17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[d]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 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.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Question 1
What is the most important thing in your life?
Question 2
Looking at the passage, what kept the man from following Jesus?
One of the most popular images of Christians of the past is of monks. These people gave up all their money and possessions and left their family and friends in order to spend time thinking about God, and to escape from the temptations of the world.
Reading Jesus’ words here, it’s easy to understand how people might think this is what God expected. But is that really what Jesus is saying? We haven’t heard him say that to everyone, so is there something special about this situation?
The answer can be found in the sentence, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” In discussing God’s perfect standard, the man clearly feels that he has done all that is necessary in order to go to heaven. But when Jesus suggests that he needs to give away his possessions, the idea breaks his heart. That was asking too much. Obviously, the things that really mattered to him were how much money he had and what people thought of him. Jesus explains that rich people are at great risk, because following God looks to them like a great sacrifice. He uses the ludicrous example of a camel going through a needle, and says that is easier than for a rich person to go to heaven. Yet the truth is that no one would be saved without God working in their heart.
What is becoming clear is that sacrificing everything in order to follow Jesus Christ is no loss at all. First his followers receive all the privileges of being part of his Church. But there is also the promise that they will receive a reward in heaven – a much better treasure, lasting forever. It is not the amount of money we have in this life that makes us rich, but the fact that we have received eternal life by believing in Jesus. After all, isn’t God so much better than anything the world can offer?
Question 3
Do you think you lose out by following Jesus?
Question 4
How should what Jesus says affect the way we think about money and property?
Pray
that Jesus Christ will be the most precious treasure in your life, and for strength to use all that you have for his glory.
