Asking the Right Question

Yesterday morning after my morning prayer I was thinking some more about the story of the rich young man, and his questioning Jesus on what he needed to do to receive eternal life. I realized that he was asking the wrong question, and so do many people today. Here is Mark's version:

Mark 10:17-22 NIV
[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."

The question the man asks, found in verse 17, is simply, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" As I mentioned before, the question was pertinent and timely, and unanswered by the rabbinical teachers of the day. They had figured out there was this opportunity to experience eternal life, but the old testament was mostly quiet on this subject, so people were talking, but didn't have good answers. There were even opposing sides of perspective on this topic, the Pharisees and Sadducees held different views on whether there was life after death (Acts 23:6-8).

Looking closely at Jesus' response, it almost appears that He doesn't answer at first, but focuses on the fact that he call him a good teacher. Then he gets around to several of the commandments. In His next statement its interesting to note that Jesus doesn't ask about the first four commandments which are focused on relationship with God, and putting Him first before all things. I think Jesus already knew what was in the man's heart.

One critical point, that is often overlooked is Jesus response to the condition of the young man. This can be found in verse 21. "Jesus looked at him and loved him." This is such an important fact - Jesus loved Him, and it was clear to those around Him. Jesus, knowing the condition of the man's heart, knowing that his heart was enamored with wealth, and had come to put his trust in his wealth, rather than in God, still loved him. In fact, Jesus invites the man into relationship, because He loved him. There is no judgement or condemnation, just love in Jesus heart.

Finally, Jesus gives him the answer to his question. Jesus says the young man needs to enter into relationship with Himself and become one of His followers. That is what the young man needs to do to inherit eternal life. In reality, the right question is not - what must I do, but rather, who must I know?

So often in the church today, we have built up the same mindset of doing something rather than knowing someone. We have programs and projects, meetings and teachings, and a whole list of things we can do. We feel that by doing these things, getting involved in the church activities, we can ultimately find our way to heaven. If you ask a random person how you can get to heaven, more often than not their answer will be, 'by being good'. This is such a common perspective, yet it is just as flawed as the question the young man asked. And although much of the church might answer that its through belief in Jesus, and through His death and resurrection that we get to heaven, they have also missed the point that its about relationship. We can believe in Jesus, that He died and was raised to life, and did all this for forgiveness of our sins, and never get to know Jesus. We need to learn to ask ourselves the right question, so that we are directed to the right answer.

The right question is "who do I need to know that I might receive eternal life", and the right answer is "by knowing and following Jesus".

So that is my meditation today - am I asking myself the right question? Do I have a relational mindset rather than a task mindset. Am I actually growing in relationship with Jesus?