When Being Good is not Good Enough (Luke 18:18-34)

One might wonder if Jesus is the Son of Man or Eeyore, always bringing people down right when his mission gains potential momentum.  We see an example of this when a rich ruler seeks eternal life, affirming Christ as God. He leaves sad, but why? Because Jesus exposed the one thing the man couldn’t surrender: his status. Though he claimed obedience, his identity was rooted in his accomplishments.  It might be his wealthy status or his righteousness, but it was not in Christ. Jesus, who never denies His divinity, challenges this man and us to move beyond performance and status.  We are called to be humble, empty ourselves, and embrace humility and daily dependence on Christ who is the sole source of life and eternal status.