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n our series Jesus Christ—Life Changer, we come to the text in which we see how following Jesus changes the role that material things should play in our lives, Mark 10:17–32. This passage contains the well-known story popularly entitled “The Rich Young Ruler.” I’ve heard many sermons about it—and have preached quite a few too.

I remember a relatively successful businessman who once came up to me after I had preached on this text and said, “Pastor, when I saw the topic for the morning, I almost walked out of church. Every time I’ve heard a lesson on the rich young ruler, it’s scared me because it’s reminded me of the way Ernest Shackleton supposedly advertised for people to join his expedition to Antarctica:

People wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

Maybe you agree with my businessman friend (who is still a businessman but is also a more fully committed follower of Jesus). If you have a chance before the service, read through the story and ask what God might ask you to do in response to it.

I have one tip: Ask which character you identify with in the story as you read. I’ve found that people often relate to different characters in it, usually depending on their own economic situations. For example, when I was a pastor in a mostly upper-middle-class, suburban church, most people seemed to identify with the wealthy man. The main question people asked after the sermon was, “Does Jesus ask everyone to do what the rich man was called to do?” The strong implication behind the question was, “I surely hope that you don’t think that we must, Pastor.” (Maybe you’re thinking the same thing now.)

The first time I preached about the rich young ruler was when I was assigned the text for a sermon in Mysore City, South India. In the 1970s, the people there were going through extreme economic difficulties. The pastor of the church and its denominational bishop (Furtado) met with me the day before I was to preach. They told me that at least 70% of those who would be in church would be people who did not have enough to eat. I asked, "How do you think the people will relate to this passage?" They said without hesitating, "They'll relate directly to Peter. They'll say, 'We have followed Jesus. Why are we still poor?' They still hope that following Jesus will result in their becoming like the rich man. It will make no sense to them that Jesus let the rich man leave."

I believe that this text has a message for us all. At its heart is the question of whether we are ready to follow Jesus—no matter what he asks us to do. My prayer is that we all will say yes.

To His Glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor