I tell my kids not to buy me anything for Christmas. Two reasons…

1 – I don’t need anything.

2 – Use the money to pay a bill!

However, our text today and actually the entire Gospel message is about receiving!

The disciples sound like spoiled children who complain after Christmas that they didn’t get everything on their list. They continue to need Jesus to explain that if you want the world seek self-promotion. If you want God’s kingdom seek self-denial (servanthood).

Christmas; “It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” as the song says. We know the songs, we know the characters, we know the place, and we know the purpose…I hope! The heart of Christmas is the understanding, not that Jesus came, but why He came. That reason was clearly stated by the angels to the shepherds, “Today, in the town of David, a savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Only God could have planned for us, on this first Sunday in Advent to be in Mark 10:32-34. It explains perfectly the reason for the season. It’s not so much about a baby in a manger, but a savior on a cross, raised from an empty tomb.

Immediately after blessing small children the Synoptic Gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk) record an encounter Jesus had with a rich, young ruler. The contrasts of these two meetings display the truth of grace and works and joy and sadness.

In the Synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mk, Lk) each writer includes today’s passage before the story of the Rich Young Man. It’s no accident! The little children find their way into God’s Kingdom with no merit of their own (GRACE). The Rich Young Man (which we will talk more about next week) tries to use his deeds to enter the Kingdom (WORKS). The children and their families went away rejoicing. The rich man went away sad. WHY?

In the Synoptic Gospels (Matt, Mk, Lk) each writer includes today’s passage before the story of the Rich Young Man. It’s no accident! The little children find their way into God’s Kingdom with no merit of their own (GRACE). The Rich Young Man (which we will talk more about next week) tries to use his deeds to enter the Kingdom (WORKS). The children and their families went away rejoicing. The rich man went away sad. WHY?

God’s Word is our final authority on what we believe and how we behave.  Our passage today talks about belief and behavior; what do we believe about marriage and how to behave while married.  Bottom line, God created marriage and God hates divorce (Gen 2:24, Mal 2:16).

The Pharisees wanted to again trap Jesus with His words so they ask Him this question concerning divorce, and Jesus gives them God’s answer.

God’s Word is our final authority on what we believe and how we behave. Our passage today talks about belief and behavior; what do we believe about marriage and how to behave while married. Bottom line, God created marriage and God hates divorce (Gen 2:24, Mal 2:16).

The Pharisees wanted to again trap Jesus with His words so they ask Him this question concerning divorce, and Jesus gives them God’s answer.

In college I would let my laundry stack for quite some time. The laundry would go higher, higher, and get more smelly. Instead of dealing with the laundry, my friend and I bought a thing of Febreeze “Cranberry Cheer”. We would spray it all over the room instead of just doing our laundry. Sometimes in our life we don’t deal with sin and instead justify it and hide it and not call sin sin. Today I urge you to repent of any hidden sin in your life. I urge you to run the other way towards Christ.

In college I would let my laundry stack for quite some time. The laundry would go higher, higher, and get more smelly. Instead of dealing with the laundry, my friend and I bought a thing of Febreeze “Cranberry Cheer”. We would spray it all over the room instead of just doing our laundry. Sometimes in our life we don’t deal with sin and instead justify it and hide it and not call sin sin. Today I urge you to repent of any hidden sin in your life. I urge you to run the other way towards Christ.