Looking for More

In the book of Matthew, we see a man whom Jesus loved. I would speculate because he wanted
more...
This man we know as the "Rich Young Ruler" found in both books of Matthew and Mark. The
historical account goes as follows:

Mark 10:17-27  MSG

As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”

He said, “Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!”

Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”

The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”

That set the disciples back on their heels. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked.

Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.”

This man who earnestly sought out and found Jesus to ask him this question, I believe was looking for more. He knew there was more then just making money, donating money, obeying the commandments. He knew there was a way to interact with God, a higher, more selective calling, today we would describe this calling as "full time ministry". This calling is not for everyone, there are some people in "full time ministry", who should not be, and some people who aren't and should be based solely upon the will of God. The young man is someone who was operating in his correct place, his calling was to be a business man and serve the Lord in that, but he knew there was more and he wanted it, so he asked for it. What I find particularly amazing about this story is how Jesus actually offered it to him. See how it says, "Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him!" This verse goes hand in hand with 1 Samuel 16:7 which describes how the Lord looks not on the outward appearance, but on the heart, and Jesus was looking right on the young mans heart and saw that he wanted more. 

An opportunity was presented, but it's not free, it's an amazing opportunity, but it is going to cost you and this young man was not willing to pay the price. He believed his money was more valuable then this precious opportunity the Lord was offering him. I call it precious because The Lord does not offer it to everyone who asks. 

I actually admire this young man. At least he was honest enough with himself to say, "no thank you, I'm happy enough where I am". I don't see the tragedy in this historical account that most people do. I believe this young man continued to serve the Lord in his lower calling for the rest of his life and was welcomed into heaven when he died, but once he arrived, I believe it became immediately apparent that he had the opportunity to receive much, much more honor and glory for much, much longer and on a much, much grander scale. I'm sure in the end, he regretted not readily accepting this precious and rare gift the Lord Jesus was bestowing upon him.  

From the Inside Out

It is wise for every human being to search for and determine a metric for which to measure what is important in life. Not just their life, but what is the metric by which we will all be measured. This should be in an effort to choreograph an end which is both satisfying and worth wile.
I personally started this journey with a question, "at what point will I be finished with this life?" and also, "what will be important to me then?". It was in these thoughts that I contemplated what would be next after death and what would be important to me then. It was with this thought that I have learned to measure every action, effort and resource I expel for the rest of my time here on earth. I want to prepare now and every waking moment from now on for that day, because that day is really the only one that matters at all. What will be important to me then will truly be what is important because the next life will not be measured in years, but will be never ending.

Verses to consider:

Revelation 2:26-28 MSG

“Here’s the reward I have for every conqueror, everyone who keeps at it, refusing to give up: You’ll rule the nations, your Shepherd-King rule as firm as an iron staff, their resistance fragile as clay pots. This was the gift my Father gave me; I pass it along to you—and with it, the Morning Star!

Revelation 3:5 MSG

“Conquerors will march in the victory parade, their names indelible in the Book of Life. I’ll lead them up and present them by name to my Father and his Angels.

Revelation 3:12 MSG

“I’ll make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honor. Then I’ll write names on you, the pillars: the Name of my God, the Name of God’s City—the new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven—and my new Name.

Revelation 3:20-21 MSG

 “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!

Luke 12:32(AMP)   

Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Matthew 13:44-46  (AMP)

   “The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself].   “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, and upon finding a single pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Romans 8:18-21 (MSG)

     That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.

Everyone of these verses describes what is to come. In Luke 12:32, Jesus totally spoils any mystery hidden in our future, He gives away what the end result will be. The Kingdom one day will be ours, but this is only accomplished by trading our lives, which is made up of our time, our resources, our status. We have the opportunity to trade what is relatively worthless (compared to the Kingdom of God) in exchange for something of infinite value. Of course the world sees this life as all there is, so they grab and get as much as they can. As Christians, we see the truth, that God has given us this time here and is patiently watching to see what we do, to see if we believe what His Son said about us inheriting the Kingdom, and if we obey Him here and now. Should we prove our faith here and now,
we will rule the nations, how the master will one day lead us in a victory parade and then present us by name to the Father and His angels followed by Him setting us in a permanent position of honor.  

I hope if you are reading this, you recognize the value in choosing to serve Jesus wholeheartedly, a decision which will cost you your entire life, I believe a deal worth making. 

Determining value is something I do on a daily basis. As a full time investor, I search for opportunities in which to trade something (US Dollars) for something which I believe will one day be more valuable then what I paid. If I'm going to trade $10,000 for 10 shares of ownership in a company, it should be because I believe the future value of those 10 shares will be significantly greater then $10,000 when I eventually sell. We must recognize that what we are going to eventually receive (The Kingdom) is far more valuable then this temporary place, we will receive a permanent, eternal place in the Kingdom of God.