A Heavenly Photo Finish

Down the Home Stretch

A jumbled pack of runners kick for the finish line. Cars trade paint racing for the checkered flag. Teams fight for first place in the final days of the season.  

A close race to the finish line gets the blood pumping and the heart racing. 

Kicking to the Finish Line

If you think those are exciting, get a load of this. Jesus predicts a heavenly photo finish as people head down the home stretch into eternity (Mk 10:28-31).

This all takes place as the Lord is kicking it to the finish in His messianic marathon to Jerusalem, where He will soon face betrayal, torture, murder, and ultimately, resurrection (Mk 8:31; 9:31).

A Wealthy Up-and-Comer

Somewhere on the far side of the Jordan River, Christ and His personal posse have just met a wealthy up-and-comer who hoped to join their crew (Mk 10:17-22). There’s just one problem. He loves His money more than He wants to follow Jesus.

The radical Rabbi/Carpenter uses this as a teachable moment for His team (Mk 10:23-27). He uses the hilarious example of trying to shove a camel through the eye of a needle as a way of describing rich folks trying to squeeze their fortunes into God’s kingdom. It just ain’t happening.

Despite what you might think, you can’t grease God’s palm to get on His good side. Instead when it comes to eternity, those who gain entry through the gates of heaven are those who hold their money loosely and their Savior tightly.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

It’s at this point that Peter just has to say something. This should come as no shock.

If you’re familiar at all with the former commercial fisherman turned disciple, you know he has a bad habit of opening his mouth so he can insert his foot. That’s the reason so many of us can relate to the one Jesus calls Rocky (Mt 16:18).

Giving up Everything

Pete blurts out, “We’ve given up everything to follow You” (v28). At first glance, this certainly makes sense. While the rich young dude refused to liquidate his assets in order to follow our Savior, the disciples sure have (Mk 1:18, 20; 2:14; Lk 5:11; 5:28).

A closer look at the original language doubles down on that idea. “Given up” (Gr. αφιημι/afiemi) is a Greek verb that means to move away from someone or something and cause separation. It can even describe abandonment. 

Come Follow

And “follow” (Gr. ακολουθεω/akoloutheo) paints a picture of accompanying someone who takes the lead and determines the direction. It’s the language of commitment, obedience, and discipleship.

Jesus uses the same verb when inviting the wealthy hot shot to climb aboard with His other followers. Sell your stuff, give your money to those who REALLY need it, “then come, follow (Gr. ακολουθεω/akoloutheo) Me” (Mk 10:21).

No Strings Attached

Giving it all up and following the Lord means putting what used to be important in the rear view mirror. It means going where He goes, watching what He does, and doing what He says.

Ultimately, giving up everything and following Christ is living life with no strings attached. Nothing gets in your way. You’re all in.  

Making Jesus the Boss

Now it’s not like we simply chuck it all. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is like running away and joining the circus. We make Him the boss in every part of our lives. It IS what being the Lord means, after all.

A Vivid Picture

The apostle formerly known as Saul gives us a, shall we say, “vivid” picture of what that looks like in his life. Stuff that once was a priority suddenly doesn’t seem so important anymore. 

“Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him” (Phil 3:8-9a).

A Big Steaming Pile

What makes this such a striking image is the word the NLT translates “garbage (Gr. σκυβαλον/skubalon).” Garbage sells it short. It literally describes a big steaming pile. Yeah, you read that right.

Compared to Christ, Paul considers it all poop. When you put it that way, it makes it a little easier to abandon, doesn’t it? 

Our Savior Is the Standard

Before we hear Jesus’ response, I’d like to throw something else out there. Is it just me or does Pete’s statement seem a kinda cocky and prideful? Seems like he’s comparing the sacrifice of the Twelve with the failure of the wealthy go-getter to do the same.

It’s powerful reminder to me to stop measuring myself to others like God is playing some sort of righteousness-by-comparison game. Our sinless Savior is the standard we judge ourselves against.

It reminds me of a conversation Pete has with Jesus after His resurrection. The apostle gets hung up on rumors about his buddy John. Christ tells him to slow his roll. “What is that to you? As for you, follow Me” (Jn 21:22).

