“As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?’

Jesus said, ‘Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.’

He said, ‘Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!’

Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, ‘There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.’

The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, ‘Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?’ The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: ‘You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.’

That got their attention. ‘Then who has any chance at all?’ they asked.

Jesus was blunt: ‘No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it (Mark 10:17-27, The Message)'”

Tonight I heard something in a sermon that just about blew my puny little mind. I’ve grown up in and around Church, so I was very familiar with this story about the rich young ruler who Jesus asked to sell everything and give to the poor and follow Him. This man went away sad because he loved money more than God.

But Pastor Mike pointed out something to me that I had never once thought about.

There were two rich young rulers in this story.

One was young, had immense wealth, and probably had a title of some kind. Maybe he had a royal lineage or a family of significance. We don’t ever know his name. It’s funny that he clung to his wealth instead of following Jesus, but ended up with neither. Honestly, have you ever seen a hearse followed by a U-Haul? It’s because you can’t take any earthly wealth with you when you die.

But there was another rich young ruler in this story. He was also young. He had way more wealth than the other when you consider that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and that the world and everything in it belongs to Him. He didn’t come from royalty, but He is King of the Universe. He is the absolute ruler of all that is.

But He gave all that up. The Bible says He didn’t take advantage of His being equal with God (and being the very God Himself), but emptied Himself. He came as a humble servant, born of a virgin betrothed to a carpenter. He was obedient to the point of death on a criminal’s cross. What He gained was salvation and life for you and me.

The other rich young ruler went away sad because he couldn’t fathom that when Jesus asked him to give up all his earthly treasures, it wasn’t just about sacrifice. Jesus had something better, grander, far more lasting in mind. Jesus had eternal abundant life in mind, both now and forever.

Peter later commented that he and the rest had given up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus replied that what they had given up didn’t even begin to compare with what they would gain in this life and the life to come, true riches that thieves can’t steal and rust and moths can’t destroy.

The greatest treasure Jesus gives to anyone who follows Him, regardless of the cost, is simply Jesus Himself.