Keller opens this chapter in the King’s Cross with
the stark fact that Christianity moves away from wealth.
How true that has been in America.
In this time of Covid 19, we cannot help but wonder if God’s patience with us has finally come to and end, and this is judgment. Jesus tells us in this week’s lesson that it is very hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God.
Likewise, this week’s lesson shows how easily we trust in our wealth instead of God.
We in America and Canada have been shielded from much of the suffering the world has known.
But not now.
America used to be a vital Christian nation.
But not now.
Of course I do not know, but I know that our greatest concern
should not be our finances, but our hearts.
As I read the prophets and their oracles of judgment, there is always the promise of hope that God will relent if there is true repentance. Take, for example, Jeremiah 26:2-3:
Stand in the courtyard of the LORD’s house…tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word. Perhaps they will listen and each will turn for their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
I know I have been pondering my own heart more, repenting more, seeking Him more desperately.
I’m choosing a picture of repentance and prayer as our symbol for the week.
Many of us are wondering what we can do during this time. I would say foremost is to repent and to pray for revival. It is true that our nation has spiraled into great depravity, but 1 Peter 4:17 tells us judgment begins with the house of God. So though we must pray for our nation, we must first personally repent.
This week Jesus asks a rich man to give up his idol of wealth, and he cannot. Jesus asks everything of us. Historian Andrew Walls said:
…there is a certain vulnerability, a fragility, at the heart of Christianity. You might say that this is the vulnerability of the cross.
True Christianity means dying to self,
something we are not naturally prone to do.
It’s hard!!!!
But Jesus said, “with man it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.”
Highlight from Last Week:
Our own Sharon gave a link to this 23 minute broadcast from Tony Evans on what the Bible would show us should be our response to this pandemic. The closing analogy of him wooing his wife to be his, is worth the whole sermon!
Sunday:
- What stands out to you from the above and why?
- Jesus could see that his wealth was what was most important to the rich young ruler. How does this speak to you in this time of Covid 19?
Monday: Overview
3. Read Mark 10:17-28 out loud and share anything that quickens you. Can you use it as a springboard for prayer? Repentance?
4. Read the opening section of “The Trap,” (Chapter 11 in the King’s Cross) and share notes and comments.
Tuesday: Caught in The Trap
5. Keller says the disciples came from a culture that believed prosperity was a sign of God’s favor. How do you see this in Bilah’s comments to Job in Job 8:6?
6. Read Mark 10:17-22 again
A. What question does the rich young ruler ask, and what inherent fallacy
is in the question?
B. The ruler called Jesus a teacher. But what is implicit in Jesus’ reply: “No
one is good — except God alone?”
C. Why do you think Jesus told him to sell everything he had?
D. Did Jesus ask you to turn from anything when you came to Him?
E. When you are still before Him, what is He asking you to turn from now?
7. Read Mark 10:23-27
A. Why do you think it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?
B. What can make it possible? What made you want to surrender?
8. Read the section entitled “Caught in the Trap” and share your notes and
comments.
Wednesday: What Matters Most
Suffering is also a time of great opportunity for believers. Throughout history, it has been Christians who have gone into the plagues. Cuban Christian medical people have gone to Italy to help. We have women on this blog, and many of us have family in the medical profession who are entering in, putting their own lives at risk. I am asking God how I and our little church can reach out — for often hearts are open at this time. Because our church is a home church, we are having small zoom Bible studies that allow us to continue to interact. We are praying about doing Alpha by zoom. We each must be seeking God for how He would have us follow Him in these times.
9. Read Mark 10:28-31
A. What does Jesus say here?
B. What are some circumstances that might call for this? How would this
call for the eternal view?
Once in conversation with a pickleball friend from a liberal church, he said, “Dee — we agree on what’s most important — don’t we? It is to love your neighbor as yourself.”
I said, “Yes — that is important. It is the 2nd greatest commandment.”
I was trying, gently, to show him the importance of the 1st greatest commandment. For unless we love the Lord enough to surrender to Him, we will never have the power to love others well, to live sacrificially with the eternal view. I know that is very true of me, and I must remember it daily.
10. Read the section “Revealing the Trap” up to the quotation of Mark 12:28 and share your notes and comments.
11. Read Mark 12:28-34
A. What stands out to you from the above and why?
B. Why do you think Jesus told him he was not far from the Kingdom of
God?
