What Do You Have to Lose?

Mark 10:17-31

The story of the rich young man is a famous one: He has faithfully kept the law, so he wonders what is left in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all of his possessions, give them to the poor, and follow him. When he proves unable to do this, Jesus comments on how difficult it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples hear that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, Mark writes, “And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, ‘Then who can be saved?’” (10:26).
“Who can be saved?” That question is such a strange one in this story, and yet it is completely appropriate. We easily could answer, “Those who believe and are baptized. Just repent and confess and enter the water.” Of course, that was not exactly the rich young man’s impediment. His problem was following after Jesus, meeting the requirements of that life, a life marked by suffering (10:32-34). How many people are there who believe that there is a God, that Jesus is his Son, but who are unwilling to receive salvation because they do not want the lifestyle of being a Christ-follower? It is a tall order to ask people to give up so much of themselves and to follow in the footsteps of Christ—an impossible thing, if we believe Christ’s words (10:27).
Then Peter perks up to point out that he and the other disciples have given up everything to follow him. They have done exactly what Jesus just instructed the rich young man to do. Jesus’ reply is illuminating as he says that “no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or lands, for my sake and for the gospel…will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life” (10:29-30). Basically, Jesus tells them what he did not tell the rich young man: whatever you give up, you surely will receive back. Perhaps not in the way you imagine—as if selling your dream home with a pool will mean that you eventually receive again your dream home with a pool—but you will be rewarded. God is not leading his followers to a pit where he will leave them when once their service is ended. There is a reward for the sacrifices one must make.
This is what we glimpse on this Easter morning. Jesus gave up his very life for the sake of the Gospel, and this morning we proclaim that he received it back, a hundredfold even, as he has entered his glory. His death and resurrection is a reminder to us that giving of ourselves to the point of loss—whether losing our possessions or losing family members who reject our commitment to God or any number of other losses—is not a dead-end road. It will be worth it in the end if we will give of ourselves to God and his mission. It might be difficult and it might be scary because it requires a certain amount of trust (and because it includes “persecutions” (10:30)), but we remember this morning that our God is faithful to his children. -TL

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