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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
I remember a sermon or an article by Franklin Camp that was entitled Sorrow That Could Have Been Avoided. That message was based on today’s focus text. There is sorrow in every person’s life at one time or another, however sometimes the sorrow which we experience is “self-inflicted” sorrow. Such was the case in the account which you are about to read. However, in this case the sorrow that could have been avoided was brought on by the lack of only one thing. Sometimes one thing stands between us and happiness or success. Consider this reality in today’s message.
“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.” (Mark 10.17-22).
A long time ago I saw an illustration in which a man took a dime and showed just how large a “thin dime” can be! By holding a dime at arm’s length, it is so small that it hardly takes up any part of our field of vision. However, the closer we move the dime to our eye, the more it obscures our vision. With one eye closed and the dime held immediately in front of the open eye, that tiny dime can actually obscure our vision of the world and everything in it! This was the problem with the man in today’s focus text. He was holding his money so close to his eye that he could see nothing else. The one thing that he lacked was the biggest thing in his field of vision. To express it as Mark did, he “…went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” As we sometimes say it, “Rather than possessing his possessions, they possessed him!”
One thing can be a huge thing as today’s text points out. Jesus was especially adept at finding the one thing of importance or the one thing that was a “deal breaker.” On one occasion Jesus was requested by Martha to encourage Mary to help her with the household chores. Jesus noted that Mary was busy with things that rightfully should have received the highest priority. He responded, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10.41-42).
On another occasion, the elders and chief priests confronted Jesus in the temple and demanded that He tell them the authority that was behind His teaching (see Matthew 21.23). Knowing their evil intent, Jesus said, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” (Matthew 21.24-25). The rest of the story reveals the cowardice of the men involved and their refusal to answer His question due to their fear of the people. In this case one thing was a deal breaker!
How big is the one thing in your life that stands between you and faithful service to God? It may, in reality, be a tiny thing. However, given its effect upon your life, it is the largest thing in the universe! Don’t let one thing stand between you and eternal happiness!
Questions:
1. Did Jesus discount the keeping of the ten commandments? Did Jesus realize that there were more important things than outward obedience? Explain your answer.
2. What special feelings did Jesus have for the man in this story? What may have been at the root of these feelings?
3. Why do you think that Jesus specifically told the man to sell all that he had and give to the poor?
4. How big was the one thing to which Jesus directed the man’s attention? Who made it that large?
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