22 May 2026, 09:51Dr Kirk Thomas, South England Conference PresidentWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Encountering Jesus: The Rich Young Ruler and the Subtle Idol of Consumerism
Pastoral Letter, 22 May 2026
Dear Church Family,
Have you ever reflected on what it would be like to come face-to-face with Jesus, our Lord? Maybe, if the awe would allow it, would you have a burning question you would like to ask Him? This experience is one we can have only partially through prayer, but in the stories, we have been reflecting on here recently, including the one that comes to mind this week, some individuals have had this mind-blowing experience. As we resume this series on these encounters between various individuals and Jesus Christ in the gospels, we continue to be ‘fly on the wall’ observers of their interactions. The power of the word of God is evident in how the truths that arise from these encounters are searching and revealing about us and the status of our own relationship with God. This reflects the experiences had by those who were originally involved. Previously, we mentioned that while these are two-way interactions, the truths Jesus shared reveal so much. They have come to define the essence of true Christian faith as Jesus uses them to reveal key truths about the nature of human beings, about God and our need for Him that every one of us needs to know.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Chapters 19, 10 and 18 respectively), we can read about the encounter between Jesus and the individual traditionally known as “The Rich Young Ruler.” From this title alone, it may seem this man has so much going for him. His social status, wealth and achievement at a young age suggest social markers many people today still consciously or unconsciously associate with having a successful life, with the trappings many aspire to. He has acquired wealth and has a position of being “ruler” within society, probably with many years still ahead of him. The story reminds us that the human heart is incredibly complex because he seems to be doing all the correct things and, on the surface, every reason to feel comfortable. However, this man asked Jesus a key question that suggests, despite all he had, the Rich Young Ruler still had a thirst within him that he could not quench for the eternal security of salvation. So, the young man approached Jesus and asked Him what could be seen as the most important question for all of humankind: “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). A discussion of the Ten Commandments ensues and contrary to some interpretations, Jesus does not dissuade this rich leader from his reflections on the law. Instead, going further than the visible observances, He homes in on His wealth and challenges him to maintain the law more deeply by not allowing this to come between him and God, in other words, his apparent idol of wealth.
We have so much to learn from this. For example, regarding consumerism within society and what may be some unconscious effects on us, even as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Living in the United Kingdom, many of us would consider ourselves to be comparatively privileged in terms of the standard of living here. The UK is generally among the top 10% of wealthy regions in the world, or even comes higher up on lists, depending on the measures used. This climate can have a quiet but pervasive influence. In an age of excessive marketing, consumerism, and social media that often promotes exceptional lifestyles, Amazon and Temu deals that arrive speedily at your door with the click of a finger, our focus can shift, perhaps without us even realising it, to the acquisition of things instead of the Creator Himself.
While each Sabbath we honour God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, like the young ruler, consumerism can subtly alter our mindsets and perspectives. The disposable way things are treated can lead us to devalue resources given to us in kindness by God when we have been called to be faithful stewards who look after them (Genesis 1:28). Looking at the Rich Young Ruler’s willing adherence to the law in a general way in contrast with his problem with the specific request Jesus makes, it seemed he wanted to ‘cherry pick’ what applied to him. We can also seek to do the same in a consumeristic way.
The Ruler’s law-abiding nature also reminds us that we, too, can appear to be doing all the right things. This can even lead to us being viewed well in other people’s eyes, so we acquire status and gain positions, but we can have all of this without a true connection with Jesus Christ. Can an era of excessive marketing cause us to become caught up in appearances? Or even with marketing ourselves, keeping up appearances in our community or on social media? Can seeking to follow social trends in meaningless ways represent hype without substance and effectively dilute the power of our message or witness? Of course, we can learn from the business and corporate worlds: some related principles can be found in Scripture. Yet when we reflect on the quality of our Christian experience, can consumerism lead us to feel we must have whatever we want? Can the result be feeling entitled to the things we want from God or the experiences we want at church, to realising the aspirations we want to, establishing the preferences or agendas we have for ourselves without interacting with Him, the principles of His word and following what He says about these things? Can the desire to move from church to church, personal desires or dissatisfactions, be messengers telling us that we need a fresh encounter with Jesus? Perhaps to seek “first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?” (Matthew 6:33), trusting Him to provide what is best for us.
There is a need to be reflective regarding the true nature of our relationship with God at a time when consumerist ideas that are fundamentally incongruent with faith can subtly feed through into theology. Within Christendom, these are tantamount to ideas dealt with during the Reformation five Centuries ago. For example, what we could describe as the hype and spin around certain prominent figures in Church history, similarly, church personalities,’ prophets', ‘apostles’ and other men and women with apparent pre-eminence. The encounter of Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler shows us that these things cannot save. Let us also be aware of the ideas regarding our faith and how this interacts with our financial status. Including that through monetary offerings or other merits, our blessings are earnable and purchasable rather than being viewed as acts of love and service to God and each other. Rather, we ‘do good’ regardless of how or indeed whether this serves our personal interests.
