“Horse Shoes and Hand Grenades”
“Luke 18:18-27”
Luke 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
**********
I. His Assumptions
a. Wrong about salvation
D. L. Moody said: "It is well that man cannot save himself; for if a man could only work his own way to Heaven, you would never hear the last of it. Why, if a man happens to get a little ahead of his fellows and scrapes a few thousands of dollars together, you'll hear him boast of being a self-made man. I've heard so much of this sort of talk that I am sick and tired of the whole business; and I am glad that through all eternity in Heaven we will never hear anyone bragging of how he worked his way to get there."
b. Wrong about the Savior
One of the points that Jesus makes is very revealing. In verse 19 in answer to the address from this young man that Jesus was a “Good Master…” the Lord said that “…none is good, save one, that is, God.” Basically, Jesus is saying you have come to me and acknowledged that my life and ministry is characterized by good works but you fail to recognize that only God is good and if I am good then I must be God!
Pastor D. James Kennedy said in a sermon, “I remember years ago talking to a man in his home about Christ and asking him who he thought Jesus was. He said, ‘Oh, He’s a wonderful man. He was the greatest man who ever lived, the most loving and gracious person who ever walked upon this earth.’
“I said, ‘Let me tell you something I believe will startle you. According to the Scriptures, and the historic Christian faith, Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter of Galilee was and is the eternal Creator of the universe, the omnipotent, omniscient, and Almighty God.’
“Instantly his eyes filled with tears and this man of about fifty-five or sixty said, ‘I have been in church all my life and I never heard that before. But I have always thought that is the way it ought to be – that God ought to be like Jesus.”
(Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations and Quotes, p. 486-487)
c. Wrong about his sinfulness
It is evident that at least initially that this young man believed himself to be a “good” and that his observance of the Commandments was the basis for his right standing with God. It did not occur to him that he might not be saved. It did not occur to him that all his righteousness’s were “…as filthy rags…” in God’s sight. It did not occur to him that his heart was so stained with sin that it was as one song writer said, “...as black as can be.”
II. His Attitudes
One very important question is, “Why did this …rich, young, ruler…” come to Jesus because at least on the surface he looks like the kind of guy who “had it all”. He was affluent and in terms of this worlds goods he was not a person in need of material possessions. He was young and oh what we wouldn’t give to have his energy, vigor, vitality and “get up and go!” I don’t know about you but my get up and go has “done got up and went!” And he was a “ruler,” that is he was a person in authority, probably a member of the Sanhedrim, and a Pharisee or Sadducee.
a. The chance in focus
Jesus had been in this district preaching, teaching and healing for some time and it is possible that this man had been present in the crowd and had witnessed and heard the things that the Lord said and did. Don’t forget that in verse 9 of this chapter that Jesus had addressed the issue of those who “…trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others…” Now it seems that Jesus is getting ready to leave for Jerusalem (verse 31) with his disciples and it’s “now or never” for this young man and he “ran” to the Lord.
b. The conviction he felt
There are a couple of reasons why I think this man was under conviction. First and foremost he is responds to the preaching of the word from Jesus. He is a man in authority and he recognizes that here is someone who speaks in a way that is different from anyone he has ever heard. I believe was impressed by the content of what Jesus said and the charm with which He said it. By charm I mean that there was an attraction and an appeal in what Jesus said. It was a broad appeal for sinners, saints and even little children flocked to hear His words.
John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
c. The challenge he faced
In verse 22 the Lord speaks to the most important issue in this young man’s life, his self-reliance and selfishness. I found a statement in a sermon by Melvin Newland that pretty much sums up the real issue for this young man.
“Here is the key to the whole passage. The rich young ruler claimed to have kept the law. In the legal sense that might be true; but in the spiritual sense it was not true, because his whole attitude to his fellow-men was wrong. In the last analysis his attitude was utterly selfish. That is why Jesus confronted him with the challenge to sell all & to give to the poor. This man was so shackled to his possessions that nothing less than this surgical excision of them would do. If a man looks on his possessions as being given to him for nothing but his own comfort & convenience, then his possessions are a chain which must be broken. But if a man looks at his possessions as a means to helping others, then his possessions are his crown.”
Melvin Newland from “What More Must I Do?”
He is in the “valley of decision” like many of us find ourselves in from time to time. He has the opportunity to obey the Word of God with the peace that it gives or turn away and live a life of regret and restlessness.
1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
III. His Actions
Now we come to one of the most heart wrenching episodes in all of Scripture. This young man who had run to Jesus earlier now lifts himself up and slowly walks away and turns his back on the Lord, and in response Jesus says to His apostles, "It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into heaven."
a. His response is telling mistake
I say that it is a telling mistake because it reveals what is truly in this man’s heart. Every day we make choices that reveal the content of our character. Every day we make decisions that shine a light on what we are truly thinking.
b. His response is tragic monument
Dr. R. G. Lee in his famous sermon “Payday Someday” quotes Paul Lawrence Dunbar who showed wisdom as great as the wisdom of Churchill and a knowledge of Nature's laws as great as Emerson's knowledge when he wrote the autobiography of many individual sinners in these poetic and potent words:
This is the price I pay --
Just for one riotous day --
Years of regret and of grief,
And sorrow without relief.
Suffer it I will, my friend,
Suffer it until the end,
Until the grave shall give relief.
Small was the thing I bought,
Small was the thing at best,
Small was the debt, I thought,
But, O God! -- the interest.
Isaiah 48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
This young man is not alone as he walks away from the Lord. Luke records Paul’s interview with King Agrippa in Acts 26. It too is a sad in that the King knows that what Paul is saying is the truth but He makes the decision to dismiss the Apostle and “walk away” from the path to eternal life.
(Act 26:24) And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
(Act 26:25) But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
(Act 26:26) For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
(Act 26:27) King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
(Act 26:28) Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
(Act 26:29) And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
c. His response is a teachable moment
The Lord’s “camel comments” cause confusion and consternation among his listeners. “Who then can be saved?” they ask. The Lord’s answer directs our attention to the fact that God can and will save anyone who will turn to Him in faith.
I would like to close with a quote from “Payday Someday;” and a short story:
“And the only way I know for any man or woman on earth to escape the sinner's payday on earth and the sinner's hell beyond -- making sure of the Christian's payday on earth and the Christian's heaven beyond the Christian's payday -- is through Christ Jesus, who took the sinner's place upon the Cross, becoming for all sinners all that God must judge, that sinners through faith in Christ Jesus might become all that God cannot judge.”
ILL - An old woman ran out of money, & couldn’t pay any of her bills. The landlord was threatening to throw her out if she didn’t pay her rent soon. She had only a few candles to keep her warm. And one cold day she was warming her hands over a candle. Just then a knock came at her door. But she was afraid to answer for fear that it was the landlord, coming to kick her out of her humble abode. She blew out her candle & sat quietly in the dark, waiting for him to leave. Two weeks later she found out that the knock on the door had not come from the landlord, but from a friend who had come to bring her enough money to pay her rent & all her debts. If only she had opened the door. What a difference it would have made in her life!
