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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. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Ever notice how Jesus is spoken of in popular culture? He is often referenced as a teacher, almost so, as not to ruffle any feathers. But the problem in solely identifying Jesus as a teacher is that one can miss the entire point of his ministry and conceal the fact that Jesus is God. This was a point Jesus wouldn’t let slip during his interaction with the Rich Man who addressed him as “good teacher.” With grace, Jesus reminded him that only God was good. Unbeknownst to the Rich Man, in calling Jesus good he equated Jesus to God. Unfortunately, throughout their entire conversation, that was the very idea the Rich Man missed. After hearing Jesus’ two instructions, to sell all his possessions and follow him, he walked away disappointed. It wasn’t that Jesus did not give the answer, Jesus was trying to shift his heart from what was earthly to heavenly, but because the Rich Man’s perspective was so clouded by what he owned he was not willing to accept what Jesus was offering. The Rich Man needed a paradigm shift to realize that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and that there was no eternal life apart from him. Today we must also know that Jesus came for more than just a moral lesson, he came to grant us eternal life. It is a gift that we can freely receive through faith in Jesus.
If you’re going to take hold of eternal life, you are going to have to let go of earthly things.
The Rich Man’s inherent lack caused him to seek out Jesus. While he certainly did not lack material possession, he lacked eternal direction. Jesus invited him to follow him. Jesus wasn’t trying to punish the man for being rich, he was trying to set him free, but it was on the Rich Man to let go of what held him back.
A paradigm shift, or changing one’s beliefs to fit new information, is not the default. Counter to our instincts, Jesus is calling us to be different. In order to be upright in the eyes of God, we are going to have to shift from what is familiar to what is righteous.
The Rich Man did not realize that he couldn’t buy his way into the kingdom of God. And while eternal life has no price, it does have a cost. The transaction was made through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. When we recognize our lack and humbly accept Jesus is the only one who can save us, we become children of God. It is about being and believing versus doing and achieving. The gospel is not exclusive but it is specific, the invitation to follow Jesus is open to us all. We can hear the instructions in his word, yet miss the great invitation of following him. Will we be like the Rich Man and leave disappointed or will we embrace the amazing gift of Jesus and eternal life?
Shift your paradigm. Identify what may be holding you back from following Jesus wholeheartedly and make the decision to let it go.
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Good News: Hope is here! Celebrate Easter in community. With gatherings all weekend, there’s something for everyone.
Friday, March 29 – Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 – Easter Egg Drop
Sunday, March 31 – Easter Sunday
Help host Easter Egg Drop, one of our largest outreaches of the year!
We live in the tension of present hard times and coming good times. In this gap, our faith is formed. The gathering of the saints produces perseverance for you to run your race of faith. VOUSCon is this moment.
June 20-22
Miami, FL
As we create an atmosphere that glorifies God, we create space for Him to move. As servant leaders, we carry the culture. Because we value Con, we invest in it.