The Rich Young Ruler is overwhelmingly grieved when Jesus asks him to give up his wealth (Luke 18:22-23). This is not a blanket statement for everyone, but a prescription for this man’s need to uproot his idol of wealth and perhaps some related trappings like power, status, feelings of self-sufficiency, pride and the desire for control. In this sense, Jesus is challenging this man who seemed to be keeping the law well regarding the idol of self from within his heart, as it was hindering him from truly following God. The words of the Commandment echo through the ages: “thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Self-focused approximations of faith, religion, or service are not enough; likewise, doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Ironically, as we seek to serve Jesus, our thoughts, behaviours, and choices can be symptoms that we are in danger of placing something before Him.
This may be a call to some of us who are in the faith today and perhaps have been for many years, even with a good reputation or status within our church communities. Could it be the case that a consumerist mindset can be consuming us? Just when it may seem that we have it all, we may find there is perhaps as Jesus puts it “one thing we lack” (Luke 18: 23). Like the ruler, we must recognise Christ as foremost in hearts, Churches and beyond, not just a good Man or a “good Teacher” (Luke 18:18), but that He is the Almighty Sovereign God, ruler of everything: our all in all.
Be encouraged that just as the passage specifically says Jesus loved him (Mark 10:21), Jesus loves us too. It is a rather tragic detail that the young ruler went away unable to exchange His riches for the call to become a true follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. The ruler had been attempting to live a godly life for many years. God called us once too, at the time we chose to follow Him, and whether it is material things, a particular role, our attitudes, misconceptions, positions, relationships, etc, when it comes to making the choice, Jesus is always more than worthy of whatever He may call us to give up along the way. From this passage, we also hear the remarkable proverb that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" (verse 25). This warns us to allow Jesus to be the God of our lives and to define our identity rather than status, power, or anything else. We also have the promise to encourage us that in serving God, with Him, all things "are possible" (verse 27).
My prayer is that we pursue our relationship with Christ and grow closer to Him, living out His will in our hearts, homes, churches, and streets from day to day. As we continually encounter God in our lives, may we put Him first and be ready to respond to His voice.
Following a week of Prophetic Revival at the Bedford SDA Church, six (6) persons were baptised. Congratulations to Pastor Tremon Jackson and team. Be Inspired for Mission!
Dear Church Family,
Have you ever reflected on what it would be like to come face-to-face with Jesus, our Lord? Maybe, if the awe would allow it, would you have a burning question you would like to ask Him? This experience is one we can have only partially through prayer, but in the stories, we have been reflecting on here recently, including the one that comes to mind this week, some individuals have had this mind-blowing experience. As we resume this series on these encounters between various individuals and Jesus Christ in the gospels, we continue to be ‘fly on the wall’ observers of their interactions. The power of the word of God is evident in how the truths that arise from these encounters are searching and revealing about us and the status of our own relationship with God. This reflects the experiences had by those who were originally involved. Previously, we mentioned that while these are two-way interactions, the truths Jesus shared reveal so much. They have come to define the essence of true Christian faith as Jesus uses them to reveal key truths about the nature of human beings, about God and our need for Him that every one of us needs to know.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Chapters 19, 10 and 18 respectively), we can read about the encounter between Jesus and the individual traditionally known as “The Rich Young Ruler.” From this title alone, it may seem this man has so much going for him. His social status, wealth and achievement at a young age suggest social markers many people today still consciously or unconsciously associate with having a successful life, with the trappings many aspire to. He has acquired wealth and has a position of being “ruler” within society, probably with many years still ahead of him. The story reminds us that the human heart is incredibly complex because he seems to be doing all the correct things and, on the surface, every reason to feel comfortable. However, this man asked Jesus a key question that suggests, despite all he had, the Rich Young Ruler still had a thirst within him that he could not quench for the eternal security of salvation. So, the young man approached Jesus and asked Him what could be seen as the most important question for all of humankind: “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). A discussion of the Ten Commandments ensues and contrary to some interpretations, Jesus does not dissuade this rich leader from his reflections on the law. Instead, going further than the visible observances, He homes in on His wealth and challenges him to maintain the law more deeply by not allowing this to come between him and God, in other words, his apparent idol of wealth.
We have so much to learn from this. For example, regarding consumerism within society and what may be some unconscious effects on us, even as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Living in the United Kingdom, many of us would consider ourselves to be comparatively privileged in terms of the standard of living here. The UK is generally among the top 10% of wealthy regions in the world, or even comes higher up on lists, depending on the measures used. This climate can have a quiet but pervasive influence. In an age of excessive marketing, consumerism, and social media that often promotes exceptional lifestyles, Amazon and Temu deals that arrive speedily at your door with the click of a finger, our focus can shift, perhaps without us even realising it, to the acquisition of things instead of the Creator Himself.
