The Rich Young Ruler I. Introductory Questions II. Base Text: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30 III. Context and Application A. All three versions of the story place the event at the same time: Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover and to suffer and rise from the dead; in Matthew 19:1, He has already entered the area of Judea beyond the Jordan, but had not yet crossed the Jordan at Jericho (which He would in Mark 10:46) B. A man comes up to Jesus (Matthew 19:16) 1. He is young (Matthew 19:22) and some kind of a ruler (Luke 18:18) 2. Possibly in Sanhedrin, maybe in a synagogue C. He seeks to know what good thing he must do to obtain eternal life (Matthew 19:16) 1. Akin to the lawyer's question in Luke 10:25, but with more sincerity 2. He seems like a decent person who seeks to learn something from Jesus 3. Perhaps he seeks some kind of confirmation or affirmation D. Jesus identifies God as good, need to keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17) 1. More on God as good later 2. As in Luke 10:26, Jesus returns to the commandments of the Law E. Which commands (Matthew 19:18-19)? 1. The young man seeks to know which commands he ought to follow 2. Jesus lists off many of the Ten Commandments, need to love neighbor as self 3. Nothing extraordinary here F. The young man says he has kept these (Matthew 19:20) 1. An extraordinary statement! 2. Is he delusional, or really holy? 3. Jesus does not seem to dispute the statement G. Jesus' Call: sell all possessions, give to the poor, follow Jesus (Matthew 19:21) 1. An extraordinary call after an extraordinary statement! 2. Is Jesus really laying down a command for everyone at all time? 3. We will consider the question H. The young man leaves sorrowfully (Matthew 19:22) 1. Jesus identified the young man's weakness: his possessions 2. He was not willing to part with money and "security" to follow Jesus 3. Chose mammon over God (Matthew 6:24) I. Jesus' Declaration to His Disciples (Matthew 19:23-24) 1. Only with difficulty do the rich make it into the Kingdom 2. Many suggest the "eye of the needle" is some kind of location, yet there is no need for such an explanation; a statement with intentional hyperbole 3. Why is this so? 4. Easy to find "security" in physical wealth, not storing up heavenly wealth (Matthew 6:19-20, Luke 12:15-21) 5. Easy to feel "healthy," no need of God (cf. Matthew 9:10-13) I. Disciples' Reaction (Matthew 19:25) 1. The disciples are distressed: if the rich are not saved, who can be? 2. One aspect of Christianity has permeated society: "advantage" of the poor, "condemnation" of the rich 3. Disciples' logic: those who are rich are blessed by God, and thus honored 4. Thus, if those who have God's blessings will not be saved, who can be? J. Jesus' Answer: Not by Man, but by God (Matthew 19:26) 1. Salvation cannot be accomplished by man anyway 2. This statement part of the key of understanding Jesus' instruction to the rich young ruler, as we will see 3. God can accomplish salvation! K. The Disciple's Reward (Matthew 19:27-30) 1. Peter wants to know what they will obtain for forsaking all for Jesus 2. Jesus promises them authority, a hundredfold reward, and eternal life 3. The world is turned upside down (Matthew 19:30)! L. Thus Jesus instructed the rich young ruler and His disciples IV. Application A. Do we all really have to sell all that we have? 1. Jesus commands the young ruler to sell all his possessions (Matthew 19:21)! 2. Is this something we must do? 3. We learn from 1 Timothy 6:17-19 that there indeed can be "rich in the present age" in the Kingdom; they have obligations and expectations indeed, but were not told to sell all they had 4. Thus, it is not an absolute command to everyone 5. What it does mean is that if we are called upon, we ought to be willing to do so, as the early disciples did in Acts 2 and 4! 6. Let none be deceived: Jesus is very much warning us about the dangers that attend to wealth and how we justify and rationalize our alienation from our fellow man and unwillingness to meet his needs (Matthew 19:23-24) 7. Such rightly becomes a theme for the Apostles as well (1 Timothy 6:3-11, Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 John 3:16-18) 8. So why did Jesus ask the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give to the poor? C. The One Thing 1. One of the challenges of this passage is how the rich young ruler justifies himself as having done all the commandments, and Jesus does not argue with him 2. We should not presume this means Jesus has fully agreed with him; that is missing the point 3. Jesus, knowing all things, focused on the one thing: that which was dear to the rich young ruler, which was his wealth 4. It was no use arguing with him over whether he kept the commandments or not: the real test was whether he would give up his money for God, and he was not willing to do so! 5. Consider Genesis 22:1-18: for Abraham, that one thing was his son Isaac, and he proved faithful in willing to offer him as a sacrifice, and did not hold him back 6. In a real way Jesus will challenge us at some point regarding that one thing in our lives a. It may be, like the rich young ruler, our wealth or possessions b. It may be, like Abraham, our relationship with a loved one c. Whatever it might be, it is very dear to us 7. If we asked the same question of Jesus, and He perceived one of our weaknesses, and challenged us with them, how would we answer? 8. Do we really love God and Jesus above all else, or would we also walk away sorrowful, not willing to give up that one thing for Jesus? D. Well, who then can be saved? 1. Here we have a young man, apparently zealous for God, a "good person," seeking to know what he needs to do to obtain eternal life, and it is closed off from him! 2. Who, then, can be saved, if not this one? 3. The problem was in his question: what good deed could he do to obtain eternal life? 4. In reality, the answer is: absolutely nothing! 5. There is nothing we can do to obtain eternal life: we have all sinned, and we cannot be saved through our own righteousness (Romans 3:23, Titus 3:3-8) 6. Thus, it is impossible with man: man can do nothing to be saved! 7. But it is possible with God: He can accomplish the work in Jesus Christ that can lead to the salvation of any who would come (Titus 3:3-8, 1 Timothy 2:4)! 8. Thus it is only God who is good; He is the only one who can save! E. Who will be saved? 1. In the end, Jesus does tell us who will obtain eternal life! 2. Matthew 19:28-29: those who forsake any other relationship when called upon to follow after Jesus will obtain eternal life! 3. Such people do not follow Jesus in order to earn their salvation: they follow Jesus because Jesus has delivered them from sin and death, and has called them to obedient faith (Romans 6:14-23) 4. This will mean that many great ones will be humbled, and humble people will be exalted (Matthew 23:12)! 5. Such is the demand of faith: the willingness to entrust ourselves to God in all things and to give up whatever is demanded to glorify and honor Him (cf. John 6:67-69, Hebrews 13:5-6) V. Conclusion A. So what does this all mean for us? 1. It does not matter how good we think we are, how honest our motives when we stand before Jesus: what matters is our commitment to Jesus! 2. If we are wealthy, will we be willing to part with our wealth to follow Jesus? 3. If family or friends are everything to us, will we be willing to part from them to follow Jesus? 4. Will we bear the cross, the humiliation, and shame in order to obtain eternal life? 5. Or will the comforts of life hinder us from following Jesus? B. Will you renounce everything you have to follow Jesus? C. Do you seek to inherit eternal life, no matter what the cost? D. Make your decision today! E. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: And behold, one came to him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16) When Jesus was in Judea beyond the Jordan on His way to Jerusalem a rich young ruler met Him. He wanted to know what he needed to do in order to have eternal life. The question seemed good but presumed too much: God is good, and obtaining eternal life is not something gained by doing any good thing. His trust would be challenged and found wanting. Do we trust in God for our salvation in Christ or do we rely on good works? 2: Jesus said unto him, "If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me" (Matthew 19:21). The rich young ruler declared he had kept all of the commandments from his youth until that day. Jesus loved this man and did not argue with him on the matter. Instead Jesus challenged the rich young ruler regarding the one thing he held dear. Would he sell all he had and give to the poor to be perfect and find life? He proved unwilling. What might be that one thing in our own lives? Are we willing to renounce it for the Lord Jesus? 3: And Jesus said unto his disciples, "Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:23). Many find Jesus' expectation for the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give to the poor challenging and uncomfortable. It is true that Jesus gave this specific command to this specific person because it was his "one thing." It is true that wealth is not automatically condemned, and a person can glorify Jesus with wealth. But Jesus absolutely warns His disciples and everyone about the dangers that attend to wealth. Those with wealth tend to trust in it and alienate themselves from their fellow man in need. How can we use what God has given us to His honor and glory? 4: And Jesus looking upon them said to them, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). The disciples were flabbergasted at Jesus' teaching: if it is nearly impossible for the rich, who display God's blessings, to be saved, then who can be saved? Jesus pointed out that salvation is impossible with men: we cannot save ourselves. We cannot do all the right things and thus merit standing before God. Instead we must put our trust in the God for whom all things are possible. How can we stop trusting in our own efforts and fully entrust ourselves to God and His purposes?