THE RICH YOUNG RULER
Jesus loved meeting people. One of the fascinating features of the Gospels is to listen in to the interviews that Jesus had with a variety of people. He was always ready to listen to their problems, to answer their questions as he walked the highways of Palestine. Jesus longed to point men and women towards the Kingdom of God, but one thing he never did was to compromise his standards. If they didn’t want to follow his way, that was their choice – and their responsibility. He was very sorry, often visibly grieved, if they couldn’t find it in their hearts to accept his terms for entry into his Kingdom, but inevitably they exclude themselves.
The word “Christian” has come to mean a multitude of things to many people, but after all is said and done, there’s only one kind of Christianity that’s valid – and that’s God’s kind! We don’t have the freedom to pick and choose the aspects of God’s revelation that we find attractive, and disregard or ignore the parts that we don’t like, and still call it “Christian”. It may have a religious veneer, but it’s not authentic Christianity and ultimately God will reject it.
Suppose I want to fly to Gatwick but find the cost is too great and I hit upon the great idea of creating my own ticket. It may look quite like the real thing, have the correct airline, flight number and departure time on it, but if I should be so foolish to present it to the check-in desk, it would be rejected as invalid. No amount of persuading would get me through the barrier. The terms of entry in God’s kingdom are not up for debate or for negotiation. It’s God’s terms or not at all. The rich, young ruler we heard about in the Gospel reading (Matt 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-25) is a clear illustration of this. We see him as a:
CANDIDATE PRESENTED FOR THE KINGDOM
What an attractive candidate he was! “A rich, young ruler”. This was someone not to be missed! A young, rich professional person! What’s more, he was keen; we’re told “he came running” and even more impressive, he was apparently humble, for we’re told, he threw himself “kneeling” before Jesus. You don’t get applicants like this every day! You can imagine how the church council would feel on getting an application from this candidate. He’d be welcomed with open arms! Of course, Jesus welcomed him, but not more warmly than he received anyone else, because all humanity is regarded on equal terms. Whether we are rich or poor, sophisticated in the eyes of the world or members of the rank and file, young or old, we’re the same category of persons – all in need of a Saviour.
Let’s take a closer look at the candidate. We know little about him except for three things. He was rich. He was young. He had some official position in the community. It all adds up to something attractive. A good bank balance is desirable. To have youth on one’s side is an asset. We don’t know what this wealthy young man ruled, but to be in a position to tell other people what to do was rather satisfying. However, it’s more than likely that as he thoughtfully reviewed his life, he came to the conclusion that he had a problem. Although he enjoyed being rich, being young, and being a influential, he realised that one day, sooner or later, it would all have to end. One day he would die. When he died, he knew he wouldn’t be rich any more - he couldn’t take his money with him in the next life. Shrouds don’t have pockets! Youth, alas, passes all too quickly – the older you get, take it from me, the years seem shorter than they used to be! He knew that his official position would one day come to an end.
As our friend thought about these facts of life he probably said to himself, “There’s only one solution to my problem and that would be to have a life that would never end.” Someone may have said to him, “Have you ever heard of Jesus of Nazareth?” “No, who is he?” “He’s this new preacher who goes on about the Kingdom of God and offering eternal life to anyone who follows him.” This struck a chord. “Eternal life? That’s the very thing I need. If only I could be sure of eternal life my basic fears and needs would be met. I’ll go and see him.” And he did. He ran, broke through the crowd, threw himself on his knees before Jesus and said in effect, “I have a need, and you have the answer. What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer that Jesus gave him sent him away as empty as he had come. Why, O why? He seemed an ideal candidate for the Kingdom. To discover this we must look at the:
CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY INTO GOD’S KINGDOM
The man’s keenness and vigour of search was commendable. His posture of humility before this teacher was designed to put him in a favourable light with Jesus. But it was his words, which betrayed the fault line in his thinking. “What must I do?” he asked. He had come seeking for happiness, for satisfaction, for peace with God, but his very way of phrasing his question betrays him. “What must I do?” He’s thinking in terms of actions, something that he can contribute. He’s like the Pharisees, thinking in terms of keeping rules and regulations. He wants to pile up a credit balance with God by keeping the works of the law. Quite clearly, he’s unaware that salvation can’t be gained through one’s own merits. This man was a “can do” sort of person - a man of action. This is fine for living for this world, but not for the next. At heart it’s a throwback to the first fantasy of the human race. “You will be like God,” said the serpent to Adam. And he believed it.
