A second lesson from the choice of the rich young ruler.

John 6: 64, 66, & 70  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him  66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

Matthew 19:16-22  16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.    (Luke 18:18-24)

John 12: 37, 42,  44, & 48  But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:  42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:  44 Jesus cried……… 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:

Mark 6:6a  6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief.   (all emphasis mine)

Humanity wrestles long and hard with perceived “not enoughness”.  Not smart enough.  Not brave enough.  Not pretty, rich, educated, and on and on ad nauseum enough!  LOSER!  FAILURE!  Shoulda, woulda, coulda.   If only.   Always coming up short of success.  The poison of the pit to keep us self absorbed enough to keep our eyes off Jesus and the prize of eternity.  We live as if this is all there is!  At the same time, we search for the meaning of all this and IS. THIS. REALLY.  ALL.  THERE.  IS?  

This is humanity drowning in our quest for significance.  We want to make a difference!

Praise be, we are not alone.  Jesus too felt the sting of not enoughness as He ministered healing, salvation, deliverance, and hope.  With some He “failed” at getting them to follow Him.  Or did He really?  We see it broke His heart when one or many did not believe His words and all He offered.  It appeared to be “not enough”.  As we read these Scriptures, we see Jesus presented His Father and the kingdom and made it clear there could be NO OTHER IDOLS/gods.  The result:  people walked away.  They wanted both the kingdom and the world.  They choose the world rather than the kingdom of God.  God gave us free will.  

As believers, we too may face rejection, failure to “convince” others of their need for salvation, We somehow forget faith is a gift from God and the Holy Spirit is the one who draws all men to Jesus.   (Ephesians 2:8, John 6:44)  We also feel the dagger in the back as the enemy uses others to reinforce our listening to the lies of our personal lack of enough.  I have lived this lie like it was truth.  How grateful I am to be coming to understand it is JESUS who makes me “more than enough” in the eyes of Father God!  What a profound gift imputed righteousness is.  To be seen not as I am, but to be seen, really seen as one complete and adequate, and enough in the here and NOW!  Yes, I am being made into the image of Christ (sanctification) one moment at a time.  However, because of the righteous of Jesus I accepted as payment for my not enoughness, I became enough.  I am only beginning to move this out of my head and into my heart and live it out.  Brene’ Brown calls this ”vulnerability:  Showing up and being seen.”  The “birthplace of compassion, creativity, and connection.”  In Christian circles, it is known as communion:  a body of believers joined together working as one for the KIngdom.

Jesus did not have a perfect score in the area of evangelism (100% saved and sealed) and neither will we!  How is that for reassurance?    All are called but not all come.  (Matthew 22:14) He did not fall into despair and give up His mission.  Instead, He continued on trusting the Father for all that would be given to Him. (John 6:37)  If you were called and responded to the call, YOU. ARE. ENOUGH.  Jesus did and said all the Father asked  (John 5:19, John 6:38a) and this at times left Him in tears.  Jesus still went to the cross for those who “went away” and only eternity will reveal if they came to faith at a later time.  Until our last breath, it is not too late, but our next breath is not promised. (Luke 23:43)  If you have been called in the past and did not quite yet believe, Jesus is still calling you to “follow Me”.   His grace makes you enough!  Do not weary in well doing!  (Galatians 6:9)  Speak these words of Ann Voskamp into your one weary heart:  “I am enough, because I have enough of Him and He is always enough, and that is enough for anything.”  (The Broken Way)

 

https://youtu.be/Af48ls6gAxs  Enough by  Jeremy Camp

https://youtu.be/uribwYxyvdM  I have decided to follow Jesus Selah