God of the prophets and poets, the seers and storytellers of scripture, thank you for the ancient visions of your truth that still guide us. Send us your Spirit this day to open our minds and hearts to the word you have for us in our times, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Living Word. Amen.
Gospel Reading: Mark 10:13-22
One of the most striking things about Jesus’ ministry is the way he turned people’s expectations upside down. The disciples often argued about greatness—who was the most important, who was closest to Jesus, who would have the highest place in God’s kingdom. The religious leaders thought they had all the answers, confident in their knowledge of the law and in their outward displays of righteousness. But again and again, Jesus redefined what it meant to be great in the kingdom of God.
In today’s passage, the contrast could not be greater. Instead of pointing to the powerful or the well educated, Jesus calls our attention to the smallest and most overlooked—the children. The disciples, thinking they were protecting Jesus’ time and dignity, tried to send the children away. But Jesus stopped them with one of the most tender and thoughtful lessons of the gospel: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Next, Jesus meets a young man who not only enjoys wealth and status but also has a reputation for being upright and faithful. Convinced that his obedience to God’s commandments has secured him eternal life, he comes to Jesus with confidence. But Jesus shakes his assumptions by telling him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
This encounter reminds us that the kingdom of God is not earned through possessions, status, or even rule-keeping. Instead, it belongs to those who come to Jesus with humble, trusting faith—resting not on their own accomplishments, but on God’s love and grace that alone draw us into eternal life.
As this morning’s passage from the Gospel of Mark opens, we find Jesus and his disciples in the region of Judea. He has just been challenged by the Pharisees on a question of divorce and now he and his closest followers have gone into a house for some rest. But no sooner does he sit down, then this happens, “People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.” Now, at that time, it was common for Jewish parents to bring children to respected rabbis for a blessing. Rabbis often laid hands on them and prayed, asking for God’s favour and protection for them.
But the disciples, thinking they are helping, rebuke the parents and try to send them away. This is Jesus’ reaction, “But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.” He’s about to turn this into a teaching moment for all who happen to be in the house. He continues on to say, “‘Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’”, and then proceeds to take the children in his arms and bless them.
Entering God’s kingdom doesn’t come by climbing a spiritual ladder or passing some test; it comes by opening empty hands. Too often we try to make faith about achievement: I’ll serve more, I’ll give more, I’ll fix myself—and then I’ll be worthy. But Jesus reminds us that salvation cannot be earned. It is God’s free gift, offered to all who are willing to receive it with simple, trusting faith.
And as Jesus was leaving the house to continue his missionary journey, a perfect example of the necessity of believing in him with childlike faith appeared. This is what took place, “As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.”’
So important is this lesson which Jesus is about to give that it appears, not only in Mark’s gospel, but also those of Matthew and Luke. Matthew describes him as being young, while Luke adds the detail that he was a ruler. Now this most likely meant a leader in the synagogue or a local council, and since he was young, it was a position that he most likely gained through his wealth.
The young man’s first question to Jesus is, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” That is so often the question of religion— “Tell me what I need to do.” But the Apostle Paul reminds us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9) The gospel Jesus proclaimed is not a message of what we must accomplish, but of what he has already accomplished—his sacrifice on the cross—and the gift of eternal life offered to all who believe in him.
Jesus replies, “‘You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.”’ These are part of the Ten Commandments, given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai and their focus is how we treat one another.
Earlier, Jesus had reminded the disciples, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For from within, out of the human heart, come evil thoughts: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evils come from within and defile a person” (Mark 7:20–23). Now, once again, he emphasizes that while we are called to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, we are also commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves.
The young man replied, “‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’”, to which Jesus said, “‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’” The first issue was that the young man didn’t recognize his true spiritual condition. Despite his earnest question, he seemed confident that he was already a strong candidate for eternal life. Outwardly, he was moral and upright, and he believed he could meet God’s requirements and that his goodness was sufficient for heaven.
But Jesus saw past the surface and looked into his heart, where he uncovered idolatry. The man thought he was righteous on his own, yet in reality, he had placed something above God—his love for wealth. The problem wasn’t money itself; Scripture doesn’t call money evil but rather warns that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Jesus wasn’t adding a new commandment; he was applying the tenth commandment, “Thou shalt not covet…” in a personal and practical way, exposing where this man’s true allegiance lay. Jesus doesn’t call every disciple to sell all their possessions, but he does call each of us to the same thing the young man lacked—complete surrender to God.
We’re then told, “When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” What a tragic moment. The young man came to Jesus, eager, running, kneeling, asking about eternal life—but when faced with the cost of discipleship, his enthusiasm turned to sorrow. Instead of finding joy in Christ’s invitation, he walked away heartbroken.
Why? Because Jesus had touched the one area he would not surrender—his wealth. His possessions had become his identity, his security, his sense of worth. Rather than releasing them to gain treasure in heaven, he clung to them and lost the greater gift. He walked away from the very One who could give him life.
This is one of the saddest pictures in all the Gospels: a man standing at the threshold of eternal life, face-to-face with Jesus, yet choosing the temporary over the eternal. Outwardly, he seemed so close—moral, religious, respectable—but in reality, he was far away. His heart was divided, and he loved his wealth more than he loved God.
Jesus once said, “‘What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?’” (Mark 8:36). That is exactly what happens here. The young man chose to keep the world and, in the process, turned his back on the only One who could save his soul.
And this moment asks each of us a sobering question: “What is it in my life that I would struggle to lay down if Jesus asked me to?” For some, it may be possessions, for others, pride, status, relationships, or control. The issue isn’t always money—the issue is the heart’s allegiance. The young man left grieving, not because Jesus had denied him life, but because he was unwilling to release the idol that stood between him and God.
Jesus Christ is Lord of Lord and King of Kings. He does not ask you to be perfect, but he does ask you to “Come and follow him” – to trust him, and to put your faith in him, rather than in yourselves. He invites you to let go of all those things that are holding you back – that are keeping you from taking that great leap of faith.
Are you at the precipice today? Are you sensing that Jesus is calling you to follow him in ways that you have never followed him before? What is holding you back? What do you love more than him? All of those things that hold you back may be stronger than you, but what is not possible for you, is possible for him. Only in him will you begin to find true freedom.
Jesus calls us to total discipleship. In a world obsessed with wealth and comfort, he asks us: are you chasing the world, or are you following me? For some, money may be the obstacle; for others, it may be pride, status, or security. Whatever it is, the call is clear—lay it down, not out of guilt or pride, but so that you can follow Christ and serve others for the sake of the gospel.
This passage reassures those who have sacrificed much: God sees, and nothing given up for Christ is wasted. But it also shakes us out of complacency—discipleship is never meant to be easy. Yes, we may suffer loss, but we do so with the confidence that God has the final word. And even now, his Kingdom is breaking into our world, transforming our sacrifice into eternal gain.
Our gospel reading this morning began with Jesus welcoming the children and calling on us to receive the kingdom of God like them. This passage reminds us that true faith is not about pride, self-sufficiency, or earning God’s favour—it is about humility, trust, and dependence. Children approach life with honesty, openness, and wonder, and Jesus invites us to adopt the same posture in our relationship with him.
Ultimately, Jesus assures us that the kingdom belongs to all who come to him in humble, trusting faith—reminding us that it is God’s love and grace, not our efforts, that draw us into his eternal life.
Let us Pray:
Heavenly Father, we come with empty hands. Teach us to receive your kingdom like children—to trust you, to ask you, to thank you. Place your hands on us as you did long ago: bless the young and the old, the confident and the hesitant, the joyful and the grieving. Make our church a place where everyone is named “beloved.” Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, we pray. Amen.