1
00:00:01,832 --> 00:00:03,923
It's time for us to begin.

2
00:00:07,946 --> 00:00:12,962
If you will, take your Bibles and open them to Mark chapter 10.

3
00:00:33,036 --> 00:00:41,149
March, after 10, we'll pick up around verse 13, but let's begin with a word of prayer and
then we'll get into our study.

4
00:00:42,526 --> 00:00:50,353
Our gracious Father in heaven, we bow before your throne, grateful for the day that you've
granted to us and the life that we have been blessed with.

5
00:00:50,353 --> 00:01:00,638
We're grateful for the opportunity that we have to serve you and we pray that you will
watch over us and protect us and take care of us as we know you have done throughout our

6
00:01:00,638 --> 00:01:01,558
lives.

7
00:01:01,676 --> 00:01:07,231
We thank you for this night and we thank you for the rain, the nourishment, it provides
the ground.

8
00:01:07,231 --> 00:01:14,857
We're grateful for the uh weather and we're grateful for the opportunity that we have to
be out this evening.

9
00:01:15,358 --> 00:01:25,406
And Lord, we also are mindful of those who are in the path of storms, those who are
enduring the onslaught of the hurricane uh down in the Gulf.

10
00:01:25,406 --> 00:01:30,094
And we also pray that you be with those throughout the world that deal with.

11
00:01:30,094 --> 00:01:40,614
difficulties regarding their climate and their weather, and we pray that you will be with
them as they go through those difficulties and their needs arise.

12
00:01:40,654 --> 00:01:51,394
Lord, we pray that you will be with the congregations in those areas and pray that they
might be able to use these opportunities as an opportunity to reach lost souls, for we

13
00:01:51,394 --> 00:01:57,094
know that while weather comes and goes, eternity is nigh for each and every one of us.

14
00:01:57,132 --> 00:02:00,686
Lord, we pray that you be with us as we go through this period of study.

15
00:02:00,686 --> 00:02:05,311
May the things that we say and do be those which are right in accordance with your will.

16
00:02:05,311 --> 00:02:08,564
All this we pray and ask in Jesus' name, amen.

17
00:02:10,670 --> 00:02:19,510
In Mark chapter 10, verse 13 says, then they brought little children to him that he might
touch them.

18
00:02:19,510 --> 00:02:23,310
But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

19
00:02:23,510 --> 00:02:36,510
But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased and said, Let the little children come to
me and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.

20
00:02:37,010 --> 00:02:40,105
Here in this passage, the

21
00:02:40,105 --> 00:02:54,549
events or transpiring crowds, of course, we know we're always thronging around Jesus,
those who were ill, those who were sick, those who had uh issues going on because of uh

22
00:02:54,549 --> 00:02:58,832
being demon possessed or being blind or being deaf.

23
00:02:59,033 --> 00:03:04,428
People would come to Jesus for many different reasons, and in this scenario,

24
00:03:04,822 --> 00:03:14,047
parents and guardians were bringing these little children to be touched or the idea
perhaps is to be blessed by Jesus.

25
00:03:15,328 --> 00:03:23,542
And it doesn't seem as though that these children had some physical malady or some disease
that needed curing.

26
00:03:23,542 --> 00:03:26,033
They were just children.

27
00:03:27,554 --> 00:03:34,568
And the disciples see what's going on and they start to put a stop to it.

28
00:03:34,924 --> 00:03:45,299
They start to tell those and criticize those who are the parents or the people who are the
adults who are bringing the children and tell them, stop this.

29
00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,322
What was Jesus's reaction to the disciples doing that?

30
00:03:52,012 --> 00:03:58,251
All right, he was, as the new King James says, greatly displeased.

31
00:03:59,924 --> 00:04:08,398
Jesus often empowered the disciples to do things.

32
00:04:08,878 --> 00:04:14,661
Jesus did not, in many ways, micromanage the disciples.

33
00:04:14,661 --> 00:04:22,465
They followed Him, but Jesus would often send them somewhere with the authority and with
the permission to do things.

34
00:04:22,465 --> 00:04:25,206
And certainly it was the case that when...

35
00:04:25,324 --> 00:04:27,566
The crowds were around Jesus.

36
00:04:27,566 --> 00:04:38,384
The disciples had very specific responsibilities in regards to, you know, essentially
being the barrier between him and the crowds.

37
00:04:38,604 --> 00:04:47,911
We read not too long ago in a few chapters back that there was an occasion where the
multitudes were around thronging Jesus for such an extended period of time that the

38
00:04:47,911 --> 00:04:51,594
disciples never even had a time to eat during the day.

39
00:04:53,932 --> 00:05:03,345
But in this occasion, as these events are occurring, Jesus is not happy with their choice.

40
00:05:03,485 --> 00:05:06,886
He's not happy with what they are doing.

41
00:05:06,886 --> 00:05:14,668
He is not happy with the fact that they are rebuking these individuals for bringing these
children to Jesus.

42
00:05:15,588 --> 00:05:22,526
Now the idea here is that these parents, these guardians, the individuals who are bringing
them

43
00:05:22,526 --> 00:05:32,342
are doing so because they desire for these little children to be in the presence of Jesus.

