He must be first. ( Mark 10 v 23 )

 I met a young man recently, he told me about himself,he had his own business,employed over 60 people, the business had a turnover of about 10 million pound.I asked him what car he had,it was a Bentley, a car worth about 147.000 pounds,he had a partner and a child,he was taking his partner to Venice,where he will propose to her. He was young and healthy and I suppose one could say he had everything,well not quite,he didn't know the Saviour, although he had been baptised as a child,that does not save one ,knowing Christ as your own and personal Saviour does. The following scriptures Luke 18  v18ff,and Matthew 19 v 16ff,and Mark 10 v 17ff, tells us of  a rich young ruler who came to Jesus who wanted to know what he could do to to inherit eternal life.Jesus challenged his preconceptions.The man also named certain commandments  which he kept,what more could he do?.Well it can be easy keeping the letter of the law ,but what about the spirit of  the law that's different.( Matthew 5 v 27 ff).This is what Jesus hit on,our Lord knew that he was a rich man,and the challenge that Jesus brought to this young man was the answer to his inquiry ,as regards inheriting eternal life. Here is what the challenge was ,'Go ,sell everything you have and give to the poor... then come and follow me'.Sadly he could not rise to the challenge, and he went away sad,to him his love  for his wealth,was more than his love for Jesus. Jesus demands that from all who want, what that young man wanted,  He will not play second fiddle, unless we love Him most of all,the road to eternal glory is firmly shut.