Life Changing Conversations // Part 1: The Rich Young Ruler
March 7, 2021
There is a God-shaped hole in every one of us. We try to fill this hole in our lives with money, success, power, or possessions. The world tells us that these things will satisfy, but they never do. As soon as we buy something or reach a new position in a job, we are already looking for what’s next. True fulfillment comes only in Jesus. He is everything we need and desire. Is there anything in your life that is more important to you than Jesus? If so, confess it today, and put Jesus first. When He is truly first in your life, then you experience the deep joy of knowing Him!
True Satisfaction vs. Worldly Happiness
There are so many things in this world that people try to use to find satisfaction. Oftentimes, money is one of these major things. We think that more and more money will make us happy and bring fulfillment, security, and happiness. We think that if we can control how much money we make, then we can control the outcome of situations, our own lives or the lives of our loved ones, and our level of happiness.
Oh, the lie that we believe when we succumb to this way of thinking. The devil wants us to look for more, more, more. He wants us to think that true satisfaction is only found in possessions or control or financial success.
The truth is that there is nothing in this world that can satisfy our desires. We can never attain happiness through the things that we collect or the amount of money we have in our bank accounts. Whole and complete satisfaction is found in Christ alone.
What the Bible Says about the Rich Young Ruler
In Mark 10, Jesus addressed a rich young ruler. In this passage, we read through the conversation that Jesus has with a man who seems to have everything the world desires – he was rich, he was young, and he was in a position of power. Even though this man has all these things, he runs to Jesus, longing, searching for something more, something lasting.
Jesus responds to his plea of desperation by letting him know that the man couldn’t continue to find his worth and his peace in wealth. Jesus leads him to a place of repentance, so that he could turn from his way of living into a relationship with the only One who would bring true satisfaction. Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” He said, “Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” (Mark 10:21b) Jesus loves this man, and His way of showing the man true love was to point him to the cross. Salvation is free, but there is a cost to following Jesus. It requires commitment. It requires living for Him. And the man was not willing to pay the price that it cost.
What do you need to lay down today to follow Jesus tomorrow?
We all have something that we need to lay down in our lives in order to follow Jesus. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” We can’t serve and find satisfaction in money yet serve God at the same time. Only in Jesus can we receive true fulfillment in this life and in the life to come.
That, ultimately, is what people are looking for in life – fulfillment. We all want to feel purpose and satisfaction in the place that God has us. But, on this side of heaven, we can only find that in Jesus. Our relationship with Him is what will bring us to a place of joy, of peace, of true satisfaction. Run to Him. Let go of the things of the earth that do not satisfy. Cling to Jesus, lay down the things that you need to let go of, and see what He will do in your life.
It’s more than worth it.
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