Bible Study: Kingdom Matters Found in Mark 10

It is advised to read bible progressively, not randomly-I have an annual reading plan from YouVersion app. The Gospel of Mark was written progressively, based on the historical sequences-different from the other books which are written with special intention. After seeing the revelation of Christ's death and resurrection in chapter 8 and 9, we reach chapter 10. We can see that what is contained in chapter ten is related to the kingdom. Let's find out what the Lord wanted to reveal in here.

The Three Things

We could point it out; that is the main points in this chapter. Verse two until twelve is talking about teaching against divorce. Second, verse 13 to 16 talks about blessing little children. Third, verse 17 to 31 is talking concerning the rich and the entrance of the kingdom of God. How these three things are connected to each other? Jesus was teaching the disciples concerning the kingdom, so what are these? These are three matters that may frustrate us from entering into the coming kingdom: marriage, oldness, and riches.

Marriage

God certainly could have created all the people at once, but He didn't. He created a couple and charged them to multiply through marriage. Therefore, we should honor marriage for it is holy and is ordained for the fulfillment of God's purpose. Since we are on our way entering the coming kingdom, we have to be firm regarding marriage and there should not be any divorce. Failure to take care of married life according to God will keep us from entering into the kingdom.

Oldness

At first, I was confused why the story of blessing the little children is inserted into this chapter. Through the life study book, I am clear that this part is talking about oldness. To enter into the kingdom of God, we should be young, even as young children. The Lord's speaking in 10:15 is serious, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall by no means enter into it." We are sure that we have received the kingdom when we were saved, but no body can assure without hesitating that we will enter into the coming kingdom. Why? We still have to overcome these three things, and the hardest is to overcome our oldness. There is no other way, to be fresh in receiving the Lord is the only way. If we are old, we can never receive the fresh enlightenment.

We have ever experienced as the little children when we were saved. We can experience that again. Maybe after years being saved, we consider we already know things, truths, doctrines. Maybe we think we are the church in Philadelphia who is ready to welcoming God's return. But remember, we have the possibility to fall into Laodiceans. What God says concerning Laodiceans? The degraded recovered church is wretched because she is proud of being rich in vain knowledge of doctrines, but in reality, is sorely poor in the experience of the riches of Christ. (Footnote 2 in Rev. 3:17)

In the meeting, a brother gave a good illustration about being fresh. It's about the technology development of a memory saver. Memory saver is very useful nowadays. In its very first invention, the tube was so big and the capacity was only some kilobytes. Now, a handful sized hard disk could contain even some terabytes. Indeed, it is much developed, but one thing is still the same; the essential need, that is the power supply. Without power supply, they were all nothing. Same here. We do not change the essential word of God, but we need fresh enlightenment every time.

I've ever joined a conference for shepherding few months ago. I remember I wrote some notes and it is said something like this: freshness and consecration go together. Consecration is putting ourselves on the alter, means that we are not ourselves anymore again. We need Christ as our replacement. Galatians 2:20 says, "It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me;" This is 100% connected to chapter 9, the Lord's being transfigured on the mount, when Father through the cloud said, "This is My Son, the Beloved. Hear Him!" We shall no longer care about ourselves. We shall look upon Christ, hear Him only. Let Him through His death, resurrection, glorification, becoming our all-inclusive replacement that replace our whole self. We cannot enter into the kingdom by bringing our old fallen human. We shall totally be replaced. 

Riches

Of course, as human beings, we need money in order to live. But we never should be enslaved to money. Money should rather be under our management and should be used for God's purpose. Do not let money rules our heart. Imagine that we are a latex balloon. If we are fulfilled with the earthly gas, we cannot fly, in other word, raptured. Instead, we have to be fulfilled with the noble gas, Helium, so we can fly above the earth. The worldly dreams and desires to be rich shall not overwhelm us. As a result, we shall not be able to enter into the kingdom of God.

After all, the point is to be filled with Christ, to be replaced by Him. We shall handle marriage with Christ. We shall deal with the matter of oldness with Christ. We shall manage our money with Christ. Therefore, we may enter into the kingdom of God.