! Turn around and go back!  Otherwise, we will do something to you.” When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. This was a very trivial matter to worldly people. We can watch many royal parties. There are no children, only grown-ups–mainly old people who have authority over others or renowned young people. They all come to the party couple by couple dressed well. To worldly people, ignoring children is a trivial matter. But Jesus was very indignant. Jesus rebuked his disciples when they drove the children away from him. Then, Jesus explained to his disciples how to enter the kingdom of God by using the attributes of the children in verses 14 and 15.  First, who belongs to the kingdom of God? Look at verse 14b. “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’” What are the attributes of the little children in this case? They are pure and meek in their hearts. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” They don’t pretend to know a lot of things. They are honest and humble. They are loving and forgiving and do not harbor their anger too long. If this is you, you belong to the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Matthew 11:25, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Praise Jesus for revealing the kingdom of God to us when we were hungry and pure in spirit. But it was hidden to the proud Pharisees. Jesus revealed his kingdom to Jay Jagun when she was seeking God’s comfort with humble heart. She found true comfort in Jesus. Jesus revealed his kingdom to S. Joseph Park when he was humble in spirit. Now he sings for the glory of God. Jesus revealed his kingdom to me when I was low in spirit wandering around KyungHee campus in Seoul, Korea with a fatalistic view of life. When I was humble, Jesus opened my eyes to see the kingdom of God.   
Second, Jesus teaches his disciples how to receive the kingdom of God. Look at verse 15.  “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Here the key word is “receive”. What is the key word? How should we receive the kingdom of God? We have to receive the kingdom of God like a little child. How can we become little children again? Jesus is talking about our attitude towards the kingdom of God. What are the characteristics of little children in this case? They are simple. They trust their parents. They learn constantly. They are helpless. They come just as they are. They are not sophisticated. They are growing constantly. They have open minds. They are weak and depend on their parents all the time. They are thankful all the time. When Jesus gives us the kingdom of God, we have to receive it with simple and thankful hearts. We have to trust Jesus. We have to come to Jesus as we are. We have to welcome Jesus with open minds. Children are happy whenever they receive the gifts by saying, “Thank you, mom and dad.” They don’t complain, “Why do you give me this gift?” The Pharisees closed their hearts when Jesus revealed the kingdom of God to them. They were complaining and unthankful to Jesus though Jesus loved them patiently. But his disciples received Jesus and trusted his word simply. By doing so they entered the kingdom of God. Many public sinners received the kingdom of God like the little children and they became members of the kingdom of God.  Look at verse 16. “And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” Jesus welcomed the children and blessed them by putting his hands on them. Jesus loved them because they came to him as they were. Jesus blessed them because they wanted to receive his blessing. The kingdom of God is not a matter of age and appearance but a matter of our attitude towards Jesus. True children of God are very happy, not just because of God’s blessing, but because their hearts are pure and they have joy of learning and growing constantly. Do you come to Jesus like a little child or like a grown-up? If you come to Jesus with fixed, hardened, and proud minds, repent and learn from little children and come to him humbly and eagerly. May God help us throw away the attitude of the grown-ups but have the attitude of little children to receive the kingdom of God. When you receive the kingdom of God like little children, you will experience true happiness and enjoy God’s blessing abundantly. 

PART II. THE RICH YOUNG MAN (17-31)

