Life or Death in 2 Questions

I'm preaching through the words of Jesus found in Luke. We are just now entering the Sermon the Plain. It has been really fascinating for several reasons. On three occasions in the last month and a half people have felt the need to raise their hands and interact with me during them message. I'm glad they feel comfortable doing this, but still its strange.

It is has also been one of the most challenging sets of sermons I've ever preached. We are searching and praying for fresh ways to live his words.

Here are two of the questions that I have received about these sermons:

1. [Concerning Jesus' response to the rich young ruler] Do I really need to sell everything I own and give it to the poor?

2. [In regards to a statistic I used stating that 3 billion people live on $2 a day or less] Are you suggesting that we should live on $2 a day too?


These are dangerous questions. There is life and there is death in the question.

I fear answering the first one may do more harm than good. It seems like the moment a sincere pursuer hears from wise, well-intended teachers that Jesus does not ask all of his would-be followers to sell all they have, they feel entirely free from the weight of the command. They rarely ask if they are one those that Jesus would ask such a thing. They rarely settle for selling 75% of what they have, 50% or even 10%. They are off the hook. They're done. All that is left is the murky principle of not loving their piles of possessions.

And the second question... I would not ask anyone to live on $2 day. But if we agree that we should not have to be subjected to such condition, then what do you with Jesus "Golden Rule": Do to others as you would have them do to you?

Both questions are faulty, though I am convinced both men are sincere in their pursuit of the Jesus Way. They both come from a place that asks what is required. What must I do? This is a sort of warped legalism. Nothing you ever do will be enough. Let's get that out of the way. You are saved by grace.

The better question is what more can I do for him? What are you going to sell and/or give to the poor? How can you help bring more balance to people who work harder and longer than we do?

Can we stop the constant measuring of how much we have done and how much we have yet to do? Can we instead focus on "what's my next step in pursuing Jesus-likeness"?