CONVERSATION STARTERS

1. Read Mark 10:17-22.

2. Jesus’ Love and Challenge - How does knowing Jesus gave this hard command to the rich young ruler out of truly seeing and loving (Mark 10:21) change how you feel about it? Imagine Jesus meeting you in the same way (Really, take a moment and imagine that). How does that change how you feel about hard challenges he gives you?

3. What Owns Your Heart? – The rich young ruler genuinely wanted to follow Jesus, but his wealth held him back (Mark 10:21-22). How do you know what the things are in your life— money, status, comfort, or control, etc.—that might compete with full surrender to Jesus? How can you practically reorient your heart toward God?

4. Dependence vs. Security – Jesus teaches that entering the kingdom means becoming like a child—completely dependent on God (Mark 10:15). How does dependence on God challenge the way our culture views security and success (e.g. finances, career, achievements)? Where do you struggle to trust God over trusting your resources?

5. Losing to Gain – Jesus says it’s hard for the wealthy to enter the kingdom (Mark 10:23–25), not because wealth itself is wrong, but because dependence on it can hinder faith. What does it mean in practical terms to “lose” in order to “gain” in God’s kingdom (Mark 10:29–31)? How might generosity shift our mindset from scarcity to abundance?

Title: Jesus Rewards
Reference: Mark 10:17-22
Speaker: Gabe Coyle, GabeC@cckc.church

Jesus’ rhetorical question in response to the man’s address says in effect that since being good is not a human possibility, the man may as well give up his ambitions in that regard before the conversation even begins. ~ Sharryn Dowd, Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel

The disciples are obsessed with being in control: Who is the greatest? Who is authorized to exorcise? Who can have access to Jesus? They are not prepared to welcome the imminent reign of God that Jesus announces because they cannot control it; it is, after all, God’s reign. ~ Sharryn Dowd, Reading Mark: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Second Gospel

– Disciples of Christ humbly depend on God.

My wife, Kathy, told me, “I'll bet that the week you deal with greed will be the lowest attendance.” She was right. People packed it out for “Lust” and “Wrath” and even for “Pride.” But nobody thinks they are greedy. As a pastor I’ve had people come to me and confess that they struggle with almost every kind of sin. Almost. I cannot recall anyone ever coming to me and saying, “I spend too much money on myself. I think my greedy lust for money is harming my family, my soul, and people around me.” Greed hides itself from the victim. The money god’s modus operandi includes blindness to your own heart. ~ Tim Keller, We Can’t See Our Own Greed

That Jesus did not command all his followers to sell all their possessions gives comfort only to the kind of people to whom he would issue that command. ~ R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text

– Our Biggest Hope: Jesus’ Compassion

– Give All You Have In Pursuit of Christ

If you have something you can’t give away, you don’t own it, it owns you. ~ Albert Schweitzer

Why do it? Why would you make it harder on yourself? Why chance it? Why put it on the line? With so much at stake. With so much room to fail. Why risk it? Why would you dare? Seriously, why? [What if you] give everything you have and still lose. But my question is... What if you don’t? ~ Nike commercial