Day 20 – Treasure, service, ransom

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus, show me what I’m clinging to today; loosen my grip, and make you my true treasure.

Headline

A rich man walks away sorrowful, disciples are stunned, and Jesus redefines greatness by the cross.

Mark 10:17-45

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Comment

A man runs up to Jesus, drops to his knees, and asks a question that sounds deeply spiritual: “Good teacher… what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v.17) Unlike so many others, he isn’t trying to trap Jesus. He’s earnest. He’s moral. He’s successful. And yet he knows something is missing.

Jesus meets him with both clarity and kindness. He points him to God’s commands, and the man replies (remarkably): “Teacher… all these I have kept since I was a boy.” (v.20) And then comes one of the most tender lines in Mark: “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” (v.21) Jesus is not trying to humiliate him. He is about to diagnose him.

“One thing you lack,” Jesus says. Sell what you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me. (v.21) It’s not that money is uniquely sinful, or that giving everything away is the universal requirement for every disciple. It’s that money, for this man, has become a functional saviour—status, security, identity, freedom. He has kept God’s rules, but he hasn’t trusted God as his treasure. When Jesus touches the idol, the man’s face falls. He goes away sad, because he has great wealth. He’s not rejecting Jesus’ advice; he’s rejecting Jesus’ lordship.

Jesus then turns to his disciples and says something that still lands heavily in a comfortable society: it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom. The disciples are shocked because they assume wealth signals blessing. Jesus replies: “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (v.27) In other words, no one can “self-rescue” from idol-worship—whether the idol is money, success, approval, or control. God must do the saving.

Then Mark tightens the focus. Jesus predicts his suffering again, and James and John immediately ask for the best seats in glory. It’s almost comical—except it’s also us. We are quick to use Jesus to get what we already wanted. But Jesus resets greatness: “Not so with you.” (v.43) Greatness in his kingdom looks like service. And then the centre of the whole passage rings out: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (v.45)

That’s the deepest answer to the rich man’s question. Eternal life is not inherited because you have done enough. It is given because Jesus has paid enough. He ransoms us—freeing us from sin’s guilt and from the slavery of false saviours—so that we can finally follow him with open hands.

Reflect

• What is the “one thing” most likely to compete with Jesus in your heart: money, comfort, reputation, control, achievement?
• Where do you most need to hear Jesus’ words: “Not so with you”—in how you lead, speak, spend, or serve?
• What comfort is there in knowing your rescue doesn’t depend on your performance, but on Jesus’ ransom?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that you looked with love on the rich man, and you look with love on us too. Expose my false saviours, and give me courage to let go. Teach me to follow you with simplicity and joy. And thank you most of all that you did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give your life as a ransom for many—including me. Shape my life by your cross, so I gladly serve others in your name. Amen.