Jesus has to deal with this, gently but firmly. He looked at this young man and loved him. We might think that he has a strange way of showing it. No congratulations for the way the young man had lived so far, just an uncompromising demand for a complete revolution in his life. But Jesus knows what he’s doing. He answers the inquirer on his own terms. He tells him to keep the Commandments. The young man is taken by surprise but quickly tries to regain the initiative by asking what kind of commandments Jesus means. Jesus lists five of the Ten Commandments. They are all Commandments, which deal, not with our duty to God, but with our duty to those around us. They are the Commandments that govern our personal relationships and our attitude to our fellow humanity. Had he killed anyone? Certainly not! What about adultery? No, he was a clean living young man. Did he steal? Out of the question; he was a magistrate!
Jesus now came to the Commandment that he quoted out of its traditional order. Did he honour his parents? Most likely Jesus wishes to lay special stress on that Commandment. Perhaps it was because he knew that the young man, having grown rich and successful in his career, had then forgotten his parents, who may have been very poor. He may well have risen in the world, and have been half-ashamed of the folks in the old home, and found some way of justifying his actions. Amazing, as it may seem, the would-be entrant into God’s kingdom with breathtaking nerve said, “I have observed all these things.” He then coolly added, “What am I still lacking?” How did this elegant-minded man manage to miss the point entirely? Wealth, status, personal abilities and intellect can blind us to the truth that we are powerless before God. It’s here that we see the unwavering resolve of Jesus to maintain the integrity of the Kingdom, as we see:
COMPROMISE REJECTED FOR ENTRY INTO GOD’S KINGDOM
Jesus loved this young man. There was something attractive about his earnestness in keeping the law as he saw it. Jesus admired his humble determination to find a conclusion to his search. The gospel writer tells us, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Here was a golden opportunity for Jesus to land a “big fish” as a follower. How easy it would have been for Jesus to say; “You’re fine as you are. Your problem is only in your imagination.” Think how useful he would be as a disciple. He had youth and vigour. He had money that would be invaluable in financing Jesus and his disciples as they went around the towns and villages preaching the coming Kingdom of God. He had influence in his official capacity, which would give a certain prestige to the ministry. What a temptation to Jesus to turn a blind eye to a situation that he knew in his heart would prove disappointing! But God’s love never leads to compromise because that would be to go against his holy standard.
We must explore the reason why Jesus couldn’t compromise. All human beings have one thing in common – we are sinners and we are set to die both physically and spiritually. Our own experience only confirms the verdict of Scripture, “If we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Ignoring facts does nothing to change them. The events recorded in our newspapers and television screens remind us of the fallen state of humanity. Who can deny what the Apostle Paul wrote, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 14:12). We are all sinners by birth, by nature, by practice and by choice. And like the rich, young ruler we need to face the facts – and the consequences.
