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~~~ Ez 24:15-24 ~~~ Psalm (Dt 32) ~~~ Matthew 19:16-22 ~~~

A young man approaches Jesus hoping to learn what he

must do to gain eternal life.

Jesus gives the logical answer...

"If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Of course keeping the commandments is a good place

to begin if you are serious about securing eternal life.

Notice the words Jesus uses here...

If you wish to enter into life.....life.

Jesus does not use the word 'eternal'

in his response to the young man.

Jesus simply states 'life'...

for Jesus life is eternal.

They are one in the same...eternal and life.

Jesus offers us eternal life.

You can only give that which you already possess.

Yes, Jesus may grant you any sort of life you want.

There are many adjectives we could use to describe the kind of

or quality of life we desire.

But there can only be one eternal life and it comes

directly from the source of life itself.

If we want to live with Jesus, then the 'life' will be eternal.

The life we live now is the preparation for our eternal life with God.

If today you are not living and looking forward to this

eternal life then what is the point?

What is the point of keeping the commandments if you

are not fixated on this promise of eternal life?

This young man asks a valid question.

He was trying to live a good life.

He was keeping the commandments...

including loving his neighbor as himself.

Perhaps there was a voice inside of him that thought;

should I be doing more?

The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"

There is so much we as humans lack when it comes to

eternal life. This young man exhibits maturity beyond his years

that he can ask such a question. 

So many times a young person thinks they have already

discovered all the answers.

I remember those days well when I would come home

from college for a visit

thinking I was filled with so much knowledge.

I laugh now at how naive I was back then.

As so often happens with Jesus encounters;

he pushes the envelope with his answer to this young man.

Jesus says great you are keeping the commandments and

you want more?

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."

Now Jesus adds a new dimension to this concept

of eternal life...being perfect.

Apparently just keeping the commandments

alone does not make one perfect.

Must one be perfect to have eternal life with Jesus?

The young man is not prepared to follow Jesus;

he cannot give up all of his earthly possessions.

He is young living in the first half of his life, proud

of the material things he has been able to accumulate for himself.

The treasure waiting for us in heaven is far beyond what we can fathom.

We are so restricted by our material things that we cannot

imagine happiness without them.

It is so difficult to see that God alone is enough.

Let's face it we are attached to our worldly things.

We like our cars, homes, phones, computers etc. the list is endless.

Jesus is suggesting to the young man here that just maybe

the things he has are his greatest hindrance to gaining eternal life.

All of our possessions keep us grounded here in the world.

Our real life is outside of these material possessions.

Our real life only exists with God.

Henri Nouwen wrote in Bread for the Journey...

'The poor have a treasure to offer because they cannot return our favors.'

Our reward comes in heaven.

Lord, help me to see beyond my possessions in order to

live my life with eyes fixed on

eternal life with you.