“Whatever it takes”? How often we’re hearing those words from politicians and others. Do you doubt? You should. Those words imply that the speaker has every necessary resource in his hands to solve the problem.
It was those three words from Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank which saved the Euro in one of its crises in July three years ago. Those words enabled it to survive - at least for a little while….
Those three words provided a fitting title for a biography of Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister. He promised to do “whatever it takes” during the global banking crisis of five years ago – a crisis which is still with us. |
|
Take a look at the extract in bold above for an AD 30 example of a “whatever it takes” kind of man. Work out how Jesus Christ helped this resource-full man to see himself. Do you see what’s inside him – what he’s really like?
He says to Jesus, “Teacher, what particular good thing must I do so as to have unending life?” He thinks he is well able to achieve this objective - he will do “whatever it takes.” Jesus replies, “Why do you ask me about a good thing? There is only one man is truly good. If you wish to enter into that unending life, keep God’s commandments.”
He says to Jesus, “Which ones?” Something is going on here. He can see to whatever commandments he might have missed…. Jesus answered,“You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not give untrue evidence, Honour your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. ” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”
It seems that, rightly, this young man troubled by the real importance of attaining “eternal life”. Was he deeply concerned to ensure that he would get this as his very own? Maybe those who commit themselves to doing “whatever it takes” are also those who see the true size of the issue they face.
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Matthew records this, When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions. |
|
| .
|
‘You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.’ (Paul, Apostle, 5-67 AD)
|
This wealthy young man, inside, was full of confidence that he could do “whatever it takes” so that he would then possess – own for himself - unending life. He was totally confident that he could actually do “whatever it takes” to enter heaven. But he didn’t have the resources. He now knew the answer to his own question, “What do I still lack?”
Inside this man, unseen, there was an over-arching, all-powerful, unbreakable self-interest. The self-interest which led him to seek unending life was the very same self-interest which stopped him doing “whatever it takes”. He couldn’t do it – and he couldn’t, therefore, live his future life following Jesus and in fellowship and friendship with the Son of God. He had many possessions.
The saddest thing was that he, albeit sorrowfully, went away from Jesus. He went away from the only man with the resources to help him to receive unending life as a gift. This man was the man who did the “whatever it takes” (at the cross) on behalf of those who would turn to him. |
|
