Covetousness – What Is It?

Introduction

A wealthy rancher once invited a preacher who had come to town to have dinner at his house. After the meal, he took the preacher to a spot where he could show him the ranch. He directed the preacher to look north and south, east and west. He showed him vast tracts of woods and grasslands. He pointed out oil wells and grain fields. He made sure he saw the cattle herds and barns. With each, he would add, “It’s all mine.” Finally, he paused to give the pastor time to compliment his success and fortune. The pastor kindly placed his hand on the rancher’s shoulder and pointed up to heaven. “How much do you have in that direction?” “I’ve never thought of that,” was the rancher’s quiet reply. In today’s passage, a man who had everything came to Jesus because he saw that he was missing something – eternal life. But he found out that something powerful was holding him back - covetousness. Study Mark 10:17-22 to see the power and cure of covetousness and how you can have and share eternal life today.

Observation

Pray

Ask the Lord to meet with you and show you wonderful things from His Word.

Read Focus Verses

Read Mark 10:17-22 and consider how Jesus interacted with the man in this story.

Key Character

Who is the main character in these verses? Who does most of the talking?

Keywords - Jesus Christ

Marking the Names of and references to Jesus helps us see Him as the main character as He is all through the Gospel of Mark.

Jesus Christ

Mark each time Jesus is mentioned in Mark 10:17-22.

Where?

Where was Jesus as this story happened according to the beginning of verse 17?

How?

How did this man approach Jesus?

Thinking About It

What does it tell you about this man that he came to Jesus this way? How would you describe the urgency of his question and interest?

The Question

What question did the man ask Jesus?

Jesus' Answer: Part 1

What is the first part of Jesus' answer (verse 18)?

Jesus' Answer: Part 2

What is the second part of Jesus' answer (verse 19)?

The Man's Response

What was the man's response to Jesus' answer?

Jesus' Thought

What does verse 21 reveal about Jesus' heart toward the man?

One More Thing

What did Jesus say to the man in verse 21?

Treasure

What kind of treasure did Jesus offer the man?

The Cross

What would the man have to take up to follow Jesus?

The Man

How did the man respond to Jesus' appeal?

Context

In the next few verses (which we'll look at in the next Bible study plan) Jesus teaches us about what happened. Read what He says about it in Mark 10:23-27.

Interpretation

Young

Perhaps you've heard this story referred to as the story of the rich, young ruler. You can see in today's passage why he is called rich. The parallel account in Matthew 19:16-22 reveals why young is included in the description.

Ruler

Luke 18:18 is the source of the ruler in the common description of the man in today's account.

Is Jesus Good?

Perhaps you've wondered whether Jesus is saying that He isn't good and isn't God in His first comment to the man. This short article explains Jesus' comment and how He was challenging the man to think about God's goodness and what it meant about Jesus that He was actually good.

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The 10 Commandments

In today's passage, Jesus refers the man back to the Ten Commandments. Specifically, Jesus directs the man (and us) to think about the last six commands which talk about the way we relate to other people. As you read each command in Exodus 20:12-17, ask yourself, "does Jesus list this command in His first response to the rich, young ruler?"

Left Out

Which of the commandments in those verses does Jesus not mention in His first response to the man in verse 19 of today's passage?

Covetousness

Easton's Bible Dictionary defines covetousness - the subject of the 10th commandment which Jesus didn’t mention at first - as "a strong desire after the possession of worldly things."

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What He Had

Notice that when Jesus brought up the final commandment, He didn't tell the man to stop wanting what others had (the way most people define covetousness). What did Jesus tell the man to do?

Coveting

Ephesians 5:5 tells us how serious covetousness is.

Equation

What does Ephesians 5:5 equate covetousness with?

Why?

Take a moment to think about it. Why is covetousness idolatry?

Serious

When you understand that covetousness is not just desiring what others have but also holding too tightly to the things we have and see what it really is at its core, how does it change your perspective on how serious covetousness is?

Love

Take a look at the word that describes the way Jesus thought about this man.

Not Just Him…

Read what Jesus says to every Christian in John 15:9.

I Love You

What does Jesus say to every Christian in that verse?

Proved

John 15:13 shows us how He proved it to us.

Demonstrated

How has Jesus demonstrated and proved that He loves you?