44
00:05:35,170 --> 00:05:52,114
When the text says that he was greatly displeased, he said to them, Let the little
children come to me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of God Assuredly I

45
00:05:52,114 --> 00:06:04,714
say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means
enter it Jesus is both going to admonish

46
00:06:04,714 --> 00:06:14,980
the apostles in regards to the actual scenario, but Jesus will further teach upon that
scenario.

47
00:06:15,461 --> 00:06:24,947
First, Jesus says, not to forbid them because of this or of such are the kingdom of
heaven.

48
00:06:25,487 --> 00:06:29,960
What does he mean by of such are the kingdom of God?

49
00:06:31,852 --> 00:06:35,337
You mean that only the kingdom is populated with just children?

50
00:06:39,082 --> 00:06:44,730
Alright, so there's the first aspect of they're innocent.

51
00:06:45,291 --> 00:06:55,656
Now, this is one of those passages that flies in the face of all Calvinism, because as far
as Calvinism is concerned, children are what?

52
00:06:57,454 --> 00:06:58,955
totally depraved.

53
00:06:59,375 --> 00:07:12,890
That any individual born is born with the inherited sin of Adam, with an evil disposition,
with an evil nature, and that they are totally and inherently depraved.

54
00:07:13,711 --> 00:07:20,488
Kind of odd considering Jesus says that of such is the kingdom of God.

55
00:07:22,176 --> 00:07:37,517
Jesus in no passage anywhere gives any indication to a depraved nature or to an inherited
sin nature in humanity.

56
00:07:38,418 --> 00:07:46,263
Now, does Jesus attribute the fact that Satan rules over humanity?

57
00:07:47,024 --> 00:07:49,902
Does Jesus at one point call

58
00:07:49,902 --> 00:07:53,734
uh Satan, the ruler of this world?

59
00:07:54,700 --> 00:07:55,821
He does.

60
00:07:57,762 --> 00:08:06,207
But is he trying to imply that no one has a say because they're born into sin because of
Adam and Eve's sin in the garden?

61
00:08:06,207 --> 00:08:07,168
No.

62
00:08:08,029 --> 00:08:23,468
The fact of the scenario is Jesus is indicating these little children are innocent, they
are good, and their nature is the Kingdom of God.

63
00:08:24,460 --> 00:08:39,478
that we are to be those who return to and behave as though we are innocent, we are good,
we are not those who are involving ourselves in sin and in depravity.

64
00:08:41,311 --> 00:08:43,135
all throughout scripture.

65
00:08:45,036 --> 00:08:47,107
The text is incredibly clear.

66
00:08:47,887 --> 00:08:52,869
We are guilty of sin when we do what?

67
00:08:54,110 --> 00:08:55,170
Sin.

68
00:08:55,510 --> 00:09:01,232
When we by choice do that which is wrong.

69
00:09:02,293 --> 00:09:10,896
Was Eve guilty of sin when at the very moment the serpent tempted her?

70
00:09:12,097 --> 00:09:14,678
When did Eve become guilty of sin?

71
00:09:16,664 --> 00:09:18,355
when she ate of the fruit?

72
00:09:19,816 --> 00:09:22,837
When did Adam become guilty of the sin?

73
00:09:24,078 --> 00:09:25,938
When he ate of the fruit.

74
00:09:26,439 --> 00:09:27,619
Question.

75
00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:39,715
If they became guilty of sin when they acted and chose to transgress the law of God, why
is it that someone should believe that from that point forward everyone should be guilty

76
00:09:39,715 --> 00:09:42,326
of the sin when they never participated in it?

77
00:09:45,580 --> 00:09:53,536
The fact of the matter is the text of scripture is incredibly and abundantly clear.

78
00:09:53,977 --> 00:09:58,320
You're guilty of sin when you commit sin.

79
00:09:58,961 --> 00:10:08,969
When you, knowing the difference between good and evil, choose to do that which is in
violation of the law of God.

80
00:10:09,750 --> 00:10:15,114
Sin, according to John, is the transgression

81
00:10:15,415 --> 00:10:17,359
of the law.

82
00:10:18,123 --> 00:10:21,290
Can you transgress something when you haven't been born?

83
00:10:23,180 --> 00:10:26,563
Did you transgress something by being born?

84
00:10:27,230 --> 00:10:28,752
No.

85
00:10:33,326 --> 00:10:40,022
Could you have been born as a result of someone's sin?

86
00:10:41,656 --> 00:10:43,122
Certainly you could have.

87
00:10:43,122 --> 00:10:45,439
What's one biblical example?

88
00:10:50,702 --> 00:10:53,055
m Adultery?

89
00:10:54,886 --> 00:11:04,489
Give me an account, someone who we know or an occasion where there was a child born
because of sin.

90
00:11:05,609 --> 00:11:06,129
All right.

91
00:11:06,129 --> 00:11:10,670
ah You have David and Bathsheba, they commit adultery.

92
00:11:10,910 --> 00:11:13,401
Nine months later, here comes a baby.

93
00:11:13,401 --> 00:11:14,812
All right.

