The rich man in Mark 10: 17-27

The rich man in Mark 10: 17-27
Questions:
What does following Jesus mean to me?
What is Jesus asking ME to lay down at His feet?
What is blocking ME from following Him more closely?

“Lord those are not easy questions… nor easy to hear the answer that you have for me.
They also probably are not short easy cut answers either.
Teach me LORD what those answers are!”

Jesus tells us:  It’s hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom.. not because he is rich… but because he loves being rich.  His focus is on rich.  His attention is on rich.  His identity is on being rich.
Is it hard for us to enter the kingdom?  Well just take the ‘rich’ out and put in:
family
health
body image
sports
cars
RRSP
relaxation
music
T.V.
sex
holiday
children
spouse
work
boat
house
clean-freak
shopping
anything… 
This is a difficult yet powerful spiritual exercise, do you or I have the faith or guts to try it?

The key to the solution—- Who then can be saved?
Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But not with God… everything is possible with God!
So, truly part of this exercise is submission and surrender to Father.
“Father, where I am not willing —I give you permission to cause me to be willing—whatever that may take.  Father…where I am just plain ignorant—-send your Spirit of illumination—Shout loud Father—I can be deaf sometimes!”

Maybe one day we can sing this and not lie:

1
Down in the valley with my Savior I would go,
Where the flowers are blooming and the sweet waters flow;
Everywhere He leads me I would follow, follow on,
Walking in His footsteps till the crown be won.

 

Follow! follow! I would follow Jesus!
Anywhere, everywhere, I would follow on!
Follow! follow! I would follow Jesus!
Everywhere He leads me I would follow on!
2
Down in the valley with my Savior I would go,
Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
Dangers cannot fright me if my Lord is near.
3
Down in the valley, or upon the mountain steep,
Close beside my Savior would my heart ever keep;
He will lead me safely in the path that He has trod,
Up to where they gather in the rest of God.



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