Who then can be saved?

Dearly beloved,
Greetings to you in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There goes the famous saying, ‘Money makes many things’. Nowadays money is the only source that gives us access to the comforts of the world. Rich people have more privileges than others. And so anyone would want to be wealthy. The same was the case when Jesus lived on this earth.

Luke 19: 1-10 This passage talks about Zacchaeus, a tax collector. Luke 19: 2 says, he was rich. Most tax collectors were greedy and so were considered sinners by the jews because they collected more than what was required and Zacchaeus never really believed in God. But he wanted to see who Jesus was and ran before and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Jesus as He was to pass that way. When Jesus came there, He looked up, saw Zacchaeus, and told him to come down as He was to abide at his place that day. Zacchaeus received Him joyfully.

‘And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.’ – Luke 19: 8
From this, we come to know that Zacchaeus loved Jesus more than the riches of the world.

Mark 10: 17-22 tells us about a man who had great possessions. When he asked Jesus what must be done to inherit eternal life, Jesus asks him to follow the commandments. The man says that he had known and observed God’s commandments right from his youth. Then said Jesus, “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.” But when the man heard this, the Bible says that he was sad and went away grieved as he did not have the heart to give away his riches for Jesus although he believed in God, unlike Zacchaeus. Salvation was given to Zacchaeus but the other man lost it.

‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’  -Mark 10: 25

Today, the Lord asks us if we are ready to leave everything dear to us, be it a person or family or even ourselves, and take up the cross and follow Him? It is up to us to choose who we would be like, Zacchaeus or the man?