All or Nothing
Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions. (Mark 10:21-22, CSB, emphasis mine)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 10:44-46, CSB, emphasis mine)
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. (Matthew 6:24, NLT)
As happens on occasion, my studies in a week of message preparation leave me with many quotes or ‘sound bites’ that are too many to share in the message itself. Nonetheless, there are weeks, such as this one when it seems profitable to put them before you in hopes that they will cause you to ponder and meditate on the truth of God’s Word. So, here are a few quotes and a couple of songs which I pray may edify you as you turn over in your mind all that it means when Jesus says, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23b, ESV)
“One cannot follow Jesus with one’s former baggage: one must give up his nets, another his riches…. Jesus will have no divided allegiances; he will have all of us or he will not have us at all- so jealous is his love.” – James R. Edwards
“Jesus demands of all His followers a total initial renunciation. What He then hands back to us is completely at His disposal: we hold it only as stewards for Him and it is His to give or take away at will.” – R. Alan Cole
“Everyone who follows Christ ultimately makes the same sacrifice, for everyone must give all that they have, and Christ does not reckon the sacrifice as great or small by the amount given, but by the amount withheld for self.” – R. Alan Cole
“Jesus said to the rich young ruler, “I want you to imagine life without money. All you have is Me. Am I really enough?” Do you truly believe the person who has Jesus plus nothing actually has everything? That is the question Jesus puts before this man. It is the same question He puts before us. How will you respond?!” – Daniel Akin