Mark 10:17-31

Bringing the sermon home:

The account of “the rich young ruler” is well known, in part because it appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and in part because it is one of the saddest stories in the Gospels. This rich man is the only person in Mark’s Gospel who refuses to obey Jesus’ direct command to “follow me”, showing how powerful a grip the love of money can have upon a person’s heart. While always viewed as a benefit in this life, riches actually serve as a barrier to entering the next life. This is part of the great reversal, as assets become liabilities.

Jesus goes so far as to say that it is impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. The love of money is just one example of a heart that is enslaved to sin. Loving anything more than you love God is idolatry, and idolatrous desires make it impossible to turn from your sin in repentance so that you may receive the free gift of salvation. But what is impossible for us is possible with God. He can free any enslaved heart that cries out to be set free, empowering you to repent and believe.

What is Jesus putting His finger on in your life? What are you not willing to walk away from in order for Christ to reign supreme over your heart? It’s been said that God is no man’s debtor. What you are being commanded to leave is not worth comparing to what you gain in Christ. This is part of the great reversal, as leaving is the path to receiving. Of course, the blessings of the kingdom can be offered to us only because of the greatest reversal: when the One who deserves to be first over all things made Himself last. May our love for Him dwarf all other loves.