Kingdom Priorities

Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Setting: Judea, Across the Jordan

Situation: Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees
Outcome: Jesus calls out the Pharisees’ hardness of heart, tells them they have not understood God’s Word or His intentions, and gives the disciples a lesson on pursuing the kingdom of God first (v. 12, “eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”)
Jesus’ ministry is moving from Galilee to Judea, and ultimately to Jerusalem for Jesus’ final week and passion.
Main Idea:
Passage:

The Prio

(vv. 13-15)
Jesus Prioritizes Children
Context: Jesus prioritizes time with children and parents, blessing them over the “messianic duty” of expelling the Romans and overturning the Temple. (The disciples’ agenda and schedule hindered children from coming to him [in discipleship])
Main Point 1 (contextualized): Jesus wants us to be fully present with the important people around us, rather than to be singularly focused on conquering our challenges and removing the obstacles to us growing close to God. (Our busy schedules might be keeping us from following Jesus)
In other words: We grow closer to God and to Jesus when we live our lives fully present, loving and serving those around us rather than constantly living for whatever comes next, whatever challenge is waiting for us next. (If our schedule is keeping us from following Jesus [and obeying him], then we need to clear our schedules)
(v. 13)
Parents bring their children to Jesus for him to bless them.
The disciples rebuke the parents.
Most likely, the disciples are frustrated at a delay in their itinerary: Jesus is the Messiah, and Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. What is likely to ensue is Jesus’ epic showdown with the religious leaders, and possibly with the political leaders of Herod and Pilate (both representing Rome; Cf. the Pharisee’s most recent attempt to trap Jesus in the same way that John the Baptist was silenced in )
Overthrowing the imperial overlords and the religious establishment (the temple) would be challenging. Basically, “its game-time, and Jesus needs to prepare himself, there can be no distractions.”
Essentially, the disciples have not yet learned their lesson, to repent and become like children ().
Q: What do we do with distractions? How do we handle situations that seemingly take our eyes and attention off of the “important stuff?”
What Jesus wants from us, and for us, is spiritual maturity. Here, he notes that spiritual maturity comes in the form of repentance, humility, becoming like a child, and re-prioritizing life’s dilemmas.

A Rich Young Man’s Dilemma

In our contemporary culture, similar to ancient culture, children are seen as a nuisance, and in need of “growing up”. In fact, in our culture, we’ve become so selfish that we murder babies for convenience, and similar to aging parents, we push children to the periphery while we focus on our own needs.
(v. 14)
Jesus rebukes the disciples (who rebuked the parents) and commands the children to be brought, and not to be hindered, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (Cf. ; , )
(v. 15)
Jesus then lays his hands on the children [blesses them] and goes away [continues his journey toward Jerusalem].
Children are precious, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Time with our children is precious. Perhaps, we are the ones who need to learn how to re-prioritize, rather than children learning what their place is.
Q: So how do we change our attitude and reflect Jesus’ priorities more?
A: Allow disruptions, cherish “teachable moments,” cherish time with children.
Q: What does it mean for us to allow the children to come to Jesus and not to hinder them?
Q: Do we place obstacles in front of and burdens on children that they are not able to bear?
Q: How do we remove obstacles to childrens’ faith in Jesus?