 As Jesus started on his way to Jerusalem to become the Lamb of God who would to take away the sin of the world, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. He seemed to have an urgent problem to solve before being too late. This was the last chance for him to ask because Jesus would die soon in Jerusalem. He ran so fast ahead of everyone else and knelt down before Jesus. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (17) Obviously, this young man had a serious life problem; he was not sure whether or not he had eternal life. He was like Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night to solve his life problem. What kind of person was he? Matthew 19:20 says that he was young. According to Luke, he was a ruler, and he was rich. (Lk 18:18) His power, wealth, and youth secured him a high social status in the society. He was a perfect modern day Yuppie. He had it all. He had achieved the American dream. He was the object of envy to many ambitious young men, and especially to many young girls who had hidden marriage problems. Many mothers who had unmarried daughters wanted to make him their son-in-law. He was indeed a man of standing already when he was young. Why did he kneel down before Jesus? He was not happy at all. He was not sure about his salvation. He wanted to have an answer towards his life problem. His wealth and power did not secure his salvation. So he came to Jesus to find his life direction. His question reveals his fundamental misunderstanding about eternal life. He understood eternal life in terms of doing something to inherit it. He earned everything his heart desired by working hard. In the same way, he felt he had to do something to inherit eternal life. He was wrong. Nobody can earn eternal life by doing something. How did Jesus help this promising young man?  Jesus said in verse 18, "Why do you call me good? No one is good--except God alone."  Jesus declared that no one is good except God alone. Romans 3:12b says, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” This is a pretty humiliating statement about men. We think that we feel pretty good about ourselves when we help others. But how can Jesus say that no one is good-except God alone.” Jesus said this to help him think of God as the solution to his problem, and so that he might know who Jesus really was, and find eternal life in him. Here we learn that human goodness is a relative term. We feel good when we compare ourselves to others. However, as long as we are in Adam, we cannot be good no matter how we improve our human condition through disciplined life style. This was the agony of Buddha. No matter how hard he tried to forget all agonies of life, he could not attain the goodness of God. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they lost their innocence and felt shame. They lost their absolute goodness which was given by God. (Gen. 1:31) They could not be the same as before no matter how hard they tried. All men are sinners before God. This means we can become forgiven sinners only by God's grace alone. We cannot earn eternal life by our human goodness. One person feels better than other person. But that does not mean that he or she is good. Only God can make us good. Many students say when we invite them to our Bible study, “ I am okay. I am pretty good because I kept all the laws.” It is important for them to accept that no one is good except God alone. That is the beginning point of God’s salvation. Apostle Paul thought that he was perfect in regard to the law. (Phil. 3:5c) But he realized that he was a wretched sinner and cried in Romans 7:24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” He was able to receive Jesus’ forgiveness when he knew that he was not good at all. 

 This young man also needed to realize what kind of person he was. So Jesus quoted from the fifth commandment to the tenth commandment. These commandments concern love of one's neighbor. "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.'" (Ex.20:12-16) How did he answer? Look at verse 20. "'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'" Wow! How could he say this? He had a rosy view about his past. His view of himself was relative. However, to him, keeping the law was only a matter of outward observance and ritualistic ceremonies. He did not grasp the idea that the law also requires inner obedience, which no one can fully satisfy. Maybe he tried to turn his eyes and ran away when he saw a beautiful girl coming to his way. He made a super effort not to steal a candy in local 7-11 store. In short, he did not have the spirit of the law. In spite of his honesty and devotion, this young man had kept the commandments superficially, for his own future success. From the context of this story, there was no evidence that he loved his neighbors actively. He did not hurt others but at the same time he did not love them like himself. He kept the law passively. In truth, he did not keep the commandments concerning the love of neighbors. God gives true happiness and overflowing joy to those who truly keep the law of God. But this man had kept the law of God in order to feel good about himself. He did not live for God but only for himself. As a result, he did not feel the life of God in himself. He looked gorgeous outwardly, but he was very miserable on the inside because of his me-centered life style.

 How did Jesus help him? Look at verse 21. "Jesus looked at him and loved him. ’One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’" Jesus loved him because he was a man of great potential. Jesus loves children. Jesus also loves young men and women. Like this man, young people are the future of our nation. A fisherman throws his net where there are a lot of fish. Jesus loves young people because they have dreams and visions. Jesus concerned about the spiritual condition of young man in the gospels. He said in Luke 7:14, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” Acts 2:17c says, “Your young men will see visions.” Jesus was a good fisher of men. Jesus wanted to throw his net to this young man. When young people are alive in any church, that church will have a bright future. Why? Young people establish their Christian home soon and they will have children. Then CBF will have new members. In that way the work of God will grow continuously. If a church has only senior citizens, that church has no future. Jesus loved this young man and gave him a decision hour. Jesus knew what was his spiritual problem. He was blinded spiritually by his material possession. In order to make a decision of faith he needed to change his value system from materialism to spiritual realities. Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” This young man was serving Money as his master. As a result, he could not serve God. That was the one thing he lacked. Money hindered him from entering the kingdom of God. Money was his spiritual obstacle. In order to follow Jesus, he needed to depend on God, not on his great wealth. It was the most important moment of life to him. Jesus, the Messiah, invited to follow him. It was an invitation to have a great life. In order to follow Jesus, he needed to have treasure in heaven not in this world. 

 The Christian life can be compared to a treasure hunt. (Mt.13:44-46) In the parable of Matthew chapter 13, one man found treasure hidden in a field. So he sold all he had and bought that field. Why? He knew there was treasure in that field. Was he smart or stupid. He was smart. Christians are those who sell all they have and buy treasures so that they can have treasure in heaven. Heavenly treasure is secure because there are no thieves in heaven.  It never spoils or fade away. Jesus also said to the young man, "Then come, follow me." Jesus graciously invited him to become his 13th disciple. It required his courage to give up his love of money and follow Jesus. He was at the door of the kingdom of God. What did he do? "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." (22) He had no courage to give up his material possessions. Without courage, no man can follow Jesus. He did not receive the kingdom of God like a little child. He did not receive Jesus’ invitation with humble heart. He calculated the cost of giving up his great wealth and went away sad.  In this respect Missionary Sarah Yun made courageous decision by giving up her teaching job to become humble Bible teacher for American students. God blessed her decision of faith abundantly.

