I think it always good to stop and ask ourselves; ‘what is most important to me?’ A good clue is – what do we think most about; pause for a moment and recall the past 24 hours, ‘what has occupied your mind the most?’
Selwyn covers the well known story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-30: “Today we examine the attitude of the rich young ruler who said to Jesus, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’. Our Lord’s reply was clear and to the point: ‘Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.’ But the young man, fine though he was in character, loved his wealth more than he loved God. It was the number one thing in his life. That was why Jesus condemned it. Our Lord is not against people having wealth; He is only against them making wealth their god. The first place in any man or woman’s life is God’s place. …
This type of experience is not peculiar to those who have not surrended to Christ: it happens to devoted Christians too.”
The young ruler is typical of many ‘Christians’ in the western world; in two ways. They depend on wealth (a ‘good’ home, ‘good’ job, ‘good’ cars and ‘good’ children – but not too many) and they depend on being ‘good’, that is, to follow the rules/laws laid down by men and women, in both a church setting as well as a state/nation setting. It’s of interest that the young ruler addresses Jesus as ‘good teacher’ and not as ‘Lord’. He fails to see who Jesus really is – as many living today also do – Jesus, if seen as a good teacher is a sure way not to confront what it means to see Him as God.
I think it’s important to notice that while we read in Mark 10:21 that ‘Jesus looked at him (the young ruler) and loved him.’ The young ruler on hearing Jesus’ response, ‘went away sad’, Jesus did not go after him even though He loved him – the young ruler had to change what he depended on – his wealth – before Jesus could enter his heart. Our realtionship with Jesus starts with a response FROM us.
In summary, we Christians, can reach a point where we depend too much on our Christian ‘service’ – and lose sight of Jesus – do you agree?
Not the answer we expect
I think it always good to stop and ask ourselves; ‘what is most important to me?’ A good clue is – what do we think most about; pause for a moment and recall the past 24 hours, ‘what has occupied your mind the most?’
Selwyn covers the well known story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-30: “Today we examine the attitude of the rich young ruler who said to Jesus, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’. Our Lord’s reply was clear and to the point: ‘Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.’ But the young man, fine though he was in character, loved his wealth more than he loved God. It was the number one thing in his life. That was why Jesus condemned it. Our Lord is not against people having wealth; He is only against them making wealth their god. The first place in any man or woman’s life is God’s place. …
This type of experience is not peculiar to those who have not surrended to Christ: it happens to devoted Christians too.”
The young ruler is typical of many ‘Christians’ in the western world; in two ways. They depend on wealth (a ‘good’ home, ‘good’ job, ‘good’ cars and ‘good’ children – but not too many) and they depend on being ‘good’, that is, to follow the rules/laws laid down by men and women, in both a church setting as well as a state/nation setting. It’s of interest that the young ruler addresses Jesus as ‘good teacher’ and not as ‘Lord’. He fails to see who Jesus really is – as many living today also do – Jesus, if seen as a good teacher is a sure way not to confront what it means to see Him as God.
I think it’s important to notice that while we read in Mark 10:21 that ‘Jesus looked at him (the young ruler) and loved him.’ The young ruler on hearing Jesus’ response, ‘went away sad’, Jesus did not go after him even though He loved him – the young ruler had to change what he depended on – his wealth – before Jesus could enter his heart. Our realtionship with Jesus starts with a response FROM us.
In summary, we Christians, can reach a point where we depend too much on our Christian ‘service’ – and lose sight of Jesus – do you agree?