The Priority of Possessions

(vv. 16-22)
Context 2: The Rich Young Man’s wealth was a barrier to him following Jesus
Main Point 2: Our possessions can be a hinderance to our following Jesus
In Other Words 2: If our possession are an obstacle to following Jesus, he would tell us to get rid of them and wholly follow him.
(v. 16)
Along the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, a “young man” (21-28 yrs. ?; Cf. ) approaches Jesus and asks how to have eternal life.
What a question! Wouldn’t it be awesome if people walked up to you regularly and asked this question?
The Young man obviously recognizes Jesus as an authority on eternal life.
He calls Jesus teacher (didaskale) but then asks about what deeds are required to have eternal life.
The Holy Spirit has likely convicted this young man about his eternal status.
Application: Perhaps our prayer needs to be that the HS would convict people about their eternal status so that they might approach us with this question. Perhaps people around us need to see, in our lives, that we are righteous and concerned not only with present life, but also life to come. If people don’t see this in our lives, why would we expect them to ask us questions about Jesus or about eternity?
(v. 17)
First: Jesus Responds, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Implied response, “because you are a ‘teacher of righteousness,’ or, ‘you are an authority on goodness and eternal life.’” Clearly, the young man has seen enough (heard enough?) of Jesus so as to know that Jesus can answer this question for him.
Psalm
Jesus prioritizes time with children and parents, blessing them over the “messianic duty” of expelling the Romans and overturning the Temple.
Implied response, “because you are a ‘teacher of righteousness,’ or, ‘you are an authority on goodness and eternal life.’” Clearly, the young man has seen enough (heard enough?) of Jesus so as to know that Jesus can answer this question for him.
Second: Jesus turns the young man’s attention away from self toward God: “There is only one who is good.” That is God (; Cf. the Shema, “God is one”).
In response to following God, alone (), one is to follow Him, to love Him (), and to put His word on our heart (). As evidence of this inward life-transformation, we will teach our children to do God’s Word (), and discuss His Word all the time (). God’s Word(s) will become so apparent in our lives that we will bind them on our foreheads, and write them on our doorposts and gates to our houses ().
Psalm 53:2–3 ESV
God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Third: God has already said what is good: do His commandments!
Third: God has already said what is good: do His commandments
In response to following God, alone (), one is to follow Him, to love Him (), and to put His word on our heart (). As evidence of this inward life-transformation, we will teach our children to do God’s Word (), and discuss His Word all the time (). God’s Word(s) will become so apparent in our lives that we will bind them on our foreheads, and write them on our doorposts and gates to our houses (). (Cf. ; )
Deuteronomy 10:12–13 ESV
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10:12–13 ESV
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?
Micah 6:8 ESV
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
In addition to Jesus’ statement to keep the commands, he also changes the verb from “get eternal life” to “enter eternal life.” Jesus changes the discussion from a transaction to a journey, a progression.
(vv. 18-19)
The young man, in his folly, believes that he can simply follow rules to have eternal life.
He responds, “Which ones,” i.e., “which commands?”
Jesus responds with the Ten Words of Moses, specifically words 5) Honor your father and mother, 6) Don’t murder, 7) Don’t commit adultery, 8) Don’t steal, 9) Don’t bear false witness [against your neighbor], and 10) “Love your neighbor as yourself,” instead of “Don’t covet...anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (; )
Deuteronomy 5:6–21 ESV
“ ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “ ‘You shall have no other gods before me. “ ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “ ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. “ ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. “ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. “ ‘You shall not murder. “ ‘And you shall not commit adultery. “ ‘And you shall not steal. “ ‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “ ‘And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’
Leviticus 19:18 ESV
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
With the exception of Command 5 coming after commands 6-9, Jesus’ list of the Ten Words follows Moses’ order. Jesus is commanding this would-be follower to “do” the last 6 of the 10 Words of Moses. Interestingly, the first 4 Words are absent, but are likely represented by Jesus’ allusion to the Shema when he says, “There is only One Who is Good.” If the Shema can be generally understood as covering the first 4 Words of Moses, and this list of the final six (with standing in place of Word 10), Jesus is telling this would-be disciple to “do” the 10 Words in order to inherit eternal life. Easy!
(v. 20)
The young man, still fooled by his religiosity, answers Jesus that he has kept all these commands. Yet, he also asks, “What do I still lack?”
I suspect that this young man knew the 10 Words from his youth (Cf. ), but he intuitively understood that he was missing something. Perhaps, the conviction of the HS had him doubting his eternity because his heart was not right with God.
It is this doubt that Jesus zeros in on.
Matthew Explanation of the Text

He has an exaggerated sense of his own piety that has led to self-sufficiency. Yet at the same time he is unsure whether he has done enough and is hoping Jesus will be able to give him further insight.

p. 718
(v. 21)
Jesus responds that the young man needs to be “perfect” (Cf. , which I believe to be an echo of ).
Matthew 5:48 ESV
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Leviticus 19:2 ESV
“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
Read sometime, it is a fantastic chapter on the holiness of God and the responsibility of His people to pursue holiness by loving our neighbors.
So, Jesus responds, “be perfect, by selling your possessions and giving to the poor, to have treasure in heaven, then come and follow me.” (Cf. ; )
In essence, Jesus is saying that this young man has mixed up priorities. For, in attempting to be close to God through the law, he had neglected love for his neighbor, which is an outward expression of our love for God and our holiness as we’ve followed Him. His priorities were mixed up!
As a result of this conversation, whereas the young man had desired to know how to have eternal life, he probably got excited when Jesus told him to do what Moses says, judging by his external righteousness that he was already “perfect” or “holy.” Yet, this young man had neglected his heart (commanded in the Shema in ).
Doing God’s law is meaningless if our hearts are not changed. If we obey God’s commands without God having changed our hearts, we are not on the path to eternal life.
This young man leaves Jesus sorry because of his many possessions. His possessions were a hindrance to his relationship with Jesus.
If our possessions are a hindrance to our following Jesus, we must get rid of them and continue to follow Jesus.
A: Our possessions are idolatry to us if they draw us away from our love of God and away from our love of neighbor. If our possessions serve ourselves only, then they might be idolatry to us.
Matthew Explanation of the Text

