When your arms are full of toys, stuffed animals, cookies and milk you feel rich. With all that stuff though, you cannot see where you are going, which often leads to a painful fall, dropping, spilling and breaking the many treasures you were carrying. You might be sad when someone tells you to put down some of the good things in your life so that you can focus on your future, but a good friend will have those tough love conversations.
A man named Gehazi thought he could get away with carrying lots of good things. In our Old Testament reading from 2 Kings 5, the prophet Elisha’s servant Gehazi took advantage of the thankful heart of a man named Naaman who wanted to repay Elisha for healing him from leprosy. Elisha would not take anything from Naaman for the healing God allowed him to perform, but after Naaman left, Gehazi ran after him telling him that Elisha could use some payment and with his lies Gehazi got some silver and clothing from him.
After he returned, he lied to Elisha about where he had been, but we read in 2 Kings 5, 26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow. Gehazi thought he could hide his greed, but the Lord allowed Elisha to see through his lies and Gehazi received a lifelong reminder of his sin.
Unlike the leprosy of Gehazi, the consequences of sin can also be subtle. In our Gospel reading from Mark, we hear about a man who on the outside looks good; he is a rich young leader in a local synagogue according to the Gospels. This young man was carrying all the right things, but he still felt the need to ask Jesus a question that we all need answered. We hear his question in Mark 10, 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
This man understood that there is life after death, and he wanted to be sure he would go to the good place. And Jesus was ready to point out what the man was missing as we continue reading in Mark 10, 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 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.’” This man had great respect for Jesus and was confident he would get a good answer from him, but Jesus knew this man needed a lesson on what “good” truly is. In a not-so-subtle way, Jesus used the man’s words to indicate that he is God because only God is good.
Jesus then shared the commands that deal with our earthly relationships from the Ten Commandments, leaving out the first few that deal with our relationship with God. To this list we hear the man say, 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus did not address the man’s false claim that he had actually kept all of these commandments perfectly in his thoughts, words and actions.
Instead, Jesus got to the deep sin in this man’s heart, his love for his wealth. The man set up his earthly possessions in place of God in his heart and trusted in his own self-righteousness to get to heaven. Jesus loved him by exposing and connecting the man’s need to ask Jesus his question to what his real problem was. The sad result of this interaction is not the man’s feelings, but that we never hear the man repent of his sin, so he never hears the good news of Jesus’ forgiveness.
Jesus is willing to make us feel sad because he loves us. God wants all of us to have the answer to the man’s question in Mark 10, 17 … “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” To give us the answer, God makes it clear that he sees all the stuff we put on the outside, on social media profiles, on the mantle, in your wallet, your reputation, the many people who love and respect you to make it seem like we will inherit eternal life. Then, he goes deep into our hearts to find that thing we love more than him. Maybe for you it is wealth like the rich man, maybe something else, but the truth is that God knows what you love more than him. The simple truth is that those who love God most will inherit eternal life. Our problem is that we love lots of other things more than God. God must first bring us to our knees humbled and repentant so that we stop asking the question in Mark 10, 17 … “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
God has done the impossible so that we feel good. To see the new question God wants us to ask, we will look at what Jesus taught his disciples after his interaction with the rich young man. We read, 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 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.” Jesus exposed the danger of trust in worldly wealth and success. He also exposed the wrong idea that outward appearances were indicators of salvation. Once Jesus had exposed their ignorance, the disciples asked the same question as the rich young man, but with different words, 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Unlike the rich young man who went away sad, the disciples remained with Jesus to hear the good news. We can understand the good news Jesus shared with the disciples as the new question, “God, what have you done to give me eternal life?” We do not look to ourselves to inherit eternal life, but to Jesus.
Jesus is the greatest treasure because he was good for us. Jesus lived a sinless life so that he could offer his life as an innocent sacrifice for sin in our place. Jesus carried the sinful love we have for other things in place of God to the cross where he died for us. He did not use his goodness for himself, but for us as we read in Philippians 2, 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
This is what Jesus did to save you; you will inherit eternal life in heaven because of Jesus. Because of Jesus you are rich as we read in 2 Corinthians 8, 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. Jesus did the impossible to save us. He made it possible for you to be rich now and forever.
Look at yourself through the eyes of Jesus. Twice in our Gospel reading from Mark 10, we hear, “Jesus looked at,” someone. First to the rich young man, 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Then, to his disciples, 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Both times, Jesus’ words went straight to what someone needed to hear. Jesus wants to have that relationship with you too, and he does so through his word as we read in our New Testament reading from Hebrews 4, 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. God grabs our attention in his Word. He is honest with us because he loves us. He uncovers our sins, and he shares what Jesus did to cover over our sins and cover us with his righteousness as we read in Romans 4, 7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” When we struggle to see Jesus because we are holding onto something else whether earthly wealth or self-righteousness, God’s Word shows us how God sees us. Through Jesus, God sees us as forgiven heirs of eternal life in heaven. That truth is worth treasuring forever.
You cannot see where you are going when your arms are full of things that make you feel rich. A man who talked to Jesus thought he was doing everything right, but his self-focus turned him away from God leading him down a path of sadness. God does not want us to lose the treasure of heaven by focusing on something else. To save us, God did the impossible living a perfect life for us, dying for our sins, rising from the dead and giving us the gift of faith through the message of the Bible by the power of the Holy Spirit. With God you will have treasure in heaven. Amen.
Gunnar Ledermann, Pastor Divine Peace Church
Gunnar Ledermann
I’m passionate about Rockwall’s vibrant community and actively engage with local non-profits and community organizations, including the Rockwall Chamber of Commerce, the City of Rockwall, and the Downtown Rockwall Association. My background includes a bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages and a master’s degree in divinity. Currently serving as a pastor at Divine Peace Church in Rockwall, I also enjoy spending time with my wife, Marinda, and our three children.
