Left Behind
Luke 18:18-30
PSCOC
3/26/06
Introduction: The seeker friendly Jesus.
1. The Real New Testament.
I recently read about a new Bible out that is targeted to young people into hip-hop. How is it that the Bible in the common language can no longer captivate people’s attention that we would have to go to such seeker friendly extremes? It is a funny use of the word “real.” But it is telling that Christians have become more desperate than ever to make Jesus palpable to our culture. There are drive-through worship services, bigger and louder bands, Saturday services replacing Sunday’s, and about everything you can imagine designed to make it easier for someone to come to Christ. On one level it makes sense doesn’t it? Wouldn’t we want to do everything imaginable to reach people for Christ? The only problem is that wasn’t the approach Jesus took at all.
2. Left behind before there was left behind.
You probably have heard of the popular series “Left Behind.” I have innumerable problems with the doctrine that series purports. However, I like the phrase, because it says something about discipleship. I believe that we have a crisis of discipleship. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? It means we leave it all behind and pick up the cross and follow Jesus. What have you left behind for Jesus? This ties into a very important concern we all have, one that the rich ruler in our story has. How can we know that we have eternal life? How we answer the left behind question reveals something about the answer to that question. If we aren’t willing to leave it all for Jesus, can we have eternal life? Today, you decide by listening to the words of Jesus himself.
Trouble in the text: The rich ruler rejects the call of Jesus (18-25).
1. The test of the commandments.
In Mark he is called the rich young ruler. Here is simply the ruler, who is later revealed to be wealthy. Jesus had just said that you have to become like little children to enter the kingdom of God. This is still the same scene and this rich ruler comes forward and he asks what is a crucial question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” It is a good question. Jesus answers.
a. No one is good except God alone.
This response surprises many. Isn’t Jesus said to be holy and divine just like God the Father? Why would Jesus say this? It helps to understand that the ruler is someone of high status in society. He is engaging Jesus in a word game. It would have been expected that Jesus would accept the compliment by returning a compliment to the ruler. This was how it was done in their society. But Jesus had just said you have to be like little children to enter the kingdom. He continues to turn the values of the world upside down. So, what better way to do that than refusing this man’s compliment and deflecting it to God the Father, whom Jesus was submissive to on earth? Jesus was the holy one of God, but he will not play word games with the ruler and enable his thinking in the old world values.
b. Keep the commandments to inherit eternal life.
Jesus refers the man to the commandments. The five that he gives here all have to do with relationships w/other people. It is understood that they flow from our relationship with God. But yet for those that understand that salvation is not through commandment keeping, doesn’t this response surprise us? I made a joke to my F-n-L the other day that Jesus just wasn’t Pauline enough for us sometimes! But Jesus is setting up the ruler and maybe us too!
2. Jesus issues the ultimate call.
The man walks into Jesus’ trap. After hearing the commandments he feels good about himself. He says, “I have kept these since I was a boy.” It is kind like when one of us says, “I’ve been going to church my whole life.” Jesus’ response tells him that this is insufficient for eternal life. He lacks only one thing. Jesus issues an invitation, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” This is not the sort of thing a man does when he is chasing numbers of followers. This is not very seeker sensitive! But Jesus knows the man’s riches are the one thing that keeps his heart from him. Jesus has already said you can’t serve both God and money. He gives the man a chance to rid himself of the one thing that keeps him from truly knowing God, from entering eternal life. He directs his attention to “treasures in heaven.”
3. The rich man rejects the call.
There is no doubt that on some level the man wanted to follow Jesus, because it says he became very sad. Jesus had asked for the one thing the man couldn’t give up. His money was a symbol of his status and maybe even his religious understanding of God’s blessing. His rejection prompts Jesus famous response about camel through the eye of the needle. No, this isn’t talking about some gate that camels can get through with great difficulty. Jesus means for it to sound as absurd as it does. He means for it to sound impossible. He could have said that it is easier for an elephant to go inside a rabbit hole. For the rich man his “almost persuaded” response could not have been more tragic.
Trouble in our world: We often reject his call.
1. Us and the rich man.
It’s a good thing we are not like that rich man! Wait, let’s think about that. Most of us live in homes, wear comfortable clothes, drive a car, own a computer, eat way too much, spend ridiculous amounts of money on entertainment, and etc. You would find that by any global objective standard that most of us are quite wealthy. Inordinate amounts of debt demonstrate that even what we have is not enough. We like going to church. It makes us feel like disciples of Christ. Maybe we are, but let’s start by acknowledging we have a lot in come with the rich ruler.
