It is NOT about the STUFF

July 7

Read: Mark 10:17-31

It is NOT about the STUFF

Did Jesus really answer this man’s question? Have you ever thought about what Jesus said to this man? He ran up to Jesus kneeling before him and asked him: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v.17) This man was asking Jesus about eternal life. This man was asking Jesus “what he must DO” to inherit eternal life. Now look at Jesus’ answers, because he seems to give two.

Jesus begins with a “loaded deck” to answer this man’s question. He gives him a PARTIAL list of what we might think of as “the law”. Do you notice how he leaves some laws out? What one’s did Jesus not mention? Why would he “cherry-pick” the laws he told this man to follow? Jesus was drawing this man in… he was setting him up for the “ one-two punch”. To boil it down, Jesus’ first answer was essentially “you know the scriptures - God’s word - do what God tells you to.” Obedience and trust in God is Jesus’ first answer. But he did this in such a way that this man comes in closer to Jesus… he is feeling good about his prospects. He looks at Jesus and says, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” (v.20)

It is funny Jesus doesn’t laugh at this answer, he doesn’t chastise this man, he doesn’t even disagree with what he has said. In fact, I think Jesus gave him a tailored list that this guy would actually be able to answer affirmatively to. I don’t think we are supposed to see this man as a “kook” or a “flakey follower of God”. Jesus doesn’t deny the validity of what he says… in fact… he LOVES him and has compassion on him. In a way… the first step is seeking to obey the basic instruction that God has given us. It is at this very moment that this man is about to be hit with the real truth bomb from Jesus… it is as if Jesus looks at him and says, “now it is time to level-up!”

“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (v.21) What is it that Jesus lays out for this man… the new step for him that goes beyond observing the law? And the follow up question is, did Jesus actually answer the man’s original question regarding “doing” and “eternal life”? If this man “sells all he has and gives to the poor” what does he get? The answer - from Jesus’ own mouth - he gets “treasure in heaven”. He doesn’t inherit eternal life because he sold his stuff and gave to the poor… he gets “treasure in heaven”. What good is “treasure in heaven” if you are not there to enjoy it !?! Aren’t the only people in “heaven” the people who have eternal life? That was the original question after all… “what do I do to inherit eternal life”? So what good is it to do something that rewards you with “treasure in heaven” if you don’t have the “eternal life” it takes to be there and enjoy it !?!

What if this man left, sold all that he had, gave to the poor, then sat down in his town square and just hung out there? Would that be a “win”? Is that what Jesus was getting at? NO. We all understand that would be a massive example of missing the point! It is not really about the stuff… the selling of the stuff… the divesting of the stuff… the giving of the stuff. The heart of the matter is the FOLLOWING. Jesus calls this man to “follow me”. The following of Jesus is the HEART OF THE MATTER. If this man sold all he had and gave to the poor resulting in treasure in heaven but then disregarded Jesus’ instructions to come and follow… he would be at a loss.

Jesus is calling us to come and “FOLLOW” him. Whatever it is that hinders our ability to follow him… whatever calls to us and stands in the way of following Jesus… this is what we need to be concerned with. (Look back on Jesus’ teachings about the hand, feet, and eyes that cause us to sin!) Do not lose sight of the real heart of the matter. If it was about “stuff” and not having it… selling it… getting rid of it… then look at Jesus’ words to the disciples in the verses following: “Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” (v.29-30) Jesus says that we will receive back “one hundred fold now in this time” what we give up for him! If having stuff was the problem, then why would he give more of it back to us after we have left it behind to follow him?

Don’t get sidetracked in this. What can we affirm from Jesus’ words: OUR STUFF / MONEY / RESOURCES PLAYS A HUGE PART IN OUR ABILITY TO “ENTER THE KINGDOM”… in fact our richness makes it impossible for us to enter the Kingdom of God. (v.23-25) The good news is that “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (v.27) It is GOD that makes it possible for any person to enter the Kingdom of God. There is nothing anyone - any PERSON - can “DO” to “inherit eternal life” a.k.a. “enter the Kingdom of God”. The answer to the man’s question is that there is nothing you can “do” to “inherit eternal life”… it is “impossible for a person” to enter the Kingdom on their own… it can only be done by GOD… the doer of the impossible. Selling your stuff and giving to the poor doesn’t “get you in” anymore than keeping your stuff does. In actuality… following Jesus around doesn’t really do it either… I mean he had a crowd of people following him around ALL THE TIME! It doesn’t seem like every one of those people “inherited eternal life”… so in a way it is not even purely “following” Jesus. Entrance into the Kingdom of God is given by the Lord, and those who have “inherited eternal life” will indeed be willing to give up what Jesus asks them to give up, give to those Jesus calls them to give to, obey and trust the words of God when he says to them “Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, (and) Honor your father and mother.’” People who have inherited eternal life and been given access into the Kingdom will indeed follow Jesus when he calls them to “follow me”. Those who have been given - “inherited” - eternal life will declare just as Peter did, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” (v. 28) And Jesus says to those who have been “supernaturally-God-made-possibly” granted eternal life and given entrance into the Kingdom: “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” But I also believe that those who have been granted access to the Kingdom and inherited eternal life are the sorts of people that run up to Jesus, kneel down before him, call him good, have sought to trust and obey God’s commands, and that Jesus looks at them and LOVES them.

I think the dude sold his stuff.

I think he came running back again to follow Jesus. I hope he has great treasure in heaven. I hope you will receive the same when you do what Jesus asks you to do. Stuff is indeed a real potential deterrent, but it is also a potential blessing from the Lord… it may be part of the “one hundred fold” that he is giving back to you. The real question is are you following and have you been given eternal life… there is nothing you can DO to earn it… and nothing you have DONE can disqualify you in Christ! It cannot be bought with money… and it cannot be bought by giving money and stuff away! It can only be received, and responded to. If you can’t imagine this man actually doing it… then it is no surprise that you cannot imagine yourself doing it either. What impossible thing is God calling you to do that will shine light on the eternal life you have been given in Christ!? Love you guys! - JDP