The Dark Tale of a Wealthy Israelite Matthew 19:16-26

God Made the Nations and Ordered Human History

We live in a world that has many countries. God made it this way. Acts 17 26 says God made from one man every nation of mankind. To live on all the face of the earth. Having determined the allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place in the year 2022 there are 195 national boundaries in other words 195 nations on planet earth.

The poorest nation in the world is a country in Africa known as Burundi. Now when we ask the question who are the richest and poorest countries in the world there are different ways to measure this. For the longest time and this is still true when you put all the metrics together.

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world. The US still has the largest economy is Second in most money only behind China who by the way have four times as many people. Then when you look at income levels of individuals looking at the wealthy and the poor the United States comes in eighth.

Luxembourg has the largest number of wealthy people in the least number of poor. But when you put all these together we the citizens of the United States out of 195 nations are the wealthiest nation in the world.

We see this wealth around us. I Grew up in Mound, Minnesota on the west side of Lake, Minnetonka. Growing up. My family was a typical middle-class family who grew up in a modest home. But we were not far from the lake.

You might not know this as residents of this area, but that area is it's arguably one of the wealthiest areas in all of the Midwest. That's where professional athletes live. That's where CEOs live. You have rich communities like Wayzata Excelsior Minnetonka Beach and where I grew up Mounds now.

Mound was called the armpits of Lake, Minnetonka. And and so we think we're not that wealthy. But we were surrounded By the wealthiest towns of the whole state of Minnesota. Wayzata is the wealthiest town in Minnesota.

Excelsior is third and other towns around us right behind and the town I grew up in which was the armpit of Lake, Minnetonka. Was the 10th wealthiest in Minnesota? But it didn't feel that way because we were surrounded by people who were much wealthier than we were.

If you think about it, it's this way living in America. We don't think we're rich because we can always find someone richer than us. You often hear people say who have lots of money and lots of possessions.

We're not rich. But try telling that to someone who lives in a third world country. Who lives on only a few dollars a day. Largely in this room. We are middle-class Americans who live like kings and queens.

Most people from old history would be would envy the things that we have. We have nice homes. We have land multiple vehicles and money in the bank. Now I want to be clear. Having these things is not sinful.

In fact, it is a blessing if we see what we own in the right way. If our eyes are fixed on heaven and we enjoy what we have with gratitude to God and use these resources for good. While having a loose grip on them knowing they are only temporary.

Then you're not in danger. Be grateful for God's gifts and use them for God's purposes not for selfish reasons. But the person who sees their wealth as security and finds their highest Satisfaction in that.

This is where trouble comes. Many many people have fallen prey to trusting in their earthly possessions rather than trusting in God for true security. The more you have the more temptation there is to find your security in your possessions.

The Rich Young Man and the Question of Eternal Life

This morning as we continue our sermon series through Matthew Jesus gives a big warning. To those who have wealth and in a room full of largely middle-class Americans Jesus is talking to you and he's talking to me.

Since we are wealthier than we realize so at this time I encourage you to turn in a Bible with me to Matthew chapter 19. We're looking at verses 16 through 26 and in a red Bible. Right next to the new hymnal.

It's on page 9 1880 and this sermon is titled the dark tale of a wealthy Israelite. And I'm going to begin by reading the text Matthew chapter 19 verses 16 through 26. And behold a man came up to him to Jesus that is saying teacher.

What good deed must I do to have eternal life and he said to him? Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good if you would enter life keep the commandments. He said to him which ones.

And Jesus said you shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him all these I have kept what do I still lack?

Jesus said to him if you would be perfect go sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and Come and follow me. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples truly I say to you only with difficulty will the rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Then for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished saying who then can be saved. But Jesus looked at them and said with man. This is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Okay, let's stop right there.

Here's our big idea. What this sermon is calling you to do. Resist the temptation to think in worldly ways concerning salvation. Resist the temptation to think in worldly ways concerning salvation and we will see three warnings why in this text.

But before we jump in let me give you a little recap where we were one Sunday ago we looked at the story where parents were continually bringing their children to Jesus and. The disciples tried to stop the children from coming to him, but Jesus did something that was so uncommon.

He was the most popular man at this time and many were already saying that he was the Messiah and yet these little children He was glad to have in his presence. What Jesus said is let the children come to me and do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.

While it is true that children are sinners there are things about children that Jesus considers virtuous. Children are humble. They know they need help. They know they can't rely on themselves young children rely on their parents for just about.

Everything.

