I want to share with you the story of two rich young rulers. These two rulers are diametrically opposite when it comes to their attitude toward wealth. By studying the lives of these two wealthy young rulers, I would like to illustrate to you how we should look at money.

So, let’s pick up the story in Mark 10:17-22. This is the story where we read about Yahshua counseling the rich young ruler. This story is also mentioned in the other two Gospels. So, three out of four Gospels narrated this story, telling us how important this story is. You can also read this story in Matthew 19:16-22 and Luke 18:18-23.

So, let’s go to Mark 10:17-22 as I believe Mark’s account gives us the most detail.

Mark 10:17: Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him…

We are here introduced to the first rich young ruler. We know that this person is sincere in his approach to Yahshua or popularly known as Jesus Christ. He was not like the Sadducees and Pharisees. He wasn’t there to test Yahshua, but he was there to learn.

Mark 10:17: “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

This is a powerful question that should catch our attention. All of us wanted to inherit eternal life and this young ruler was asking how we can receive eternal life. What was Yahshua’s response?

Mark 10:18-20: 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” 20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 

So, we have here a very decent man. Let’s just assume that he was telling the truth that he has kept the 10 commandments from his youth. Not only that, but later, Mark tells us that this man had great possessions.

This man wasn’t just a person of moral excellence, but he was also a man of status and great wealth. Back then, in the society where Yahshua lived, people believed that wealth was a blessing from God. So, if you’re good, then God will bless you. Wealth is a sign that God is pleased with you.

The same is true in our society today. Most people commonly believed that if they received material wealth, it was a blessing from God. I watched YouTube vloggers and social media influencers who will attribute their wealth to God’s blessings.

So, in the eyes of men, this young ruler is the ideal person. He was not just rich, but he was also morally upright. However, this young ruler felt deep down that he might still be missing something. He wanted to be sure. So, he asked Yahshua what he must do to receive eternal life.

When Yahshua said that he should keep the commandments, he felt great relief because he had been doing all those since he was young. However, the following words of Yahshua would send a shiver down his spine and a dagger in his heart.

Mark 10:21: ²¹ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

What was the response of the rich young ruler?

Mark 10:22: ²² But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

The Greek word used for the word “sad” means a sky covered with clouds. His bright day became gloomy. What was the reason given by Mark, “For he had great possessions.”

Yahshua went straight to the heart of the matter. Yahshua knew what was the real issue of this young ruler. Does this mean that we all should sell all that we have? Does this mean that no rich person could ever enter the Kingdom of God? Does this mean that we should all live a life of poverty? The answer is no.

You see, all of us as Christians have a spiritual tumor that is slowly killing us. God is like our Surgeon who wants to remove that tumor so that we will live a healthy spiritual life. Each of us has a different type of tumor. For this ruler, his tumor is his attachment to his wealth. Yahshua didn’t have a unique hatred for wealth, but rather, Yahshua was pointing out the spiritual problem of this person.

Most people see this young ruler as the ideal “Christian.” Don’t we also have the same perception brethren? Sometimes, we look at the Christians of this world and they are really rich. We tell ourselves, “Wow, that’s what I want to be.”

Yet, brethren, when it comes to the real issue, many would go away sorrowful because of their attachment to wealth. Now, what we should realize is that Yahshua may require us more than we ever thought, but He offers far more than we could ever thought. Whenever we come to the real Yahshua, there are two responses. We can either bow down to Him or we go away offended by Him.

If we truly want to follow Yahweh, we must be ready to give up everything. Sometimes, the greatest test in your life lies in the things that you hold dear the most. If money is valuable to you, then you will be tested in that area. If your job is important to you, then you will be tested in that area. If your family is valuable to you, then you will be tested in that area, too.

You see, brethren, money is not the problem here. The problem here is your attachment to money. Money is so powerful that whether you have a lot of it or a few of it, it can control you. If you are so attached to your money, you’ll soon discover that money possesses you rather than you possessing money.

The Second Rich Young Ruler

Now, at the start of this message, I mentioned to you that there are two rich young rulers in the story. Can you guess who the second rich young ruler is here? Yes, that’s right. The second rich young ruler here is Yahshua the Messiah.

At this time, Yahshua is most likely in his early 30s, making him really young. There are indications throughout the Bible that Yahshua probably belonged to a middle-class family. With skills and knowledge, Yahshua could have built his father’s carpentry business into a big family business. He even wore an expensive garment during His trial. He probably have saved enough money to support His ministry.

And even if He wasn’t materially blessed during His human existence, He is technically the richest Being because He is part of the God family.

Now, how did Yahshua differ from the other rich young ruler? We read in Philippians 2:5-7:

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

You see, there was not a hint that Yahshua loved His wealth. He didn’t hold onto His divine status of being a God. When mankind needed a Savior, someone who would die for the sins of mankind, Yahshua willingly volunteered.

The attitude of Yahshua was diametrically different from the attitude of the rich young ruler. The rich young ruler couldn’t leave his possessions behind and follow the great Master. Yahshua, on the other hand, was willing to give up everything, even His divine status, just to make the greatest sacrifice of all.

Now, my question for you brethren is this, “What’s holding you back in giving your all for God?” We need to examine our attitude towards money and see if we are putting more importance on money rather than God.

You see, if you want to have treasures in heaven, then you have to put God first in your life even if that means losing everything. But you might say, “That’s too much. That’s a great sacrifice that I can’t give.” Well, I tell you, this one thing is true, “All the material wealth in this world, even if you combine them all, is NOTHING compared to eternal life.” They are nothing compared to what Yahweh is offering us. They are nothing compared to the glory that would be revealed to us.

So, brethren, Which rich young ruler would you be? Would you be like the first young ruler who went away sad and sorrowful? Or, would you be like the second young ruler who willingly gave up everything to follow the will of God? It’s your choice, but I hope and pray, that as we give our offering today, we will make the right choice.