Oct. 20, 2024

Last week we had some difficult teaching on divorce and marriage. We covered childlike faith and how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom. This week Jesus continues with the subject of how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Then Jesus gives us an answer to this problem of riches and he tell his disciples again about his coming fate in Jerusalem. We are leading up to his triumphal entry into Jerusalem that we will get to next week.

Mark Lesson 15 Study Questions

1.    How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God… The words of Jesus _______the disciples because they assumed that wealth was always a sign of God’s __________ and favor. They thought that the rich were especially saved.

2.    For those who have riches: We often excuse ourselves from what Jesus said here because we don’t consider _________ rich. Yet compared to this rich young ruler, each one of us enjoys more ________ and ________ than he did.

3.    We may contrast the ___________ of a child with the ____________ of a rich man. Jesus indicated that it was much more likely that the child would inherit the kingdom of God instead of the rich man.

4.    With God all things are possible: However, God’s ______ is __________ to save the rich man. Biblically speaking we have the examples of people like Zaccheus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Barnabas, and through history many more examples.

5.    See, we have left all and followed You: In _________ to the rich young ruler, the disciples had left all to follow Jesus; what will be their ________? This question seems typical of Peter.

6.    Of course there is a special ________ for the disciples. They will have a special place in the judgment, probably in the sense of _______________ in the millennial Kingdom. The apostles also had the honor of helping to provide a singular foundation for the church (Ephesians 2:20) and will have a special tribute in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:14).

7.    But many who are first will be last, and the last first: This was the qualifying remark regarding the disciple’s reward. All who ___________ for the Lord will be rewarded, but God’s way and timing of rewarding may not match up with man’s way and timing of being rewarded. When God rewards, expect the ___________.

8.    We sometimes don’t think enough about the _________ of Jesus. It took a tremendous amount of bravery for Him to walk straight towards His fate at Calvary and to walk in front of the disciples. The courage of Jesus is especially amazing in light of our frequent ___________ as Christians, afraid to stand out for Jesus. He wasn’t afraid to stand out for us.

9.    Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask: This was no doubt an outgrowth of the continual topic of conversation among the disciples. They often spoke about which one among them was the _________ (Mark 9:33-34). James and John feel confident they will be the greatest, so they asked Jesus to confirm their opinion by appointing them to high _________ now.

10.    You do not know what you ask: Since James and John still worked under ________ ideas regarding the kingdom of God, they really had no idea what it would take to be ______ in the kingdom. Yet it was not because Jesus had not told them.

11.    Yet it shall not be so among you is a stinging rebuke to the manner in which the _______ church looks to the _______ for both its substance and style. Plainly, the church is not to operate the way the world does.

12.    And to give His life a ransom for many: This is one of the great claims Jesus made about Himself and His ministry. He is the one who stands in the place of guilty ________ and offers Himself as a ___________ for them.

13.    Have mercy on me! The blind man knew what he needed from Jesus – mercy. He didn’t come thinking that God ______ him. All he wanted from Jesus was ______.