God's Boy — E.A. Johnston

The Rich Young Ruler and the Danger of Self-Directed Religion

My message today friends can be found in Mark's gospel in chapter 10. You can turn in your Bibles there now. Will be in verses 17 through 22 as my message today. It's a familiar one. It's about the rich young ruler.

But you don't have to be rich or a ruler to miss heaven like he did. All you have to do to miss heaven is to keep going your own way like this young man eventually did. Vance Havner said something profound about our passage today.

Goodness Without Regeneration

He said the rich young ruler was a good boy. But he wasn't God's boy. I like that remark because it sums up the difference between a sincere convert and a false professor. There are many good boys in our churches today, but I wonder how many are God's boy.

Through a regenerate heart. Well, I'm gonna first read us this striking passage of scripture friends, and I'm gonna give you an easy outline That you can feel free to use if you want to. Here now is the Word of God and I made the Spirit of the Lord attend the reading of his Holy Word and When he was gone forth into the way there came one running.

The Young Man Asks What He Must Do

Let me pause here friends to say this rich young man Couldn't wait to get to Jesus show him some respect and ask him a Important question that had been on his mind. Our text continues and kneeled to him and asked him good master.

What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? Let me pause here friends to give us our first point of my outline. The young man asked Jesus number one. What shall I do? Well, let's return to our text and Jesus said unto him.

No One Is Good Enough for Heaven

Oh, why callest thou me good? There's none good, but one that is God. Here Jesus nips it in the bud right away in regard to somebody thinking they can be good enough to get to heaven. He says there's none good.

But God you better jot that down friend. Let it sink in that good works will not get you to heaven. Because good people don't go to heaven only forgiven people get to go there. Then Jesus goes on to list the commandments of God.

The Rich Young Ruler’s Religious Record

Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery. Do not kill but do not steal. Do not bear false witness defraud not Honor the father and mother. And he answered and said unto him Master all these have I observed from my youth.

He informs Jesus that he's a religious man. He's got a good opinion of himself and he's even got a track record to back it up. And that's my second point my outline. Number two these things have I done?

Christ’s Love for Sinners

And I noticed friend something very significant here in our text. Some folks claim God doesn't love sinners. Point to the verse in Psalms that says God is angry with the wicked every day and that's true.

But do you know why he's angry with them? Because he loves them. So Jesus is a friend to sinners. God loves the sinner. We can see that truth here plain as day in our text then Jesus Beholding him loved him and said unto him.

The One Thing That Must Be Surrendered

One thing thou lackest Go that way sell whatsoever thou hast and Give to the poor and thou shall have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me. Jesus states some very significant things here to this young man.

He gives him a gospel invitation to take up the cross and follow him and Jesus tells this man Very plainly what he needs to do and that brings us to our third point my outline number three. One thing you still need to do.

What does he tell him? He says go and sell what you have and they give it to the poor then you can come and follow me. Those material possessions won't be in the way or weigh you down anymore. You'll be free to come join up with my company and follow me.

Just one thing that stands in the way to eternal life. Jesus tells him what it is. This in this young man's case. And do you know what friend if God's gonna save you? He'll deal with you in the same way and on the same terms.

Repentance at the Point of Rebellion

Because God will cross you at your will at your point of rebellion. Your point of rebellion toward God may not be your money. But nevertheless There is one thing in your life. You still need to do before you can come savingly to Christ.

You must surrender that point of rebellion in your sinful heart. That's why some of you aren't converted. You're just good church boys. But you're not God's boy. You've been bucking God in a area of your life that you won't let him have.

You're willing to do everything else like the rich young ruler obeyed those commandments. But he still was holding something back from God. Something he refused to give God and it stood in the way of his salvation.

The One Thing He Refused to Do

And that bring us to my last point my outline number four. But that's the one thing I won't do. Look at verse 22 friends and he was sad at that saying and Went away grieve for he had great possessions.

He went away sad and he turned his back on God and went his own way. Jesus put his finger on the sore spot in his life and it grieved him. Jesus answers the young man's first request when he said what thing shall I do?

To inherit eternal life. Jesus went over the commandments of God and the young man said these things have a done. Jesus said there's still one thing that you need to do. And the young man replied That's the one thing I won't do.

False Assurance Through Outward Religion

We better stop telling folks they get saved when they join our church. We better quit giving folks false assurance just because they responded to our emotional appeal and did what we asked them to do by walking an aisle or Repeating a prayer.

Our brand of Christianity would have welcomed The rich young ruler and we would have gladly made him the chairman of the deacons. We'll take folks like that in our churches today. We'll put them to work.

We'll take their money. Our churches are loaded with baptized good boys. But I wonder are they God's boy? Are they still? Unconverted sinners. Who have merely joined the church and obeyed a few of our rules.

Saving Faith and Repentance

If you get saved friend. It's because God has done two things with you. Number one God gave you saving faith. Number two. He crossed you at your will at your point of rebellion. That's called repentance and faith.

The Final Warning from the Rich Young Ruler

And I will leave you with my little outline friends. Sadly though most folks respond to God the same way today. The young man asked what things shall I do? Jesus replied obey God's commands. The young man said these things have I done.

Jesus said there is one thing you still need to do. The young man said that's the one thing I won't do. Goodbye to you.