Welcome back to The Road2Wholeness Blog, and thank you for taking the stroll with us today. We're in The JAWW- a blog series. Today we take a look at God's Will.
Could it be so? Can God's Will be as simple as "Follow Me"?
Let's look at Mark 10:17-27. It's the story of the man who asked Jesus, "Good Teacher.. What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Many may be familiar with Jesus' answer or His summarization of the man's response.
In Mark 10:21, Jesus instructs the man, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." In Mark 10:22-23 it reads, "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
In Mark 10:26, the disciples asks, "Who then can be saved?"
I think the key to this story and the things Jesus revealed are in this question, "Who then can be saved?" Perhaps the disciples heard incorrectly. Perhaps we all did. It seems they thought Jesus' answer was "Give to the poor". In this they became puzzled because they didn't have anything to give. They then figured, if the rich cannot achieve this how can we? Let's start over.
When the man approached Jesus he asked, "how can I inherit eternal life?" Jesus' first response was, "You know the commandments.. You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother." The man's then retorted, "Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus then says, "One thing you lack, go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
How do we know that Jesus' purpose for His instruction was not primarily to give to the poor?
First, Jesus only listed six of ten commandments. The ones He knew that the man had in order. Then the scripture says, Jesus looked at him and loved him. Jesus loved the man when he declared that he had kept those six commands since boyhood. Jesus then attempts to help the man to bring the remaining commandments under his feet. Jesus does not hold it against the man that he most certainly has another god besides God... but subsequently says... "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
Second, we know that the purpose of Jesus' instruction was not primarily to give to the poor because the man would not need to sell everything he has to do that. The point Jesus is making is one that was made in Matthew 6:24. "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Now we also see why Jesus says.. "Then come, follow me."
It is easy for one to say, I put God above my money or earthly riches, but Jesus puts not only the man but us all to the test. He says... Follow me! Now it will be known because the scripture says, "Either you will be devoted to the one and despise the other." In essence, the man is selling everything in order to follow Jesus, or should I say... "Come as you are."
We also see that Jesus' instruction in not exactly the solution to the question the man asked. After he tells him to sell everything and give to the poor, He says.. "and you will have treasure in heaven". The matter of eternal life then, which is what the man asked Jesus about, is in his ultimate decision to follow God. Once again emphasizing the struggle to put no other gods before Him. I also like the exacting nature of Jesus' words to always testify on behalf of itself; therefore what it takes to build treasure in heaven is also what it take to get there. It begins with the choice to run after God.
But all things all possible with God!
This is the answer Jesus then gives to the disciples' question of "Who then can be saved?"
Ultimately, this poses another question because how can the poor prove that they are single minded about their devotion to God. Is it only money that divides man? To this question, Jesus knowing who He is and what He is about to do... says, "All Things Are Possible With God".
With God we now have a Savior who knows the hearts of men. It is this portion of God's grace that ultimately enables man to keep what he has attained on earth. We know that Jesus expects us to give to the poor as a method of loving our neighbor as ourselves, but it is not by these works that we will enter the Kingdom of God. It is by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who laid down His life that we may have eternal life, or should I say... Who laid down His life that "All Things Would be Made Possible!"
Join us for the last blog of this series coming up in February, and follow our monthly Newsletter for a new Teaching Series "Mysteries in Common" also beginning next month.
Remember to go within the you may never go without. The God within you awaits you. Until our paths collide again, I wish you... Peace, Love, Life, and Complete Wholeness in Christ.
In Service,
NaTisha Renee Williams
Could it be so? Can God's Will be as simple as "Follow Me"?
Let's look at Mark 10:17-27. It's the story of the man who asked Jesus, "Good Teacher.. What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Many may be familiar with Jesus' answer or His summarization of the man's response.
In Mark 10:21, Jesus instructs the man, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." In Mark 10:22-23 it reads, "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
In Mark 10:26, the disciples asks, "Who then can be saved?"
I think the key to this story and the things Jesus revealed are in this question, "Who then can be saved?" Perhaps the disciples heard incorrectly. Perhaps we all did. It seems they thought Jesus' answer was "Give to the poor". In this they became puzzled because they didn't have anything to give. They then figured, if the rich cannot achieve this how can we? Let's start over.
When the man approached Jesus he asked, "how can I inherit eternal life?" Jesus' first response was, "You know the commandments.. You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother." The man's then retorted, "Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus then says, "One thing you lack, go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
How do we know that Jesus' purpose for His instruction was not primarily to give to the poor?
First, Jesus only listed six of ten commandments. The ones He knew that the man had in order. Then the scripture says, Jesus looked at him and loved him. Jesus loved the man when he declared that he had kept those six commands since boyhood. Jesus then attempts to help the man to bring the remaining commandments under his feet. Jesus does not hold it against the man that he most certainly has another god besides God... but subsequently says... "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
Second, we know that the purpose of Jesus' instruction was not primarily to give to the poor because the man would not need to sell everything he has to do that. The point Jesus is making is one that was made in Matthew 6:24. "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Now we also see why Jesus says.. "Then come, follow me."
It is easy for one to say, I put God above my money or earthly riches, but Jesus puts not only the man but us all to the test. He says... Follow me! Now it will be known because the scripture says, "Either you will be devoted to the one and despise the other." In essence, the man is selling everything in order to follow Jesus, or should I say... "Come as you are."
We also see that Jesus' instruction in not exactly the solution to the question the man asked. After he tells him to sell everything and give to the poor, He says.. "and you will have treasure in heaven". The matter of eternal life then, which is what the man asked Jesus about, is in his ultimate decision to follow God. Once again emphasizing the struggle to put no other gods before Him. I also like the exacting nature of Jesus' words to always testify on behalf of itself; therefore what it takes to build treasure in heaven is also what it take to get there. It begins with the choice to run after God.
But all things all possible with God!
This is the answer Jesus then gives to the disciples' question of "Who then can be saved?"
Ultimately, this poses another question because how can the poor prove that they are single minded about their devotion to God. Is it only money that divides man? To this question, Jesus knowing who He is and what He is about to do... says, "All Things Are Possible With God".
With God we now have a Savior who knows the hearts of men. It is this portion of God's grace that ultimately enables man to keep what he has attained on earth. We know that Jesus expects us to give to the poor as a method of loving our neighbor as ourselves, but it is not by these works that we will enter the Kingdom of God. It is by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who laid down His life that we may have eternal life, or should I say... Who laid down His life that "All Things Would be Made Possible!"
Join us for the last blog of this series coming up in February, and follow our monthly Newsletter for a new Teaching Series "Mysteries in Common" also beginning next month.
In Service,
NaTisha Renee Williams
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