...it's time to let go...

The Rich Man

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18 Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.”’ 20 He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27 Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’

28 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ 29 Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

32 They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; 34 they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.’

The Request of James and John

“35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ 36 And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ 37 And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’ 38 But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’ 39 They replied, ‘We are able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.’

41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’

The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus

46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 49 Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ 52 Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way” Mark 10:17-52.

The journey of Jesus to Jerusalem has begun near Caesarea Philippi (8:27). Notice that just before the final journey begins, Jesus heals blind eyes (8:22-26). The journey closes with another episode in which Jesus heals blind eyes (10:46-52). In fact, Jesus has been opening eyes all along the way, and so has Mark. Disciples of Jesus, then and now, have been learning that it is not enough to confess or teach about Jesus as the Messiah (8:29-30). What all followers of Jesus need is to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow Jesus (8:34). Those who do that will see all things clearly (8:25). Those who see clearly, faithfully follow Jesus on the way (10:52).

But if truth be told, neither seeing nor following are ever perfect for any of us. We are always on a journey, learning more and more what it means to set our minds on divine things and not on human things (8:33). On this journey, the disciples of Jesus have not done well. Each time Jesus has predicted his death and resurrection, they blatantly betrayed their misunderstanding, their blindness to the things of God.

Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in Mark begins with Mark telling the story of a man invited to give up everything to follow Jesus. The man shows the seriousness of his quest for eternal life by running up to Jesus and kneeling before him (10:17). Calling Jesus “Good Teacher” honors Jesus and recognizes His authority. Jesus accepts the man’s claim to have lived in obedience and expresses his love for this man (10:21) by identifying the one thing this man still lacks, a willingness to give up everything to follow Jesus (see 8:36). By asking him to sell his possessions and give to the poor, Jesus helps the man discover what is still lacking: he is still living for himself. Change is still possible for him. Instead, the man clings to what he owns and leaves in sadness. Then Mark adds words that put a whole new slant on this incident, for he had many possessions (10:22).

This is key. For all of us! Think about it: Jesus is beginning His journey to Jerusalem where He will suffer and die for us. Jesus is NOT living for Himself, rather He is living for us our of sheer and complete obedience to His Father in Heaven! The only thing Jesus possesses is LOVE, love for His Father and of us all! We hang onto things that keep us from loving as Jesus loves! We hang onto our possessions. But don’t think of “things” as possessions, rather think of sinful habits and ways you have come to live your life. These are the habits and lifestyle we are unwilling to give up! We choose to live as we wish to live, the older we get! We think we have plenty of time before we reach our Jerusalem to change! So on we go hanging onto our “possessions” — hanging onto all the sinful, self-centered choices and habits owe have become comfortable with! For all of us, we have our own lists of our “wealth” — things we will not give up.

In terms of our lifestyles and choices, we feel blameless. However, Jesus wishes to help us discern that our hearts are not in the right place! Why else would this man in our story rather go away sad without assurance of eternal life than give up his sinful lifestyle and follow Jesus? 

So take some time today and look at your life. What are you continuing to take with you on your journey, things Jesus wants you to let go of? Don’t kid yourselves! Follow Christ! Make the choice today to let go of what you don’t wish to let go of — or believe you cannot let go of!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner!