Matthew 19:16-30
16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, 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.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Mt 19:16-30). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Many of us have something that continues to separate us from pure devotion to God. In the past people have followed Jesus words literally and sold everything they have. They have left their family and responsibilities behind them to devote their lives completely to God. Some have done this behind stone walls and other have done this in desert places. But even these people have not kept the commandments.
For the young rich man it was money that he still held onto? For some it may be family and friends? For others this time of year it may be basketball? What is your idol that you put your trust in? I like to think of it as a security blanket that people carry with them everywhere they go. Sometimes we even cloth it in responsibility. We need to take care of the future of our children and our retirement. Why? Will not God your Father take care of you.
But even if these things do not trouble us, what must I do to be saved? Somebody told me that the only thing a person offers to his salvation is sin. But how can a rich man be saved? All things are possible with God. God has given you grace. He graciously offers you faith to believe in him. He graciously provided his Son as the perfect sacrifice for your sins. He graciously takes care of everything.
But this does not mean we live separate from others. This means that we work in their midst without worry or anxiety or stress, because we know that God has taken care of everything. Do not worry where the sacrifice is for your sins, God will provide. Do not worry about your financial situation, God will provide. Do not worry about what you will eat or drink, God will provide. God is there to provide for you and your family. We have faith in him even through tough times. Because he has made us and continues to keep all his promises.
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