Mark 10:24-31

John Burnett:  ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[a] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  This is due to the self-righteousness of the rich.  They see themselves as having everything they need and they do not recognize their need for Jesus.

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”  God promises those who give up much will receive 100 times more in eternity.  The meek will inherit the earth.

Have a great weekend and come quickly Lord Jesus.

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Allen Michaels:  ²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” This is true not only for the rich, but also those who have comfortable lives, because most of their basic physical needs are met and they often become self-reliant. It’s so easy to forget about God when our lives are going so good. Their abundance and self-sufficiency become their deficiency. The person who has everything on earth can still lack what is most important—eternal life.

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” The disciples must have felt that wealth was a blessing from God. This misconception is still alive and well today. Although many Christians enjoy material prosperity, many more live in hardship. Wealth is not a sign of faith or of partiality on God’s part.

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. Jesus assured the disciples that anyone who gives up something valuable for his sake will be repaid a hundred times over in his life, although not necessarily in the same form. Along with these rewards, however, we should expect to experience persecution because the world hates God. Jesus emphasized persecution to make sure that we do not selfishly follow him only for the rewards. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Jesus explained that in the world to come, the values of this world will be reversed. Those who seek status and importance here will have none in heaven. Those who are humble here will be great in heaven. The corrupt condition of our society encourages confusion in values. We are constantly bombarded by media that tell us how to be important and how to feel good, and Jesus’ teaching about service to others seems alien. But those who have humbly served others are most qualified to be great in heaven.

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Monday's reading for Mark 10:32-34

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”