Fresh start

Do you ever watch those murder mystery series that follows the search for the killer and subsequent trial? The suspense comes when the evidence has been given, and everyone is waiting for the verdict from the jury. Can you imagine standing there waiting to hear the words— “guilty” or “not guilty”? In the next moments, your destiny is revealed—prison or freedom.

The disciples had just received very disturbing news. Jesus was going away, and where he was going, they could not come, at least for the time being.

Who are you? What gives you identity? What’s your brand?

Just wait…. You are a foreigner in a foreign land. Your citizenship is in heaven. You are not home yet! Just wait….

For the last few days, we have been considering an interaction between Jesus and the rich young man who desired to know how to have eternal life.

The rich young ruler had an urgent question. He asked Jesus how he could somehow grasp eternal life.

The wealthy young man we have been considering over the last few days wanted eternal life but wanted to live life his way until the time came for him to die. Today’s passage records his response to Jesus’ call for a fresh start.

Over the last few days, we have been following a man who was concerned about his soul. He was young and wealthy and claimed he had kept all the commandments since he was a boy. Now, Jesus calls his bluff.

What do you have to do to become a Christian? What do you have to do to stay a Christian? Will God’s love still be there if you don’t clean up your act? Is a relationship with God on-again-off-again depending on your behavior?