Devotion for the day : Jesus’ Worth

Devotion for the day is under the theme Jesus’ Worth and is based on Luke 18:18-30

 Scripture (NIV)

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

²⁵ Indeed, 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 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God

³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

 Reflection

Missing God (18:18–23)

We will do well not to underestimate the ruler’s devotion to God’s Law. Jesus does not contradict him when he says he has obeyed the entire second half of the ten commandments—namely, to love your neighbor as yourself. However, Jesus goes back to the fundamental question: how well does this man know and love God? We know the answer. The rich man fails to recognize God in Jesus. Consumed by his accomplishments, he does not realize that giving it all away would allow him to grasp God and, in Him, the eternal life he seeks. Let us take hold of Christ, knowing that no earthly thing we hold dear can give us the life He brings.

What list of godly accomplishments do you tend to mention repeatedly? Why are those not enough to inherit eternal life?

Grace Alone (18:24–30)

The rich ruler was personally invited by Jesus to become a disciple. But rather than lay hold of this golden opportunity, he chooses to store up his treasures on earth. This prompts Jesus to teach on the dangers of wealth, which leaves the disciples perplexed. In their minds, prosperity is one of the clearest evidences of covenant obedience. Sadly, extreme versions of this teaching ring from church pulpits around the world to this day, elevating material gain and promoting salvation by works. But Jesus strongly asserts that this is impossible. We are saved only by the sovereign grace of God that works in our sinful hearts, causing us to see the infinite worth of Jesus Christ.

What makes prosperity preaching so attractive yet so destructive? How do you understand the Bible’s teachings on financial blessing?

Father, forgive me when I fail to see how truly precious the gospel is. Help me to be willing to lay down everything in order to follow Jesus with my whole heart. In His name, amen.