Rocky’s onto Something

Meanwhile back in Mark 10, the Lord lets Rocky know that he’s onto something. “Yes…and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News’” (v29). 

The Way It Should Be

A closer look at the original language here reveals how Jesus wants to trust what He says. “Yes…I assure you” is actually the Greek word we translate “amen” (Gr. αμην/amen).

You see, “amen” means a whole lot more than simply signing off to God at the end of your prayer. It’s reaffirming that something is indeed true. It’s the way it should be. It’s a way of emphasizing the voracity of what’s being said.

Just Call Him “Amen”

And it that’s not enough, did you know that one of Jesus’ heavenly nicknames is “the Amen” (Rev 3:14)? This is the same Savior who has the audacity to claim He’s “the Truth” (Jn 14:6). Not just a truth. THE Truth!

That’s exactly the reason Paul writes, “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for His glory” (1Cor 1:20).

So the Amen wants us to know we can take to bank that what He’s about to say. He There’s no need to fact check what He tells us.

Playing the Long Game

You can easily break down Jesus’ words in verses 29 and 30 as short term loss and long term gain. We need remember that He’s rarely about immediate gratification. The Lord is always playing the long game.

Sacrifice in the Now

The Son of Man begins by describing what His followers must sacrifice in the now. “Everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News’” (v29).

The ESV Study Bible explains it this way. Jesus is not encouraging His followers to abandon the responsibilities we have to those at home. 

He IS the Gospel!

But, let’s be honest, sometimes family members freak out when someone they love places their trust in the Lord. And our commitment to Christ may lead to times of temporary separation.

“For My sake and for the Gospel” (29) is a fascinating phrase. In saying this, Jesus equates Himself with the Good News. He IS the Gospel! That means the Gospel is nothing less than a personal relationship with Christ.

The Pole Position

So am I willing to put my relationship of Jesus in the permanent pole position ahead of everything and everyone else in my life? Even my own family? My home? My siblings? My parents? My property? 

Yeah, I know. This is scary stuff.

Just Be Patient

But the Son of God turns the corner and begins describing just some of the incredible benefits He showers upon us if we’ll just be patient. He promises us blessings both in the near future and into eternity.

The Lord says His disciples “will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (v30). 

The Heavenly Benefits Package

In other words, those who are willing to abandon all they have in order to follow Jesus will not only get it all back…and then some! If you think that’s amazing, just wait until you taste what’s waiting for you in eternity!!

When Christ says “now,” He means RIGHT NOW! The moment we take the step of faith away from what we have toward the Lord, we receive more than we could ever imagine. And He’s not simply talking about the heavenly benefits package.

Our New Spiritual Family

As adopted kids into His Dad’s kingdom, the size of our new spiritual family explodes exponentially. We’re no longer limited to our blood relatives. Our brothers, sisters, moms, and kids are everywhere. 

But wait. Jesus left somebody out of that list that He mentioned back in the previous verse. He doesn’t mention Dad. That’s because we gain our fantastic new Heavenly Father!

Add a Couple of Zeros 

The scope of what we receive just in this life is hard to calculate. The Lord promises it will be “a hundred times as many” (v30). The Greek word here (Gr. ‘εκατονταπλασιονα/hekatontaplasiona) literally means to multiply by 100.

Math isn’t my strength but I’m guessing that’s on the low side. What we gain in obedience to Christ is beyond anything we could ever wrap our brains around. If you want to try to add them up, knock yourself out. Feel free to add a couple of zeros.

Leaving and Receiving

Don’t miss His point. Whatever we sacrifice for the sake of our Savior, He has a way of multiplying it back to us. It may not be the same. But you can bet it will be more and better.

If you leave, you will receive even more. If you separate, He will proliferate. But remember, Jesus can’t fill your hands with blessing until you release the kung fu grip you have on what you’re already holding.

A Broken World

But did you catch that pesky little phrase before He gets to the eternal part? “Along with persecution” (v30). Yeah, that’s the one. So what’s the dealio?

