If you will now turn to Luke chapter 18. We're going to be considering verses 18 through 30. This morning, before we read God's word, let us go to him again, in prayer asking for his blessing on his word. This is pray. Father, we thank You that You have spoken to us the heavens are declaring your glory. But Lord, we come to your word, and we hear of Jesus Christ. And so Lord, I do pray that you will open up our spiritually blind eyes that we might see. And behold, Jesus unstop, our deaf ears, that we might hear of him crucified for sinners, soften our hearts and hearts, that we might humbly rest upon Christ, knowing that there is no salvation apart from Him, that we might know this day, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no man comes to the Father except through Him. And Lord, let us be willing to let all things go in order to pursue Christ. Lord, be merciful to us as we come to your word, give us understanding, keep us from error. Lord, be glorified in Jesus's name, Amen. Luke chapter 18, beginning in verse 18, here now God's word. And a ruler asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone. You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother. And he said, all these I've kept from my youth, when Jesus heard this, he said to him, one thing you still lack, sell all that you have, and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me. But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus seen that he had become sad said, how difficult it is, for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. For it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person enter the kingdom of God. Those who heard it said, then who can be saved. But he said, What is impossible with men is possible with God. And Peter said, See, we have left our homes and followed you. And He said to them, Truly I say to you, There is none who has left house or wife or brothers or, or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time and age to come eternal life. He was ears, let them hear the Word of God, please be seated. Money has a way of opening doors. If you have money, even a little bit of it, it has a way of oiling the hinges of the doors of life. For example, if you have money, it helps open the doors to leisure, education, travel, health care, comfort, you see how money helps open these doors in life. The account today, however, reminds us that there is one door that isn't moved in the slightest way, by wealth, or money, or anything this world has to offer. In fact, money may very well be a hindrance to you, in opening this door. This door is the kingdom of God. This door is Heaven itself. And Jesus has taught us about this door already. And Luke chapter 13.
Jesus has taught us that the door is narrow, not many will enter it. How many will go to heaven? Not many. That's what Jesus says. Not many.
Considering all the people in the world, not many will enter through the narrow door. Jesus has also taught us that there is one day in which that door will be shut and you will no longer be able to enter through it just like the days of Noah when the ark was shut and people were left outside. One day the door to heaven will one day be shut.
And unless you are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ you will be shut out who will enter who will enter Are the kingdom of God? Well, I think Luke has been having us ponder this question now, for some time, who will enter into the kingdom of God? I think we might be surprised because it's often people you might not think. And Luke has started to show us that and even will continue to show us that as we work through his gospel, the tax collector, someone who is a traitor to his own people working for Rome, and He's greedy, and he's a thief. Yet we are told, he humbles himself, and he goes home justifying an infant, someone who can't do anything, they have no name, they have no title, they have no good works. But Jesus says, These are the ones that go to the kingdom of God. And even verse 35, a sermon yet to come, we see a blind beggar, and he will go into heaven, He will enter the kingdom of God. These are the ones you don't expect to be in the kingdom. But these are the ones who go home justified, these are the ones with dependent child that like faith, but those who you think might enter the kingdom of God don't.
The Pharisee, the religious one, he goes to church, he prays he gives he ties he fast, that he doesn't enter the kingdom of God. And even this morning, a religious rich, young ruler, he too, he certainly goes to church and he prays and he fast yet, he too, is excluded from the kingdom of God. I think this is a warning for us, they haven just being religious, just going to church. just praying and just singing will not save you. Jesus will save you. Having faith in Jesus will save you remember, just professing a faith does not save you possessing faith and holding on to Christ and Him alone is what will save you. Our texts begins with someone who seems to be a very good candidate for the kingdom of God. A rich young ruler, he has everything you and I would want.
He's rich. The doors of life so easily open for him leisure and comfort and education and health and anything he wants. He really has it he he's very wealthy, very wealthy, extremely wealthy.
He's young. And I think that word young too, is not only young in his age, but he's healthy. It wouldn't have told us that if he's young and he's sick. But he's young and he's, he's healthy. He's vibrant. He's strong. And he's a ruler. Not not necessarily a political ruler, but he's probably a ruler in the church. Maybe he's an elder. He knows the scriptures.
