ONE THING THOU LACKEST--MARK 10:17-27

ONE THING THOU LACKEST

MARK 10:17-27

Key verse: 21, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

Introduction:

“What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” That is a legitimate concern in life, but not many are thinking about “eternal life” today. In fact, many are of the opinion that man is annihilated at death and that is all there is.

However, that is not the case here. This young man is sincere in his quest to know how that he “may inherit” eternal life. He wanted to do something to earn this life.

I. JESUS CHALLENGES THE MAN’S FALULTY PERCEPTION OF GOOD.

A. His concept of “good” was something measured by human achievement.

1. Most religion teaches salvation by good works.

2. Judaism had been reduced to this type of teaching long before the Lord was born.

B. Jesus sets him straight, v. 18, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

1. No one is good, absolutely perfect, except God alone, the true Source and Standard of goodness. See Romans 3:10.

2. The man needed to see himself in the context of God’s perfect character. Isa. 6:5

3. The man, unwittingly calling Him “good,” needed to perceive Jesus’ true identity.

II. THOU KNOWEST THE COMMANDMENTS

A. Man’s relationship with man, v. 19, “Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”

1. This part of the Decalogue deals with man’s relation to other men.

2. Eternal life is a relationship between man and God.

B. A moral young man, v.20, “And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.”

1. He had been reared properly according to Jewish law.

2. He had lived by what he had been taught since he was a boy, since age 12 when he assumed personal responsibility for keeping the Law as a “son of the Law.”

3. This young man apparently felt that something was missing in his life, thus his question to the Lord.

III. ONE THING THOU LACKEST

A. With a penetrating look Jesus saw beneath the young rich man’s religious devotion.

1. Go and sell your possessions and follow Me, v. 21b, “go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”

2. Our Lord could see through the façade that hid what was on the interior of his heart, v. 22, “And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” John 2:24-25, “…because he knew all men, 25-And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

3. Jesus’ loving action vividly illustrated that His blessing is freely given to those who receive it trustingly, Mark 9:36, “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37-Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.”

B. The Lord’s astonishing observations.

1. His statement: v. 23, “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

2. You cannot serve God and the riches of this world, Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

a. A choice has to be made, “for either he will hate the one, and love the other…”

b. You cannot hold on to both, “or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.”

3. Jesus makes another statement, v.26, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

C. The disciple’s reaction, v. 24a, “And the disciples were astonished at his words.”

1. Who then can be saved? Matthew19:25, “When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?”

2. Perhaps they thought it was a “hard saying,” John 6:60, “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

D. Jesus explains His statement, v. 27, “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

CONCLUSION

Jesus told the young man, “One thing thou lackest.” That one thing was trust. He trusted in his possessions more than in the Lord. He loved the things that he had more than he wanted eternal life.

It is a miracle when someone put his faith in Jesus Christ. It is impossible for man to save himself because he will always being lacking one thing – FAITH in Jesus Christ.