Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide.

Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother… How are you doing with these? In Mark 10:17-22, a rich young ruler who seemingly had it all and had it all together, asks Jesus what he must do to live a good life. Jesus then reminded him of the commandments, all of which he claims to have kept since he was young. But there was one thing he lacked—covetousness. He lacked freedom from the relentless desire to acquire more. The solution Jesus provides, which is to sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor, results in the young man walking away in sorrow.

It’s easy to play the comparison game. When we look at God’s commandments, we may be tempted to focus on the commandments we are keeping. The truth is, we all have areas of our lives where there is plenty of room for growth. But growth comes at a price. Sometimes we have to give something up if we are to grow up. To cultivate lives that reflect God’s goodness, to say “yes” to the life that God is calling us into, we will have to say “no” to something else.