Let's Call Him Samuel!

MELVIN NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK

(The Powerpoints used with this message are available for free. Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com & request #411.)

TEXT: Mark 10:17-27; Matthew 6:24; Luke 1:37, 10:25-27; Romans 6:23

ILL. It has been reported that Albert Einstein was taking a train to an out of town speaking engagement. The conductor came by to punch his ticket, but the great scientist couldn’t find it. He had been searching through his coat pockets, & now was looking in his briefcase – but still no ticket.

The conductor said, "We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it."

As the conductor moved on, he looked back to see Einstein on his hands and knees searching under the seats for his ticket. The conductor walked back, "Dr. Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are."

Exasperated, Einstein looked up and said, "I, too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going." (Contributed by Paul Fritz to Sermon Central)

Our Bible text today tells of a man searching for something. Matthew tells us he was a young man; Luke describes him as a ruler, or what we would call an aristocrat. And Matthew, Mark, & Luke all tell us he was rich. Today he’s often called the Rich Young Ruler.

He was a man who had two things, everything & nothing. He was wealthy, but he was searching for something more in life.

ILL. In 1987 Bono & the Irish rock group U2 recorded a song about searching. He sang: “I have run; I have crawled; I have scaled these city walls; Only to be with you. But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”

He ends the song referring to Jesus. “You broke the bonds; and you loosed the chains; carried the cross of my shame; Oh my shame, you know I believe it. But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” By the way, Bono’s real name is Paul David Hewson & he wears sunglasses indoors because he suffers from glaucoma.

Bono is now 62, & over the last few years has become more vocal about his faith. In an interview on Focus on the Family a few years ago he said he had found what he was looking for - a relationship with Jesus.

He said, “‘Who is Christ?’ is a defining question... You’re not let off easily by saying ‘He’s a great thinker or philosopher.’ He [declared] He was the Messiah, & He was crucified because He said He was the Son of God. [I believe] He either was the Son of God or nuts. And I find it hard to accept that millions have felt their lives touched & inspired by some nut. I [just] don’t believe it.” (Contributed by David Dykes to Sermon Central)

Two thousand years ago, there was a young & wealthy aristocrat who came to Jesus looking for something.

Mark 10:17-22 says, As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him & fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good - except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father & mother.’”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him & loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have & give to the poor, & you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

We don’t know this young man’s name, but since we’re going to be talking about him, let’s call him Samuel.

Samuel did many things right. He came to the right person, Jesus. He came with the right urgency - he was running. He came with the right attitude, he knelt before Jesus, & he asked, ““What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

I. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SCENE?

So, what’s wrong with this scene? Why would Jesus tell someone to keep the commandments to find eternal life? We all know that nobody will make it into God’s Kingdom just by obeying rules. What was Jesus doing?

Every Jew knew the Ten Commandments by heart. They knew them as well as any of us can count from 1 to 10. And these Ten Commandments were divided into two sections.

The first section contains 4 commandments that have to do with a relation-ship with God. The Jews were told: They should have no other Gods; They shouldn’t make & worship idols; They should never take God’s name in vain; & They should remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.