Mark 10:17-31
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
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.”
Matthew 10:32-42
Jesus Did Not Come to Bring Peace to Earth
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Many things in life prevent us from following God and Jesus...A differing opinion with someone on how you think about Jesus and money are two obstacles that make us keep committing fully to God...
Jesus said, do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth...I did not come to bring peace, but a sword...For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’...
Jesus teaches us and tells us about following Him and what can happen when we put Him above family: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth...I have not come to bring peace, but a sword...For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law...And a person's enemies will be those of his own household...Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me...And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me...Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."...
The Fifth Commandment is Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you...So God wants us to love and honor our family...But when we truly put Jesus first and love Him more than family, it can divide a family...Other family members may not feel the same way you do about Jesus...If the same love for Him is not shared in one's family, then He can divide a family...It is best when all family members are prioritizing Jesus as the priority in our lives...But this is hard to do, because we live on earth...We see this when the young rich man leaves Jesus after asking Him about eternal life...The young man loves his money and wealth more than God and His Son...