What's at the centre

13th Sept Speaker Dave Clarke In this evening service message from Mark 10:17–31, Dave Clarke opens up the well-known account of the rich young man who runs to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Dave points out something easy to miss: the man is asking the right question of the right person, yet he can't see that the answer is standing right in front of him. When Jesus tells him to sell what he has and come and follow, he walks away sorrowful — not simply because he is wealthy, but because his possessions have quietly taken the place that only God should hold. Dave weaves the passage together with his own story: a childhood obsession with football, a plan from the age of ten to become a coach, a knee injury at fifteen that took that plan away, a wrong turn into a computing course, and the nudge from his youth worker Christine that led him into junior leader training — and eventually into a calling to share the gospel with young people. The challenge he leaves us with is not that we can't enjoy football, plans, relationships or possessions, but that Jesus promises life to the full only when He is genuinely at the centre. So the question for all of us is simple: is our stuff at the centre with Jesus off to the side, or is Jesus at the centre so we can enjoy everything else properly? 0:00 Lead in 00:21 Teaching Time 00:28 Reading 17:42 Prayer 18:51 Closing Hymn 19:03 Lead out