Over half of the world population is under 25 years old, that's a staggering 3 billion plus people. The critical mass of teenagers is over 1.5 billion-more than ever before. With the more access to the internet, Money, Technology and other advancements, youngsters could be the most powerful engines in the emerging global cultures. Young people have the opportunities to shape cultures and worldviews. This not just the global phenomenon but reality in India as well.
Over 65% of our population is young. Media is impacting the young generation. Youngsters are against the corruption and are aware of their rights. In front of the young generation lots of options are available for instance Carrier, Jobs, further Education so on and so forth. Lots of options are available for the young people but at the same time we have to face lots of crises and challenges.
Most of global problems are resolved by the young people. In most of MNC's youngsters are the holding the position of CEO. Young people are booming in this country as well. I can strongly say that young generation can shape the future of India.
But when we see the youngsters involvement in the Church it's pretty disappointing. Today youngsters not much interested in the spiritual things. Its sounds very unexciting to them, but let me tell you are not only demanded by the secular world but Church as well. You wanted by God. We all are born and raised up in a Christian family and we aware of true God, Church and its purpose. As we are making lots of decisions in our life in order to have a better life, I tell you at some point in life we have to make a crucial decision and that between God and world. If that decision you have to make today which would be your choice? Today's topic is Life's crucial decision!
In Bible there is young man who is coming to Jesus to make crucial decision of his life. It is found in Gospel according to Luke 18: 18-28. Here is a young ruler means he was having the ruling authority.
MAIN BODY:
(1) His profile:-
• He was young man (Matt 19:22)
• He was affluent and rich. (Luke 18:23)
• He was a ruler. (Lk 18:18).
• He was spiritually inclined (Mark 10:17):-
It shows that he knew much about the religion and he wanted to become more intimate with God.
His perceptions:-
• He perceived Jesus as someone who had answers to his questions.
• He was eager to know the answer. (v18)
• He sensed the inadequacy of his spirituality. (Most of the time after hearing a sermon or on particular occasions we feel that we are lacking in spiritual life and I believe it's a righteous feeling in which we seriously introspect our spiritual life).
• He wanted to do something to inherit the kingdom of God.
(II) Perfect Response of Jesus:
• Care and Compassion Exhibited:
(vr.19) This young ruler approached Jesus and call's His Good Teacher or Master. As this young man approached Jesus, He was responded by Jesus. And the conversation went on.
Whenever we call unto God he is there to respond us and He has got all the answers for our problems. Our loved ones might ignore us, reject us but Christ will not He there to care for us and He is always compassionate for us.
• Commandments Clarified:
(vr.20) Jesus reminded him the commandments. Most of the times in life we stuck in a situation where all things seems to impossible, in order to get rid of it we try to take all strides on our own and we fail. Here Jesus was repeating the commandments for him like,
Do not commit Adultery: Now the general understanding about this commandment is if we physically get intimate with some before the marriage and outside of marriage is understood as adultery. Yes it is serious sin but beyond this scripture says in Matthew 5:27-28. Isn't it terrible, our each sexual thought is counted as adultery.
Do not Murder: It's not only about the physical Murder but metal, emotional. Some time we murder people with our words.
Do not steal: I am sure none of us are involved in this sin. But one particular stealing is there in which we are actively involved i.e stealing the copy right stuff, down loading from internet. small small things are counted.
Do not bare false witness OR Do not lie: For some lying is the part and partial of their life. Lying also include dishonesty or unfaithfulness the base for these aspect is LYING.
Honor your father and Mother: Let me how many of us really understood this commandments and intensely keeping it. I know friends this worldly nature enforce us to break this very commandment of God. Sometime we argue with our parents and we often say We often say they don't understand me, because of generation gap. We often assume that we are so modern but let tell you we not modernizing our thinking but westernizing our thinking. We want to adopt the western culture rather than Biblical. The modern values are exactly opposite to the biblical values. For eg. our decisions in some of it we don't like the interference of our parent. Does this attitude honors our parents. I will tell you with specific purpose God has given you the parents think about those who are orphans. Only parents are the one who raised you till this age. And wants you to honor them.
So Jesus clarified these commandments to this young ruler. In Vr. 21 this young man reply's to Jesus and says All these things I have kept from my youth. It means he not only knew these commandments but also he was keeping it.
In vr. 23, Jesus understood his real problem and rendered him a solution i.e "One thing you lack........ This was stood as a big challenge before this young, selling off his possessions and distributing it to the poor and following Jesus.
This is it the point where young people find difficulties to give up their interest and following Jesus. Sacrifice Heb 9:26. Here money, wealth materialistic possessions were the center of his life. He got the invitation from Jesus to follow Him. Jesus knew the real problem of his life and in same way God knows which is the central thing of life. Here the sacrifice was required the sacrifice of his worldly possessions. I will tell you friend God wants us to follow him throughout our life but in our life there some things which holds us back from following Jesus. eg. Relationships. Money, Wealth, Worldly nature. Is there anything which is holding us back.
(III) Pathetic Response Noted (vr.23):
• He became sad, His face fell down.
• Could not count the cost.
• Giving up the wealth was too much for him.
• Money became a powerful hidereance for Him.
• Was he lost eternally?
Vr. 24 & 25. Jesus looked at him and said After this incident no one knows what happened to this young ruler, bible doesn't record any account of him. He was lost eternally. In
(Vr. 26) Now the question stood before the people who heard Jesus, Who can be saved?
Conclusion: This young man knew the kingdom values, he had a intense desire to inherit kingdom of God, but it was hard for him sacrifice his possessions. The cost was too much for him and when was asked by Jesus to sell off his possession and follow him it was crucial decision of his life but he missed to make a right decision. With sadden face he left from there. And Jesus said "It is easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Is there any which is holding us back from following Jesus? Have we totally surrendered our life to Jesus? Have accepted Him as our personal savior? Are we having the right relationship with the Lord?
Application:
Let accept his as our personal savior, this opportunity will not come again and again. If we finding difficult to surrender our life God let ask Him help. He has said in Vr. 27 "The things which are impossible with people are possible with God." He is willing to help, he loves us. This is the crucial decision of our life, let us become the heirs of God's Kingdom. Let surrender our life to Him.