Discipleship begins with rejecting the world, and then one becomes a “follower”

p. 719
Matthew Explanation of the Text

Every aspect of life, including one’s earthly goods, must be used for God rather than self.

p. 719
(v. 22)
The young man goes away exceedingly sad because of his many possessions. What a sad commentary on his life. Rather than judging the weight of eternity with God as more valuable, he went away sad that he would have to part with his many possessions.
When our things are more important to us than our relationship with God, or eternity, we probably hold those things as an idol.
Q: So, how would we know if our possessions are idolatry to us?
A: Our possessions are idolatry to us if they draw us away from our love of God and away from our love of neighbor. If our possessions serve ourselves only, then they might be idolatry to us.

The Priority of Heaven and Eternity

(vv. 23-26)
Context 3: While it is difficult for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of heaven (especially in the first century when wealth was typically gained by immoral means), it is not impossible.
Main Point 3: People cannot save themselves. God saves us based on repentance of sins, humility before Him, and a fruitful life of obedience and service afterward.
In other Words 3: Our possessions and our wealth do not have to keep us from following Jesus. Jesus changes and transforms hearts. If we repent of the idolatry of material possessions, and we turn to God, He can change our hearts and then he can use us and all our stuff for His purposes, and for His kingdom.
(vv. 23-26)

Context 4:

(v. 23-24)
Context 4:
Jesus says that wealthy people will enter heaven with difficulty.
Main Point 4:
This is very likely because our things tend to give us a sense of security about our status (presently or in the future), and those of us with many possessions do not see the need for help. It is often those who lack who see their need for help.
Main Point 3:
In other Words 4:
Jesus illustrates his point by referencing the largest animal in Israel, a Camel, and having that animal pass through the smallest opening imaginable, the hole of a needle.
If you find yourself in the wealthy category, right now you may be asking yourself whether or not you are saved, and how you can know. Do not fret, God’s point is not to get you to question your salvation, but rather for you to understand the seriousness of giving all your possessions to God to be used by Him for His glory. If you ask yourself this question and have doubts as to whether you are saved, perhaps you need to have a conversation with Jesus, ask him to forgive you for material possession idolatry, and commit to using all of your possessions for Jesus and his kingdom.
(v. 25)
The disciples are clearly shocked by Jesus’ claim that the rich will enter heaven with difficulty.
This is perhaps due to the common view that wealth indicated favor with God. Or said another way, a person was blessed by God if He gave them many material blessings.
Donald Hagner makes a point that wealth in the first century meant that people were able to give alms (charity to the poor) as a good deed, and provided them with the ability to own a (personal) bible and to study Torah at leisure (in piety) as opposed to the poor who could only receive alms, or hear Torah read in the synagogue, and typically did not have enough free time to commit to pious study.
(v. 26)
In response to the disciples’ lament, that it is impossible for anyone to be saved, if even the most blessed and righteous people will only be saved through difficulty, Jesus responds saying that it is impossible to be saved “with man,” but “with God all things are possible.”
Jesus’ point here is similar to a previous point from the Sermon on the Mount, that a person’s righteousness must exceed that of the most “righteous” people you can think of (in the first century, it was the Scribes and Pharisees; Cf. ). His point was not that it was impossible to be righteous (), but rather that God’s righteousness needs to be given to us in order to exceed the Scribes and the Pharisees. Here, his point is not that it is impossible for rich people to go to heaven, but rather that on their own, without God changing them and giving them a new heart to love Him and love neighbor, it is impossible.
Jesus’ point here is similar to a previous point from the Sermon on the Mount, that a person’s righteousness must exceed that of the most “righteous” people you can think of (in the first century, it was the Scribes and Pharisees; Cf. ). His point was not that it was impossible to be righteous (), but rather that God’s righteousness needs to be given to us in order to exceed the Scribes and the Pharisees. Here, his point is not that it is impossible for rich people to go to heaven, but rather that on their own, without God changing them and giving them a new heart to love Him and love neighbor, it is impossible.
Thus, salvation is a miraculous work of God, and impossible without Him.
In fact, this is what the disciples understand, and what Jesus goes on to clarify.