 Jesus was very sorry that this man went away sad. So he said in verse 23, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" Like this rich young man, rich people have a tendency not to seek the kingdom of God because they like the things of the world more than God. This is the major problem of this generation. "The disciples were amazed at his words." Jesus understood them very well and said in verses 24b-25, "Children, how hard 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 man to enter the kingdom of God." At his words the disciples became negative, and they were even more amazed and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" They thought that the rich young man was a good candidate to enter the kingdom of God. If he cannot enter, then who can enter? Jesus looked at them and said in verse 27, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Here we learn that salvation is not a matter of possessions. Salvation cannot be earned by our human efforts. It is impossible to gain salvation by our human goodness. Salvation is a matter of faith. It is a gift of God comes from our faith in Jesus. God provides salvation through his one and only Son who died for our sins and rose again by the power of God. Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Let’s accept God’s gift of salvation like little children.

PART III. GOD’S REWARD FOR HIS CHILDREN (28-31) 

 Look at verse 28. Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" In this case, Peter is just like the rich young man who declared, "All these I have kept since I was a boy." Peter said, "We have left everything to follow you."  He was saying to Jesus, “Jesus, I am better than the rich young man.” What did Jesus say to him?  Look at verses 29 and 30. These verses tell us that it is necessary for Christians to leave home to follow Jesus. In Jesus' times, leaving home was not easy thing to do. But the disciples left their homes and societies to follow Jesus. However, they had a future security problem. When Peter said, "We have left everything to follow you," he was thinking about his uncertain security--"See our empty pockets! But you don't guarantee any future security! What is our reward?" Peter said in Matthew 19:27b, “What then will there be for us?”

 Jesus knew his heart very well and said in verses 29 and 30. "I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age--and in the age to come, eternal life." The real meaning of these verses is not the problem of leaving home or having a hundred mothers and fathers or a hundred sisters. Rather, the point concerns God's rewards to those who sacrifice to follow Jesus. What are the rewards?

First, God himself is their reward. Man's happiness largely depends on how much he can overcome his selfishness. But the true happiness of man comes when he accepts God himself as his own reward and inheritance. God does not give us cash or gold medals as rewards. He gives us himself as our reward. After obeying God's calling, Abraham felt that God did not bless him, for he had no son to inherit his estate. He felt he lost too much. He left his country, his hometown, old buddies, and idol worship in order to obey God’s calling. He spent a lot of money to rescue Lot but he refused material compensation from the king of Sodom. He made many enemies. But God appeared to him and said, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." (Ge.15:1) Here we learn that God alone is the security and reward of God's children. In addition, God gives us new spiritual family. God rewards us 100 times more than what we gave up. Reward is greater than what we lost. We have more sisters, brothers, mothers, and homes than ever before. This is true. What did you lose for Jesus?

Second, God rewards them with persecutions. Those who sacrifice many things to follow Jesus also receive persecution as their reward. Persecutions as reward? What kind of reward is this? Through persecutions and hardships, a child of God can learn how to trust and obey God all the more. Also, he can struggle and increase his faith through many persecutions and trials until his faith shines like pure gold. As a result, he wins victories and renders glory to God. Sometimes God's way of rewarding is mysterious and is too deep to understand to fallen mankind. At this point America mourns for those who died by the cruel terrorist attacks towards the WTC and the Pentagon. We could not find a true meaning of this terrible suffering. But one thing is clear. God has awaken America from the spiritual slumber. People began to turn to God in tears. People began to attend the church worship service and began to pray for the nation. God wants to build our faith like a pure gold through this tragedy. God still has hope in America. God still treats us as his own children and gives us trials of many kinds. God will give us bigger and better hope when we endure this national crisis by trusting his love for us.

Third, God rewards them with eternal life. What kind of reward should we get in exchange for our sorrow and suffering to live for Jesus and his gospel? The reward is eternal life in Jesus. We cannot exchange our lives even for the whole world. (Mk 8:36) One's life is most precious. How much more eternal life to one person! This is the best reward we can have. If we become the children of God, we will live forever in the kingdom of God with Jesus and all other believers after we depart this world. In this passage we learn that we have to receive the kingdom of God like little children. In Jesus we find true security and eternal life. May God help each of us find true security and eternal life in God when we have treasure in heaven. May God bless us to live for the gospel and Jesus. Let's read the key verse 15.