A rich young man asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. ✨

⛔The problem: he is attempting to justify himself by asking, “what must I do?” 🤔

But before Jesus answers his question, he calls the man out for calling him good. 🛑  

Jesus wants to stop him from just throwing around the word “good” without acknowledging what it means. Good means perfect, holy, and divine — and only God can be called good. 🌟🙌

Jesus answers his question by giving him the second table of the law. 📜 (The commandments about how we treat others.)

But when the man says he’s kept those, Jesus then shows him that he failed to keep the first table of the law. 📜💔 (The commandments about how we treat God.

Jesus “loved him” ❤️ — Jesus isn’t trying to win an argument. He wants him to be saved. 🙏  

Jesus shows him who his god really is when he tells him to sell everything he has. 💰➡️❌  

We’re quick to think that we don’t have gods, but we do. We’re unwilling and unable to live without our god.🙎The question is — do we have the right one? ❓🔍

Then Jesus said: “Come, follow me.” 👣 (This is a gospel invitation.)  

But then he walked away sorrowful. 😔💔

Then Jesus drops some truth bombs for his disciples: 💣💥  

In verse 25 he says, “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.” 🐫➡️🪡

Incredulous, the disciples ask: “Then who can be saved?” 😲

The disciples viewed the rich as blessed by God, so it was shocking for them to hear that it was hard for them to be saved. 💸💭❗

Jesus: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 🙌✨ (v. 27)

Peter then acknowledges that they (the disciples) left everything to follow him. 👣

Jesus comforts them with “the mutual consolation of the brethren” by saying that they will receive more than they could ever imagine. 💞💫  

When you feel alone because of your beliefs, the brethren are there to console you and point you to the cross. ✝️🕊️

We may lose a lot when we follow Christ, but we also gain so much, including a Father in heaven. 👑☁️❤️

Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.

Contributor Eli Lietzau is the pastor at Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO. 

#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #jesus #mark10