#20 - Eternal Life?
<<< BIBLE CHAPTER SECTIONS >>>
(Referred to in this weeks "Come Follow Me")
Mt 19- Teaching About Divorce - Let the Children Come To Me - The Rich Young Ruler
Mt 20- Laborers in the Vineyard - Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time - a Mother’s Request - Jesus Heals two Blind Men
Mk 10- Teaching About Divorce - Let The Children Come to Me - The Rich young Man - Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time - Request of James and John - Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
Lk 18- Parable of persistent widow - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - Let the Children Come to Me - The Rich Ruler - Jesus foretells His Death a Third Time - Jesus heals a blind beggar
Read the chapters yourself then…
watch the Bible Project videos on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Neil Evans COMENTS:
It seems that almost everyone has thoughts and feelings about how to be properly and effectively related to God. Even people who claim to not have a God have a measure of confidence that they are good enough people even without God. It seems built into us to seek to measure up to some standards in order to be right with God. The Pharisees confronted Jesus regarding marriage. They weren’t particularly interested in what Jesus believed but were simply testing to see if He would agree with their perspective. Most of us are a lot like that; we challenge each other’s beliefs, not to learn, but, to see if others measure up to the standards we think are important. Jesus responded first with a question about what Moses said in the Old Testament. When they answered with the familiar answer about allowing divorce Jesus took them back to God’s original description of marriage being a God ordained union of one man and one woman.
Regarding the theme: “What Lack I Yet?”, The Pharisees could be saying: “we follow Moses’ instructions on divorce, what more do we need to be right with God in our marriages?” Jesus turns the attention to our hearts as the central issue. There are no perfect marriages because there are no perfect hearts, no one who perfectly follows God’s plan for anything. What we lack is not more effort but more dependence on God to do what we can never do ourselves. In no place or time does Jesus teach that human marriages can be perfect or eternal. In fact no human attitudes, understandings or behaviors are perfect, no matter how hard we try. What do we lack? One thing we lack is what children have.
Jesus said children are a good example of members of the Kingdom of Heaven. In contrast to Pharisees, and even the disciples of Jesus, and me, children are dependent (among other things). Our basic human nature thinks that if we just work hard enough at following the right rules then we will be fit for Heaven.
Children are naive enough to be dependent on an adult who cares for them.
Like the Pharisees, a rich young man proudly, and sincerely, came to Jesus claiming to have kept all the commandments. Sensing that his good behaviors were not enough, the young man asked Jesus what more he needed to do to have eternal life. Revealing the one thing the man could not change on his own, Jesus exposed the selfish heart of the man who loved himself more than he loved the God of the Commandments or the God of Eternal Life.
A few years ago my church hosted a retirement party for me. I have been a pastor for the last 48 years. I was surprised and humbled by the many very nice things people said about me. Most people have such comments made at their funeral, I got to hear and read them. But, I know the truth behind all the comments; I know the hypocrisies that accompanied all the nice things I did and was. I know that if there was anything of eternal value in any of my ministries, it was God’s doing, not mine.
Like the laborers in the field, the blind men, the tax collector, those who are dependent, do not seek to make themselves worthy, or by more obedience earn their way, but they simply say: “what I lack is not more effort, but more dependence on You, Jesus.” And the greatest thing Jesus could and would do for us is to pay the death penalty for our sin. And I know His death was valid and effective for my forgiveness because He took His Life back again just as He said He would. It is on the basis of what Jesus has done for me that He gives, as a gift, the LIFE I have now and forever which I could never earn or deserve.
(Referred to in this weeks "Come Follow Me")
Mt 19- Teaching About Divorce - Let the Children Come To Me - The Rich Young Ruler
Mt 20- Laborers in the Vineyard - Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time - a Mother’s Request - Jesus Heals two Blind Men
Mk 10- Teaching About Divorce - Let The Children Come to Me - The Rich young Man - Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time - Request of James and John - Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
Lk 18- Parable of persistent widow - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector - Let the Children Come to Me - The Rich Ruler - Jesus foretells His Death a Third Time - Jesus heals a blind beggar
Read the chapters yourself then…
watch the Bible Project videos on Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Neil Evans COMENTS:
It seems that almost everyone has thoughts and feelings about how to be properly and effectively related to God. Even people who claim to not have a God have a measure of confidence that they are good enough people even without God. It seems built into us to seek to measure up to some standards in order to be right with God. The Pharisees confronted Jesus regarding marriage. They weren’t particularly interested in what Jesus believed but were simply testing to see if He would agree with their perspective. Most of us are a lot like that; we challenge each other’s beliefs, not to learn, but, to see if others measure up to the standards we think are important. Jesus responded first with a question about what Moses said in the Old Testament. When they answered with the familiar answer about allowing divorce Jesus took them back to God’s original description of marriage being a God ordained union of one man and one woman.
Regarding the theme: “What Lack I Yet?”, The Pharisees could be saying: “we follow Moses’ instructions on divorce, what more do we need to be right with God in our marriages?” Jesus turns the attention to our hearts as the central issue. There are no perfect marriages because there are no perfect hearts, no one who perfectly follows God’s plan for anything. What we lack is not more effort but more dependence on God to do what we can never do ourselves. In no place or time does Jesus teach that human marriages can be perfect or eternal. In fact no human attitudes, understandings or behaviors are perfect, no matter how hard we try. What do we lack? One thing we lack is what children have.
Jesus said children are a good example of members of the Kingdom of Heaven. In contrast to Pharisees, and even the disciples of Jesus, and me, children are dependent (among other things). Our basic human nature thinks that if we just work hard enough at following the right rules then we will be fit for Heaven.
Children are naive enough to be dependent on an adult who cares for them.
Like the Pharisees, a rich young man proudly, and sincerely, came to Jesus claiming to have kept all the commandments. Sensing that his good behaviors were not enough, the young man asked Jesus what more he needed to do to have eternal life. Revealing the one thing the man could not change on his own, Jesus exposed the selfish heart of the man who loved himself more than he loved the God of the Commandments or the God of Eternal Life.
A few years ago my church hosted a retirement party for me. I have been a pastor for the last 48 years. I was surprised and humbled by the many very nice things people said about me. Most people have such comments made at their funeral, I got to hear and read them. But, I know the truth behind all the comments; I know the hypocrisies that accompanied all the nice things I did and was. I know that if there was anything of eternal value in any of my ministries, it was God’s doing, not mine.
Like the laborers in the field, the blind men, the tax collector, those who are dependent, do not seek to make themselves worthy, or by more obedience earn their way, but they simply say: “what I lack is not more effort, but more dependence on You, Jesus.” And the greatest thing Jesus could and would do for us is to pay the death penalty for our sin. And I know His death was valid and effective for my forgiveness because He took His Life back again just as He said He would. It is on the basis of what Jesus has done for me that He gives, as a gift, the LIFE I have now and forever which I could never earn or deserve.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project video about Matthew
Watch Bible Project video about Mark
Watch Bible Project video about Luke
Watch Bible Project video about John
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"