He's religious, he's moral. He's reverent. He comes to Jesus and he comes to Jesus willingly comes to Jesus, eagerly. He comes. The Jesus respectfully comes to Jesus, sincerely. He's not trying to trick Jesus. You would probably want your daughters to marry this young man. I think you won. I probably won. He seems like a really good guy. And he he could take care of her really well. He's worked hard. He's moral. He's respectful. He goes to church.
Verse 18, and he asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? This is a good question. This is the question of all questions. This is the question that we should be wrestling and answering and trying to determine how do I get to heaven? What do I do to get eternal life? It's a good question. And how might you answer it just I don't know. It probably doesn't happen that often. But let's say someone ran up to you and asked you that what would you say? I think all of us might be probably say something along the lines of believing Jesus. Believe in Jesus, right? That sounds like a good answer. Why doesn't Jesus say that? Why doesn't Jesus say Believe in me? It's surprising that Jesus doesn't answer him this way. But what we will see Jesus so masterfully, as he always does. He exposes this man's heart, as he will expose you Your heart and my heart.
And he's going to show this man, and he's going to show us, in fact, we are disobedient. He's going to show us we are idolaters. And that we have an inability to save ourselves.
These are the three things Jesus is going to show this man. And he's going to show us this morning. And Jesus said to him, why do you call Me good? No one is good, but God. Now Jesus is not denying that he is good.
He's not denying this man's assertion that he is good. He is indeed, good. But this man doesn't know who Jesus is. Jesus isn't just some good teacher, Jesus says, some good instructor or lecture. This man is using good, how we might talk about our dogs, I have a good dog. And what we mean by that he doesn't poop in the house and, and he eats his food like he ought to.
And I don't mean that my dog is an ethical creature, and he's making decisions of righteousness. Right? And that's what this man is talking about, is understanding of good, it's somewhat surface level, we do that. And so Jesus challenges that What do you mean, when you say, good, good compared to others? Well, God alone, is truly good. God alone is perfect. And if you're going to be good, you must be holy, as God is holy, you must keep the law, you have to keep the 10 commandments if you want to be good. So let's start with that.
Let's start with that. If you want to be good, if you think I'm good, if you want to know what goodness is, we'd go to the law of God. So let's start there. And Jesus looks at the second table of the law, as it's often called, you know, the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not murder. Do not steal, do not bear false witness, Honor your father and the mother. And his response.
All these I've kept from my youth. Is that Jesus? Oh, man, that's that's a relief. Is that it? I've done that. And you know what, he's sincere. He's sincere. And many people think that they have kept the 10 commandments, at least well enough for God to be impressed.
I remember up in New Jersey on the boardwalk chapel, on the mound talking to people and evangelizing it's a great ministry. If you're a college aged person, I would totally encourage you to dedicate a summer to the boardwalk chapel.
You won't regret it. But anyway, you talk to many people. And most people say, I'm good. I'm good. No, no, I don't, I don't think I've ever stolen. You know, I've certainly never murdered anyone. I'm not married, I haven't even so I can't commit adultery. You know, I've kept the law. And this is the default of our hearts just like this rich young ruler. We too, are spiritually blind and think that we're actually doing okay. The rich young ruler does not stand alone in his deception, that we too have such a poor understanding of God's law of God's holiness, and the sinfulness of our own hearts.
That each commandment is its own individual category that has both a positive and negative aspect to it even. For example, don't take the Lord's name in vain. As we read it, it means much more than simply just not using God's name out of context or, or using God's name like a swear word. It means that in respect to all of God's attributes and all of God's character, he must be glorified and honored. And to not do that, in any way is to break the third commandment. And each commandment not only applies to our actions, but also our hearts and many people think that as well as long as it'll act on the Senate, if I can, you know, I can have the thoughts I can I can I can, you know, I can harbor these in my heart, but as long as I don't act upon it, I'm okay. But that's not what Jesus says in Matthew chapter five. He says if you if you look with lust, you've committed adultery.
If you've had hate and bitterness harbored in your heart, you're guilty of murder.
Each commandment requires personal, perpetual and per perfect obedience to it? Do we really think that we have done what the law requires? JC Ryle said, an answer more full of darkness and self ignorance, it is impossible to conceive. He who made it could have known nothing rightly, either about himself or God, or God's law. To be delivered from this blindness is the first step to our salvation. The eyes of our understanding must be open to see that there is none righteous, no, not one. If this man's eyes were opened, he would see that he has broken all of these laws, even as he is standing right there in front of Jesus. He has committed adultery, how He has loved money, as we all are about to see more than he loves Jesus. He has pursued an adulterous relationship with the things of this world and has forsaken the one whom his heart has called Jesus. He's a murderer. He's hating his own life by not turning to Jesus. He's stealing.
