What Am I Still Lacking

In one paragraph

This message came from the series A Harmony of the Gospels. Pastor Gary walked through the account of the rich young ruler as told across Matthew, Mark, and Luke, showing how the three accounts together fill out a picture of one man's encounter with Jesus and what it cost him. The passage sits right after Jesus told his disciples that anyone who enters the kingdom of God must receive it like a...

Read together

1. 2 Corinthians 1 opened worship, all God's promises fulfilled in Christ with a resounding yes, our amen ascends to God for his glory
2. Psalm 34 pastor prayed referencing the psalmist saying oh the joys of those who take refuge in you
3. Deuteronomy Moses quoted before the offering: Lord you have begun to show your servant your greatness and strong hand, what God in heaven and earth can do such works
4. Matthew rich young ruler account, someone came to Jesus asking what good thing he must do to obtain eternal life
5. Mark rich young ruler account, a man ran up and knelt before Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life
6. Luke rich young ruler account, a ruler questioned Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life
7. Leviticus Jesus added love your neighbor as yourself from Leviticus when listing commandments to the rich young ruler
8. Deuteronomy mentioned as one of the sources of the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue

Talk about it

1. Pastor Mark pointed out that the rich young ruler came to Jesus right after Jesus said the kingdom must be received like a child, yet the man's first words were 'what must I do?' What is the difference between approaching God with that 'what do I do' mindset and approaching Him like a child, and which one do you find yourself defaulting to?
2. When Jesus looked at the rich young ruler, Mark tells us He loved him, and then He told him the one thing he lacked. What does it say about Jesus that love and a hard word came in the same moment? Have you ever experienced that from God or from someone who loved you well?
3. The man said he had kept all the commandments since his youth, and Pastor Mark said he believed Jesus recognized his sincerity. How do you think someone can be genuinely sincere about following God's commands and still be missing the thing God is actually asking of them?
4. Pastor Mark said he does not think Jesus is making a universal call for everyone to sell everything, but a universal call to leave behind whatever is keeping us from following Him. What kinds of things, besides money, might play the role that wealth played for this man?
5. Mark's account adds 'along with persecutions' to the list of what followers of Jesus receive in this life. Pastor Mark said that anyone who sets out to do good in God's name will find opposition. Where have you seen or experienced that, and how did it affect your willingness to keep going?