Friday, December 16: Matthew 19- Which ones?...

Those two words jumped off the page glaring at me… “which ones?” They stood there, a shaft of light, allowing me to see deeply into the human heart and soul. “Which ones?” the man asked.

The vignette begins with the man seeking out Jesus with a question (16-18). Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" … Jesus replied … If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied…

Isn’t that like us, like me? Always trying to justify self.

Think about it. The man had a simple question and Jesus a simple answer.

Question: What do I have to do to get eternal life?

Answer: Obey the commandments.

Retort: Which ones?

I mean really, Jesus couldn’t mean obey them all… all 10 of them. No, that can’t be it. Maybe there is a loophole, maybe only 5 really count. “Which ones?” he asked, we ask.

There was another time Jesus was talking about loving others/neighbors.  “Which ones?” the crowd implicitly asked.  So Jesus told a parable about a Priest, a Levite, a Samaritan and a mugging victim… (check out Luke 10:25ff).

We want to justify ourselves… “which ones?,” “who?,” “how much?” We want to do just enough to get in, and nothing more…

Is it any wonder then, following a bit more of an exchange between Jesus and the man, Jesus turns to His disciples.  The vignette ends with Jesus’ powerful line, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

I cannot earn salvation (eternal life) on my own. I cannot do enough to pay for the sin and corruption in my life. Only a work of God in my life can possible save me…

Lord, I have duly humbled. I am always asking ‘which ones’ trying to skate by. O, forgive me! Corruption continues to have a hold on my life. ‘I need You every hour’ the old hymn teaches me in its lyrics. And I certainly do!

Lord, I feel compelled to thank and bless You, too. Were it not for Your work in my life I could/would never have come to You by faith, surrendered to Jesus and been ushered into the kingdom of life. Thank You, God, that You made my salvation possible! Hallelujah! Amen.