In Mark 10:17-22 a wealthy young man asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied: “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

Jesus’ reply was meant to draw out the man’s beliefs. As a part of his answer he listed a series of commandments. Most of them are from the well-known list in Exodus 20. 

But notice “Do not defraud.” This isn’t in the 10 Commandments. It’s actually drawn from Deuteronomy 24:14 which mentions not oppressing hired workers. I think that Jesus knew this young man’s heart. Might it have been the case that Jesus knew he obtained his money by oppressing and defrauding workers? Perhaps.

Either way, the man goes on to say that he has kept all the commandments since his youth—which, by the way, none of us have done. 

That’s when Jesus famously tells him this: “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 

So, what happened? “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

Among the many things this interaction teaches us, one of them is about the power of money. It is one of the greatest barriers to genuine trust in God. 

In this story, there is a telling detail in verse 21. Before giving the young man his spiritual prescription, the text says that Jesus “loved him.” In other words, Jesus said this to him because he wanted good things for him, not bad.

For that man, his wealth (which, by the way, may have been gained by breaking God’s command to not defraud) stood as a barrier to genuine trust in God.

Francis and Lisa Chan write: “Your life is going to be over any minute, and you’re going to regret holding on to things you weren’t able to keep.”*

That’s sobering—and true. It makes us look in the mirror. Is there anything in our lives which stands as a barrier to genuine trust in God? 

If so, let’s deal with it.

“Your life is going to be over any minute, and you’re going to regret holding on to things you weren’t able to keep.”*

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Notes and extra content:

-“The new alternative lifestyle:  Christlikeness.” Sermon. Click here.
-*Francis Chan and Lisa Chan, You and Me Forever (San Francisco: Claire Love Publishing, 2014), 190.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.