The Question of Eternal Life
Matthew 19:16-30
America has been called the land of opportunity. Many people have come here over the years in the hope of building a better life than what they had in the country of their origin. My ancestors came from England on my mom's side and Sweden or Denmark on my dad's side. I don't know much more about my ancestry beyond that, but I do know that they came to this country for the opportunity of a better life that a free country can afford to those who will take it.
It's been said that if you have a dream and a desire to see that dream realized, then you will have the opportunity to see that dream happen. This morning in our SS class, we saw a man who had a great opportunity to follow Jesus Christ. He had a dream of obtaining his life goal of eternal life. He had the desire to attain it. He had every opportunity to receive it placed right in his lap, but he discovered that the great desire he thought he had, wasn't great enough. By this world's standards, he had it all, but he ended up with nothing.
Our text today focuses on the story of the Rich Young Ruler, but before we get into that, we need to look at the context of this meeting between Jesus and our rich young ruler. The tone of this meeting was set just prior when parents were bringing little children and babies to Jesus for blessing. It was a common practice for parents to bring their babies and children to a rabbi for him to lay his hands upon them and bless them, and it was seen as a way of invoking God's favor and protection upon them. It was a meaningful and significant tradition that highlighted the importance of family, faith, and the passing down of blessings from one generation to the next.
But what we find is that when people started bringing their children to Jesus for blessing and prayer, the disciples tried to turn them away. Apparently, they didn't think that this was a very important activity for Jesus to be involved in, so they tried to keep it from happening. They even demonstrated their strong disapproval by rebuking those who were coming with their children. However, they didn't get the reaction from Jesus they thought they would get.
In Mark we're told that Mark 10:14 ...when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” He openly rebuked them, and the strength of that word "indignant" lets us know that this was a strong rebuke. It's like He was commanding them, "You let those children come to Me! Do not hinder them!"
And then He went on to say Matthew 18:3 "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." If you do not come humble and trusting like a child; if your faith isn't simple like a child but arrogant and trusting in yourselves, then you will not enter the kingdom.
What the Lord told the disciples in the blessing of the children incident is the same thing that He taught in the Sermon on the Mount. The kingdom of God belongs to those who are poor in spirit, gentle, pure in heart, and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, etc. In other words, those who are humble and trusting like a child. They know they have nothing in themselves that would draw favor from God, so they come broken, weak, and seeking God's mercy and forgiveness.
So, when this rich young ruler came to Jesus, according to Mark, he didn't simply come to Jesus, he ran to Jesus and fell to his knees before Him. Mark 10:17 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
He started out so well. He was eager and respectful, showing humility before the Lord. He even asked the right question. I mean, wouldn't you love it if people just ran up to you and asked what they needed to do to be saved? I mean, come on now, you'd love it wouldn't you? I would. I would wish that all evangelism would be so easy!
This guy appeared to have all the necessary qualities to hear the gospel, believe, and be saved. But as the story progresses, we find out that this isn't the case at all. He appeared to be eager and humble like a child, wanting to know the truth. But appearances can be deceiving.
I. The Question of Eternal Life
Matthew 19:16 And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?"
Now, I hope you understand that this young man's question isn't about a desire to live forever. Even pagans knew that unending existence might not be all it's cracked out to be. For example, there's a mythological story about Aurora, the goddess of the morning who got Zeus to grant eternal life to a mortal she had fallen in love with named Tithonus.
But eternal life isn't the same thing as eternal youth. As time progressed, Tithonus got older and ever more decrepit. So, the quest for eternal life isn't just living forever, it includes the idea of securing the divinely endowed ability to be alive to God and the things of God. In other words, the hope of eternal life involves both the quality as well as the quantity of life.
As far as anyone could see, this young man had everything going for him. He was young and rich. In Luke's gospel he's identified as a "ruler" which would probably mean that he was a ruler or teacher, leader in a synagogue. That meant that he would have been respected by those who knew him, and he would have had to be an outstanding student of the Mosaic law and the prophets.
