Where Your Treasure Is.....

Mark 10:17-22 

"Now as He {Jesus} was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 

So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is,  God.  

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 

And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 

Then Jesus, looking at him, LOVED HIM, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 

But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."
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Jesus was approached by this very rich young ruler who asked Him,  "What must I 'DO' to inherit eternal life?"  
Jesus didn't give him the answer you would have expected.  It wasn't the "standard evangelical answer. 
He didn't say, "Repent and be baptized," did He?  No. Why?
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Because every person who approached Him with the Law, He gave them the "Law" in return.  That's what he meant when he asked if there was anything he could "Do."  He obviously believed he could "DO" something to earn his salvation.
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Not About Money.

In His answer to the young man, read carefully.  You'll see that money was not His concern.  Yes, money was a problem. But this passage isn't really about money at all.  Jesus wasn't concerned about the fact that he possessed great wealth.  No.  HIS WEALTH POSSESSED HIM.

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Notice the young man's answer to Jesus' question.  He told Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”  He maintained that he had obeyed all the Ten Commandments from his youth up.  Now, you and I know that is not possible.  If it were, then Jesus didn't need to come and die for us.  We wouldn't need a Savior if we could "do right" on our own.  

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Church, THE LAW WAS NOT GIVEN FOR MAN TO TRY AND KEEP. It was designed to bring him to the end of himself so that he would see how sinful he is and cry out for help to Jesus!.  That it does VERY WELL.  
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Jesus' intent was to show this young man that he was, in fact, breaking the very first commandment.  Money was his god.  But, since he insisted on knowing what he could "DO" to inherit eternal life, Jesus gave Him the answer demanded by the Law.

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Righteousness Is A Gift.
You see, he didn't understand this one thing:  That righteousness is a gift you receive, not an action you perform.  Even Abraham was not declared righteous by God for his right deeds.  He BELIEVED GOD and it was credited to him as righteousness.  
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You can read all about Abraham and his UNrighteous deeds by following this link:  emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/07/27/the-difference-between-servants-and-sons/

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IT IS NOT, was not and never will be, A REWARD YOU CAN EARN.  

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Covered, Not Cleansed.

In the Old Testament they continually had to offer right sacrifices.  Forgiveness was only temporary and sins were only covered not cleansed.
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Jesus wanted to help the young man see the futility of trying to keep the law; to come to the end of himself and recognize he needed a Savior. Perhaps he did at some later date, though we are not given that information. For his sake, I hope so.

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Your Money Leads. 
Most sermons preached on this passage seem to come to with the conclusion that "YOU PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR HEART IS," right?  Then comes the guilt trip that giving more to God's work will prove how much "you love Jesus."  Inevitably follows the "riches are evil" speech.  Implication, implication, implication, accusation, accusation, accusation. 

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Remind me again; who's the the accuser of the brethren?  Yeah; you already know.  Preaching that kind of nonsense is simply doing his work for him.  The old father of lies might as well just take a vacation.

Jesus goes on to say:

Luke 12:33-35
"33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO."

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Read the verse again, more carefully this time.  It says, "WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES, YOUR HEART WILL FOLLOW.....not the other was around.  The verse plainly says, "MONEY FIRST; HEART FOLLOWS;" exactly opposite of what we've heard for like FOREVER. 

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Listen to what Jesus says:

Where your treasure is.....

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THERE your heart will be also.

.....Your Heart Will Follow!