He's not giving glory to God, but resting in his own righteousness. He's lying. Has he kept these things since his youth? Now he has, he has broken these things? Is he honoring his father and his mother? Is he honoring God? When you have Christ himself standing before him, he is not honoring his father and mother is not honoring God. And if he had had open eyes to see these things, his response would not be I have kept all these things from my youth. If he had eyes to see he would be crying out at this moment. God be merciful to me a sinner. Are you good? Have you kept the law? Have you inherited eternal life? Are you perfect?
As your heavenly father isn't perfect? Because that is what is required for heaven? Perfection?
It's not 90% Good. 10%? Guy? No, it's 100%. And that is what creates a great problem for us.
Because we do not have righteousness, we do not have goodness. Therefore, who will be saved? As we'll see, it's impossible for us. But in Christ, all things are possible.
In Christ, we can be saved. You know how if you type one letter wrong in a website, or one little dash, I don't know if you've ever done this. Someone gave you a website, you type it in, and you just get one thing wrong one letter and you're just mad, you just mess it up and send you somewhere else. Right?
So it's the law of God. Get one thing wrong, and it sends you to the wrong place. It sends you to hell. The wages of sin is death, and one law broken, will drag you all the way down to hell.
Are you good? Now Jesus doesn't dispute his claim here, this young rich young ruler, but it gives him now a simple test, to see if he is indeed a law breaker or not. And he he here reveals his idolatry. When Jesus heard this in verse 22, he said to him, one thing you still lack, so all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. Now.
This is not a universal instruction. For all of us.
Jesus isn't calling us all to go and be monks and to live on the street to embrace poverty. Nor is he saying that if he does do this, he has somehow merited eternal life. What he is doing is saying, Okay, well let's, let's go to the first commandment. And you remember what the first commandment is, we read it. You shall have no other gods before Me no other gods. And what Jesus is doing is holding up a mirror to this man's heart now that he might see the himself before the law of God was gone. His first love was God, what he was hoping for and resting and and the hit for his law. If enjoy. But what happens when he heard these things he became very sad for he was extremely rich. He doesn't pass the test, he fails, money was is gone. What's interesting is his extreme riches are actually connected to his extreme sadness. They're connected. This extreme wealth makes him now very, extremely sad. He knows that he's a law breaker now. But this is an area where he's not willing to give it up, though. He wants the good life more than eternal life.
It's keeping him his possessions from relying and rusting on Jesus, he's not willing to just let it go, the trust that if I follow Jesus, Jesus is going to fully take care of me. I'm not ready for that. Jesus, I don't know that I want to do that. And this is the real tragedy of the story here of the rich young ruler, that he thinks his possessions are worth more than Jesus. And He does not know does not realize does not believe that all the treasure of Heaven and Earth are found in Jesus.
He's refusing if you will, to trade a penny for a trillion dollars. And even that is a bad example. Because Jesus is worth more than a trillion trillion, whatever dollars, and he's refusing to let it go. How foolish when a tragedy what sadness. But we are like this man. Are any of you relieved when I qualified that Jesus's instruction to this young man was not a universal request? I was when I qualified it for myself. Because what if Jesus was telling me this day to let it all go?
What I? I don't I think I might feel that test. What if Jesus is saying that to you sell everything you have.
Let it all go. Empty the bad MTD accounts, give it all away, don't store it up. So you can come back to it later. You let it all go and follow me and trust me? Could you do it? Would you sell everything to gain eternal life? You know, I think it's very likely most of us would fail that test. But I think it's interesting that many I think who would pass this test are the youngest among us. Maybe even our children who aren't trusting in their stuff, but trusting their parents that mom and dad are going to provide for me. And that's the whole point even of the context where we just came from of Jesus, blessing these infants and and talking about the children, that we have to trust Jesus, like children, to let it all go knowing that if I give it all just like this rich ruler was called to give it all away, Jesus is going to abundantly provide for me in a way that I might not realize maybe I don't even want but it's going to be good. Will we trust Jesus where we have that childlike faith?
Money has often made us self reliant, not childlike. But maybe for you. It's not money, but what something in your life that you you do love more than God? What must you have to make you happy? What must you have to make you confident or satisfied?