When he came to Jesus, he was respectful by addressing Jesus as "Good Teacher" and seemingly sincere because we're told in Mark that Mark 10:21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him... You know, it would be very easy for a young man who had accomplished so much so early in life to become arrogant and full of themselves, but that just doesn't seem to be the case here. As a matter of fact, he was even putting himself at risk with the Pharisees in coming to Jesus like this. But he came and asked about eternal life.
He wanted to know what he could do to receive eternal life. His question makes me believe that he knew he was missing something. He probably thought that there was some special thing that he could do that would guarantee eternal life. But Jesus, instead of telling him that he had to be born again like He told Nicodemus, or telling him John 10:27-28 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish... Instead of telling him anything like this, He took a different approach.
First, He wanted to see if the young man understood who Jesus was. He had addressed Him as "Good Teacher" but since only God is good, did this young man understand who He truly was? Did he recognize that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, the One who was promised to come? Or did he simply think of Him as a moral teacher?
The second thing that Jesus needed to address was the young man's errant view of eternal life and God's salvation. As He had said before, Matthew 5:20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
This young man believed as the Pharisees did, that his salvation was based upon works of the flesh. He asked Matthew 19:16 ...what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" As far as he was concerned, eternal life was earned through some work of the flesh, which is completely contrary to what Jesus taught. Only God is good, which then means that we can't do good without God.
There is no good thing that we can do to get eternal life because we aren't good. As a matter of fact, no mortal man is or can be good. Romans 3:10 as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one." Jesus tried to explain this to the Pharisees, that for all their strict obedience to the letter of the law, they omitted the equally important spirit of the law. If you physically obey the law by not committing murder, that's great. It's wonderful. But if you hate someone in your heart, you've broken the spirit of that law against murder, so you're guilty of breaking God's law. The same thing applies to the other laws, like adultery. You may not physically commit adultery, but if you lust after someone other than your husband or wife, then you've broken that law against adultery.
This young man thought he had fulfilled the requirements of the law, just like the Pharisees did. He said Matthew 19:20 ..."All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?" He knew the law and just like the apostle Paul, before he met Christ on that road to Damascus, he thought he was righteous. He told the Philippians, Philippians 3:6-7 ...as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Beloved, the works of the law can never satisfy the requirements of the law because we are incapable of fulfilling those requirements. We are sinners, and the absolute best we can do is still considered as filthy rags to the Lord. And this is what Jesus was wanting to show this young man. He may have thought he fulfilled the law, but he hadn't. He needed to understand what being a disciple of Jesus really meant.
He needed to know...
II. The Cost of Discipleship
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
He believed that he had followed the law and in his own mind, he was righteous. Yet, something was still wrong, so, he asked Matthew 19:20b "...what am I still lacking?" Deep inside he knew there was still something wrong, and he wasn't living up to the righteous requirements of the law. So, he desperately sought that "thing" he could do to make it all up and set him up for eternity. "What am I still lacking?"
And this, I believe, is why Jesus took him back to the law instead of just telling him to "believe and be saved." The young man claimed to have fulfilled the law’s requirements, but Jesus, like He did with the Pharisees, was going to show him that he has not fulfilled the whole law. So, Jesus told him, Matthew 19:21 ..."If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
Jesus put His finger on the young man's heart. He was a good man. He had probably done many good things. He may have even given large donations to various causes like his local synagogue, meals on wheels, and such. But he had a weakness that many, especially those who have great wealth have. He loved this world, and He loved the things of this world.
You know, this command that Jesus gave to this young man is not a universal command for all Christians. The Lord doesn't ask all of us to give up everything we have to give to the poor. There were many of the Lord's followers who had wealth, and He didn't ask them to give it all away. No. This was a specific command to this specific young man because the Lord was showing him that he truly had not fulfilled the law as he thought.
