“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:17-30, NKJV)
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. … So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27, 33 NKJV)
Salient Points:
The young ruler had kept the commandments and Jesus did not scold him or condemn him for having wealth. He came running to Jesus which suggests that there was some urgency in his encounter with Jesus. He needed something which his money and religiosity could not obtain.
Although the society saw him as a successful and prosperous man, the man had this inward battle for contentment and fulfilment. Jesus knew he lacked one thing. In Luke 10:42, Jesus told Martha, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” It seems there is always one thing - one fundamental issue - standing between us and our eternal destiny. What is that for you?
Jesus did not beat about the bush. He identified the problem of the man immediately - his wealth. In addition to wealth or in the absence of wealth, there could be other problems. Idolatry is not object-specific - anything can be an idol. The Holy Spirit ministers to us, not in uncertain terms, but simply, directly, bluntly and without ambiguity. There is no messing around with Gog. If you want to walk with Him, prepare yourself for some old-fashioned directness. god is not politically correct.
The young ruler had the good life, everything that money could buy, etc. but he could not give that up for Jesus. You see, it seems probable that he went to Jesus with a proposal like this - 'Tell me whatever You want me to do, but please do not touch my wealth.' If we want God to guide us, we cannot put Him in a box, and limit His dealings with us. Basically, we simply cannot tell God what to do or set certain areas of our lives off-limit to Him.
Up to that point when he met Jesus, the young rich ruler was fine. He was comfortable (at least physically and materially) with his status, influence, affluence, etc. He lacked nothing but when He came to Jesus, he was asked to relinquish his wealth. You see, what God is not asking for today, He may require tomorrow and He has the right to do so. Many people think God cannot or will not ask them to give up their wealth, jobs, houses, locations, etc. and they are greatly mistaken. God has not changed and He may well uproot us from our comfort zones and send us to the hottest zones of the battle. Are you ready?
The young ruler's wealth beclouded his vision, compromised his proclaimed allegiance to God, and rendered him ineffective for service on to God. All that because he believed the lie of the devil - significance from material things. Material things are temporal; they come and go. seeking significance from them is, with all due respect, folly.
When you consider yourself, is there anything you are reluctant to give on to God? Why are these points very important? Simply because we cannot, as leaders, children of God, citizens of Heaven, expect commitment from the people if we are not 100% committed. We must lead by example. We must be disciples if we are going to be disciple makers and the conditions are unambiguously laid out as in Luke 14:26-27 - forsaking all and following Jesus. That was the condition that Abraham, Daniel, the prophets, the disciples and others, God's people, had to fulfil. When Jesus met the disciples for the first time, He boldly commanded them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). The condition for fishing men successfully is following Jesus. That condition has not changed and will never change.
You may want to pray as outlined below:
Prayers:
That the Lord God Almighty will enable you to be completely unattached to the temporal things of this world.
That God will help you by the power of the Holy Spirit to be 100% committed to Him and to the work He has set before you.
That God will help you to do the work excellently and urgently.
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