by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Mark 10:26
Who Then Can Be Saved?
“Who touched Me?”
First there was a woman in distress. She had a bleeding disorder which means that she was unclean. People avoided her, if they did not out right shun her. She had spent all her money on treatments that had only increased her misery and had not solved the problem.
She sneaked up behind Jesus, unwilling to face him in her shame. She reached out to touch, not to gain his attention or garner his favor, but to contact the source of healing, contact but not connect.
She only touched the hem of his cloak. The crowd was pressing in around Him, he was being touched by many but He knew the instant faith reached out to Him. (5:30)
And He did not allow that faith to remain anonymous. He kept looking for the faithful touch until the woman stood before him and confessed. Then he took the woman’s fear and suffering and turned it into peace and freedom.
One trembling touch of faith and Jesus responded immediately.
The crumbs of God’s forgiveness
Then there was a woman from Syrian Phoenicia who had faith that even the crumbs of God’s forgiveness held the power to save. She called Him “Lord” She was the only one in all the gospels who called Him “Lord” For such a faith her request was granted. (7:28)
This woman was humble before Christ. She recognized her unworthiness, she was a Gentile after all and the Jews were known for their self-satisfaction as the chosen people of God. She also recognized the authority of Jesus; she called him “Lord” she was, in fact, the only one in the entire Gospel to address him as Lord.
When Jesus told her that she was asking for the bread that belonged to the children she acknowledged that this was so – but – even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs, and with the crumbs she would be satisfied.
In heaven there are many mansions prepared for us, but personally I wouldn’t mind if I had to live in a broom closet, just so long as that broom closet was in the Kingdom of God.
The crumbs of God’s forgiveness are more powerful than the poisoned feast of Satan’s table. And we receive more than crumbs; we are invited to Christ’s banquet in heaven, when we call Him “Lord”
He isn’t one of us
And the man who wasn’t “one of us” as far as the disciples were concerned was “one of mine” as far as Christ was concerned.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (9:41)
The church is not an exclusive country club. There is only one path to heaven, and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ, but there are many paths to Christ. Peter was not a seminary graduate and this man was not one of the disciples, but Peter was a rock solid preacher and this man was a believer in the power of Jesus' name.
God wants all of us to be one of us. We cannot limit the scope of the works of Christ to the confines of our group.
The Burden of Outrageous Fortune
And that rich young man who wanted to know what to do to inherit eternal life. He already knew the answer before he asked the question. He knew the commandments and had followed them since he was a boy. He knew the laws of God and obeyed them and yet he felt that there must be something more that he could do.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. (10:21) He did not shame him for his lack of spiritual maturity. He recognized the young man’s earnest desire and loved him for it, but Jesus then went straight to the heart of the matter, the young man was wealthy and that wealth hindered him. So Jesus told him to get rid of it.
The young man went away sad because he had great wealth. He chose his wealth over Christ. That young man was earnest in his desire, despite his spiritual immaturity. Jesus looked at him and saw a child of God. Jesus loved him and I have personal experience with the love Christ has for the spiritually immature. Once you approach Christ, once He looks at you and loves you, it is not so very easy to just walk away.
In verse 24 Jesus doesn’t single out the rich but says “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God.” For there are many burdens which hinder us. Not just wealth, but anything that we hold onto like grudges and envy and power or position. There are many burdens that Jesus would have us get rid of and follow him.
Who then can be saved?
The disciples asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” and Jesus answered, “With man this is impossible.” Man cannot save himself.
But
“With God all things are possible.”
God can save man; in fact God can make the eye of the needle so large that even a camel can walk through it. What we have all that we have, is on loan from God. Once we realize that the bounty of life is not ours to possess, giving it away becomes easier. Not easy – Simple ain’t easy – But easier.
What the blind man saw
Which brings us to Bartimaeus the blind man. When he heard that Jesus was passing by he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And when the world tried to silence him he shouted louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (10:47)
Jesus sent his disciples to call the blind man who was searching in the darkness. When they brought him to Jesus he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Bartimaeus replied, “Rabbi (teacher) I want to see (understand).
And Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” And where did he go? He followed Jesus because what the blind man saw was the road home.
Simple - Ain't - Easy
But it does get easier
Wendy
And in case you’re just joining us here are the links to:
Mark: An Overview of the Gospel
Mark Part One: One Good Hour With God
Mark Part Two: What Jesus Said to Me
The young man went away sad because he had great wealth. He chose his wealth over Christ. That young man was earnest in his desire, despite his spiritual immaturity. Jesus looked at him and saw a child of God. Jesus loved him and I have personal experience with the love Christ has for the spiritually immature. Once you approach Christ, once He looks at you and loves you, it is not so very easy to just walk away.
In verse 24 Jesus doesn’t single out the rich but says “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God.” For there are many burdens which hinder us. Not just wealth, but anything that we hold onto like grudges and envy and power or position. There are many burdens that Jesus would have us get rid of and follow him.
Who then can be saved?
The disciples asked Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” and Jesus answered, “With man this is impossible.” Man cannot save himself.
But
“With God all things are possible.”
God can save man; in fact God can make the eye of the needle so large that even a camel can walk through it. What we have all that we have, is on loan from God. Once we realize that the bounty of life is not ours to possess, giving it away becomes easier. Not easy – Simple ain’t easy – But easier.
What the blind man saw
Which brings us to Bartimaeus the blind man. When he heard that Jesus was passing by he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And when the world tried to silence him he shouted louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (10:47)
Jesus sent his disciples to call the blind man who was searching in the darkness. When they brought him to Jesus he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Bartimaeus replied, “Rabbi (teacher) I want to see (understand).
And Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” And where did he go? He followed Jesus because what the blind man saw was the road home.
Simple - Ain't - Easy
But it does get easier
Wendy
And in case you’re just joining us here are the links to:
Mark: An Overview of the Gospel
Mark Part One: One Good Hour With God
Mark Part Two: What Jesus Said to Me
Is anyone out there currently reading the Gospel of Mark? I would be interested in what God is saying to you.
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