The Priority of Humility

In other Words 3:Rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven
(vv. 27-30)
Context 4: Peter seeks recognition of the great sacrifice the disciples have made to follow Jesus.
Main Point 4: Disciples will be rewarded by Jesus for their obedience and their sacrifice for his name’s sake.
In other Words 4: Jesus knows the difficulty and the sacrifice that disciples have made to follow Jesus, and he will reward his followers. Yet, we do not sacrifice and serve to receive reward, but rather to draw near to Jesus to be with him. For, our discipleship must still be lived out by a life of repentance and humility.
(v. 27)
When Jesus finishes saying that salvation is possible with God, Peter responds. His response is somewhat strange. Is Peter attempting to be seen as very pious by Jesus? Jesus told the young man to sell all that he had, and then Jesus called him to become a follower. This call was very similar to Jesus’ call of Simon and Andrew, and James and John ()
So, where the rich young ruler failed Jesus’ test of discipleship, Peter attempts to show his piousness, his righteousness by reminding Jesus that he and the other disciples have left everything.
(v. 28)
Jesus does not rebuke Peter here. He affirms Peter. He basically says, “I know you have left everything. And anyone who does likewise will be rewarded in my kingdom.”
Jesus will sit on his throne, “in the new world,” and the disciples will co-rule with him by sitting on twelve thrones, and they will be the judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. That is quite a reward!
(v. 29)
Further, any disciple who leaves every thing, whether homes or property, whether family or country, for Jesus’ “name’s sake” that is for his reputation, for his honor, for his glory, for his kingdom, that person will receive “a hundredfold,” (Cf. Job’s “reward” after he remains faithful to God in , though Jesus’ reward for his followers far exceeds Job’s “reward” for faithfulness)
(v. 30)
Yet, Jesus has been teaching his disciples about the “upside-down nature of his kingdom.” The greatest in his kingdom will be those who repent and humble themselves like a child. And so this statement, bringing the passage to a close, the first will be last, and the last first (Cf. ).

So What?

Takeaways:
Pt. 1a: Sometimes our busyness keeps us and others from following Jesus. We need to evaluate our time and agenda priorities to ensure that we’re following Jesus, and helping others to follow him.
Pt. 1b: Let the little children come: Jesus values children, we must value children. How do we do that (At Emmaus)? A few ways: 1) Pro-life ministry, 2) robust childrens ministry, 3) church culture that allows for life, for distractions and disruptions, 4) As adult followers of Jesus, we humble ourselves and discern what God is saying in the midst of distractions and disruptions
Q: In what ways is God trying to get my attention, to speak to me, but I’m distracted and not listening to him? In what might I hinder others from following Jesus?
Pt. 2: Sometimes our possessions keep us from following Jesus. If our possessions are keeping us from following Jesus, we first need to evaluate what things we have, and what things we are seeking, and whether we’re seeking these things for selfish gain, or whether we’re seeking these things to advance the kingdom of God. If our possessions are solely based on our selfish desires, we may need to repent, get rid of some things, and “come and follow” Jesus.
Q: Can you identify anything in your life, material possessions, that seem to own you rather than you owning them? Do any of these items hinder your relationship with God? Why do you think that is? What do you think you can do about it?
Pt. 3: Only God can save us. Whether we are rich or poor, only God can save us. Yet, the poor understand their need better than the rich. If we are blessed with material possessions, and we don’t see our need, we will have difficulty in repentance, humility, giving to the poor, and following Jesus. Don’t let your stuff to be master over you, be master over your stuff, and if it is an idol, give it up, turn and follow Jesus.
Pt. 4: Walking with Jesus, and being with him is the greatest reward. Yet, walking with Jesus can be extremely difficult, and at times Jesus asks us to give up a lot. At times we sacrifice comfort, pleasure, security, and other pursuits that our neighbors chase after, that we would really love to join them in. Yet, despite giving up all these worldly pursuits, Jesus assures us that we will be blessed for our sacrifice. We don’t serve Jesus for rewards, but he promises us that serving him will bring us rewards. However, in order to keep things in perspective, we continue to consider the upside-down nature of his kingdom, that the last will be first, and the first would be last. Let us humbly consider ourselves to be last so that we might gain Christ, and be found to be first in his kingdom.
Matthew 4. Rewards

Do we live for the glory of God or for self? Do we strive for the things of this world or the things of God? That will determine our true destiny.

Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more