The young enquirer after the Kingdom really had no idea of his spiritual deficiency before God. In all likelihood he thought he was much better than most of his contemporaries. He believed he had kept the Law of Moses. In a narrow legal sense that might be true; but in a spiritual sense it wasn’t true, because his attitude to his fellow men was wrong. That is why Jesus confronted him with the challenge to sell all and give to the poor. This man was so shackled to his possessions that nothing less than radical surgery was required. His achievements were a chain, which bound him. We, too, have to face up to spiritual realities, and ask ourselves, “What are the chains that bind us, preventing a living relationship with God, and entry into and progress in his Kingdom?” To achieve that goal, there’s a vital condition - it’s:
CONVERSION EXPECTED FOR ENTRY INTO GOD’S KINGDOM
Jesus didn’t pause to correct him but, as it were, went straight for the jugular. There was something missing in his life, some priority that was in the wrong order preventing him from entering the kingdom. He had asked the question and he got the answer! “If you wish to be complete, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me!” The rich young ruler was expecting to be told, “Yes, you’ve done well so far, and all you need is to carry on as you’re doing to the end of your life. Then you’ll receive eternal life as your reward.” No, nothing like that! Jesus invited him to do something contrary to the previous direction of his whole life. “Go, sell everything you have.” Jesus had put his finger on what he prized most, his wealth, no doubt gathered by his own hard work and effort.
The candidate for the Kingdom was being asked to loosen the grip of that which he trusted – his wealth. Without that step he wasn’t keeping two other Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything…” (Ex 20:3,4). His wealth was his goal; he had made money an idol. He, like everyone else, was a sinner. The disciples were perplexed at the hard line they thought Jesus was taking in telling this sincere, rich, young man to sell everything and give to the poor. Jesus wasn’t denouncing wealth as such, but rather wealth in the form of money, status, achievements or race when it acts as a form of self-righteousness and becomes an obstacle to entrance into his Kingdom.
If the young man had repented and followed Jesus he would have found the redemption purchased by the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. In the words written to the Corinthians, "God was reconciling the world unto himself in Christ ... God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:19,21). That is the message of salvation. Jesus was already putting into practice what he asked the young ruler to do - "Sell all and give to the poor." He had left heaven and was on the way to the Cross for the young man - for me, for you.
The Christian is one who centres his every hope on the Lord Jesus. Whatever has happened in the past, he now has peace because he knows that his sins were laid upon Jesus when he died on the Cross. He knows that Christ has borne them and carried them away. John Bunyan pictured this so well in his "Pilgrim’s Progress". Pilgrim is shown carrying a heavy burden of his sins, but when he came to the Cross and believed in Jesus, he was miraculously freed of the burden. In the words of a hymn, "My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose went forth and followed thee." If you can say that with assurance, you are a Christian indeed.
The rich, young ruler had a lot going for him, but he knew he lacked something. When Jesus confronted him with the reality of his position he had to make a choice between the riches of this world and entrance into God’s Kingdom. Jesus wasn’t saying that riches are wrong because sometimes he entrusts people with money so that it can be used in his service. But for the young man kneeling before Jesus it was a straight choice – riches or the Kingdom. “Go, sell everything … give to the poor. Then come, follow me.” There follows some tragic words, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad.” His desire for eternal life was outweighed by his desire to keep his economic position in this life. To his eternal shame it was riches that won! His treasure remained firmly on earth. The young man’s sincerity was blown open. What Jesus asked for was more than he was prepared to give. He preferred public approval and social standing to eternal life. He and Jesus would have to part company.
God doesn’t work upon us mechanically. God doesn’t force our wills. God doesn’t compel anyone against his will to believe the Gospel. He won’t violate our free will. There’s a beautiful illustration of this taken from a scene in the book of Revelation. It’s depicted in a famous painting of Jesus shown standing outside a closed door. He is shown as knocking at the door, seeking to enter. But there’s no door-handle to use - it’s on the inside! It’s the responsibility of the resident to open the door, to exercise our choice of destiny. In that moment, belief in Jesus becomes a firm trust in him. It’s the placing of our hope, our confidence, and our trust, in every respect in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have in the story of the Rich Young Ruler a Candidate Presented for the Kingdom; we see the Conditions Required and how that Compromise is Rejected, and most important of all, that Conversion is Required. We may not be called upon to give up our possessions, but we are called to surrender any obstacle that would prevent us entering the Kingdom. Hear the words of Jesus, “Come, follow me!”