94
00:11:14,812 --> 00:11:18,072
Did the baby participate in the sin?

95
00:11:18,993 --> 00:11:22,854
Was the baby guilty of the adultery?

96
00:11:23,254 --> 00:11:24,234
No.

97
00:11:25,282 --> 00:11:39,926
Just the same way, in a very sad and unfortunate way, you have scenarios where you have
parents, specifically a mother, who may abuse drugs while she's pregnant, and you have a

98
00:11:39,926 --> 00:11:44,607
baby born addicted to an illicit drug.

99
00:11:45,027 --> 00:11:47,588
They've never done anything.

100
00:11:47,848 --> 00:11:49,968
They didn't commit any sin.

101
00:11:50,329 --> 00:11:55,490
They are going to bear the consequences of other people's sins.

102
00:11:55,512 --> 00:11:57,567
but it doesn't mean they're guilty of it.

103
00:11:58,413 --> 00:12:00,468
The text of scripture.

104
00:12:02,442 --> 00:12:14,031
never, anywhere tells us that babies or little children have sin.

105
00:12:14,932 --> 00:12:16,493
Not one place.

106
00:12:17,074 --> 00:12:31,526
As a matter of fact, everything in all of scripture points to there is no sin against
anyone who is not accountable for their actions because they cannot understand good or

107
00:12:31,526 --> 00:12:32,406
evil.

108
00:12:34,156 --> 00:12:43,520
What changed in the garden when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil?

109
00:12:46,764 --> 00:12:51,705
they suddenly understood the difference between good and evil.

110
00:12:53,514 --> 00:12:57,039
And now they understand transgression.

111
00:12:57,241 --> 00:13:00,215
Now they are guilty of the law.

112
00:13:00,215 --> 00:13:01,046
Yes.

113
00:13:11,406 --> 00:13:16,486
All right, Ezekiel chapter 18 verse 20 is a great one.

114
00:13:16,486 --> 00:13:19,306
We'll just turn over there and read that.

115
00:13:19,326 --> 00:13:22,526
18 verse 20.

116
00:13:29,251 --> 00:13:42,451
You really have in Ezekiel 18 the entire text from verse 1 all the way to verse 20 and
even a little bit more than that is uh dealing with the same topic but that is the fact

117
00:13:42,451 --> 00:13:55,452
that God holds accountable those who transgress the law and that God does not hold
accountable the righteous for the sins of the wicked nor does He release the wicked

118
00:13:55,452 --> 00:13:57,678
because of the righteousness of the righteous.

119
00:13:57,678 --> 00:14:06,204
Alright, so verse 19 says, chapter 18, And yet you say, Why should the Son not bear the
guilt of the Father?

120
00:14:06,204 --> 00:14:15,251
Because the Son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and
observed them, he shall surely live.

121
00:14:15,251 --> 00:14:18,714
The soul who sins shall die.

122
00:14:18,714 --> 00:14:24,630
The Son shall not bear the guilt of the Father, nor the Father bear the guilt of the Son.

123
00:14:24,630 --> 00:14:37,954
the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself and the wickedness of the wicked
shall be upon himself." Now, if God, from the beginning of creation, from the time that

124
00:14:37,954 --> 00:14:48,298
Adam and Eve were in the garden, violated that very statement by holding every person who
had ever been born accountable for the sin of Adam and Eve, he wouldn't be a very just

125
00:14:48,298 --> 00:14:49,418
God, would he?

126
00:14:50,796 --> 00:15:03,735
He certainly would be contradicting himself when here in Ezekiel he says, I will not hold
the father guilty for the sins of the son, and I will not hold the son guilty for the sins

127
00:15:03,735 --> 00:15:05,035
of the father.

128
00:15:06,397 --> 00:15:19,626
And yet there are those who would argue and who would postulate that from the moment that
Adam and Eve for took of that fruit, every person who has ever been born from that point

129
00:15:19,626 --> 00:15:20,620
forward

130
00:15:20,620 --> 00:15:22,451
was guilty of their sin.

131
00:15:23,553 --> 00:15:24,893
Nonsense.

132
00:15:25,270 --> 00:15:35,903
The fact of the matter is, God has made it clear in that passage and many, many more that
we are guilty when we sin.

133
00:15:35,963 --> 00:15:49,212
Over in the book of Revelation, when it says that we will be held in account, it says that
we will be held accountable for the things which we have done in the body.

134
00:15:50,287 --> 00:16:00,647
That means we're not held accountable for the things which our parents did in their
bodies, nor accountable for the things which Adam did in his body, but rather we are

135
00:16:00,647 --> 00:16:06,527
guilty or we are justified by the things which we do.

136
00:16:07,147 --> 00:16:18,119
He also says, assuredly, verse 15, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child will by no means enter it.

137
00:16:18,529 --> 00:16:28,394
What is it about the nature of little children do you think that Jesus is pointing out in
regards to entering the kingdom of God?

138
00:16:30,424 --> 00:16:31,421
Purity?

139
00:16:34,488 --> 00:16:45,525
When you teach a little child, most of the time, are they constantly arguing back with
you, no, that's not true, that's not true, no, no.

