A Bible Study Plan, Part 5: Luke 18:18-27

               VI.            Our choices

 The Luke passage does not have the phrase that Mark included, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him…” (Mark 10:21a). Without that reminder in Luke, we might miss that Jesus is saying all that he says to the man out of love. As Wesley said, the Savior knew his heart. What is most important to us? Is it God? Or is it money? Security? Admiration? William Barclay writes, “The whole tendency of possession is to shackle our thoughts to this world….It is not a sin to have much wealth – but it is danger to the soul and a great responsibility.”  He goes on, “For those who walk the Christian way there may be things the world calls hard, but beyond them all and through them all, there is a peace which the world cannot give and cannot take away, and a joy that no one can take away.”  (Barclay 1953, 272). Jesus is calling the ruler and us to “store our treasurers in heaven.” 

 

We are told that the rich young man walked away from Jesus, grieving, but we are not told what happens after that.  We might assume he is unwilling to do what Jesus has asked him to do, and that that is why the man walks away.  Maybe we make that assumption because that is what we believe we would do.  This short-changes the possibilities. 

 

We are invited to allow God to do the impossible in our lives.  Will we let go of what we value and trust the most so that we can enter into a relationship with God?  Will we allow God to do the impossible and change the world through us?

 

Prayer: Creating, loving, sustaining God. Remind us that you look up us with love. Remind us that when we place our trust in something other than you, we miss your kingdom. Open our eyes, open our hearts to you when you remind us that through God, all things are possible.  Open our world to possibilities. Amen.