Verse 18 Matthew 19:20 describes this leader as a young man. (Mark 10 and Matthew 19 both record this story.) Very few leaders respected Jesus, but this one did. He’s concerned about eternity and is willing to comply with whatever it takes. He’s not like the atheists who don’t believe there’s anything after this. And he’s not like the careless world bogged down by their petty distractions.
The only way into eternity is to make Jesus Teacher in our lives.
We must believe in him to have a divine mission and any divine goodness.
Verse 19 This rich young ruler addresses Jesus as Good Teacher and Jesus stops the man right there. He needs this man to understand what it means to be “good.” Only God is good. And the only way Jesus can be good is if he is, in fact, God’s Son. In effect, Jesus is saying, so if I’m understanding this right, you believe I am one with the Father.
The Bylaws of Eternity
Verses 20-23 The Ten Commandments are a good place to start when we’re considering entry into eternity. Jesus did not come to change the way to heaven. He came to establish them and make them plain. We still have an obligation to the law. No amount of devotion to God will excuse us from neglecting these laws. We should learn and practice them, not only in our actions and words but also in our thoughts and spirit.
If we really love Jesus, we will follow him, listen to his teaching, and submit ourselves to being disciplined by them, no matter the cost.
We cannot inherit eternal life if we are not following Jesus wherever he goes.
Notice these commandments have to do with our relationship with others. The rich young ruler assures Jesus he has kept these since childhood. He doesn’t think he’s done any evil in his life (much like the Pharisees). He boasts that not one time did he fall away.
If we love our neighbors (this is anyone around us), we will freely distribute to the poor when the opportunity is there.
God dispenses his blessings to the poor from the “wealthy”.
We won’t even try to sell what we have if there is a way it will bring relief to someone in need. If we really think heaven is where our treasure is, we will desire obedience to the law that promises eternal riches. In heaven, God will sufficiently and abundantly reward all that we leave or lose for him.
If he would have been following Jesus and learned the spiritual application of those laws, he would have recognized the corruptions and convictions in his own heart.
This man was self-deceived. Rather than challenge the claim of perfect righteousness, Jesus tells him to sell everything and then give it to the poor, for the treasure that awaits him in heaven. This is what loving our neighbor looks like.
The man becomes extremely sad because he was very rich. Materialism and greed consume his heart. His love for his wealth supersedes his love for people. His demeanor says, ‘I’m sorry I asked.’
The Danger With Loving Money
Verses 24-27 Money can hinder many on their way to heaven. This story is a warning to his disciples about the danger of wealth. It is incredibly hard for the rich to enter heaven. Their love shifts from people to things.
If this ruler had very little, he would have left it behind to follow Jesus. Instead, he let his earthly estate influence his eternity. He preferred to leave Jesus than give his stuff away to charity. It is so difficult for rich people to get into heaven.
It would be easier to squeeze a massive camel through the small hole, the eye, on a needle than for a rich man to enter eternity. Extremely difficult to impossible! The rich think they are self-sufficient and that their wealth is all they need to be acceptable before God.
It’s easy to dismiss ourselves from being the rich young ruler in this story. But the evil behind wealth is that it believes it never has enough. It’s never “rich” enough. In all hearts, there is this general affection for the things of this world. Those with ‘little’ can also allow the affection of it to take precedence over Jesus.
Jesus asks us to loosen the purse strings that bind us here on earth.
Can we let go of it all? Look at the dialogue in your heart when an opportunity presents itself and how freely you actually give.
Shocked at this story, the disciples want to know who God saves. What Jesus said did not seem hard or unreasonable to them. Remember, they already left everything to follow Jesus and the expectation of true riches in heaven. But they’ve witnessed how closely people cleave to the things of this world, so this is an honest inquiry about others.
How can they let go of this world? Jesus says only by the grace of God that exceeds all that is powerful, wise, and possible. We cannot work this kind of change in our hearts and spirits to turn from the world to God. It’s impossible. But when we pray, the grace of God empowers us and can straighten out the bends in our souls.
Jesus’ spirit can powerfully alter our desires to his will.
The rich and the poor receive salvation only from God’s grace. That’s the currency that opens the gates to heaven. God can work in the hearts and minds of the wealthy to humble them so they can look to him, rather than their riches, as their source of joy, freedom, and eternal life.
Unwilling to sacrifice his wealth for the kingdom of God, this rich young ruler missed out.
Verses 28-30 There is an aptness in us to look at all we’ve left and lost, or how we’ve suffered for Jesus and suggest we’ve done what he is asking us to do. Peter is no different. He boasts of what he and the other disciples have already done to follow Jesus. Peter wants to know what would happen to those who respond in faith and leave everything to follow Jesus as the disciples had.
Can we ever do enough to earn eternity?
One commentator says we should be ashamed of the desire to elevate our doing and boast of the difficulties we’ve endured for Jesus. We should acknowledge that it’s not even worth taking notice of compared to what Jesus gives us.
Jesus promises He will reward the commitment that follows him. Whatever we’ve lost, God will abundantly make up to us. Jesus will not forget our sacrifices. He will repay it all. When we need it, He will supply the grace and comfort of His spirit, the pleasure of communion with Him, and it will counter the losses.
Whenever I do something nice for someone and it goes unnoticed, I get a visual of myself dancing in heaven as I internally sing, “I’m storing up my treasures. I’m storing up my treasures.” It’s silly, but it’s honest. It reminds me I don’t need to be recognized here on earth. My God is getting the glory for that good thing and he will remember it when I see him in heaven.
Whatever pinch comes from giving, God will pour out in gains later as we receive life everlasting in the world to come. Hope to see you in eternity!!
Prayer
Jesus, you’re the one I seek to honor. You are my reward. I’m thirsty for you in a dry land with no drink. Nothing satisfies like you, Jesus. No amount of money. Help me let go of the desire to gain more and grow in me a heart that desires to give more. All that I have is yours, Jesus. I let go of the attachment to stuff and to the things that produce more money to get more stuff. I let go of the desire to experience more if I only had more money in my pocket. Jesus, I could gain the world, but it is not next to you.
Take over these desires, Jesus, and help me adopt your perspective. Help me look for opportunities to give more. To be a funnel of your good things to others. I want to dispense your blessings to those in need of relief, Jesus. Alter my thinking, Holy Spirit. Radically change my spirit to line up with your will, Jesus. May your grace empower me to give beyond my ability, to let go of the desires in this world and cleave to your commandments, Jesus. Comfort the pinch with the presence of your Spirit, Jesus. You are my sufficiency and counter the losses. I find my abundance in you. Help me bless others so that they may see you, know you, and receive eternal blessings! In Jesus’ name. Amen.