10.04.2026 - Responding to God's Generosity - Pastor Chris

In this passage, Jesus challenges a rich ruler to go beyond the commandments and sell his possessions for the sake of the poor. This is one of my favorite Jesus stories in the Bible. It appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and all three versions are great. The man who comes to Jesus is said to be a “ruler” in this version of the story. He might have been a leader of a synagogue who was wealthy. In Matthew’s version we hear that he is young as well. In Mark, he’s simply “a man”. In all versions, he’s interested in eternal life. 

The man asks his question by calling Jesus “good teacher”, which prompts a curious reply from him. Jesus asks why the man calls him good when only God is good. Wait, isn’t Jesus God? Don’t we call plenty of things ‘good’ even if they don’t measure up to God’s goodness? Why is Jesus being such a stickler? 

I believe Jesus is about to test the man, but he’s giving the man a little hint about his test. The hint is, “Pay attention to God and God’s goodness in what you say next.” Jesus lists off several of the commandments to the man, but he leaves out the first few about God. If the man remembered Jesus’ hint, the man might have responded, “If I have kept these commandments, it is only by the grace of God.” But instead he takes full credit in having kept the commandments “since my youth”. 

Jesus tells the man he lacks one thing: he must sell his possessions and give to the poor. I wonder if Jesus would have said this if the man had talked at all about God in his answer. Instead it is clear he relies on himself and his wealth to be good, rather than on God’s power working through him. He doesn’t trust in God, but in his possessions. The only cure for this misplaced trust is to sell those possessions. This isn’t a punishment from Jesus, but a prescription. And the man is very sad.

In this version of the story, Jesus tells the man directly that it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom, as hard as a camel going through the eye of a needle. Those around Jesus, presumably the disciples, are astounded. Surely the rich are best positioned to be saved! They can take care of their parents in old age, they will resist temptation to steal since they can afford so much, and they can make sacrifices at the temple if they do make mistakes. If they can’t make it, no one can!

But here Jesus gives us one of his greatest declarations of grace. It might be impossible for mortals, but not for God. No one can save themselves! Only God can save us. And God has done this through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! 

As we think about stewardship this month, this passage tells us to not be so convinced that holding on to all our possessions is what allows us to be good and righteous people. Instead, we are to give up to God what we have so that we might come to rely more fully on God. We are to rely on God for the things we need and for God’s spirit of goodness to work through us, helping us to keep the commandments, whether we are rich, poor or somewhere in between. May we keep the first commandment to love and serve God always as the center of our lives.