Mark 10:17

 Mark 10:17 says, And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? As Jesus was walking, there was a man who came running to Him with a question. He was in a hurry to get to Jesus for the answer to the question of what he must do to inherit everlasting life.  Jesus is the only One Who can give us everlasting life, and it would be good if everyone was in a hurry to get to Him for the answer.  Verse eighteen adds, And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  The man called Jesus Good Master, and Jesus asked him why he called Him that, since there was none good, but God.  I believe this question was to see if the man really recognized Who Jesus was.  He is indeed God, and we must acknowledge that before we can receive everlasting life.  Verse nineteen continues, Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. Jesus then asked the man if he knew the commandments, and cited the ones that have to do with our relationship to other people.  Of course, we have to start with the commandments that have to do with God, but even if we claim to believe and follow them, it is harder to prove.  Our relationship with other people is more easily observed, and I believe this is why Jesus asked about them.  Verse twenty states, And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. The man said he had observed these commandments since he was young, but even that would have been hard to prove.  Jesus looked at the man with love, just as He does with everyone today, whether they ever accept Him as their Savior and Lord or not.  We often see the Ten Commandments displayed, but do they really rule our actions?   Verse twenty-one adds, Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.  Jesus told the man that he lacked one thing, and that he was to go and sell whatever he had and give it to the poor.  We may think that this was not too much to ask of this man, but what if Jesus were to ask the same thing of us today even as we display the Ten Commandments.  This was an easily verifiable action.  The man would either do it or not.  Our faith should always be verified by our actions.  Would we be willing to give up that fine home that we say God gave us because we asked Him to and give the proceeds to poor?  I believe that we too often look down on the poor and think they deserve to be where they are while at the same time believing that we deserve all the riches that God has blessed us with to use for our own purposes.  Verse twenty-two continues, And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.  Then, we are told that the man went away disappointed, because he had a lot of riches.  Would we go away the same way today, because we value the things of this world more than the things of God?  Verse twenty-three says, And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!  After the rich young man went away, unwilling to sell everything and give it to the poor because he valued his possessions more than a relationship with Jesus, Jesus then expounded on rich people getting into heaven.  Verse twenty-four adds, And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  Verse twenty-five continues, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  We should notice that after it was stated that the disciples were astounded, Jesus clarified His remarks even more by stating that those who trusted in riches would find it hard to enter into the kingdom of God.  The problem was not having riches but was putting ones faith in them over faith in God.  Jesus then said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it was for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.  Though this was a metaphor, I understand that there was a very narrow gate into Jerusalem, where a camel could not pass without first being unloaded from what it was carrying.  The analogy would then mean that a rich man needed to be willingly to unload his riches from a position of being more important than God in order to enter heaven.  Anytime we allow the things of this world to be more important than God, we will find it hard to be a part of God's kingdom.  We might say that we are not rich, so we don't have that problem, but again the problem was not the riches, but that they were more important than God, so if we allow anything in our life to be more important than God, we have the same problem.  Verse twenty-six states, And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?  The disciples then asked themselves who could be saved.  They should have asked Jesus instead.  This is the key question that all individuals have to ask themself today.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.  Jesus told them that what was impossible with men was not impossible with God, but that with God all things are possible.  So, once again it became a question of putting ones faith in God Who had made salvation possible through the death, burial and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.