The Lord doesn’t want us to miss that we live in a broken world that is ultimately opposed to His way of doing things. As a result, trusting in Him puts a target on our backs.

Just before heading back to heaven, Jesus tells His team to expect hard times. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

A Great Reward Awaits

In His most famous sermon, the Lord says harassment for our faith in Him in this life actually translates into an eternal goodness. 

“God blesses you people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Mt 5:12).

A Peak behind the Curtain of Paradise

That’s exactly what Christ goes on to say here in chapter ten of Mark’s Gospel. While we can be sure of hard times on this side of heaven, just wait. “And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (v30).

Any persecution in the present pales in comparison to eternity with Jesus. Be sure, “eternal life” is WAY more than just perpetual existence. The word we translate “life” (Gr. ζωη/zoe) emphasizes the overwhelming quality not the unending quantity. 

John Burke’s book “Imagine Heaven” gives us what could be the best peak behind the curtain of paradise outside of God’s Word. Be sure that we’ll be doing WAY more than wearing togas, sitting on clouds, and plucking harps.

Closing the Loop

This talk of eternity closes the loop on how this whole conversation started with the rich upstart back in Mark 10:17. Remember how he asks the Lord about how to get his hands on heaven.

In the ESV study notes, Hans F. Bayer points out how the discussion ends where it started, with the topic of everlasting life. Here’s our Savior’s answer. Loosen your grip on whatever you hold dear. Hang onto Jesus with everything you’ve got. 

A Closer Look at the Finish Line

The Son of God then gives us a closer look at the finish line of mortal life. “But many who are the greatest will be the least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then” (v31). 

Power Players

Once again, I love how the original language sheds light on what we read. “Greatest” (Gr. προτος/protos) literally means first in line. It’s someone who’s a big wig and a power player.

Even in the First Century, money and status are equivalent to a fast pass for life. No waiting. No locked doors. What you want. When you want. How you want.

DMV Life

On the other hand, “least important” (Gr. εσχατος/eschatos) describes being at the back of the line. It paints a picture of living every single day like you’re stuck at the DMV. 

A Heavenly Photo Finish

So does Jesus mean with all His “first-is-last-last-is-first” talk? Is He going all Ricky Bobby on us? You know, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Is this way of saying He’s going to flip the final standings upside down? 

I think John MacArthur is all over it with his take. He believes the Lord is describing an eternal dead heat. It’s going to be a heavenly photo finish with every follower of Jesus tied for first. And if everyone’s tied for first, they’re also tied for last.

The Great Equalizer

Your money, power, and status don’t get you in first. Your poverty, weakness, and insignificance don’t keep you in the back. God’s grace is the great equalizer.

When it’s all said and done, first is last and last is first. Billy Graham says it best. “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

©2019

Jay Jennings

The Toughest Ticket

If You’ve Got the Cash

What’s the toughest ticket to get? Maybe it’s the Masters, Super Bowl or World Cup. How about a prime table at the hot new restaurant in town? Maybe it’s the best bungalow at an exclusive resort in Bora Bora.

But none of these are a big deal for those with big bucks. Let’s face facts. Money talks. And it talks VERY clearly and VERY loudly. Let me put this another way. If you’ve got the cash, you can always crash.

A Wealthy Up-and-Comer

In Mark 10:23-27, Jesus says while that may be how things work here on the third rock from the sun, it’s not how it works in His Dad’s kingdom. You might buy your way into any place your little heart desires now but that all changes when you try to enter eternity.

This comes on the heels of a conversation Christ has with a wealthy up-and-comer on the far side of the Jordan River in Judea (Mk 10:1, 17-22). 

Leaving His Loot Behind

It seems the rich young dude wants to join Jesus’ posse. Before he can, the Lord tells him to leave his loot behind. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me” (Mk 10:21).

Faced with the choice, the guy simply can’t part with his portfolio. “He went away sad” (Mk 10:22). Jesus has tried to tell him that he no longer owns his stuff but his stuff owns him.  

Debriefing the Disciples

Which leads us to verses 23 through 27. Here Christ debriefs His disciples and explains to them what just went down. As the rich young dude drags his bags of cash back home, the Lord turns to His team.

“Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!’” (v23). He wants them to understand what they’ve had a front row seat to witness. 

Hard to Swallow

I’m fascinated by the use of the word “hard” (Gr. δυσκολως/duskolos). The only time it shows up in the NT is in the three versions of this story (Mt 19:23; Mk 10:23; Lk 18:24). 

So what does it mean? It’s a compound Greek term that paints a picture something that’s hard to swallow. The literal definition is “difficult to get through the colon.” Did you wince just a wee bit? Yeah, me too.

Stomach Cramps

Much as we might like to move on, let’s chew on that for a moment. There are times you eat a big meal and there’s a load of doubt whether it’s going to make it through your digestive system. 

That’s what it is like any time there’s an attempt by “the rich to enter the Kingdom of God” (v23). I’ve got stomach cramps just thinking about it!

A Fat Portfolio

If you’re like me, you’re probably wanting to know who Jesus means when He’s talking about the rich. He’s certainly not talking about you and me, right? RIGHT?!? Hang on. We’ll get to that in a minute.

First let’s take a closer look at the word the NLT translates as “rich” (Gr. χρημα/chrema).   It means possessions, wealth, means, and money. Jesus is talking about abundant financial resources.

It certainly describes those who not only have a pocket full of cash on hand but a fat portfolio as well. Assets. In its most basic terms, our Savior is talking about stuff.

Jesus’ Definition of Rich

Now to you and me. Do we fit Jesus’ definition of rich? I have good news. And I have bad news. The good news? Yes, chances are if you’re reading this you’re rich. You may not see yourself that way, but you are.

Let me explain. According to Andy Stanley’s research, if you live in the U.S. and have a household income north of $50,000 a year, congratulations. You’re not only among the richest people on the planet but who have ever existed! 

Now the bad news. Let me go back to what the Lord is laying down to His disciples. “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” (v23). You thought that big meal was difficult to digest? That’s nothing compared to trying to squeeze your stuff through the pearly gates!

Shocking His Posse

Jesus’ statement shocks His personal posse. “This amazed them” (v24). He doesn’t just raise a few eyebrows. The verb in the original Greek (Gr. θαμβεω/thambeo) describes being totally startled, shocked, and surprised.

You may be astonished to know that this word only appears three times in the NT, all three in Mark’s bio of Christ. First, when the Lord performs an amazing exorcism at the Capernaum synagogue. “Amazement (Gr. θαμβεω/thambeo) gripped the audience” (Mk 1:27).

A little further down the page here in Mark 10, our Savior and the Twelve are nearing the climax of His march to Jerusalem. At this point, “the disciples were filled with awe (Gr. θαμβεω/thambeo)” (Mk 10:32).

Shock and Awe

Here’s the big idea. Jesus WILL catch you off guard! He’ll shock you with His unrelenting love. He’ll stun you with His mind-bending compassion. He’ll fill you with awe at His unlimited power. 

Let me put it this way. Why do you think they call it amazing grace?

Unlocking Difficult Doors

You can certainly understand why the guys are blown away by Christ’s words. I mean, if rich folks can't buy their way into God’s good graces, who stands a chance of getting in?

Let’s face it. Have things really changed that much in two thousand years? Money and power unlock the most difficult doors. There are very few things you don’t have access to if you’ve got the cash. Do I need to bring up the recent college 

admissions scandal?

Jesus Doubles Down

With their apostolic jaws on the ground, the Lord doesn’t back down. Instead, He doubles down. In doing so, He cooks up an example so ridiculous that people are still trying to explain to this day.

“Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God” (v24-25).

This seems to be our Savior’s way of saying don’t get cocky just because you’re not loaded. “Boys, it’s next to impossible for ANYBODY to gain admission into My Dad’s kingdom!” 

Camels and Needles

So what’s the deal with this whole camel-through-the-eye-of-a-needle talk? Some folks say Jesus is talking about small gate in the walls of Jerusalem. Supposedly the only hope of squeezing your camel through the opening was for it to crawl awkwardly on its knees.

