Change Series, 11/15/2009, "All Or Nothing"

All or Nothing Mark 10:17-31 The Rich Young Man  17As 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?" 18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 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." 20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21Jesus 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." 22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." 28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first." God's Word – He's clean cut, he's moral, he's even religious. But this not named, wealthy, young man knows that something is missing. He finds Jesus and asks what it would take to be saved. Christ's response is somewhat of a surprise because he asks if he's been following all the rules. The reply from the young man is that of course he has. In Mark there is an amazing phrase in vs. 21; it says that Christ looks at this young man and loves him.                         But Christ takes it a step further and says "OK, you've followed all the rules, but here is the one thing that is missing - you need to sell all you have, give it away and follow me."                         Why? Nowhere else does Jesus say this to anyone. Why does Christ want him to give it all away? Because nothing can come before our love for Christ. All the stuff isn't ours, it is God's. Real Stories Practical Ideas – Name every dollar. Set a budget.                              "Zero based" budget.                              Debt snowball. Click here to download the audio file