What sin in your life? Do you feel like I can't really let it go. Because it gives me too much pleasure. It gives me too much satisfaction. It makes me feel good. Once a person in your life that maybe you ought to let go, who's not good for you? Or your use of the Sabbath day. You know, CS Lewis, as he recounts his journey, and coming to Christ, or Christ coming to him, really, he didn't want to give up the sovereignty of God in his life. He didn't want God to have control of all areas of his life. He just wanted at least one area in his life that he could just call his own, that God wasn't in control of that he could say, This is what I want to do. You know, the, the 90% Odd you can have but this 10% Just let me have it please. But does Jesus say to the rich young ruler, give up 90% and follow me? Does he say give up 99% and follow me you keep the 1% you keep the 10% and you kind of do what you want. Now, that's not how Jesus operates. Jesus requires everything. Jesus is Lord of all There can be no reservations in our hearts, if you remember, remember, Lot's wife, to Remember Lot's wife.
She looked back upon Saddam, why reserve in her heart, desiring the things of the world, and judgment was brought down to her. Remember Lot's wife. And the Lord will keep showing us by His grace, more and more areas in our lives, where we need to submit to Christ and His Word, more of our finances, more of our tongue, more of our children, more of this and more of that everything in our lives must be submitted to Christ, everything, everything, everything. And he shows us man, not only his disobedience, disobedience and as idolatry, and ours, but also now, our inability to save ourselves.
Jesus seen that he had become sad said how difficult it is for those who have wealth, to enter the kingdom of God. For it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
Grace and riches seldom go together.
Paul writes to young Timothy, and chapter six of his first letter, and says, but those who desire to be rich, fall into temptation into a snare into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from faith and pierced themselves with many paintings. Here, Jesus talks about the eye of the needle.
This is not as some have recently said, some gate in Jerusalem that was just really tiny and a camel just had to be unloaded and kneel down and kind of wiggle his way through.
That's not what it's talking about at all. It's missing the point, in fact of what Jesus is talking about. It's impossible.
Yeah, he's picturing the biggest animal in that part of the country, or that part of the world and trying to stuff it through a little Ivan Neil, I thought I was hoping to have like a little stuffed animal just as a visual human, a stuffed animal, camel, just imagine in this hand, because I don't have one in his hand, you have to imagine it. I have a needle, which I don't and this hand, but even just imagine trying to be stuffing it in there, it's not going to work.
And that's what it's impossible.
It's not going to happen. And that, of course, that's used as his point because look how people respond, who, who then can be saved. Jesus says, What is impossible with man as possible with God? It's humanly impossible, to save yourself.
That is salvation, from beginning to end is not a human achievement. The tech shows us we are spiritually bankrupt. And we're poor. In fact, we we have a debt of righteousness that we cannot pay, we have been disobedient sinners. And the debt that we owe is growing bigger and bigger every day by our sin and we cannot pay it off. But the only person who can pay it off is right there in front of him and us here in the supper, and the Lord's Supper, that is Jesus Christ, Jesus pays the debt for us, he goes to the cross, and He pays our debt which we are bankrupt sinners, and he pays it in full. And then he gives us blessing upon blessing upon blessing and grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy.
And he gives us righteousness and satisfaction and joy and peace and he satisfies the demands of the law which we have failed to do. You know, salvation is achieved by works.
Listen, don't just edit that out for it out someone, please do not edit that out and then put it on Facebook, that Pastor Ali said, salvation is by works. It is by works, but it's Christ works, right? Jesus's works, that he fulfilled the law on your behalf, that you and I might have eternal life. He inherited eternal life, you and I do not he inherited eternal life. He asked, What must I do to inherit eternal life and Jesus is right and wrong in front of him. And he's the one that does it. He's inherited eternal life that the question should show him the law should show him I have failed I don't inherit eternal However, here hitting here eternal life. It's impossible. How am I going to do it? And Jesus is right there.
