Jesus Already Loves You; What Do You Say? (Mark 10:17-27)
Gary McManus, 08/09/2015Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Mark 10:17-27
The Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost
God’s Love; Beyond Belief (Ephesians 3:17-19)
God’s love is about MORE than acceptance
(Galatians 6:15). We will notice that in
today’s reading.
When we draw near to God in Jesus Christ,
we are changed. (See Isaiah 6, Revelation)
A Love Encounter--a close encounter of the
DIVINE kind.
“Good teacher” = God
Is that what the rich man means? Probably not
but Jesus gives the opportunity.
We know this report well and have stopped
asking questions about it; but even modern
readers will find some strange statements:
--a rich man who is anxious?
--a rich man anxious about eternity?
--isn’t a rich man already blessed by God?
Do you like this man?
Pastor likes this guy:
The man has a goal.
The man has a plan.
The man has been working his plan.
And, apparently, the man has been successful with his plan.
Mark is sure to tell us. . .
vs. 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him.
. Do we live in that truth?
Have we responded to that truth?
Many have not; like this man.
Jesus has a surprise for the man.
There is ONE thing that the man lacks.
Notice what the man does not say. . .Jesus said,
“You know the commandments. . .
Maybe the man should have said. .
“I love the Lord my God and my neighbor as myself.”
Jesus said that. (Mark 12:29-31)
Jesus loved the man. What does the man love?
The man lacks PARTICIPATING in the love
God and Jesus already have for him.
(See Psalm 42)
Why would anyone want to go to heaven
who has no love for the Lord?
Notice:
--Jesus loved this man.
--Jesus invited the man to have a relationship with him.
”Follow me.”
We can’t earn Jesus’ love, we already have it.
That Jesus loves us does not lead to eternal life.
[So. . .is love acceptance?]
We have to RESPOND to God’s love.
We are called to PARTICIPATE in God’s love.
We have to have a RELATIONSHIP with the Lord.
[See Romans 8:38-39]
How do you respond?
What are YOU going to do?
Then. . .then we can talk about eternal life.
Amen.
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