This is how Christians are supposed to be. To even enter heaven we need to realize that Christ does 100 for us through his death and resurrection. Once you are saved your dependence on God does not end you still need Christ's help every single day.

To strengthen you to live the life of faith in this way the most mature believers are like children. With this constant dependence upon God. Now this leads us to our text that we've already read this word.

But now we will zero in on and I'm gonna begin by zeroing in on verse 16 and the second half of verse 17. Once again a man comes up to him saying teacher What good deed must I do to have eternal life and he said to him?

Why do you ask me? What is good? This is interesting. As we read in verse 16 a man approaches Jesus. This was very common when Jesus was in public people came to him. People could not deny that there was something special about him.

And so people come to him for help and they also come to him with questions. And we have seen the gotcha questions from the Pharisees as They were trying to test him as they were trying to get the people to leave Jesus and follow them instead.

But what we see here from this man is not a gotcha question. It's an innocent question. He asks him teacher. What good deed must I do to have eternal life in? Verse 16 he addresses him as teacher. Jesus had been teaching in public Throughout his ministry and now as we get closer to the end of his ministry.

He is known by just about everyone as this influential teacher. And when a person is this influential? People just come and start asking questions because this person has answers. Now at this point we do not know much about the man.

We'll find that out soon but here what we know is that a man approaches Jesus with an honest question and The question he asks is a very important one. He asks what good deed Must I do to have eternal life.

In other words? What do I need to do to go to heaven when this life is over? He wants to live forever. All of us if we're honest want to live forever. Anybody you talk to wants to live forever. But as humans who live in a fallen world we are longing for a better world a perfect world.

Nobody at the end of the day wants to live in a cursed world forever. There's too much pain too much sorrow too much chaos. But a perfect world that's a world where people have the desire to live forever.

People don't want to cease to exist people want to be alive and this man who approaches Jesus has this God-given desire. King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 311 Wrote that God has put eternity into man's heart.

Everyone has a sense of the afterlife. Everyone has this longing to live fully happy forever in a perfect place. Everybody does because you're God's image bearer. God made you to be that way. So this man's question is the question that our world has how do I inherit eternal life?

What he specifically thinks is that he needs to do something to inherit eternal life. The general thought he has is if I do good things. That I'll have eternal life. If I do bad things that I will suffer forever.

He wants to be one of the ones Who lives forever in eternal bliss? Now Jesus response to the man is a surprising one. He often responds differently than we would expect. But his response as the God man as the one who is all wise and always says the right things.

His response is right on the money. Let's read this in verses 17 through 19, and he said to him. Why do you ask me? What is good? There's only one who is good if you would enter life keep the commandments, and he said to him which ones.

And Jesus said you shall not murder. You should not commit adultery. You shall not steal you shall not bear false witness honor your father and mother and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Now.

That's an interesting response not the one we would have expected. Let's first focus on verse 17. Jesus says to him. Why do you ask me? What is good? Why does Jesus say this? This man would have been used to going to Jewish teachers Asking them questions.

We know this man is Jewish because of what verse 20 says and we'll look at that in a bit as this man Approaches this influential Jewish teacher. He assumes that Jesus is good. Now as we look at this we said well of course he is.

And that isn't the proper assumption. Jesus is the God man. He is perfect. He is without sin. Scripture says that he was he's a lamb without blemish or defect. But this man does not believe that Jesus is that.

That he's the God man. He calls him teacher. He equates him with the other teachers in Israel. He sees him as a mere human. Jesus wants to make it very clear that there is only one who is good, so he tells him that in the middle of verse 17.

There is a parallel account in the Gospel of Mark in Mark 10 18 where Jesus tells the man the only one who is good.

Is.

God. No one is good except God alone. If Jesus is just a teacher in the first century Even one who is better than most he would still have something in common with every other human on earth. He would be imperfect.

What the Bible says about all humanity is that humans are sinners. Romans 3 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's what we have in common. But Jesus is not like any other man.

He is like his father he is like the Holy Spirit who are fully good without any imperfection. So when Jesus says no one is good except God alone. He is referring to himself unknowingly to the man. The only way anyone can become good is through Jesus Christ.

Jesus lived a perfect life. Died a sacrificial death on the cross for sinners and was raised gloriously from the dead. Anyone who believes in him has their sins forgiven. His righteousness becomes that person's righteousness.

This is the gospel and I just invite you if you haven't believed believe in the Lord Jesus today, and you will be saved. We have a room full of people like that and my prayers that everyone here would belong to Jesus and once you believe in Christ.

