WHEN ELON MET JESUS
March 26, 2023
Pastor Brian
Matthew 19:16-30 | Mark 10:17-31 | Luke 18:18-30
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, 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!”
26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” Mark 10:17–31 (NLT)
1. He asked the right person but for the wrong
“As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher…” (Mark 10:17, NLT)
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.” (Mark 10:18, NLT)
2. He asked the right question but with the wrong
“…what must I DO to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, NLT)
“But to answer your question, you know the commandments…” (Mark 10:19, NLT)
3. He received the right answer but chose the wrong
“…I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy.” ” (Mark 10:20, GW)
FOUR BARRIERS of the BLESSED TO SALVATION
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“All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.” (Isaiah 64:6, GNB)
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“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:15–17, NLT)
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“But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,” (Matthew 20:25–26, NLT)
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“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21, NIV)
“Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”” (Mark 10:21, NLT)
“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, NIV)
“At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.” (Mark 10:22, NLT)
“Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, 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 10:23–25, NLT)
THE TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION:
1. You don’t have to be broke but you do have to be
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12, ESV)
“God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!” (Matthew 5:3, CEV)
is what God will turn into “You
2. You don’t have to be good, but you do have to be
“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” (Romans 3:23, CEV)
“Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, GNB)
3. You can’t achieve it; you can only
“The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”” (Mark 10:26–27, NLT)
“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law…We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3:20–22, NLT)
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