140
00:16:45,565 --> 00:16:47,446
What are children?

141
00:16:47,446 --> 00:16:48,887
They're sponges.

142
00:16:48,987 --> 00:16:53,100
They just soak up the things that are around them.

143
00:16:53,100 --> 00:17:00,404
Now, there are some children who are of the opinion that they are the smartest living
being on the planet.

144
00:17:00,534 --> 00:17:13,928
and will insist that they know everything, but in general, the characteristic of a little
child is that they are curious, they're interested, they're desirous of learning, they

145
00:17:13,928 --> 00:17:21,680
want to be taught, they ask questions incessantly, but they also accept the answers.

146
00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:30,050
And Jesus is telling the Jews and telling the disciples that

147
00:17:30,050 --> 00:17:37,034
They are to be those who are willing to accept the kingdom as little children.

148
00:17:38,922 --> 00:17:51,065
In stark contrast though, much of the Jewish society will reject the kingdom because it
wasn't what they had in mind.

149
00:17:52,226 --> 00:17:58,747
When the kingdom is finally presented to them, that wasn't what they were looking for.

150
00:17:59,208 --> 00:18:08,556
So instead of accepting it because it's what God gave them and it was what God had
promised them and it was what they should have had and needed,

151
00:18:08,556 --> 00:18:11,488
They said, nope, not interested.

152
00:18:11,488 --> 00:18:22,063
I'm looking for the physical kingdom where there's a physical king sitting on a physical
throne where we can go back to being in power and great and mighty and not under the rule

153
00:18:22,063 --> 00:18:23,694
of the Roman Empire.

154
00:18:24,354 --> 00:18:26,635
That was the kingdom they were looking for.

155
00:18:26,635 --> 00:18:30,997
And Jesus says, if you don't accept the kingdom as it is,

156
00:18:33,876 --> 00:18:38,998
recognizing you're not going to get a say in how it comes.

157
00:18:42,870 --> 00:18:51,992
I would say that it should be true and it should be obvious that children don't have a
whole lot of say in what happens to them.

158
00:18:52,453 --> 00:18:57,094
Although I think there's a lot of houses anymore where the children are the ones who run
the entire house.

159
00:18:57,094 --> 00:19:00,435
So that's probably not as true as it used to be.

160
00:19:00,435 --> 00:19:06,577
But it should be the case that children don't get a whole lot of say in what happens to
them.

161
00:19:06,577 --> 00:19:11,738
They accept it as it comes and certainly it is the case that we as the children of God

162
00:19:13,196 --> 00:19:17,207
God does not ask us, how do you think I should do this?

163
00:19:17,987 --> 00:19:22,168
And if he did, would it be better off for it or worse?

164
00:19:22,689 --> 00:19:23,829
Worse.

165
00:19:25,329 --> 00:19:40,153
Jesus here illustrates that God as the Father is doing what is good on behalf of his
children.

166
00:19:40,413 --> 00:19:42,828
And as elsewhere stated,

167
00:19:42,828 --> 00:19:48,970
that God is pleased to give the Kingdom to His children.

168
00:19:51,106 --> 00:19:55,787
but they've got to be willing to accept it on God's terms, not theirs.

169
00:19:56,748 --> 00:20:00,739
And that's part of what Jesus is teaching his disciples.

170
00:20:00,739 --> 00:20:08,951
He took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them concerning the
little children.

171
00:20:09,811 --> 00:20:20,074
You also see here the recognition at times of the disciples where they would

172
00:20:20,482 --> 00:20:31,888
They would see through the mundane, they would see through the day to day, and on
occasion, they would suddenly look at Jesus and really realize who He was.

173
00:20:32,689 --> 00:20:49,617
For instance, when Jesus spoke and the Sea of Galilee calmed, and they were amazed at who
He was and the authority that He had to be able to calm the seas.

174
00:20:50,518 --> 00:21:05,804
There are times and occasions where you finally see the disciples moving away from their
physical interaction with Jesus and realizing His power, His authority.

175
00:21:07,125 --> 00:21:13,668
And you see in those moments that that's how they should have viewed Him.

176
00:21:13,988 --> 00:21:18,390
That's how they should have understood Him during these other times.

177
00:21:19,340 --> 00:21:23,934
and that's how little children would see Jesus.

178
00:21:24,175 --> 00:21:36,647
Now as he was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before him and asked him,
Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

179
00:21:36,988 --> 00:21:40,151
So Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good?

180
00:21:40,151 --> 00:21:43,614
No one is good but one, that is God.

181
00:21:43,904 --> 00:21:45,245
You know the commandments.

182
00:21:45,245 --> 00:21:46,647
Do not commit adultery.

183
00:21:46,647 --> 00:21:47,538
Do not murder.

184
00:21:47,538 --> 00:21:48,368
Do not steal.

185
00:21:48,368 --> 00:21:49,720
Do not bear false witness.

186
00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,221
Do not defraud.

187
00:21:51,221 --> 00:21:53,943
Honor your father and your mother.

188
00:21:54,074 --> 00:21:56,596
Now where do all these commandments come from?

