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As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Ever notice how Jesus is spoken of in popular culture? He is often referenced as a teacher, almost so, as not to ruffle any feathers. But the problem in solely identifying Jesus as a teacher is that one can miss the entire point of his ministry and conceal the fact that Jesus is God. This was a point Jesus wouldn’t let slip during his interaction with the Rich Man who addressed him as “good teacher.” With grace, Jesus reminded him that only God was good. Unbeknownst to the Rich Man, in calling Jesus good he equated Jesus to God. Unfortunately, throughout their entire conversation, that was the very idea the Rich Man missed. After hearing Jesus’ two instructions, to sell all his possessions and follow him, he walked away disappointed. It wasn’t that Jesus did not give the answer, Jesus was trying to shift his heart from what was earthly to heavenly, but because the Rich Man’s perspective was so clouded by what he owned he was not willing to accept what Jesus was offering. The Rich Man needed a paradigm shift to realize that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and that there was no eternal life apart from him. Today we must also know that Jesus came for more than just a moral lesson, he came to grant us eternal life. It is a gift that we can freely receive through faith in Jesus.
If you’re going to take hold of eternal life, you are going to have to let go of earthly things.
The Rich Man’s inherent lack caused him to seek out Jesus. While he certainly did not lack material possession, he lacked eternal direction. Jesus invited him to follow him. Jesus wasn’t trying to punish the man for being rich, he was trying to set him free, but it was on the Rich Man to let go of what held him back.
A paradigm shift, or changing one’s beliefs to fit new information, is not the default. Counter to our instincts, Jesus is calling us to be different. In order to be upright in the eyes of God, we are going to have to shift from what is familiar to what is righteous.
The Rich Man did not realize that he couldn’t buy his way into the kingdom of God. And while eternal life has no price, it does have a cost. The transaction was made through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. When we recognize our lack and humbly accept Jesus is the only one who can save us, we become children of God. It is about being and believing versus doing and achieving. The gospel is not exclusive but it is specific, the invitation to follow Jesus is open to us all. We can hear the instructions in his word, yet miss the great invitation of following him. Will we be like the Rich Man and leave disappointed or will we embrace the amazing gift of Jesus and eternal life?
Shift your paradigm. Identify what may be holding you back from following Jesus wholeheartedly and make the decision to let it go.
Are you interested in leading a crew? Click here to fill out an application to become a crew leader in SZN 2!
VOUS High Nite is a night for Junior High and High School Students to meet friends, worship and encounter God. It will be taking place Wednesday, April 2nd at both VOUS SoMi and VOUS Miami Gardens at 7PM.
To RSVP, click here.
There will also be a VOUS High Nite Parent Hangout. This will be an opportunity to learn more about VOUS High, have some dinner and get to know other parents in our community.
To RSVP for the Parent’s Hang, click here.
Where: VOUS Miami Gardens & VOUS SoMi
When: Saturday, April 2nd
Address:
VOUS Miami Gardens - 17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi - 6767 Sunset Dr, Miami, FL 33143
Doors Open at 7PM.
Are you looking for a place to grow in leadership, community, and culture? Join us at VOUS College Preview Day on April 3rd to learn more about program offerings, connect with students, and ignite your journey to help fulfill the Great Commission!
RSVP now at vouscollege.com/preview
Where: VOUS Miami Gardens
When: Thursday, April 3rd
Address: 17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
The Easter Egg Drop is a family fun-filled day, including food, games, entertainment, and the crowd favorite: a helicopter egg drop with eggs stuffed with goodies and prizes!
For more information on the Easter Egg Drop, click here
If you are interested in serving, click here
Where: Charles Hadley Park
When: Saturday, April 19th
Address: 1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Join us for Easter at VOUS as we celebrate the power of the cross. This is a weekend for the whole family! Pick a service time and invite a friend — there's room for you.
Join us on the road to VOUSCon as we embark on a 40-day relay run through the state of Florida. From Jacksonville to Miami, runners from every region are invited to participate in carrying the good news. Our finish line? VOUSCon 2025. Led by a core VOUS team, we’ll link arms with partner churches along the way, spotlighting the body of Christ and championing the local church through weekly outreach initiatives.
Starting Line: Sunday, May 11
Finish Line: Thursday, June 19
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS DD
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 12:00 PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
