the rich young ruler who gave it all away

The Word for today:
Matthew 19:1-22

mark this: Matthew 19:21-22 --
"If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

One day, a rich young man met a poor young man.

The poor man was Jesus. We don't know the rich man's name, so over the years Bible scholars have called him "the rich young ruler."

In parallel gospel passages we learn that, as they spoke, Jesus looked upon him with both sadness and love (Mark 10; Luke 18).

Jesus spoke patiently, attempting to draw the very best out of him. He steered him toward understanding--that only God is good; that we cannot meet the high demands of the law by our own efforts.

Then Jesus invited the young man to follow him. But to follow Jesus would have cost him too much:
So he went away very sad, for he had great possessions.

***

Once upon a time there was another rich young ruler. He ruled the whole universe, because the whole universe was his.

One day he found his Father brooding, looking over a world far away. He and his Father were of the same Spirit, so the rich young ruler knew just what he had to do:
"I will go.  I will seek them and save them and bring them home." (Luke 19:10)

His Father looked at him with both sadness and love, all mixed up together. "You'd have to give up everything to do that," He said.

"And so would you, Father."

And so it happened that both of them gave away everything they possessed:
The Father so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The Son made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7-8)

But the story did not end there. Just like he promised, the rich young ruler found his lost brothers and sisters and led them back home.

Overwhelmed with joy, his Father highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

So that's how it came to be that the rich young ruler, who gave it all away to follow after his Father's heart, now has more treasure in heaven than ever there was before.

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