Jesus would reveal to this man what he lacked. Jesus lovingly broke through the young man’s pride with a challenge that answered the question of what the man lacked: “Sell all you have and give the money to the poor.” This challenge exposed the barrier that could keep this young man out of the Kingdom: his love of money. The young man did not love God with his whole heart as he had presumed. In reality, the man’s wealth was his god, his idol. If he could not give it up, he would be violating the first commandment.
When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of the man’s security and identity. He could not meet the one requirement Jesus gave—to turn his whole heart and life over to God. How tragic—to be possessed by possessions and miss eternal life.
No one can be saved by his or her wealth or achievements or talents. No one is saved on merit; but all can be saved who humbly come to God to receive salvation. Peter, once again acting as spokesman for the Twelve, contrasted the disciples with the rich young man. The disciples had given up everything to follow Jesus; they had done what the rich young man had been unwilling to do.
Peter and the other disciples had paid a high price—leaving their homes and jobs and secure futures—to follow Jesus. Although they had to leave everything to follow him, Jesus assured them that anyone who gave up something valuable for his sake would be repaid a hundred times over, although not necessarily in the same form. For example, someone may be rejected by his or her family for accepting Christ, but he or she will gain the larger family of believers with all the love it has to offer.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
I am struck by the stumbling block that money had become to this rich young man. For some, the stumbling block may be pride. For others - position or pleasure or power or popularity. What is that keeps me, not from eternal life, but from being all that has for me to be? What keeps me from running the race that God has marked out for me?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
THE RACE - By D.H. Groberg
“Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!” They shout at me and plead. “There’s just too much against you now. This time you can’t succeed!” And as I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face, my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene; for just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being. A children’s race – young boys, young men, how I remember well. Excitement, sure! But also fear; It wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hopes; Each thought to win that race. Or tie for first, or if not that at least take second place. And fathers watched from off the side, Each cheering for his son. And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one. The whistle blew and off they went! Young hearts and hopes afire. To win and be the hero there was each young boy’s desire. And one boy in particular whose dad was in the crowd, was running near the lead and thought, “My dad will be so proud!” But as they speeded down the field across a shallow dip, the little boy who thought to win - lost his step and slipped. Trying hard to catch himself his hands flew out to brace and mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.
So down he fell and with him hope he couldn’t win it now. Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear somehow. But as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face. Which to the boy so clearly said; “Get up and win the race.” He quickly rose, no damage done. Behind a bit, that’s all and ran with all his mind and might To make up for his fall. So anxious to restore himself to catch up and to win, his mind went faster than his legs; He slipped and fell again! He wished then he had quit before with only one disgrace. “I’m hopeless as a runner now; I shouldn’t try to race."
But in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face.That steady look which said again; “Get up and win the race!” So up he jumped to try again ten yards behind the last. “If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to move real fast.” Exerting everything he had he gained eight or ten but trying so hard to catch the lead he slipped and fell again! Defeat! He lay there silently a tear dropped from his eye. “There’s no sense running anymore; three strikes I’m out! Why try?”
The will to rise had disappeared all hope had fled away; so far behind so error prone; a loser all the way. “I’ve lost, so what’s the use?”, he thought. “I’ll live with my disgrace.” But then he thought about his dad who soon he’d have to face. “Get up,” an echo sounded low. “Get up and take your place; You were not meant for failure here. Get up and win the race.” With borrowed will get up it said. “You haven’t lost at all For winning is no more than this; to rise each time you fall.”
So up he rose to run once more. And with a new commit he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit. So far behind the others now. The most he’d ever been, still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win. Three times he’d fallen, stumbling; Three times he rose again; too far behind to hope to win he still ran to the end. They cheered the winning runner as he crossed, the line first place. Head high and proud and happy; No falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster crossed the line last place the crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race. And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud, you would have thought he he’d won the race to listen to the crowd. and to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.” “To me you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.” And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face, the memory of the little boy helps me in my own race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all, And all you have to do to win, is rise each time you fall. “Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!” They still shout in my face. But another voice within me says; “GET UP AND WIN THE RACE!”
"We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 (NCV)
Thank you Pastor Mike for sharing the story "The Race." The determination of the child to impress his father.
ReplyDeleteLord, I want to thank You for life on Earth. It is one of the greatest gifts next to eternal life. I want to ask You, Lord, that businesses survive through the stock decline and they don't have to file bankruptcy or lay of employees. In Jesus Name, Amen.