Passage Read: Mark 9-10
Meditation Verses: 10:21-23
Thought
The rich man desired eternal life. He had kept all the commandments as best he understood and yet had no assurance of salvation. And Jesus agreed that he was still lacking. The man was safe and comfortable in his riches. He wanted to know which box he had yet to check in order to finally be assured of salvation. Perhaps he just wanted Jesus to confirm that he was doing everything right. Instead, Jesus spoke a hard truth: The man needed to let go of his possession and come follow Jesus, then he could inherit eternal life. That seems like two things, but really only one: He needed to give up the material things that were really his trust and give himself completely into the hands of God--and this is Jesus on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified. The man wouldn't be able to follow Him long! But he could be gathered into the community of disciples that would carry on after Jesus returned to His Father. Despite his confidence in his obedience to God's commands, he didn't really trust in the Lord. His confidence and comfort came from his possessions, from his wealth. The eternal life he sought was found in letting go of all the things of the world that comforted him and giving himself fully to following Jesus. Salvation was found in giving up the world in order to follow Jesus. Not in keeping the right commands while trusting in material possessions, but in fully trusting in Jesus so as to disengage the heart from earthly security to walk in all Jesus commands and does. The apostles immediately pointed out that they had given up everything to follow Jesus. And Jesus assured them that those who give up the world to follow Him will have more than they gave up, and eternal life.
Application
We like to say that selling everything to follow Jesus was a requirement or expectation only for that one man. But the words of the apostles afterward suggest otherwise. It is near impossible, except by the grace of God, for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, because it is so hard for him to give up the material possessions that give him such confidence and assurance. Instead, as Jesus describes His mission, "the poor have the gospel preached to them." The poor have so little, they have nothing else to trust in; turning to Jesus is easy for them. Unless they desire to get rich, and labor to obtain worldly wealth and possessions. If this is so, then there are many people who think they are saved when they are not, because they can't transfer their trust in things to trust in God. They can't give up their stuff. Where their treasure is, there indeed is their heart, and it's not God. Am I looking to the world, to money, to possessions to give me peace and security and comfort? Or am I looking to God? If to God, then I need little in the way of possessions and it will show. They are a hindrance and distraction to what I truly love and long for. If I have to have stuff, if I can't give up my stuff, if I can't give away my money and possessions for the sake of the Gospel and the truly needy among us, then I haven't yet shifted my faith and trust to God, to the degree that brings salvation. Liking God and wanting to do some good things for Him is not the same as abandoning myself, my safety and security and basic needs completely to His determination. His kingdom and His righteousness should be my chief concern in life, not food or clothing. His kingdom and His righteousness are the things on which I need to spend my time, effort, money and thought. That's the mark of real salvation.