Monday 23 March

Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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.’

Mark 10:23-25

Back in the days when air travel was much more common than it is now – (ie a couple of weeks ago!) – the overture to every flight was the familiar safety announcement, including the instruction not to take valuables with you in case of emergency evacuation.

Five years ago, a British Airways Boeing 777 developed an engine fire while barrelling down the runway towards take-off from Las Vegas. While evacuating, cabin crew plead with passengers to leave their valuables, but even with an engine ablaze under a wing that doubles as a fuel tank, still a majority of passengers took time to retrieve their bags. Unbelievable!

In today’s verses the Lord Jesus is mission-training his disciples on the barriers to entering his Kingdom. He had just offered a man everything he longed for – treasure in heaven and his amazing company on the way there. All the man had to do was leave his valuables and follow Jesus as his treasure. Can you imagine it – everything he had ever longed for or could ever want was ‘there’? Yet he went away sad. He stayed on the burning plane, cradling his carry-on.

His disciples are perplexed because everyone knows that wealth opens doors. How could financial security prevent upward mobility? But, when our security is in our riches or our righteousness (2:17), it’s humanly impossible for us to receive true riches and true righteousness from Jesus.
 

Lord Jesus, as we think of our friends who may go away from Jesus sad, help us lovingly to share this with them, knowing that what is impossible with men is possible with God, as you open blinded eyes and we see you as our greatest treasure. Amen.

	Written by Craig Dyer, Training Director After pastoring for 20 years, Craig joined our team to train church leaders how to use our resources and encourage evangelism in the local church. Craig's role takes him all over the globe and he lives with his family near the airport in Glasgow. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR TEAM