Do you suffer from PYD Syndrome? “Perfect Yet Dissatisfied” – where you have what you want but not what you need? The young man in this story has achieved everything a human being could want – wealth, power, youth, moral rectitude – and yet still knows there is something missing. So he comes to Jesus, which is a good start.
Anytime you see a one-on-one conversation with Jesus, pay attention, because those are the moments Jesus pushes deeply into how to live out his general teachings. In this case He pushes into the missing piece of the young man’s life.
There is a clue in the language to the problem. He asks “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” What does anyone have to do to inherit something? Nothing, because it is about the relationship – the young man is conflating two very different things.
So Jesus rolls with it – He lays out commandments, but not all 10. Specifically, he lists the commandments that have to do with our horizontal relationships with others. The young man objects that he is good to go there and has checked all those boxes.
Jesus responds in two ways. First, he looks at him and loves him. This is vital context – discipleship is not about our own wisdom or capability to fix people. It begins and ends with love for other people.
Then He cuts to the heart of the matter – sell what you have, give to the poor, follow me. And that hits him where he lives, and he goes away sad. Mark leaves the question open, ending this story (like he does the whole gospel) with a cliffhanger. We don’t know what he chooses – in some ways this puts us in the able position, with the same choice.
Jesus generalizes from this story for the disciples – it is hard for rich people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The disciples are startled, living in a culture where wealth and morality were seen as related. If the ultimate man can’t do it, who can?
We all have our own “many possessions” that we put at the center instead of our relationship with Christ, both as individuals and as churches. We put wealth, church growth, material success, patriotism, all kinds of things, even good things, at the center of our lives, as the things we can’t give up.
Ultimately, it’s impossible to do enough. But Jesus tells us that He makes all things possible. Peter objects that, hey, I’ve been doing lots, giving up lots. But Jesus makes it clear that it’s not about the doing, but it’s about the relationship with God, the relationship that turns all our power structures upside down.
The story just before this one gives us the context. Jesus tells us “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” The rich young ruler was trying to enter as an adult, the disciples were making their case as adults. We see this again in the following story, where James and John jostle for position: “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Eternal life is a gift of being, not earning. We receive it, we don’t obtain it.
Follow Jesus to the cross, and give up what hinders you from following.
Remember that God can do anything – he can save the wealthy, the powerful, the prideful and the self-righteous.
If we are the rich young ruler, hanging on to something that gets between us and God our us and those around us, let’s not end on a cliffhanger. Let’s not go away sad, but engage in relationship with the Christ who makes all things possible.
— Sermon Notes, Dave Sim, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, February 25, 2024