By Aleah Lundy
Aleah Lundy recently shared with Calvary Chapel Beaumont ‘s Equip Class that Jesus offers the greatest path to walk in life. Below is an adaptation of her beautiful message, No Greater Offer: An Invitation to Eternal Life. To view her message, scroll to the end and click on the video.
John Mark pens the Good News journey of our Savior, passing out invitations to eternal life.
In Mark 9, Jesus was transfigured on the mount.
As we arrive in Mark 10, Jesus has blessed the little children, saying “let the little children come to Me.”
So beautiful!
“And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16 NKJV)
I want to be one of those little kids! Can you imagine, being taken into the arms of Jesus? I imagine the little joyful giggles escaping the embrace.
No Greater Offer
In full sprint, the rich young ruler reaches Jesus and kneels before the King of Kings.
“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ‘You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:17-22 NKJV)
Jesus Sees You and Loves You
“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him,” (Mark 10:21 NKJV)
It is so clearly and perfectly laid out. Jesus loves you. This is fact – No greater truth.
You do not have to like it; you might even think differently (though you would be gravely mistaken.) This is NOT the worldly love we fall victim to; no, no, no.
God’s love is infinite in nature, and incomprehensible to us mere mortals, and He has it ALL FOR US.
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” (Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV )
EVERLASTING LOVE!
That is the love Jesus has for every single one of us.
It is important for us to know that the Lord does NOT view us like we view ourselves!
He does not (nor has He ever) found us to be ugly, worthless, or any of the myriad of lies we allow to occupy that “Jesus” space.
“For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV)
Jesus sees you and loves you.
Take Up Your Cross
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” (Matthew 16:24; see also Mark 8:34 NKJV)
Taking up your cross is a choice – hopefully a daily decision you make.
Caleb King’s “Carpenter Boy,” broke my heart with two lines.
“Do you think that when He hung there, that the smell of wood reminded Him of home?”
“Who died upon the tree that He created.”
We take up the cross because Jesus already did. Because Jesus sees you and loves you, take up your cross and follow Jesus.
An Invitation to Eternal Life
Follow Jesus
How do you follow Jesus? Great question!
- Trust Jesus. You must trust who you follow or you won’t follow Him. There mustn’t be any blind faith with Jesus. We have Genesis to Revelation. What more evidence do we need? It’s all right there.
- Submit to Jesus and His Word. “When You said, ‘Seek My face,’ My heart said to You, ‘Your face, LORD, I will seek.’” (Psalm 27:8 NKJV)
“And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, ‘Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 10:24-25 NKJV)
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:32-34 NKJV)
Family, where are you storing your treasures?
In Mark 10:21, Jesus clearly states that “you WILL have treasure in heaven.”
That is a promise!
A slight detour
A desperate father in the crowd cries out to Jesus to cast out his son’s evil spirit. He adds, “But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22b NKJV)
Jesus responded that all things are possible if he believes.
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NKJV)
Why wasn’t this the plea of the rich, young ruler? He obviously didn’t believe Jesus, He couldn’t see how he would have treasure in heaven, nor could he make peace with leaving his earthly possession behind.
“And He said to them,‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” (Luke 12:15 NNKJV)
So many warnings! I wonder if we need to learn something here.
Just one more…
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your old self may have been fixed on earthly things but that self has DIED. Set your mind on things above.” (Colossians 3:1-3 NKJV emphasis added)
Verse 22 of our text closes with the rich, young ruler going away sorrowful and sad.
Are we ever saddened by the promises of God, just like the rich, young ruler?
World-renowned actor and comedian Jim Carrey shares a thought worth considering. “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
I wonder if you might know what the answer is.
In one way or another, we are all the rich, young ruler. It is our duty to acknowledge the ways we are like that young man and take actionable steps toward change.
Sir Francis Drake’s prayer is my prayer.
Disturb Us, Lord
“Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.
Sir Francis Drake
Disturb us, Lord. We are in need of it and You.
Questions to Think About
- Inventory your possessions, the ones in the way of Jesus. What are you giving away this week?
- How do you plan to take up your cross and follow Jesus?
- Do you know that Jesus loves you? Do you believe it?
Challenge
Tell one person this week that Jesus loves them.
There Is No Greater Offer: An Invitation to Eternal Life
Click on the video below to watch Aleah Lundy share her message.
Dedicating her life to the Lord and His ministry, Aleah Lundy is a momma of three incredible daughters, on loan from the Lord. She serves at her home church of Calvary Chapel Beaumont however the Lord sees fit. She is also a master’s program student at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Aleah’s mission is to lead intentionally with empathy and love, and remember that Jesus and the Gospel are for everyone.
Please Share Your Ideas