PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 19
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)
This man claims to have kept all of the laws of Moses.
That would make him perfect, according to the Moses Law.
Yet Jesus challenges him to consider God’s understanding of perfect.
The law does not make us perfect, love does – loving like God.
The commands were put in place to point towards what love looks like.
But the Israelites misunderstood, they thought obeying the laws was the point.
Love does not just keep the rules, love sees people as loved ones we care for.
God sees us in our misery, and sacrifices Himself in Jesus to help us.
We see others in their misery, but do we sacrifice ourselves to help them?
This is perfect, Jesus-like, cross-bearing love – the love we were made for.
Jesus was showing this man that we cannot earn salvation by keeping the laws.
We are saved BY the love of God and FOR the love of God, to share it with others.
The question is, how many of us want this kind of salvation, this kind of love?
Lord Jesus, we love because You first loved us. Impress Your perfect love on our hearts, and help us share it with others.