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bigmike

How Can I Inherit Eternal Life?
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22
Anyone who has ever visited ancient Jericho can testify to the fact that in the summer it can be unbearably hot. Locals are convinced that hell itself is only ten degrees hotter than Jericho. There is an old aphorism that in China only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun. That surely applies to Jericho as well—which is why a drama that unfolded as Jesus approached the city on His way to Jerusalem is so remarkable.
So vivid was this happening in the life of Jesus that three of Jesus’s biographers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke: they all wrote about it. Now, the story itself is simple enough. A young man, having heard that Jesus was passing by, came running and knelt before Him, voicing a question that was perplexing to him.
There is an element of urgency in the encounter. The man made no appointment. Neither did he bother to consider whether the interview was convenient. He simply knew this was his opportunity to get something off his chest; he took advantage of the moment.
There is also an element of drama in the situation. All three of the writers of the Gospel point out that this man was very wealthy, and people with lots of money don’t run in the sun. They snap their fingers and give orders and other people do the running for them. Furthermore, there is an element of desperation as well. Now, people with money are used to other people deferring to them, but humiliating himself before Jesus, he knelt in the dusty road. Looking up into Jesus’s face, he asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Now, in the event you’ve never read the Gospels (meaning Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), you need to know that each one represents a different viewpoint. Mark is called the Gospel of Action. Reflecting a Roman viewpoint, he goes right to the heart of things. He never wastes words. Mark points out something that his colleagues Matthew and Luke omit. At this point, Mark says, “Jesus, beholding him, loved him!” (Mark 10:21). Now, there are two Greek words which could have been used for “to see” or “behold”. The first means to casually observe someone, but the other word—and the one that Mark used—means to gaze intently at someone. So, Jesus looked intently into the face of this troubled young man who knelt before Him; He loved him, knowing full well that the great wealth he had would be a stumbling block.
“You still lack one thing,” said Jesus, adding, “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Luke 18:22).
So, he immediately got rid of his money, forsook his easy lifestyle and became a disciple, right? Dead wrong. The record says he walked away very sorrowful because he was very rich.
So, what’s the issue? It’s simple. Who or what comes first? Your money, your position, or your God? Earlier, Jesus had said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Andrew, my grandson, aged seven, shocked his mother, saying, “Mother, I’m afraid I’m going to go to hell!” “Why?” asked Bonnie, somewhat perturbed. “Because I’m afraid I love my little blue bucket and shovel—a birthday gift—more than God!”
Whether it’s your pride, your wealth, or your little blue bucket that stands between you and doing the will of God, Jesus wants to come first. “Come …, follow me,” is still the invitation He makes to those who ask, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” It is still true.
Resource reading: Luke 18:18-30

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