“Leaving All” – MARK 10:23-31

Looking around in this world and considering our own lives it is understandable to ask Jesus, “What about me?”

Jesus calls us to a faith with everlasting reward (Hebrews 11:6, Mark 10:30) following a life of servant discipleship (Mark 8:34-38), but He speaks so often about the things that keep us OUT of heaven. The “rich young ruler” could not enter by his “works” (10:20), so Peter is curious … “we have left all, and have followed You” (10:28) so “What about us?”

The critical thing to notice about Jesus’ follow-up to His encounter with the wealthy man is that He never says the rich cannot go to heaven. He says it is quite difficult (10:23, 10:25), but He never says it is impossible! The solution to the matter lies in whether one seeks to follow rules (10:20) or truly seeks to follow Jesus (10:21). Remember how Peter and his partners forsook their fishing business to follow Jesus (Luke 5:4-11) yet they went fishing in the days after Jesus’ resurrection (John 21:1-3)? The forsaking that Jesus called them to was in their hearts. They never “lost” their boats and nets. We are not called to financial poverty, we are called out of spiritual poverty. Jesus called the wealthy man to the riches of discipleship, but his money had control of him.

It is a matter of trust.

To drive His point home, Jesus exclaims, “How hard it is for those who TRUST in riches to enter the kingdom of God” (10:24). Peter and the others “left all” trusting in Jesus … “for the sake of the gospel” (10:29). Riches pose a special barrier because of the temptation to place our trust in worldly wealth. The barrier is just as real for the poor, simply the focus of that trust changes. If it is not money, it may be family. It may be pleasure or addiction. Your barrier may be a subtle and seemingly harmless indifference. Just like with marriage, there must be a “leaving” before there can be a “cleaving”!

Following Jesus in trust and for the sake of the gospel is taking last place in your own life (10:31). Paradoxically, however, in so doing you are placing your soul first (10:31b) in a sense, because Jesus will save your soul. That is the foremost concern of the Savior … and He wants it to be YOUR priority. The trust factor, however, is paramount in that your trust is in the God of possibilities (10:27). In your “works” and in your “rule-keeping” your possibilities are on the same level as with your wealth … you cannot buy salvation or earn it.

Follow Christ toward heaven, on the other hand, and everything is possible when you leave all EXCEPT your trust!