Sell It All

Mark 10:21
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “you lack one thing; go sell what you owe, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

What must I do to live forever? This young man who had a lot of money wanted to know from Jesus what he had to do to get into heaven and inherit eternal life. Jesus tested him to see if he had a basic understanding of the commandments that up to this point many had failed to keep. Jesus didn’t promote a “works righteousness” but taught that the Kingdom of God came as a result of accepting the gift of salvation through repentance. He wanted to meet this young man where he was and show him how impoverished he was in his richness.

Jesus said you know the commandments.

Mark 10:19 (New International Version)
19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[a]".

The young man smugly responded that he had kept all those since he was a child.
The Bible said Jesus looked at him and loved him. He liked his character but he saw his commitment was to something else. Jesus said with all the money that you have you still lack one thing. How can you be rich and morally upright and still lack something? Because Jesus saw that he served a counterfeit god. He was in love with his money. You cannot love God and money.

Jesus said, “go sell all you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.” Do you know how hard that would be to hear when your world is centered around money? It’s not hard for some of us because we don’t have that much to get rid of but we do have something in common with the rich young ruler. We have something we can’t let go of, that is competing with our commitment with Christ. In order to inherit eternal life we have to do three things:

1. Sell all we have. We have to be willing to live our lives as if nothing belongs to us. When Job lost all he had to natural tragedies, theft, and disease he said, “the Lord God gives and the Lord God takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. God doesn’t like taking away, God loves a cheerful giver. God wants to know if I require it all could you give it knowing that what you are giving away doesn’t compare to what I can give you back?

2. Give it to the poor. There should not be any poor around those who are wealthy. It is our divine duty to share with those who do not have. Jesus said when you do unto the least of these you also do unto me. It’s our responsibility to help the poor.

3. Follow Jesus. We can’t affectively follow Jesus until we have relinquished what was competing for our hearts. Wherever your treasure is there is where you heart will be also. Jesus told this young man to make a transfer. By selling all he had and giving to the poor he would have treasure in heaven. Many of us are rich on earth but are poor in heaven. Once we allow Jesus to be in his proper place then we can effectively follow after we have sold it all.

Dear God, I trade in my life for Jesus. I realize that naked I came out of my mother’s womb and naked I shall return. Jesus you are my most important sole possession. Nothing else matters. Thank you for enriching my life through your presence in my heart. Freely I have received and freely I give.

In Jesus Name,
Amen