While each Sabbath we honour God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, like the young ruler, consumerism can subtly alter our mindsets and perspectives. The disposable way things are treated can lead us to devalue resources given to us in kindness by God when we have been called to be faithful stewards who look after them (Genesis 1:28). Looking at the Rich Young Ruler’s willing adherence to the law in a general way in contrast with his problem with the specific request Jesus makes, it seemed he wanted to ‘cherry pick’ what applied to him. We can also seek to do the same in a consumeristic way.
The Ruler’s law-abiding nature also reminds us that we, too, can appear to be doing all the right things. This can even lead to us being viewed well in other people’s eyes, so we acquire status and gain positions, but we can have all of this without a true connection with Jesus Christ. Can an era of excessive marketing cause us to become caught up in appearances? Or even with marketing ourselves, keeping up appearances in our community or on social media? Can seeking to follow social trends in meaningless ways represent hype without substance and effectively dilute the power of our message or witness? Of course, we can learn from the business and corporate worlds: some related principles can be found in Scripture. Yet when we reflect on the quality of our Christian experience, can consumerism lead us to feel we must have whatever we want? Can the result be feeling entitled to the things we want from God or the experiences we want at church, to realising the aspirations we want to, establishing the preferences or agendas we have for ourselves without interacting with Him, the principles of His word and following what He says about these things? Can the desire to move from church to church, personal desires or dissatisfactions, be messengers telling us that we need a fresh encounter with Jesus? Perhaps to seek “first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?” (Matthew 6:33), trusting Him to provide what is best for us.
There is a need to be reflective regarding the true nature of our relationship with God at a time when consumerist ideas that are fundamentally incongruent with faith can subtly feed through into theology. Within Christendom, these are tantamount to ideas dealt with during the Reformation five Centuries ago. For example, what we could describe as the hype and spin around certain prominent figures in Church history, similarly, church personalities,’ prophets', ‘apostles’ and other men and women with apparent pre-eminence. The encounter of Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler shows us that these things cannot save. Let us also be aware of the ideas regarding our faith and how this interacts with our financial status. Including that through monetary offerings or other merits, our blessings are earnable and purchasable rather than being viewed as acts of love and service to God and each other. Rather, we ‘do good’ regardless of how or indeed whether this serves our personal interests.
The Rich Young Ruler is overwhelmingly grieved when Jesus asks him to give up his wealth (Luke 18:22-23). This is not a blanket statement for everyone, but a prescription for this man’s need to uproot his idol of wealth and perhaps some related trappings like power, status, feelings of self-sufficiency, pride and the desire for control. In this sense, Jesus is challenging this man who seemed to be keeping the law well regarding the idol of self from within his heart, as it was hindering him from truly following God. The words of the Commandment echo through the ages: “thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Self-focused approximations of faith, religion, or service are not enough; likewise, doing the right things for the wrong reasons. Ironically, as we seek to serve Jesus, our thoughts, behaviours, and choices can be symptoms that we are in danger of placing something before Him.
This may be a call to some of us who are in the faith today and perhaps have been for many years, even with a good reputation or status within our church communities. Could it be the case that a consumerist mindset can be consuming us? Just when it may seem that we have it all, we may find there is perhaps as Jesus puts it “one thing we lack” (Luke 18: 23). Like the ruler, we must recognise Christ as foremost in hearts, Churches and beyond, not just a good Man or a “good Teacher” (Luke 18:18), but that He is the Almighty Sovereign God, ruler of everything: our all in all.
Be encouraged that just as the passage specifically says Jesus loved him (Mark 10:21), Jesus loves us too. It is a rather tragic detail that the young ruler went away unable to exchange His riches for the call to become a true follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. The ruler had been attempting to live a godly life for many years. God called us once too, at the time we chose to follow Him, and whether it is material things, a particular role, our attitudes, misconceptions, positions, relationships, etc, when it comes to making the choice, Jesus is always more than worthy of whatever He may call us to give up along the way. From this passage, we also hear the remarkable proverb that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" (verse 25). This warns us to allow Jesus to be the God of our lives and to define our identity rather than status, power, or anything else. We also have the promise to encourage us that in serving God, with Him, all things "are possible" (verse 27).
My prayer is that we pursue our relationship with Christ and grow closer to Him, living out His will in our hearts, homes, churches, and streets from day to day. As we continually encounter God in our lives, may we put Him first and be ready to respond to His voice.
Following a week of Prophetic Revival at the Bedford SDA Church, six (6) persons were baptised. Congratulations to Pastor Tremon Jackson and team. Be Inspired for Mission!