2. Are you a disciple?
We read earlier (Lk. 14:33) that anyone who does not give up everything cannot be a Jesus’ disciple. Jesus doesn’t really mean that; does he? How can Jesus say that? Is it any wonder that the large crowds that were drawn by the miracles began to dwindle? This is the invitation of discipleship! If Jesus came to you and asked you to walk away from the one thing that keeps you from following him what would it be? Your job, family, bank account, leisurely life, sports, freedom? What would it be for you? And would you sorrowfully turn away from Jesus? Would you miss the hope of eternal life? Have any of us really given up everything for Jesus? We are like that rich man. Can we have a different outcome?
3. We want eternal life, but first comes the cross.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “To endure the cross is not tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ.” We honor those that give all to country, but why not those that give all to the Lord of the universe? We understand when we hear a story of a soldier who loves their superior office so much that he will gladly lay down his life for him or with him. Jesus hung on a cross so we can have eternal life. If we don’t give all for him, then we don’t love him…we don’t comprehend his sacrifice. It is a good thing Jesus doesn’t stop with v. 25.
Grace in the Bible: God makes it possible for us to inherit eternal life (25-30).
1. God makes the impossible possible.
The disciples are flabbergasted. There response makes me think that the man might have been a synagogue ruler, because they are basically saying if this man can’t be saved, how can anyone? This man kept the commandments. He had wealth, a sign of God’s blessing (in their minds). What Jesus said was alarming. Jesus’ answer contains the grace we all need. “It is possible with God.” This answer reminds us that none of us can answer the call of discipleship without the help of God. However, the answer doesn’t change the fact that the rich man walked away from Jesus. As the story stands, he is outside the kingdom. But by God’s grace there is hope for all who desire to follow Jesus on his terms.
2. God’s generosity exceeds even his demands.
No one will ever demand more from you than God, but no one will give more generously than God. Peter retorts that they had left everything for Christ. This didn’t make them perfect or worthy, but Jesus doesn’t correct Peter, either. In their hearts they had forsaken all and followed Jesus. Jesus promises that they will receive much more than they have given up in this world and the next.
Illustration: Stephanie Menotti
I understand that most of us don’t actually have to leave our families for Christ, but would we if we had to make that choice. Stephanie did. She isn’t Arab, but her family is Islamic and she encountered the gospel of Christ. Now the seeker sensitive Jesus would never ask her to choose him over her family, but that is exactly what Jesus did. Her family abandoned her the day she chose Christ. Today, she suffers from stomach cancer (she is 23) and her Christian family is praying for her in unbelievable ways. It was a painful choice, but God was faithful and she has received many times what she gave up in this age and she will most certainly do so in the next!
Grace in our world: God offers something greater than we could ever give up.
We are foolish to believe that following Christ at all costs won’t be worth it. Christ may not ask you to go and sell all your possessions and give it all to the poor, but he might. The point is that we follow him at all costs, because we know it will be worth it. None of the worldly things we cling to can give us what Jesus can give us. What the rich ruler sacrificed was far greater that day than his precious money. I am not ever going to lessen the call of discipleship. There are a great number of Christians that are not disciples and you have to answer that question for yourself. We are imperfect in our following Jesus, but our hearts tell a lot. Where are you laying up your treasure?
1. It is possible with God.
Don’t forget that. Maybe you are saying you could never give your all to Jesus. W/o Jesus it is impossible, but with God all is possible. Do you think the five young missionaries who went to Ecuador some fifty years ago and were speared to death thought it was worth it? I can guarantee you they do now. But what is more amazing is that their wives went back to Ecuador to the same village that murdered their husbands and preached the gospel! That is what is possible with God.
2. Come where you are.
Don’t try to figure it all out. We are about to sing “Just As I Am.” Don’t place any conditions on following Jesus. Leave it all behind! Today is the day to stop trying to serve two masters. Jesus won’t be shared. Jesus will take your heart right where it is today. You need only to give it to him. Life want be easy. Mark Galli wrote, “God loves you and has a difficult plan for your life.” Did you hear that? God loves you! And about that other part…I can only tell you it will be worth it. Give your life to him, today!
