13 Why Do You Call Me Good? (Mark 10:17-31)

When a wealthy, moral, spiritually serious young man runs up to Jesus and asks how to inherit eternal life, Jesus answers with a surprising question of his own: “Why do you call me good?” In this episode on Mark 10:17–31 (with help from Matthew 19–20), we explore what happens when our best efforts, our most impressive religious record, and even our generosity collide with the reality that “no one is good except God alone”—and why that collision is actually the doorway into grace. In this week’s episode, we explore:How the “rich young ruler” has everything—youth, status, morality, sincerity—and still knows something is missingWhy Jesus starts with the commandments, not to congratulate the man’s record, but to reveal what the law is actually forThe shock of Jesus’ challenge to sell everything, give to the poor, and follow him—especially in a culture where family and land were ultimate loyaltiesWhat the “camel through the eye of a needle” image really means (and why the popular gate-story doesn’t hold up)How Jesus’ words, “With man it is impossible, but not with God,” reframe salvation as miracle and gift, not achievementPeter’s “We have left everything” moment, and why even radical discipleship doesn’t earn a reward—it only exposes how generous Jesus already isThe parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20) as a picture of God giving people what they need, not what they deserveThe subtle ways we still slip into “rich young ruler” thinking today, using Bible reading, prayer, and other religious practices as a scorecardHow to see every genuine act of obedience or desire for God—not as your gift to him, but as his gift at work in youAfter listening, you’ll be invited to lay down the quiet pressure to be “good enough” for God and instead face Jesus’ question, “Why do you call me good?”, with new honesty and hope. You’ll come away with a clearer sense of how wealth, success, and even spiritual discipline can insulate us from our need—and how the gospel frees us to see salvation as entirely God’s work from start to finish. And you’ll be encouraged to practice the disciplines of the Christian life not as a way to earn God’s favor, but as grateful participation in the grace he has already poured out in Christ.Series: Questions Jesus AskedMost people fail at Bible study because no one ever taught them how. Bible Study Boot Camp fixes that: one short email a day for a week, plus a worksheet you can use on any passage for the rest of your life.Sign up for Bible Study Boot Camp