And he will save and he can save Then he can save us. And it's a miracle though. It is true, a true miracle, when any of us come to Christ, when the Spirit of God works in any of our, our hearts by his word, and he gives us a sight and a sense of the danger and the filthiness and the odious pneus of our sins, yet gives us an apprehension of God's mercy in Christ Jesus to those who repent. The Spirit enables us then to turn from our sin and turn to God. As Jesus tells Nicodemus to be born again. Well, how can what control do I have over being born again? Nothing, the spirit must do it. God must save. It's impossible for us. God must save us. But do you ever doubt that God could save you? I've done a lot. That a lot of bad things even worse than the rich and ruler. I mean, he's pretty good guy, right? I'm not a good person. I'm more like that tax collector, adulterer, sinner.
ever doubt that God could save someone that you love. They just seem too far off too far down the line of sin. It's not impossible with God, it's possible. Even if you're rich, you too can go to heaven. Even in spite of your riches, Christ can make you more than conquerors even over your riches. You know, it's in a Peter than he says, See, we have left our homes and we have followed you and I think Peter is starting to feel a little bit worried. Am I gonna get am I gonna get into the kingdom of God? Because if this guy is not gonna get in, are we gonna get in? Jesus, he you know, he wasn't willing to let go of everything. But Jesus I have.
I've let it go. Jesus, just want you to want to let you know Jesus. If I could just interject, I've let it go. Can I get in? No, Jesus. I've done everything this man has lacked?
Was it? Is it? Is it worth it though? Is it worth it to give everything up for Jesus? I think that's also maybe what Peter is wrestling with here is? Is it worth it? In the rich and ruler, I think that's what he was. He's balancing out Jesus, or the world. I think the world and then Peter, he has chosen Jesus.
But now he's maybe questioning is it worth it? Now listen to what Jesus says to him. Truly I say to you. There is no one who has left house or wife or brothers, or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.
Jesus gives a promise, a promise of blessing, both now and to come. Jesus has both the best short term and best long term investment anyone can make. And just another JC Ryle quote that I think summarizes what's happening. Well here, the believer shall find in Christ a full equivalent for anything that he is obliged to give up for Christ's sake, he shall find such peace and hope and joy and comfort and rest, in communion with the Father and the Son, that his losses shall be more than counterbalanced by his gains. In short, the Lord Jesus shall be more to him than property, or relatives, or friend. Jesus is worth more than anything. Is it worth being a missionary, and taking your children and taking them far away from grandparents? Jesus is your refuge? Is it worth giving up your dream house to give sacrificially to the kingdom?
Jesus is your treasure? Is it worth laboring and you're constantly working for the church or are ministering or doing evangelism and no one's helping you and you feel alone?
Jesus is your friend. Is Jesus going to be worth it? Yes, he is. Is he worth it now? Yes, he is. But notice it's not the best life now. Because Where's Jesus going? He's going to the cross, and what's going to happen to his disciples? They're all going to be martyred except John. But Jesus, He gives all of himself that they might have everything.
Jesus owes us nothing but he gives everything to us. And when we have Jesus we have many times more. Jesus is the pearl of great price he is worth more than much find gold. What does it profit a man to gain the entire world but yet lose his soul? We will get eternal life.
I just want to end with another account that's very similar, but has a different ending. Similar question. If you remember Paul, Paul's in jail, and x, and there's a great earthquake, and the prisoners are being released. And the the jailer, he calls for the lights and he rushes in and he's trembling, and he falls down before Paul and Silas. When they brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? What must I do to have eternal life? What must I do? And you know what, how Paul answers he answers different than how Jesus answers. He says, Believe, and the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved you in your household. And they spoke the word of the Lord to Him, and to all who are in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once he and all his family, then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. You see the difference? Same question as they asked, What must I do to be saved? But Jesus gives the law because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. This man is humble. And he says, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. And what what my goal for us this morning is I don't want you to leave here sad. Because you have rejected Christ. But you can leave here today with joy just as the Philippian jailer because you're holding fast to Jesus Christ, you're willing to let goods and kindred go, even this mortal life, also, because you're holding fast that Jesus Christ who is your all, in all, he is everything and he has given everything that you might have everything that you might have eternal life. So leave this day rusting in Christ, holding fast to him alone, and really leave with joy and run a much rejoicing. Because you have Christ and you have eternal life. Put your faith in him.
Let's pray. Father, we thank You for this text for giving us your word. Father, we do pray that you will help us to hold the things of this world very loosely. And remember we are but stewards of the things you've given to us. You are the giver of all things good. Lord, I pray that you will help us to hold tightly to Jesus Christ. The desire Christ above all things, to be willing to let everything go knowing that Christ is worth it. That he is the fulfillment of our hearts desires. He is what we need. He is what we long for he is what we want. Lord, help us to leave this day with joy, rejoicing, not in sadness, because we have Christ. It's in his name we pray, Amen.