Ezekiel 14-15
James 2
“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.’” Mark 10:21
Have we ever watched the game show “Let’s Make a Deal”? It is a game show where the audience wears ridiculous costumes and the host randomly selects audience members as contestants to play games for prizes. If they win a prize, they are offered the choice either to keep the prize or choose what is hidden behind Door #2. Sometimes, what is behind Door #2 is a better and more expensive prize, like a luxury vacation or a sports car, but there is also a risk that it might be a goat, a chicken or a broken-down car. These contestants have to make the decision whether to risk it all and win big or go home with nothing.
To the rich young ruler who went to Jesus asking what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. Jesus listed a few commandments and the rich young ruler proudly declared that he had kept all these commandments. Jesus, then looking at him with love, told him, “One thing you lack, go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me” (Mark 10:21). It was like Jesus saying to the rich young ruler, “Let’s make a deal. Do you want what is in your hand—the wealth that you managed to accumulate at such a young age—or do you want what is behind Door #2?”
What Jesus was asking of the rich young ruler was not something metaphorical. Rather, Jesus was challenging the rich young ruler to align his life with God. As the rich young ruler loves others, it will result in him prioritizing the needs of others. As he is generous towards the needs of others, he will have treasure for eternity. In order for the rich young ruler to have eternity, he needed to let go of the thing that he was holding onto so tightly.
In Matthew’s account of this, Jesus listed a sample of the commands: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 19:18-19). Did we notice that Jesus did not mention “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17)? Coveting is a yearning to possess or have something. This was clearly the struggle of the rich young ruler, despite all that he already had. Jesus’s response exposed the very sin that was hindering the rich young ruler’s entrance into the fullness of life.
May we not hold tightly to what we have, thinking it is a risk to let go, and miss out on what only Jesus can give.
Lord Jesus, help me to surrender what I am holding onto as my security and assurance for life, and to know that my treasure is in heaven with You. Thank You, Lord.
James 2
“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.’” Mark 10:21
Have we ever watched the game show “Let’s Make a Deal”? It is a game show where the audience wears ridiculous costumes and the host randomly selects audience members as contestants to play games for prizes. If they win a prize, they are offered the choice either to keep the prize or choose what is hidden behind Door #2. Sometimes, what is behind Door #2 is a better and more expensive prize, like a luxury vacation or a sports car, but there is also a risk that it might be a goat, a chicken or a broken-down car. These contestants have to make the decision whether to risk it all and win big or go home with nothing.
To the rich young ruler who went to Jesus asking what he should do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. Jesus listed a few commandments and the rich young ruler proudly declared that he had kept all these commandments. Jesus, then looking at him with love, told him, “One thing you lack, go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me” (Mark 10:21). It was like Jesus saying to the rich young ruler, “Let’s make a deal. Do you want what is in your hand—the wealth that you managed to accumulate at such a young age—or do you want what is behind Door #2?”
What Jesus was asking of the rich young ruler was not something metaphorical. Rather, Jesus was challenging the rich young ruler to align his life with God. As the rich young ruler loves others, it will result in him prioritizing the needs of others. As he is generous towards the needs of others, he will have treasure for eternity. In order for the rich young ruler to have eternity, he needed to let go of the thing that he was holding onto so tightly.
In Matthew’s account of this, Jesus listed a sample of the commands: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 19:18-19). Did we notice that Jesus did not mention “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17)? Coveting is a yearning to possess or have something. This was clearly the struggle of the rich young ruler, despite all that he already had. Jesus’s response exposed the very sin that was hindering the rich young ruler’s entrance into the fullness of life.
May we not hold tightly to what we have, thinking it is a risk to let go, and miss out on what only Jesus can give.
Lord Jesus, help me to surrender what I am holding onto as my security and assurance for life, and to know that my treasure is in heaven with You. Thank You, Lord.
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