Poor..Rich..Ruler

Luke 18. . .

"And a certain ruler

asked him, saying,

Good Master,

what shall I do

to inherit

eternal life?"

 v.18

Introduction. . .

The Lord Jesus Christ encounters a man of prominence ... a wealthy ruler ... who seems to have everything any man could want ... money ... and powerful position in the world. . .

. . . BUT . . . lately has become concerned about his eternal life. 

Here is a successful man ... one who usually knows how to get what he wants ... and has discerned that Jesus possesses the authority ... and credibility... to provide the valuable information he needs ... which is evidenced by his addressing Him as "Good Master."

So what does he need to do to acquire life beyond the grave?

Is there a cost? ... If so ... how much will eternal life cost him?

Is there some good deed ... works ... rituals he must do?

If the average soul-winning Christian came across such a likely candidate today ... what would he tell him?

Would he say, "Hey ... glad you asked ... Happy to tell you ... No worries my friend ... It's an absolutely free gift ... all you have to do is be sorry for your sins ... and say the prayer!"

BUT. . .is this the response Jesus gave the man?

Eternal life is definitely a free gift and there is nothing we can do to earn it ... but we will discover... by taking a closer look at the following passages ... and Jesus' reply ... that there is way more involved ... in receiving the free gift ... than we might think.

Luke 18:

v.19

"And Jesus said

unto him,

Why callest thou

me good?

none is good,

save one,

that is, God."

Jesus questions the man.  

How does he know Jesus is "good"

... and not like any other man? ... Only God is good ... Is the man ready to acknowledge the preeminence of Christ ... or just being presumptuous?

Jesus is going to show this very self-sufficient man ... that he needs to consider his question from a completely different perspective ... if he hopes to inherit eternal life ... so begins by providing information ... with which the man is already familiar ... recalling the Commandments of God.

20

Thou knowest the

commandments,

Do not

commit adultery,

Do not

kill,

Do not

steal,

Do not

bear false witness,

Honour

thy father

and

thy mother.

21

And he said,

All these

have I kept from

my youth up.

The man has come to believe that he is a good person ... because ... by all outward appearances ... it seems he has carefully followed the commandments.

But Jesus wants to take this thought beyond the outward appearances of the commandments ... to realize that eternal life ... is not merely obedience to rules ... or performance of good works ... which no human being can perfectly accomplish anyway.

He must confront the man with "thee" ... preeminent ... foundational issue ... when desiring eternal life ... which is first ... and foremost ... the condition of the man's heart.♡

22

Now when Jesus

heard these things,

he said unto him,

Yet lackest thou

one thing:

sell all

that thou hast,

and distribute

unto the poor,

and

thou shalt have

treasure in heaven:

and

come,

follow me.

The man lacks only one thing ... Only one thing is standing in the way of this man inheriting eternal life.

That one thing is the man's tight grip on the things of this world.

While Jesus tells the man to liquidate all of his assets and distribute to the poor ... giving to the poor is not the main priority.

The main focus Jesus wants to establish is the man's need to let go of the things of this world ... so he can invest in his eternal future ... "lay up treasure in heaven"... where the man says he wants to spend eternity.

This is not about living a life of poverty ... as a requirement for securing eternal life

... BUT about ... whether the man's heart is really focused on a heavenly goal ... or  whether he is clinging so tightly to the world and the things of this world ... that it becomes impossible to realize ... in his heart ... the preeminent value of eternal life?

While a Christian might have to be willing to let go of all early possessions as a result of persecution or various other reasons ... on the other hand ... earthly possessions usually play an ... important ... necessary part ... in being able to minister to others and spread the Gospel.

The important thing Jesus is showing us is that ... securing eternal life requires a choice we must make ... in our heart ... between loving the world and the things of the world ... or ... being willing to make our eternal life preeminent.

At another time ... recorded in Matthew 6:24 ... Jesus emphasized this very point again ... when He said:

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

"Mammon"

[G3126]

= treasure..riches

(where it is personified ... holding more importance than God)

[Lexicon..verse context]

= putting one's trust and confidence in

23

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

When the wealthy man heard the requirements ... he was "very sorrowful"... but apparently ... not sorrowful enough ... at the thought of not qualifying for eternal life.

Apparently his temporary life in this world was worth more to Him ... than giving up all of the forever riches and eternal benefits that could have been his.

At first it seems like such an obvious choice.

How can anyone even try to put a price on eternal life and all God is offering?

It definitely is a heart issue.   Whatever is going on in this man's heart has the power to make him deny the true value of the two options he has ... so what he wants at the moment ... becomes more important ... than what is ultimately ... eternally ... the best choice for him.

24

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

25

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Riches that have the power to finance the countless pleasures of this world ... are a great stumbling block to entering the kingdom of God ... when the flesh cries out to be gratified. 

26

And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

27

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Therefore ... it is impossible without the intervention and power of the Holy Spirit of God to assist in the conversion ... born again experience.

Jesus' response to the rich ruler's inquiry regarding how to secure eternal life is unique in today's world of "easy believe-ism."

While the Gospel message of salvation is so simple ... even a child can understand it ... at the same time ... it is not honest to invite a person to enter into an eternal contract with Almighty God without first being informed ... that persecution ... self-denial ... and spiritual warfare ... are all tightly woven into the complete salvation experience. 

Securing eternal life ... requires trust ... confidence in the preeminent position of God ... and power of the Holy Spirit ... to provide the faith via the Word of God to be faithful to God in this eternal relationship with God ... which will require an exchange of love-focus ... away from the world ... to becoming completely submitted to Jesus Christ and the Word of God.

* * * * *

1 John 2:15-17. . .

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

* * * * *

(Luke 18 continued)

28

Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

29

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,

30

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

The eternal lesson found in this encounter is:

"Entering the kingdom of God is simple ... but not easy ... in fact ... "impossible" ... but (with God's help) miraculously possible.

*********

To enter the kingdom of God ... scroll to the top of this page and click on the gift wrapped in gold in the left column . . .

. . .Then follow the directions with all your heart engaged.

               ♡♡♡