189
00:22:00,910 --> 00:22:03,102
All right, God gave them to Moses.

190
00:22:03,102 --> 00:22:07,816
These are part of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses.

191
00:22:07,816 --> 00:22:13,020
uh Which one is missing?

192
00:22:14,081 --> 00:22:15,502
Or which ones?

193
00:22:17,368 --> 00:22:19,318
All right?

194
00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:35,533
Although, thou shall not murder, do not murder is included here, which by the way, Jesus
in the Greek, as recorded here in Mark, says that thou shalt not kill means do not murder.

195
00:22:35,533 --> 00:22:46,782
He interprets the definition of kill there, because if it was no one has authority to kill
anyone,

196
00:22:47,766 --> 00:22:57,997
then what would that say about everyone who executed judgment on someone who had been
found guilty of murdering someone else?

197
00:22:58,858 --> 00:23:00,920
That they're just as guilty of murder.

198
00:23:01,101 --> 00:23:03,102
That's not what God teaches.

199
00:23:03,463 --> 00:23:10,150
Go back, before we get back on the other topics since we chased the rabbit already, go
back to Genesis chapter 10.

200
00:23:30,484 --> 00:23:31,735
Actually, Genesis chapter 9.

201
00:23:31,735 --> 00:23:33,395
Let's see here.

202
00:23:33,956 --> 00:23:35,657
Genesis chapter 9.

203
00:23:35,657 --> 00:23:47,604
So, Noah and his family have just gotten off of the ark, and uh we read verse 4, you shall
not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

204
00:23:47,604 --> 00:23:51,226
Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning.

205
00:23:51,226 --> 00:23:58,210
From the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of every, and from the
hand of man.

206
00:23:58,232 --> 00:24:02,204
From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.

207
00:24:02,204 --> 00:24:06,927
Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed.

208
00:24:06,927 --> 00:24:10,229
For in the image of God He made man.

209
00:24:10,229 --> 00:24:27,038
And as for you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply
in it." God pronounces corporal judgment against those who take the life of another.

210
00:24:31,118 --> 00:24:32,162
To be.

211
00:24:34,038 --> 00:24:45,886
quite honest about it, there would probably be far fewer murders if the murderer's life
was taken after the first murder.

212
00:24:48,396 --> 00:24:52,781
because many of the murders are committed by repeat offenders.

213
00:24:54,486 --> 00:25:01,344
And if their life was taken after the first one, the number of the total amount would
probably come down.

214
00:25:03,306 --> 00:25:14,120
God said that it was wholly justified that if someone murders someone else that their life
is forfeit.

215
00:25:16,832 --> 00:25:30,446
Now, you further have additional instructions that are given under the Law of Moses
regarding when that murder or that taking of another person's life was accidental.

216
00:25:31,326 --> 00:25:43,530
You had then on that, in that scenario, you had the cities of refuge there within Israel,
six of them, basically located around the nation where somebody could get to one pretty

217
00:25:43,530 --> 00:25:45,140
quickly from anywhere.

218
00:25:45,514 --> 00:25:59,202
And the scenario was that if you took the life of someone, their near kinsman could take
your life as a result of it, but if it had been accidental, you could flee to the city of

219
00:25:59,202 --> 00:26:07,687
refuge and there essentially go through a process of being put on trial to verify whether
or not the thing had been accidental or intentional.

220
00:26:07,687 --> 00:26:12,349
And were you protected by the city of refuge if it was found to be intentional?

221
00:26:13,230 --> 00:26:14,060
No.

222
00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:21,753
You were handed over to the one who was seeking your life and your life was over.

223
00:26:21,753 --> 00:26:26,995
ah Now that's it was supposed to work, not exactly how Israel practiced it.

224
00:26:26,995 --> 00:26:39,750
But the cities were there for someone who had accidentally taken the life of someone else
to be able to flee to and have the ability to remain there and have the uh ability to

225
00:26:39,750 --> 00:26:41,221
continue out their life.

226
00:26:41,221 --> 00:26:43,912
They had to remain in that city for how long?

227
00:26:46,538 --> 00:26:49,719
Alright, till the death and changing of the high priest.

228
00:26:49,719 --> 00:26:58,804
So you better hope if that situation came to you, the high priest was really old and not
really young because that was a position for life.

229
00:26:58,804 --> 00:27:10,269
So if he was, you know, 35 when he got in and he was 36 when you got there, he might be
there for a while and you might be living in that city for the rest of your life.

230
00:27:10,269 --> 00:27:13,346
So God established

231
00:27:13,346 --> 00:27:21,888
from the very beginning, going all the way back to the days of Noah, that when you
committed murder, your life was forfeit.

232
00:27:22,409 --> 00:27:36,272
Now, if it is the case that the command, thou shalt not kill, equally applies to the
murderer and to the executioner of judgment against the murderer, that would make the one

233
00:27:36,272 --> 00:27:42,434
who's the executioner of judgment against the murder equally guilty of sinning as the
murderer.

234
00:27:42,968 --> 00:27:55,026
and that's simply not the case, is taking the life of an individual who is guilty of
murder wrong.

