How Much Should I Give God?

My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.11

17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'

18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'

20 And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.'

21 Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'

22 But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'

24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them, 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'

26 They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In that case, who can be saved?'

27 Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'

28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'

29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

Saint Mark 10:17-30



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My Reading Notes:
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If I say, I will give 10%, then I have surely missed the point.

Jesus is not bargaining with us. Jesus is not asking us to give another 10% or more.

Jesus is teaching us the theory about life.

Jesus had said in other occasion: Those give up life for me will gain life.

If the young man did give up all his money, he may find the line a little puzzle: He will ask himself: Shall I give up my life after I had given up all my money?

And the ansewer is yes.

And now we had come to the point: What is the meaning of life.

A life is a life to use. Just like a candle is for burning.

To give up life means one is willing to use up his life in a meaningful course.

If a candle isnt burning, then the candle IS NOT a living candle.

If we are not burning, we ARE NOT living.

And that is the important point here: Those give up life for me will gain life.
(MT 10:39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.)