THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:17-27
“Jesus looked at him and loved him… ‘Go, sell everything…'” (Mark 10:21)
Jesus’s hard command needs to be understood in the context of His love.
Jesus loved this man, and saw what was really going on in him.
Jesus was not trying to drive this man away, but bring him to his knees.
To get him to say, ‘Lord, I can’t!’ instead of ‘look what I can do!’
Until we feel helpless to fully obeying God, God cannot help us.
The righteousness that surpasses religion is one that is received.
It is admitting our inability, so that God can provide is ability.
I believe this command to sell everything still stands today.
If we fully loved God and people, we would not care so much about stuff.
Jesus loves us enough to lay it on the line, to help us to see our problem.
This applies to all of Jesus’s radical words – they are beyond us.
The right response is to admit defeat, confess our weakness and ask for help.
We need to stop thinking our obedience is pretty good, we fall far short!
He died for our failure, He lives to help us change, one step at a time!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I cannot love God and others fully as long as I am in this sin-messed body. I can’t do what You ask! I need Your mercy and help!