Sell All
Jesus was cutting to the heart of the matter with this young rich man. When the man asked Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life, he was probably fishing for an answer that the man could easily add to his religious check off list. "I've done this, I've done that...is there anything else, Jesus? I don't want to miss anything on the list."
So Jesus told the young man what he already knew about keeping commandments but then went a step further and addressed the man's personal finances. This hit the man at his very core because now things just got personal! The young man was fine with going through the motions and checking off his religious duties--but his riches? Really Jesus? The man was not prepared for this answer. This was not so cut and dry like the other things on his check off list. This would actually affect the man's lifestyle and probably remove other things like his security and social status. It was too much for the man and he walked away very sad.
Jesus still cuts to the heart of the matter for us, today. The New Covenant is not about religious check off lists, but rather hearts that are so in love with Jesus that they would allow things to get personal and be willing to give it all for the sake of Love. Like the man who found the pearl of great price in the field. He went out, sold everything just to buy that field to gain that priceless pearl.
What is your relationship with God? Are you in a check off list mentality with God, or are you so in love with Him that you hold loosely to the things of this world that you might gain Him?
Sell your possessions rich man. You are only trading up!
***
Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
"Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”
"Which ones?” the man asked.
And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
"I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then."
Matthew 19:16-30 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.19.16-30.nlt
***
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"
Matthew 13:44-46 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.13.44-46.nlt
So Jesus told the young man what he already knew about keeping commandments but then went a step further and addressed the man's personal finances. This hit the man at his very core because now things just got personal! The young man was fine with going through the motions and checking off his religious duties--but his riches? Really Jesus? The man was not prepared for this answer. This was not so cut and dry like the other things on his check off list. This would actually affect the man's lifestyle and probably remove other things like his security and social status. It was too much for the man and he walked away very sad.
Jesus still cuts to the heart of the matter for us, today. The New Covenant is not about religious check off lists, but rather hearts that are so in love with Jesus that they would allow things to get personal and be willing to give it all for the sake of Love. Like the man who found the pearl of great price in the field. He went out, sold everything just to buy that field to gain that priceless pearl.
What is your relationship with God? Are you in a check off list mentality with God, or are you so in love with Him that you hold loosely to the things of this world that you might gain Him?
Sell your possessions rich man. You are only trading up!
***
Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
"Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”
"Which ones?” the man asked.
And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
"I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then."
Matthew 19:16-30 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.19.16-30.nlt
***
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"
Matthew 13:44-46 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.13.44-46.nlt
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