When the rich man approaches Jesus to ask what He has to do to enter heaven, does Jesus begins by listing the commandments. But did He just add another one?Read Luke 18b and 19
The conversation with the rich man is progressing about like you might imagine, until Jesus says “yes, you are keeping the commandments…but you still lack something”. This tells me that keeping the commandments is important, but not enough to gain my salvation. So what more must I do?
Jesus tells the man to sell all his possessions…do I need to do that? What if I don’t have much, do I get a “pass” on that command?
I suggest that Jesus isn’t adding a new commandment. There aren’t 11 commandments now… I think what He’s pointing out is that we have to love Him more than anything else. The first commandment says “you shall have no other gods before me”. I’ll bet the rich man didn’t consider his wealth a “god”, but when Jesus asked him to choose between Him and wealth, the man chose wealth. Clearly, his wealth had become a distractor. To see an example of having wealth without it becoming an issue, look at our friend Zacchaeus. He was willing to give up a significant fortune, and did so before being asked. Where Jesus was sad with the rich man (whom He loved) He was delighted with Zacchaeus and said “salvation has come to this house today”. Perhaps Zacchaeus asked to be forgiven, or accepted as a follower. I don’t see it recorded here, but there must have been some request from Zacchaeus. Maybe the request itself was implied, since his generosity was clearly meant to impress Jesus. Either way, it says something about what we need to do in order to be saved. What I mean is: we can’t say someone has not been forgiven just because they didn’t pray the same prayer we did when we accepted Christ. I think God looks at the heart and decides for Himself if we are serious.
On a lighter note, I see in the rich man’s conversation that Jesus promises rewards in heaven for those who have given up homes, children, etc. and “wives” . I wonder under what circumstances is a person to “give up their wife”? Since marriage is permanent, this isn’t talking about divorce. Maybe it means that the disciples left home to follow Jesus while the women stayed home and raised the family. How would they support themselves?
Calm down…..I’m not looking for ideas on how to get out of my marriage.
The beggar: Jesus would have walked right past if the man hadn’t screamed at the top of his lungs, and ignored the crowds scolding. We aren’t guaranteed healing…we have to pray “loudly” and not stop.
Vs 11, the 10 servants: There were 10 servants, each received part of 10 lbs. probably one lb each. but we only hear about the results from three of them.
The money given to each servant represents the talents, abilities and resources that you and I have. How are you investing those abilities for the Gospel? If you are using all your abilities to provide only for yourself, then I suspect that you are in trouble when Jesus returns.
Let me ask that same question another way. “If you were to suddenly stop whatever you are currently doing for Jesus, would you be missed?” How long would it take before someone realized? How many people would be affected? How much more time and money would you have for yourself?
That’s one way of telling how invested you are.
vs 37. Where the road starts down the Mount of Olives the city of Jerusalem is in full view. They saw where they were going and began to get excited. I think that you and I should be acting the same way as we grow closer and closer to the Lord, and draw nearer and nearer to heaven.
The fall of Jerusalem is traced back to what Jesus says here “you didn’t recognize it when God visited you”. The life that fails to recognize Jesus will eventually fall apart, collapsing under the weight of it’s own sins and assisted by the devil who celebrates the fall of any human.
The only pathway into health and stability is through Jesus Christ. We must acknowledge Him and proclaim Him as King in this life in order to be saved in the next.
Faithfully,
PR