235
00:27:56,684 --> 00:27:57,575
No.

236
00:27:58,218 --> 00:28:01,845
As a matter of fact, it is right.

237
00:28:02,729 --> 00:28:03,540
Now.

238
00:28:05,358 --> 00:28:21,585
Should we be careful and judicial to make sure that the person who's accused of taking the
life of another is actually the person who did take that life before we carry out

239
00:28:21,585 --> 00:28:22,706
judgment?

240
00:28:23,166 --> 00:28:24,406
Certainly.

241
00:28:24,907 --> 00:28:32,110
But Jesus gives us a clear interpretation of thou shalt not kill.

242
00:28:32,766 --> 00:28:43,833
in the New Testament right here in this text when he says and interprets it in the Greek
because the word kill and murder are not always differentiated in the Hebrew but in the

243
00:28:43,833 --> 00:28:45,024
Greek they are.

244
00:28:45,024 --> 00:28:55,661
Jesus uses the term for murder, not the term for killing, not the term for an accidental
death, not for the term of just ending a person's life but for murder.

245
00:28:55,842 --> 00:29:02,026
But then notice as well, by trying to remember what it was I was talking about before I
got off on that.

246
00:29:02,026 --> 00:29:02,528
oh

247
00:29:02,528 --> 00:29:05,897
What other commandments did he leave out here?

248
00:29:09,198 --> 00:29:12,958
Alright, thou shalt not covet.

249
00:29:13,918 --> 00:29:23,078
This individual is going to come to him and as we read in verse 17 as he was going out,
this one came running.

250
00:29:25,197 --> 00:29:29,668
He is anxious to see Jesus.

251
00:29:30,209 --> 00:29:34,250
He is desirous of seeing Jesus.

252
00:29:34,490 --> 00:29:37,151
He has an important question.

253
00:29:37,151 --> 00:29:38,471
He's running.

254
00:29:39,772 --> 00:29:48,414
And when he arrives, he says, good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal
life?

255
00:29:52,458 --> 00:29:55,421
Isn't that the question we wish more people would ask?

256
00:30:01,986 --> 00:30:07,998
then why does Jesus quibble about the way he approaches him before he answers the
question?

257
00:30:14,350 --> 00:30:15,331
All right?

258
00:30:16,073 --> 00:30:22,642
Jesus knew this young man's problem before the young man arrived.

259
00:30:32,288 --> 00:30:36,917
I think it's, I think it is definitely a teaching occasion.

260
00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:41,087
But I think it's for more than just the disciples.

261
00:30:45,090 --> 00:31:03,208
We want, by we, Christians, desire for those who are lost, who are not saved and not in a
right relationship with God, we want them to be aware of their scenario and change it.

262
00:31:06,338 --> 00:31:14,932
But does it do them any good to ignore their actual problem and pretend that they're safe?

263
00:31:16,878 --> 00:31:28,198
Do we get any benefit or do they get any benefit if we just, you know what, we'll just act
like you're saved even though you didn't change?

264
00:31:28,718 --> 00:31:29,758
No.

265
00:31:31,500 --> 00:31:41,994
This individual comes running to Jesus and he greets him with a term, good rabbi.

266
00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:45,397
Teacher.

267
00:31:47,404 --> 00:32:04,532
This is not, by the way, an uncommon greeting in the first century for someone to greet a
rabbi in this way, which perhaps is why Jesus says there's no one good but God.

268
00:32:06,334 --> 00:32:09,557
Jesus responds, Why do you call me good?

269
00:32:11,618 --> 00:32:14,323
There could be a couple of things going on here.

270
00:32:14,323 --> 00:32:21,864
Jesus could be asking, in essence, who were you and how is it you've come to this
conclusion?

271
00:32:24,642 --> 00:32:26,303
but I don't think that's it.

272
00:32:27,324 --> 00:32:38,833
I think what Jesus is pointing or pushing back against is a culture that acted as though
all rabbis were equally good.

273
00:32:40,075 --> 00:32:49,703
A culture that said, here's a rabbi and we'll accept what he teaches and there's a rabbi
and we'll accept what he teaches and here's a rabbi and we'll accept what he teaches and

274
00:32:49,703 --> 00:32:53,446
we'll just pull them all to see what we should do.

275
00:32:58,164 --> 00:33:04,942
Are we judged by the opinions and the doctrines of our teachers?

276
00:33:06,902 --> 00:33:10,708
Or are we judged by the Word of God?

277
00:33:12,930 --> 00:33:14,333
There's the problem.

278
00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:29,514
Should this individual have been able to determine what he needed to do in order to have
eternal life without going to a rabbi?

279
00:33:32,940 --> 00:33:39,612
Yeah, which is exactly why Jesus asked him the question that he asked him when he follows
up with this.

280
00:33:40,372 --> 00:33:42,763
First he says, why do you call me good?

281
00:33:42,763 --> 00:33:46,634
No one is good but one, that is God.

282
00:33:46,634 --> 00:33:59,197
Your teacher, your rabbis, your religiously schooled individuals are not on the same level
as God.

