"Good Teacher.....What must I DO to inherit eternal life?"
The question was posed. Jesus already knew the answer. He already knew how this man lived his life. Jesus chose His words carefully.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother."
Jesus essentially said, "Hey man. You know all the rules. You're great at keeping them!"
I see the man replying with a slight change in his stance, right? He stands a little straighter and probably sticks out his chest a little with pride. "All these I have followed since I was a boy."
Translation: "I've been a Christian all my life. I've been to church every time the doors are open. I sing in the choir. I'm Sunday School superintendent. I always help little old ladies across the street. I tithe on a regular basis. I even give above and beyond my tithe to missionaries. You bet I know these rules!"
Then it comes. Not necessarily with a hammer or with condemnation. Remember, Jesus starts out the reply with making it clear that He is not good, it is but God alone.
“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Silence. Crickets. The man just stares back. He doesn't even blink.
And the story ends. This is from Luke's perspective in Chapter 18:18-22. In another of the Gospels, we get a description that this man was a "rich young ruler." In that same perspective, we read that "He went away sad."
Just following the rules wasn't the answer here! Right?
Jesus required ALL of him!
Remember Peter? Ha. Love this guy! I'm kind of like him. I'll jump in the water without thinking then midway, I'm over-analyzing everything and it's only Jesus that saves me. I always seem to jump into something feet first and charge like a bull. That was Peter.
Remember what he said to Jesus? "I'll give you my ears and elbows and feet and hands and armpits!"
Well...he didn't say all of that, but it's a close Rayment interpretation.
And even though Peter was willing to give verbally and stand up in front of the whole group of disciples and declare that, he still ended up denying Christ. He followed all the rules, then was afraid to go ALL THE WAY!
What stopped these men from going any farther?
The answer is simple. Trust.
At that exact moment in their lives, they couldn't part with what was important to them because they weren't willing to put their full trust in God.
I want to be honest with you. I have a problem in trusting God.
Yup. I sure do. And it took for my life to be where it is right now in order to finally see that.
I haven't been trusting him in any of my decisions. I didn't trust him financially, even though I have testified at how He has provided for my family ALL THE TIME. I barreled on through. I charged like a bull. I thought I knew what the right thing to DO was. But I left Jesus behind.
Did you read that?
I LEFT Jesus behind. He didn't leave me! He kept His distance so that I would learn my lesson, but HE NEVER LEFT ME. I left Him.
Because I couldn't come to fully trust in Him. I thought that I had figured out the solution. I thought I was wiser than He and I walked away.
Jesus is standing before you this morning. He's standing before me. He needs our undivided attention.
This means we need to turn off the television, the iPhone, the podcast, the Facebook, the talk show on the radio, even the Pokemon GO app.
Picture Him as He brings His mighty hand, places it under our chin, and raises our head so that our eyes meet.
And He replies, “You still lack one thing." Trust.
Give up all that you think you have and all that you think you have to have. Give up the plans you've made. Let go of what you treasure most.
"Then come, follow me.”
The question was posed. Jesus already knew the answer. He already knew how this man lived his life. Jesus chose His words carefully.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother."
Jesus essentially said, "Hey man. You know all the rules. You're great at keeping them!"
I see the man replying with a slight change in his stance, right? He stands a little straighter and probably sticks out his chest a little with pride. "All these I have followed since I was a boy."
Translation: "I've been a Christian all my life. I've been to church every time the doors are open. I sing in the choir. I'm Sunday School superintendent. I always help little old ladies across the street. I tithe on a regular basis. I even give above and beyond my tithe to missionaries. You bet I know these rules!"
Then it comes. Not necessarily with a hammer or with condemnation. Remember, Jesus starts out the reply with making it clear that He is not good, it is but God alone.
“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Silence. Crickets. The man just stares back. He doesn't even blink.
And the story ends. This is from Luke's perspective in Chapter 18:18-22. In another of the Gospels, we get a description that this man was a "rich young ruler." In that same perspective, we read that "He went away sad."
Just following the rules wasn't the answer here! Right?
Jesus required ALL of him!
Remember Peter? Ha. Love this guy! I'm kind of like him. I'll jump in the water without thinking then midway, I'm over-analyzing everything and it's only Jesus that saves me. I always seem to jump into something feet first and charge like a bull. That was Peter.
Remember what he said to Jesus? "I'll give you my ears and elbows and feet and hands and armpits!"
Well...he didn't say all of that, but it's a close Rayment interpretation.
And even though Peter was willing to give verbally and stand up in front of the whole group of disciples and declare that, he still ended up denying Christ. He followed all the rules, then was afraid to go ALL THE WAY!
What stopped these men from going any farther?
The answer is simple. Trust.
At that exact moment in their lives, they couldn't part with what was important to them because they weren't willing to put their full trust in God.
I want to be honest with you. I have a problem in trusting God.
Yup. I sure do. And it took for my life to be where it is right now in order to finally see that.
I haven't been trusting him in any of my decisions. I didn't trust him financially, even though I have testified at how He has provided for my family ALL THE TIME. I barreled on through. I charged like a bull. I thought I knew what the right thing to DO was. But I left Jesus behind.
Did you read that?
I LEFT Jesus behind. He didn't leave me! He kept His distance so that I would learn my lesson, but HE NEVER LEFT ME. I left Him.
Because I couldn't come to fully trust in Him. I thought that I had figured out the solution. I thought I was wiser than He and I walked away.
Jesus is standing before you this morning. He's standing before me. He needs our undivided attention.
This means we need to turn off the television, the iPhone, the podcast, the Facebook, the talk show on the radio, even the Pokemon GO app.
Picture Him as He brings His mighty hand, places it under our chin, and raises our head so that our eyes meet.
And He replies, “You still lack one thing." Trust.
Give up all that you think you have and all that you think you have to have. Give up the plans you've made. Let go of what you treasure most.
"Then come, follow me.”
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