Bible ReadingMark 10:17–27Verse 17: And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
[43:48]Verse 18: And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
[49:12]Verse 19: “You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”
Verse 20: And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
Verse 21: And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
[51:28]Verse 22: Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
[54:05]Verse 23: And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
[01:02:30]Verse 24: And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!”
Verse 25: “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.”
[01:04:10]Verse 26: And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
Verse 27: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
[01:05:06]Matthew 19:16–26And behold, a man came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Luke 18:18–27And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For 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.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Observation questions- What words in the rich young ruler’s opening question show that he may have been thinking about eternal life as something he could earn or accomplish? [49:12]
- Which commandments does Jesus mention, and how does the man respond to them?
- What does Mark specifically say Jesus did before telling the man what he lacked? Why is that detail important to notice? [51:28]
- What are the man’s response, the disciples’ response, and Jesus’ final response after the command to sell his possessions? [01:05:06]
Interpretation questions- Why does Jesus begin by saying that God alone is good rather than immediately answering the man’s question about eternal life? What does this reveal about the difference between human goodness and God’s goodness? [49:32]
- Jesus does not tell every person in the Gospels to sell every possession, but He does expose this man’s wealth as a rival god. How can a person tell when a good gift, such as money, career, comfort, or family, has become a controlling treasure? [55:30]
- Why might wealth make it harder for a person to recognize his or her need for a Savior, even when that person is generous, moral, and outwardly successful? [01:03:45]
- How do Jesus’ words, “With man it is impossible, but not with God,” protect people from both pride in their morality and despair over their sin? [01:06:37]
Application questions- When you hear the question, “What am I missing?” where are you most tempted to look for the answer: achievement, money, relationships, comfort, approval, or something else? Has that pursuit ever left you feeling like it was still not enough? [41:45]
- If you stood before God and were asked why He should receive you into His kingdom, what answer would first come to mind? How can you grow in resting more fully in Christ’s grace rather than your own record? [52:27]
- Jesus looked at the rich young ruler and loved him, even as He exposed what ruled his heart. What might Jesus lovingly be putting His finger on in your life right now? [51:49]
- Is there something you would find especially difficult to place openly in Jesus’ hands—your finances, future plans, career, reputation, a relationship, a habit, or your sense of security? What would surrender look like in one practical step this week? [01:07:55]
- Money is not automatically evil, but it can quietly tell us that everything is okay and that we do not need God. In what ways can financial security or the desire for more make it harder for you to depend on Jesus? [01:03:45]
- Treasure in heaven is better than money in the bank because Jesus Himself is the treasure. What choices would look different this week if you truly believed that Christ is worth more than anything you could lose? [01:01:17]
- “No reserves, no retreats, no regrets” does not mean earning salvation through sacrifice; it means trusting that Jesus is better than whatever competes with Him. What would a “no regrets” step of faith look like for you in this season? [01:00:34]
