The Millstones of Materialism Mark 10:17-27

Text: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God!”

Mark 10:25 

Good morning, legitimately rich Christian!  God the Holy Spirit, by God’s free and Sovereign grace, has quickened (made alive) your sinful dead spirit; called your soul with His effectual and irresistible Salvation call; regenerated your spirit by His Spirit; granted you full and genuine repentance from sin, and a resolve to follow hard after Christ Jesus. 

Christ has suffered in your place, and mine, upon that cruel Calvary Cross to pay the terrible price demanded for our sins by a thrice Holy Lord God of wrath against all sin. 

Christ has died the infinitely horrible death that you and I fully deserved to die, in our place, as our Divine Substitute.  Yet, death nor Hell could not hold Him, for sin could not be found in Him!  Up from the grave He arose! 

On the third day, according to the inspired Word of Almighty God, Jesus arose from the dead to justify you and me and all “His people” from our sins, and in the Holy sight of our Heavenly Father. 

Because of Christ Jesus, “His people” are made truly FREE!  Hallelujah!  If you can say, amen to what I have here written, then you, like me, are RICH INDEED.  Glory to the Lamb Who is worthy!  Hallelujah!  Jesus Lives!

“I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be RICH; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I (Christ Jesus) love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:18-19)

Today’s selected passage of Holy Scripture from Mark’s Gospel, recounts a story that, to my 21^st Century eyes, is truly amazing!  Here we find a man who came “running” to Christ Jesus; “kneeling to Him…”; and openly, and publicly “…asking Him…” “Good Master, what shall I DO that I may inherit Eternal life?” (Mark 10:17-18)

How often to we see this scene taking place today, in this increasingly apostate 21^st Century, here in Great Britain & Northern Ireland, UK, or all over this sin-blinded world of unbelief? What a tonic it would be, to see fervent interest in the Word of God!

However, the depth of this man’s lack of Scriptural knowledge is exposed in the words of his own mouth: “What must I DO that I may inherit Eternal life?”  Many today have been fooled into thinking THEY can do ANYTHING to inherit Eternal life - for Eternal Salvation is not a matter of sinful mankind’s DOING – but fully depends on what Christ has already DONE on Calvary’s Cross!

“Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he/she that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? And in Thy Name have cast out devils?  And in Thy Name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”  (Matthew 7:21-23)

“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus…”  (Robert Lowry. published this hymn in 1876.) 

The man’s second error was the sin of presumption, being deceived in his own heart that he had consistently and impeccably kept the Commandments of God!  No one ever can!  The Ten Commandments were given by the Lord God to show Moses and ourselves that the Law of God is humanly impossible to perfectly keep!  That is why we must look to Christ and fully depend on His Atonement Sacrifice at the Cross – for He alone could offer up to God a pure and totally sinless Sacrifice for our sins.

“And he (the man) answered and said unto Him, Master, all these have I observed (kept) from my youth.” (V.20)

Christ, being Almighty Lord God, looked into this man’s heart and saw there the ‘millstone’ that would keep him out of Heaven – “…One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come, take up the Cross, and follow Me.”  (V.21)

His material wealth, property, worldly patronage, position, and pride compelled him to walk away from the Lord of Eternal life, Who had made a universal call to the man, that he just could not obey.  His material wealth/possessions had become an Eternal millstone around his neck – a temporal millstone of riches that would doom him to a Christ-rejecter’s Hell. So sad to see one running to Jesus, yet unprepared to relinquish his hold on material things.

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor TRUST in uncertain riches, but in the Living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."  (1 Timothy 6:17)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“The spiritual blindness here exhibited is unhappily most common. Myriads of professing Christians at the present day have not an idea of their own sinfulness and guilt in the sight of God. They flatter themselves that they have never done anything very wicked. — …They forget the holy nature of that God with whom they have to do… Like the church of Laodicea, they are “rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” (Revelation 3:17) Self-satisfied they live, and self-satisfied too often they die.” (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900)

Thought: Born Again Christians have received the true legitimate riches from God – let us use our Spiritual riches to enhance Christ Eternal Kingdom today.  “Here I am, Lord, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)