Mark 10:17-22 NIV
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Love Starts Here
How are you dealing with that sense that you’re not quite right, the sense that something is missing? There’s something in your life to which you’re looking to deal with that.
Some of you are desperately trying to turn material wealth into a spiritual treasure to deal with that inner sense of poverty.
Some of you are desperately trying to turn physical beauty into spiritual beauty to deal with that inner sense of deformity.
Some of you are looking to love. Some of you are looking to romance. Some of you are looking to family. Some of you are looking to making a hit in some professional world. Some of you are trying desperately to get into some inner ring, to be included, to be accepted, to deal with that inner sense of exclusion and alienation and unworthiness you feel. Everybody’s trying to do something.
This young man in our text was doing it with career, money, and status, observes Tim Keller. Maybe that’s why you feel panic if you don’t have enough money, because money is not just your money. It’s your father. It’s your savior. It’s your essence. It’s your identity. It’s your self. It’s your name. Jesus doesn’t just say, “Give away all your money.” He says, “Give away all your money and follow me,” which is his way of trying to say, “I want you to see that if you have me you have everything you need.”
Jesus loved the young man, yet made no attempt to dissuade him from walking sadly away when he could not or would not take up Jesus’ challenge. Jesus makes no further attempt to persuade him. The conditions had been set: the young man must make up his mind.
Whatever you do, don't walk away "wealthy but sad." There's joy. Jesus offers it. Decide!
