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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.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
This isn’t just another conference. It’s a holy moment to encounter Jesus, be filled with His presence, and reset your heart around what matters most. Over three days of powerful worship, teaching, and community, you’ll be equipped to lead with clarity and live with boldness.
From curated workshops to next-level add-ons, VOUSCon is designed to meet you where you are and where you lead—whether that’s in your church, your workplace, or the middle of a major life decision. Every session is crafted to grow your faith and strengthen your voice.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
When: Thursday, June 19th - Saturday, June 21st
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
VOUSCon is here! On Wednesday before kicking off VOUSCon 2025 in strength and unity we are going to pray.
Don't miss the moment to join us in prayer. Please RSVP by clicking here for our FREE VOUSCon Prayer Night
When: Wednesday, June 18th
Time: 7:00PM
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Join us on the road to VOUSCon as we embark on a 40-day relay run through the state of Florida. From Jacksonville to Miami, runners from every region are invited to participate in carrying the good news. Our finish line? VOUSCon 2025. Led by a core VOUS team, we’ll link arms with partner churches along the way, spotlighting the body of Christ and championing the local church through weekly outreach initiatives.
Starting Line: Sunday, May 11
Finish Line: Thursday, June 19
Serve Day is happening Saturday, July 12th, and we want to get ALL of our crews involved in loving our city so please sign your crew up for a Serve Day project! To see the projects and sign up, please click here! Please have your form in by Wednesday, July 2nd.
When: Saturday, July 12th
Where: All VOUS Locations
Time: 10:00 AM
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS DD
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 12:00 PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