Thursday: Revealing the Trap
11. Read the rest of the section “Revealing the Trap” and share your notes and comments.
Friday: Avoiding the Trap
12. Read the rest of the chapter and share your notes and comments.
13. Pray for yourself and those close to you on the basis of what you have
learned.
Saturday: Reflections
14. What do you think you will remember from this week and why?
125 comments
Revealing the Trap notes
The rich young ruler didn’t have it all together…so he came to Jesus, asking, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He was really asking, you know, I have done everything right, but he sensed that something was lacking. Of course he was missing something! Because if anyone is counting on doing something- their accomplishment will have an emptiness, an insecurity.
When Jesus asks, “why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” That’s the hint! If all you do is repent of doing bad things, all it will do is make you a religious person. But to have intimacy with God- a relationship, you have to change how you relate to your gifts and successes. You have to repent of how you have been using your good things!
We may be thinking, God, you owe it to me to answer my prayers, in a futile attempt to control God. Your effort is alienating you from God. Jesus wants the young man to imagine life without money.. All you have is me. Can you live like that? Keller said the word sad is better translated grieved. he compares it to Jesus in the Garden, sweating blood as he grieved in deep distress. He was about to lose the joy of his life, his Father, his spiritual center.
The young man’s identity was his wealth. To lose his money would have been to lose himself. So he was saddened. To be a Christian: after you’ve repented of how you’ve used the good things in your life to fill the place where God should be.
In the passage in Mark 12, this teacher asks about the most important commandment. He seems to be sincere though the inquiry was asked to trip Jesus up. By his answer of the 2 great commandments he is showing that love is what fulfills the Law. Love is directed o God and others. He responds “to love your neighbor as you love yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
The Law is an impossible standard; the closer he gets to seeing this the closer he is to figuring out the gospel. Looking at the heart attitude that the law is getting at, we are beginning to realize how much we need grace and mercy. Only one of these young men could see the trap.
Great notes, Shirley.
11. Read the rest of the section “Revealing the Trap” and share your notes and comments.
The rich young ruler was rich, seemed to have everything yet was insecure in his riches and accomplishments. So something was still missing. So true of all of us for God has made us with a huge core in our hearts that is meant to be filled with Him. Yet we so easily take our wealth, accomplishments, family, etc..to fill that core.
We need to repent of how we use our gifts, blessings, etc. as our ultimate over God when we become His. I liked how Keller said Jesus was asking the rich young ruler if everything he had was gone and all he had was God would he be fulfilled-satisfied. I think that is a crucial question even believers must ask ourselves for I think it reveals idols and things we may not know are lurking underneath that we are using as our ultimate. Then we need to repent and turn from them. I think if one truly knows Jesus he/she will be willing to turn whenever the Holy Spirit reveals the idolatry inside. That may take a moment, a day or a bit of time but I do think that is true of us.
14. What do you think you will remember from this week and why?
2 things: The warm welcome I received after being MIA for awhile! THANK YOU all!
AND Jesus as the true Rich Young Ruler. I was writing an article and had gotten stuck, reflecting on my own attitudes toward money/why I had those attitudes. I know that some of my beliefs had come from observing my parents. My mom was very generous, and I think her heart for the Gospel, coming to understand Jesus’ love, and her gratefulness explain some of this. I will be less stuck and continuing to reflect as I finish the article. I do see God’s grace and his timing in prompting me to come back LATE in a study (seems like I should have an emoticon of “The Scream” here).
Yes, Renee, welcome back! You add a special touch.
Avoiding the Trap
Jesus identifies with the rich young ruler… Because he is the ultimate rich young ruler and he has given away all of his wealth, his glory with the Father in order to save us! For our sakes he has become poor.
If I gave away “my big all” for you, can you give away “your little all” to follow me? This is one of the descriptions that Keller makes that I love.
For I can begin to understand some of these details, like how Jesus loved him! May Jesus’ sacrifice truly melt me.
Father God, I come humbly before you, realizing my own tendency for the trap. Not realizing how rich I am- to have everything I need, and never be wondering how to obtain my next meal, but selfishly thinking I deserve what I have. thank you for giving your Son to suffer and give up his glory and wealth for me. Help me to be aware of the needs of others, not only physical needs, but the most important, their spiritual needs. Father, forgive me and give me boldness to do what you desire of me. May I give all without thinking of self. You are my all in all. I pray in the name of Jesus.
What I will remember from this week?
Why money is a trap: because we base our identity in it…
This is a trap of Americans- we work, work, work to accumulate- for what, it never will satisfy.
Our Daily Bread reading for today-Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has enough; only God will truly satisfy!