There’s just one problem with that theory. There’s zero evidence such a narrow entrance ever existed during our Savior’s earthly ministry. But nice try. Now using a camel to encourage you on Hump Day to buy insurance is another thing all together!

Don’t overthink it. The Lord is using this ridiculous analogy to get His point across. It’s Christ’s way of drawing a comical cartoon as a way of commentary.

Stacks of Cash

In the process, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter hammers the nail one more time about how difficult it is for those who are loaded to “enter the Kingdom of God” (v24, 25).

To close all the loopholes, He uses a different word the second time around. This is πλουσιος/plousios,which describes anything in abundance or an incredibly large amount. Think massive stacks of cash and huge piles of stuff. 

Joe Loans a Tomb

This is the very same term Matthew uses to describe a very well-to-do follower of Jesus named “Joseph, a rich (Gr. πλουσιος/plousios) man from Arimathea” (Mt 27:57). 

He loans the Lord his tomb. Joe has no clue He won’t be there long! This is also a huge hint that some wealthy folks DO get into God’s kingdom. How? By leveraging their money and stuff for others.

Leaving the Luxury of Heaven

Let’s turn things around and look at this the other way. Did you ever consider what the Lord left behind to come to our rescue? He walked away from the lavish heavenly palace for you and me.

In a letter to a church in Corinth, Paul puts it this way and uses a very familiar word. “Though He was rich (Gr. πλουσιος/plousios), yet for your sakes He became poor so that by His poverty He could make you rich” (2Cor 8:9).

Spread It Around

Jesus gives His wealth away for the benefit of others. Instead of trying to squeeze our investments through heaven’s gates, God calls us to be a blessing to others by spreading our stuff around on this side of eternity.

The old saying is spot on. You can’t take it with you! That’s why you’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer. 

Heaven’s Beggars

Even if you could, why would you want to? We can’t wrap our brains around the luxury Jesus reserves for us in eternity. What waits for us on the other side will make folks like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet look like beggars.

Overwhelmingly Overwhelmed

If the Dirty Dozen was caught off guard the first time, Christ blows them away when uses His camel-and-needle imagery. “The disciples were astonished” (v26).

John Mark uses a combo of two different words here, περισσως/perissos and εκπλησσω/ekplesso. The NLT simply translates this as “astonished” (v26). 

Honestly, that sells their reaction short. This could just as easily be “overwhelmingly overwhelmed.”How would we say this today. How ‘bout this? Mind. Blown.

Greasing God’s Palm

At this point, the boys have a question. “Then who in the world can be saved?” (v26). I mean, if a big wad Benjamins doesn’t make it easier to get on God’s good side, who stands a chance?

This may be crass but let’s cut to the chase. We can’t grease God’s palm like He’s some sort of divine maitre d’. Why? He already owns it all (Gen 14:19; Job 41:1; Ps 24:1).

A Birthday Present for Daddy

Think about that. If it’s all His in the first place, you're simply attempting to buy Him off with His own money. It’s like a little girl asking her daddy for money so she can buy him a birthday present. Cute idea but it doesn’t do anything for his bottom line.

Your Undivided Attention

Okay, now that He has their full attention, “Jesus looked at them intently” (v27). The original text makes it clear that He looks straight at them. 

It’s the very same verb describing the moment the Lord locks eyes with Peter at the disciple’s triple crown of denial (Lk 22:61). There’s nobody else in the room. There are times when Jesus wants our total and undivided attention. This is one of them.

Zip. Zilch. Zero.

He tells His team, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible” (v27). Boys, you’re ABSOLUTELY right! Again, the Greek here is both incredibly enlightening and horribly discouraging.

“Impossible” (Gr. αδυνατος/adunatos) means powerless, incapable, impotent, and unable to be done. There’s no chance for anyone…rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, white or black, straight or gay, liberal or conservative…to save themselves. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.

Sucking the Hope out of Their Hearts

Can you feel how Jesus’ statement not only sucks all the air out of the room but all the hope out of their hearts? The thought must be running through their minds, so what are we doing?!? Did we make a HUGE mistake ditching our careers to follow this Guy?!?

