Friday, February 10, 2017
Mark 10:18 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
WEAK AND POOR
When Jesus told the young man to go and sell everything that he had and to follow Him, He said this because He loved the young man and wanted to show him that he had not even kept the first commandment. His riches meant more to him than the Word of God itself.
Does this mean that we should get rid of all our material possessions? If staying with the Word of God requires it, yes! It happens more often than people realize that someone turns down a promotion, perhaps risks the loss of his job, because he wants to be near and to hear the Word of God preached and taught; because he wants to provide a Christian education for his children, and grandchildren.
It can happen that material wealth is lost because one refuses to defraud the public in order to sell some aluminum siding or some cookware. He refuses to defraud others because that is not the way His Savior has treated him. It may cost him something or, from the world's point of view, it may cost him everything, but "take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, if these all be gone, they yet have nothing won. The kingdom ours remaineth."
Ah, look on me with pity Though I am weak and poor;
Admit me to your kingdom To dwell there, blest and sure.
I pray you, guide and keep me Safe from my bitter foes,
From sin and death and Satan; Free me from all my woes.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 130:5)