Jesus Loves Me

Stop and take some time think about what it means that Jesus loves you - you specifically.

Expected Response

Verse 21 of today's passage tells us that Jesus loved this man. What would you expect Jesus to say to a person He loved?

Confronting

In reality, Jesus loving the man looked like Jesus confronting him with his main sin problem. James 5:19-20 helps us understand why.

Loving

Why was it the most loving thing Jesus could do to confront this man with his greatest sin?

Expectations

Imagine that you've never read or heard today's story before and you're hearing it for the first time right now. A rich young man comes eagerly running to Jesus. He kneels and respectfully addresses Jesus with religious zeal asking how to have eternal life. How would you expect Jesus to answer?

What Would You Do?

If someone ran up to you eagerly, talked about Jesus with the greatest respect, and asked about how to go to heaven, what would you say?

Actually

How did Jesus actually answer the rich, young ruler?

Different

How is Jesus' response different than your expectations and what you would have done?

Change

How should the way you think about witnessing to people and telling them about Jesus and the gospel change based on the way Jesus responded to this man?

Using the Commandments

Jesus used the Ten Commandments to help the rich, young ruler see what he needed to deal with if he was going to go to heaven. In this video Kirk Cameron witnesses to this lady in a similar way.

Why It's Effective

This article helps explain why Jesus used God's law as He witnessed and why it is effective today. (We are no longer under the Mosaic Law since Jesus fulfilled it, but nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament because they're part of God's law for all time.)

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Practical Help

If you want to know more about one way you can use God's law to help people see their need for Jesus, you can find some practical ideas in this article.

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Why Is It Love?

Why is it loving to show someone their guilt as you tell them about Jesus and the gospel?

Responding to Jesus

If this eager young man turned down Jesus' perfect gospel witness, should we be discouraged if some of the people we tell the gospel to do not repent and believe for salvation?

Pattern

In the Bible, there is a pattern that repenting and forsaking a sin doesn't just mean that you don't do it anymore but that you also start doing what is right instead. We see this in Ephesians 4:28.

Thief

If a thief is repentant he should stop stealing. What else should he do?

Coveter

In a similar way, Jesus doesn't just tell the man in today's passage to stop loving things so much. What does Jesus tell the man he should start doing instead?

The Cure for Covetousness

Hebrews 13:5 reveals the cure for covetousness.

Contentment

What is the opposite of covetousness that serves as its cure?

God Is My Helper

What is the reason a Christian can be content according to this verse?

Godly Contentment

1 Timothy 6:6-8 teaches us about godly contentment.

Circumstances

In Philippians 4:11-13 we see what impact circumstances have on true contentment.

True Contentment

Is true contentment based on your circumstances?

The Truth Behind Contentment

Matthew 6:24-34 teaches us why Christians can be content.

God Takes Care of Me

Why can a Christian be content no matter their circumstances?

Similar

Jesus gave the ruler in today's passage a very specific way to show his repentance. But it isn't very different from what Jesus calls us all to do in Mark 8:34-38.

Deny Self, Bear Cross, Follow

What does Jesus call all of us to do if we want to be His disciples (followers)?

Once More

Read Mark 10:17-22 once more in light of what you've studied.

Jesus

What do these verses show you about Jesus?

Yourself

What do these verses show you about yourself?

Others

What do these verses show you about how you should think about and respond to others?

Application

Accepting Jesus' Love

Jesus loves you just like He loved this man. He has proved His love for you by dying in your place so that you can be forgiven of the guilt of your sins if you will turn from them and believe in Him. Have you accepted His love this way? If not, won't you do it today?

Your Main Sin

For the man in today's passage, covetousness kept him from heaven. Is there a sin in your life that you're not willing to give up to have salvation (or, if you're a Christian, to have fellowship with God and rewards in heaven)?

Sharing the Gospel

How will the way Jesus shared the gospel with this man change the way you share the gospel with others?

Covetousness

Do you struggle with covetousness and loving things? Are you content with what you have no matter how much or little? Are you willing to give up what you have if God asks you to? What direct action steps will you take to defeat covetousness in your life?

Wrapup

Closing

We hope this study has helped you understand covetousness - its power and cure - and has shown you how you can have and share eternal life.

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