You see, I don't think this was about money at all. Jesus could have asked for a large donation and the guy would have probably gladly given it. But what the Lord asked of him instead was a demonstration of complete and total surrender. This was about the man's heart, not his money. The Lord doesn't ask us to impoverish ourselves and give everything to the poor, but He does ask us to surrender to Him completely. And if we're completely surrendered to Him, then if He did ask us to give everything away, we'd do it in faith and without hesitation.
He wants us to follow Him wherever He leads us, and there are things in our lives that keep us from doing that. I can remember years ago when we lived in Kentucky. I had been called to preach the gospel several years earlier, but I never followed through with seminary training because I was in a job with good benefits and salary. I was married with kids, and I just couldn't see giving all that up for the poverty we'd experience if I entered seminary as a full-time student. At one point I had even been accepted in Southern Baptist Seminary in Knoxville, KY, but I had a family to support, so I didn't follow through with that at that time. To this day I regret that. Even though years later I was able to earn my master's from a seminary, I still regret not walking in faith way back when.
There are things that hinder us from complete surrender. This young man's wealth was his stumbling block because we're told in verse 22 that Matthew 19:22 When the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
I can identify with this young man. I may not have left the Lord like he did, but I didn't do what I felt He was calling me to do at that time. So, I can relate. Can you? His wealth kept him from following the Lord. His wealth also came first in his life, which is also a violation of the law against having other gods and it showed that he didn't truly love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his mind, and with all his soul. He truly had not fulfilled the law as he thought because he loved his wealth and the things of this world more than he loved the Lord who had blessed him and called him to follow Him.
So, before I go on to my final point I must ask you, "Do you have a stumbling block which is preventing you from complete surrender to the Lord?" What is holding you back? Are you willing to not just recognize it, but do something about it? Are you willing to give up that which hinders you to discover and receive...
III. The Reward of Sacrifice
Matthew 19:28-30 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first."
After the young man heard what Jesus said, he left, sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus then explained to the disciples how hard it was for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He said, Matthew 19:23-24 ..."Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Well, this statement really confused the disciples because wealth had always been considered a sign of God's blessings upon someone. But if that wasn't the case, if the rich had a hard time getting into the kingdom, then how much harder would it be for your regular Joe Blow? This young ruler was told that he needed to give up everything he had to follow Jesus, but what about His current disciples?
Matthew 19:27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”
They had given up much. They immediately dropped their fishing nets and left their boats to follow Jesus. One of them left his tax collecting business to follow Jesus. Each one of His disciples dropped whatever they had and left everything behind without hesitation, and followed the Lord after He called them to "Follow Me."
And guess what folks? This is Christianity. When the Lord calls you to follow Him, you will lose much. You may lose family, friends, jobs, your business, your freedom, and maybe even your life. Jesus said John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you."
He also said Matthew 10:35-36 ...I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man's enemies will be the members of his household." Beloved, this may not sound like our modern me first, health, wealth, and name it claim it version of Christianity, but this is real Christianity. There's nothing fake about it.
You will lose much, but friend, you will gain so much more. This is why Paul was able to say Philippians 3:7-8 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.
I count everything as rubbish so that I may gain Christ! This is what Jesus was trying to teach that rich young ruler. The kingdom of God is not for the weak-hearted. It is not for those who only want to "test the waters" or those who want to sit on the fence. The kingdom of God is for those who recognize that their own self-worth means nothing because we aren't worth anything without Christ! But whatever they do have, they are willing to give it all up to gain Christ.
We cannot save ourselves. We cannot do anything that is of any worth to the kingdom of God other than believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him. Our salvation and eternal life are possible only by the grace of God through faith in Jesus who gave Himself for us.
And that is what this all boils down to. Do you believe in Jesus? Are you willing to follow Him with your whole heart, mind, and soul? Are you willing to give up what you cannot keep in order to receive what you cannot lose?
Will you trust in Jesus today? Are you ready to count everything as rubbish so that you can gain Christ?
