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how hard

Mark 10:22&23
"22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"

This person who came forward from the crowd wanting to join the ranks of Jesus and His Disciples started out GREAT! He was like many people today who want to know what can "I" do? Feeling we can earn eternal life, after all "I" deserve it! Jesus has a lesson unfolding for this young man and the rest of us looking on. Jesus knows the heart of this person, Jesus knows He is about to reveal a difficult truth to this prospective follower; "...said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, TAKE UP the CROSS, and follow me." 

We can see ourselves in the person's place, we all lack at least one thing. It's not easy. Very few of us will be able to do this. In today's verses we learn that this prospective follower does not end up following Jesus; "And he was SAD at that saying, and went away GRIEVED: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto His disciples, How HARDLY shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" Jesus "LOVED HIM" and has great compassion for Him and knows that he will not give up the pleasures of this life for the rewards in the next life. As people in our culture we need to meditate on these verses. We too have "great possessions" and we will have a tendency to hold on to material things rather than focusing on our Lord and Savior; Jesus Christ. 
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