283
00:33:59,857 --> 00:34:01,908
So if you want to know

284
00:34:01,908 --> 00:34:16,751
what you need to do in order to inherit eternal life, you should not accept the opinion of
your teacher, your preacher, your rabbi, your person who claims to be an authority in

285
00:34:16,751 --> 00:34:17,852
religion.

286
00:34:18,673 --> 00:34:29,002
You should only accept the opinion of God, because the rest of them will not be your
judge.

287
00:34:30,476 --> 00:34:34,515
They will not be the one you stand before on the day of judgment.

288
00:34:34,515 --> 00:34:35,937
He will be.

289
00:34:37,061 --> 00:34:41,760
At which point, their referral won't do you any good.

290
00:34:43,466 --> 00:34:53,692
no matter what they said over your grave, no matter what they said when you passed away
and how wonderfully they preached that sermon getting you straight into heaven.

291
00:34:53,952 --> 00:34:57,054
God didn't listen to them.

292
00:35:00,332 --> 00:35:02,363
He says, why do you call me good?

293
00:35:03,383 --> 00:35:06,925
No one is good, but one that is God.

294
00:35:06,925 --> 00:35:09,806
Then he says, now notice the contrast.

295
00:35:09,806 --> 00:35:19,826
You've come to a rabbi, but he says, you know the commandments.

296
00:35:22,572 --> 00:35:31,842
Jesus is getting to the point that this individual has had access to the law himself.

297
00:35:33,740 --> 00:35:38,611
and he should have been able to determine for himself what he needed to do.

298
00:35:39,712 --> 00:35:48,474
He should have been holding himself accountable to the law, not accountable to the
opinions of teachers.

299
00:35:49,855 --> 00:36:01,110
So he says, you know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not
steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud.

300
00:36:01,110 --> 00:36:08,540
honor your father and your mother and he answered and said to him, teach her all these
things I have kept from my youth.

301
00:36:10,004 --> 00:36:13,348
Indicating he had been taught these things.

302
00:36:13,569 --> 00:36:14,780
He knew the law.

303
00:36:17,750 --> 00:36:24,616
Then Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, one thing you lack.

304
00:36:26,818 --> 00:36:27,594
Now...

305
00:36:29,954 --> 00:36:35,242
I don't want to draw more out of this than is here, but I honestly believe this is here.

306
00:36:36,770 --> 00:36:39,603
I don't believe this is the first rabbi that he's been to.

307
00:36:41,728 --> 00:36:44,959
I don't think this is the first teacher he's asked this question to.

308
00:36:46,956 --> 00:36:49,491
I think this is the first teacher who told him the truth.

309
00:36:51,712 --> 00:36:57,920
I think this is the first occasion where a teacher loved him enough.

310
00:37:01,090 --> 00:37:03,411
tell him what he needed to hear.

311
00:37:06,188 --> 00:37:24,638
The text says, Jesus looking at Him, loved Him, and said to Him, one thing you lack, go
your way, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

312
00:37:27,102 --> 00:37:31,925
and come take up the cross and follow me.

313
00:37:35,358 --> 00:37:39,956
as Jesus looks at this young man.

314
00:37:41,624 --> 00:37:51,370
who was so anxious in such a hurry to run to Jesus to ask this important question.

315
00:37:55,116 --> 00:37:57,661
Jesus loves him enough to give him the answer.

316
00:38:03,106 --> 00:38:08,769
before going back into the text, may I say, we do no one any good.

317
00:38:10,466 --> 00:38:21,800
when they ask us a question about a religious matter or a biblical matter, and they are
sincere in their asking, and we don't tell them the truth.

318
00:38:24,448 --> 00:38:30,924
We may help them feel better about themselves if we don't tell them the truth, but we
don't do them any good.

319
00:38:34,188 --> 00:38:43,232
The only good that we can do, the only expression of love that we can offer is to tell
them the truth.

320
00:38:48,640 --> 00:39:00,660
Jesus said, go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor and you will have
treasure in heaven.

321
00:39:02,784 --> 00:39:12,756
Jesus, as he replies to this young man, indicates that this man's account is bankrupt.

322
00:39:15,180 --> 00:39:16,733
that he's overdrawn.

323
00:39:18,582 --> 00:39:29,528
You would have thought after all he's kept all these commandments that surely uh his
eternal bank account was sitting pretty good, right?

324
00:39:30,549 --> 00:39:44,356
After all, he's avoided all these evil things, he's avoided all these sinful things, he's
done good, he's honored his father and his mother, surely he has been worthy of some

325
00:39:44,916 --> 00:39:48,608
marginal balance from the Lord, right?

326
00:39:52,386 --> 00:39:55,988
Jesus said, have no account in heaven.

327
00:39:59,244 --> 00:40:11,976
Go sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

328
00:40:14,094 --> 00:40:23,078
if you are willing to part with the things which you have treasured on earth.

329
00:40:25,602 --> 00:40:37,396
Now, as Jesus says this, Jesus isn't giving the same answer that He's given to every
single person that has ever had an interaction with Jesus, is He?

330
00:40:39,872 --> 00:40:45,866
Jesus didn't give this same instruction to every single individual that he met.

