Are You Ready to Follow Christ ?
“Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
Mark 10:17b NKJV
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.”
Mark 10:21 NKJV
17 One day as Jesus 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?” 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 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.’ ” 20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 21 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.”22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Why did he walk away very sorrowful
- The young man was emotionally disturbed by Jesus’ teaching, indicating an openness to its truth, but he was not able to follow through.
- When the rich young ruler left, Jesus taught that wealth has a way of distracting people from seeking the kingdom of God. In the interpretation of the parable of the sower, the desire for money and possessions were key elements that enticed people from the word of God (Mark 4:18, 19).
- His emotional attachment to his wealth and status overrules his willingness to heed the words of Jesus.
- It seems that he loves the comforts and security afforded by his possessions too much.
- Mark 10:22 emphasizes the affective dimension of the situation—“When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving.” The man walks away from Jesus, unable to embrace eternal life, choosing to keep the world and forfeit his soul.Matthew 16:24-27 | Mark 8:36-38 | Luke 9:22-26
Mark 8:36 – 38.. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
How does the story of the rich young ruler apply to us today?
Applying this to work today requires real sensitivity and honesty with regard to our own instincts and values.
- Wealth is sometimes a resultof work—ours or someone else’s—but work itself can also be an emotional obstacle to following Jesus.
- If we have privileged positions—as the rich man did—managing our careers may become more important than serving others, doing good work, or even making time for family, civic, and spiritual life.
- It may hinder us from opening ourselves to an unexpected calling from God. Our wealth and privilege may make us arrogant or insensitive to the people around us.
- These difficulties are not unique to people of wealth and privilege, of course.
- Jesus’ encounter with the rich man highlights that it is hard to motivate yourself to change the world if you are already on top of the heap.
- This passage reassures those who have made personal sacrifices to follow Jesus, and who imitate his self-denial for the sake of others. It also challenges notions of discipleship that remain easy and complacent.
Bible Passages Reading/Prayer Meditation for the Day/Week
Psalm 33:8 -12
Proverbs: 4: 23,24 | 8:17 |13:13 |