It’s so easy just to scoot onto the next verse. But I wonder if Jesus pauses at this point. Does He let that sink in? Does He let the Twelve chew on that for just a few seconds? 

Let me put it another way. Does He let us realize just how bad the bad news is before He tells us how very good the Good News is? I think it’s critical to remember where we would be without Christ coming to our rescue.

Everything Is Possible…WITH GOD!

Don’t worry. The Lord doesn’t leave them hanging. “But not with God. Everything is possible with God” (v27). Whew!! When the Almighty gets involved, anything can happen!!

Back up and read those first four words again. “But not with God” (v27). Anytime you run across a “but God” statement in the Scriptures, it’s a BIG deal! 

Some folks like to point out that when we use the word “but,” it means we should ignore everything that’s been said up to that point. Stay tuned for the important part. What’s coming next is what REALLY matters.

I Like Big “Buts"

We need to remember that when God is involved, it’s a big “but”! With apologies to Sir Mix-a-Lot, I gotta say that I love these big “buts!"

You’ll find all over the place (Gen 8:1; 31:42; 50:20; 1Sam 23:14; 1Ki 5:4; Neh 9:17; Ps 49:15; 73:26; Is 40:8; Jon 2:6; Mt 19:26; Jn 1:18; Acts 2:24; 3:14; 5:39; Rom 6:23; 5:8; 8:9; 1Cor 1:27; 2Tim 2:9). When you’re hope tank is below “E,” do yourself a favor. Start reading these. 

The Mighty One

The word the NLT translates later in verse 27 as “possible” (Gr. δυνατος/dunatos) is EXACLTY the opposite of what we just read earlier in the very same verse. It describes something or someone that’s powerful, mighty, and strong.

This is the ability to totally control your circumstances or the situation. It’s no surprise that God is known as the “Mighty One (Gr. δυνατος/dunatos)” (Lk 1:49). He’s the One Who Makes EVERYTHING Possible!

The Ultimate Variable

Think of Him in math terms. Our unchanging God is the ultimate variable. Anytime He’s part of the equation, He changes the answer because He IS the Answer. He solves the stickiest and trickiest problems. He makes anything and everything possible.

The Most Exclusively Inclusive Offer

That includes getting anybody into God’s kingdom, even rich folks. You might think the One Percent are wicked and have zero chance of God’s eternal blessing. Wrong. He makes EVERYTHING possible! 

God throws the doors open wide for anyone and everyone who trusts in Jesus. Faith in Christ is the most exclusively inclusive offer of all time. Roll that around in your noggin for a moment.

Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, for Anyone

The truth of God’s ability to do anything, anywhere, anytime, for anyone is one of His mega-themes laced throughout the 66 documents we call the Bible. Here are just a few examples.

The whole story begins with our Creator creating absolutely everything out of absolutely nothing (Gen 1:1). That sets a pretty high bar right from the get go.

No One Can Stop Him

God makes a personal appearance to Abraham to reassure him that He not only could but would bless a pair of senior citizens with a bouncing baby boy (Gen 18:14).

Near the end of his wild ride with God, Job cuts to the chase. “I know that You can do anything and no one can stop You” (Job 42:2).

A Praising Prophet and a Pregnant Teenager

Jeremiah praises Yahweh for His limitless power (Jer 32:17) and Yahweh says the prophet is all over it (Jer 32:27).

When Gabriel drops in to tell a virgin teenage girl that she’s not only expecting but…get this…pregnant with the Son of God, he says, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk 1:37 ESV).

The One Thing He Can’t Do

The night before His execution, Jesus pleads in the garden with His Dad for a way around dying on the cross (Mk 14:36). Spoiler alert! Christ not only dies but rises from the dead!! 

You see, God can do anything…but fail.

Your Money’s No Good Here

Meanwhile back in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus wants His disciples to understand that what He offers is WAY better than money and stuff. Even if we could carry our cash with us into God’s kingdom, it would be worthless there.

For heaven’s sake, if they use gold to pave the streets, liquidating by assets for eternity is kinda stupid. As the old saying goes, your money’s no good here.

So who gets in? Folks who hold their money loosely and their Savior tightly.

©2019

Jay Jennings