331
00:40:46,787 --> 00:40:52,150
I don't remember Jesus ever telling Martha, go sell everything that you have and give it
to the poor.

332
00:40:53,752 --> 00:40:57,704
Did Jesus tell Mary to go sell everything she had and give it to the poor?

333
00:40:58,425 --> 00:41:05,248
If so, she wouldn't have had the ointment to be able to anoint him that was worth a year's
wage, would she?

334
00:41:06,549 --> 00:41:14,213
Jesus didn't go and tell every one of His followers to take every possession that they
have and go and sell it and give it to the poor.

335
00:41:14,414 --> 00:41:18,595
Jesus' primary point was not to provide for the poor.

336
00:41:19,276 --> 00:41:22,668
As a matter of fact, Jesus made the point and

337
00:41:22,668 --> 00:41:28,991
the occasion when his feet were anointed with the oil of spider, this is the pour you have
with you always.

338
00:41:31,540 --> 00:41:37,555
Jesus did not give this instruction to every single person.

339
00:41:37,555 --> 00:41:41,568
Jesus gave this instruction to this person.

340
00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:49,650
And the reason is because this young man had a problem.

341
00:41:51,596 --> 00:41:56,116
His problem was that His treasure was on earth.

342
00:41:57,501 --> 00:42:00,106
And yet He's asking about eternal life.

343
00:42:03,094 --> 00:42:10,570
Jesus didn't, by the way, also say, or He did not just say, go and sell everything you
have.

344
00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:14,331
and give it to the poor.

345
00:42:14,972 --> 00:42:22,278
He also said, come, take up your cross and follow me.

346
00:42:25,824 --> 00:42:32,442
Jesus doesn't invite very many people to be his disciples.

347
00:42:33,585 --> 00:42:38,240
That is a close disciple, an apostle of Jesus.

348
00:42:41,462 --> 00:42:49,736
You see here that this young man's life was truly at a fork in the road.

349
00:42:51,521 --> 00:43:04,798
and he had the choice, he had the opportunity to be a true disciple of Jesus or to
continue down the path that he'd already chosen.

350
00:43:09,570 --> 00:43:17,803
But he was sad at this word and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

351
00:43:19,948 --> 00:43:23,436
Mark makes it clear.

352
00:43:26,092 --> 00:43:30,601
that this was not the answer he was looking for.

353
00:43:33,068 --> 00:43:36,024
which meant he had been giving some thought to this.

354
00:43:37,450 --> 00:43:41,068
He had been thinking about this question and about its answers.

355
00:43:45,462 --> 00:43:47,741
And this wasn't one he was willing to accept.

356
00:43:50,712 --> 00:43:59,114
We need to realize when we teach people that there will be times they will ask us
questions and we will tell them the truth.

357
00:44:00,886 --> 00:44:03,858
and such will end our relationship with them.

358
00:44:07,116 --> 00:44:12,596
because the truth is the one thing they're not willing to accept.

359
00:44:14,242 --> 00:44:17,045
And that was this young man's situation.

360
00:44:18,107 --> 00:44:22,032
And so he went away, sorrowful.

361
00:44:22,713 --> 00:44:29,482
And there's no indication of the text that that ever changed, that he ever changed his
disposition.

362
00:44:29,482 --> 00:44:31,094
Now, could he have later in life?

363
00:44:31,094 --> 00:44:32,786
Well, certainly he could have.

364
00:44:35,490 --> 00:44:38,785
But now, connect the two contexts.

365
00:44:40,792 --> 00:44:55,326
Here's the little children coming to Jesus, desiring simply to be in His presence, their
parents and others desiring for them to be blessed by Him.

366
00:44:57,354 --> 00:45:02,297
And here's this one with great possessions.

367
00:45:05,008 --> 00:45:08,489
Which one did the disciples turn away?

368
00:45:13,964 --> 00:45:17,897
which one wasn't willing to hear Jesus?

369
00:45:20,482 --> 00:45:22,423
There's a lesson here.

370
00:45:23,044 --> 00:45:26,105
It's the same lesson over in James chapter two.

371
00:45:27,086 --> 00:45:36,171
That so often the people that we're in a hurry to accept are the people who are not
interested in the truth.

372
00:45:37,352 --> 00:45:48,138
And the people who were in a hurry to push back against are the ones who are actually
willing to have fellowship with Jesus.

373
00:45:49,452 --> 00:45:51,644
and the disciples had it backwards.

374
00:45:52,505 --> 00:45:57,169
This one got through, but they blocked the little children.

375
00:45:58,251 --> 00:46:02,054
And they rebuked the parents of the little children.

376
00:46:02,115 --> 00:46:14,156
When the parents of the little children weren't asking for money, they weren't asking for
possessions, they weren't asking for riches, they weren't interested in physical things.

377
00:46:16,098 --> 00:46:18,980
They were interested in spiritual things.

378
00:46:19,981 --> 00:46:25,556
Here comes this rich young ruler, has great possessions, he gets right through.

379
00:46:27,702 --> 00:46:30,391
and his only interest is in physical things.

380
00:46:31,262 --> 00:46:33,024
All right, thank you for your attention.