And this is your position you are given the Holy Spirit. Who enables you to obey and once you become a Christian and the Holy Spirit dwells in you. You can for the first time do good. Now you won't be completely good until you meet Christ, but you can do Good.

I say you you become good for the first first time because before you became a Christian the good acts that you did. Were not for the glory of God. They were not to please God they were done for self-glory.

Doing good things makes one feel good makes one think highly of oneself and Gets others to say look how good of a person that is. You see someone in the soup kitchen. You see someone who helps someone walk across the street.

You see someone who someone's short change at Walmart and someone helps pay. We're thinking that's a good act and it is a good act. But what's at the bottom of it. Is it done for the glory of God or is it done to say look how good I am.

The NFL.

Every year has an award known as the man of the year award and as I see them give this out. What I think is what a terrifying award to receive. The athlete who receives this will be even more tempted to think that he is a good person.

I remember when I was working as a sales representative for a running shoe company I went out to the headquarters in Seattle and The CEO told a room full of employees. We build this company on good people.

And as I sat there, I thought I Haven't met one good person here yet. The sin in this company full of secular people was incredibly obvious. The self-love the selfish lifestyle was incredibly obvious.

However, I did meet one good person as I went to these meetings. Now the only reason this man was good is because he was a Christian indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He was different. He had the fruit of the Spirit love joy peace patience kindness goodness.

Gentleness.

Self-control he had that. The only reason he was good was because God Transformed him through Christ. And even though Christians still sin They have good fruit that does show itself in the believers life.

Through the work of God people can reflect the only one who is good.

God.

Jesus makes that clear in this fallen world. Only one is good God and those whom God is transforming. Now Jesus answers the question of the man about what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. He tells him at the end of verse 17 if you would enter life.

Keep the Commandments. Then the man responds in verse 18, which ones? Then Jesus lists off five of the Ten Commandments found in the Old Testament and The last one he says you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Now the last one sums up the other Commandments. To not murder is to love your neighbor. To not commit adultery is to love your neighbor. To not steal is to love your neighbor. To not bear false witness is to love your neighbor.

And lastly Honor your father and mother is to love your neighbor as we're doing today honoring our mothers. What Jesus says is the one who does these things will inherit eternal life? This is such an interesting response by Jesus to this man's question.

Every one of us should be asking Aren't we saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone? That is the sound teaching that comes from the Reformation that that Luther fought for when he when he nailed the 95 theses and then he fought for the Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone and not our works righteousness that the Roman Catholic Church was teaching.

It's not only the Reformation teaches the biblical teaching. That's clearly what the Bible teaches. Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness. You're saved by faith alone. And what Jesus says here though?

Sounds like works righteousness. It sounds like false teaching. Because he asked him how do I go to heaven and Jesus lists off do this do this do this do this? Every false religion teaches works righteousness works righteousness.

Is that your works will earn your way to heaven. Is Jesus teaching this. No, of course not. There are two things to say about this. First off is what I already mentioned all true believers will have some good works.

To show that the Holy Spirit resides in that person in order to enter heaven. You have to have the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 114 says that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire Possession of it when you have faith alone in Jesus.

The Spirit is given and the Spirit's work in a man woman or child's life will show itself through good works. So in other words Jesus does 100 of the work to get you to heaven through his perfect life.

Sacrificial death and bodily resurrection. But when you trust in him alone for your salvation the Spirit is given and there will be fruit. In other words as A true believer you can keep the Ten Commandments.

Remember I was sitting in the car with someone who was a professing Christian and I told him I said Unbelievers can't keep the Ten Commandments. And he said oh, of course they can if they could know they can't not according to Scripture.

Not not where you glorify God and do it to please him and not for some selfish motivation. So in a sense some fruit is required some fruit is required to enter Heaven because all true believers will have true fruit.

So Jesus is saying this is not works righteousness. His statement agrees with the rest of the Bible your works are not the reason you are saved. They are the evidence That you are saved. That's such an important line your works are not the reason you're saved.

It's the evidence that you are saved if anyone is in Christ. He is a new creation. The old has gone the new has come. Now Paul says in Romans 6 4 you walk in newness of life when you're a believer. You see people who pray to prayer to believe in Jesus and if their life doesn't show it.

All who have truly believed will have some evidence of true faith. The second thing to say is this about Jesus response to the man. He knows the man he is talking to. Everybody's talking he's saying what needs to be said to the man who's talking to him.

We need to have wisdom when we're talking to people He wants to get to his heart he knows that the man standing before him thinks he's a good person and.

So.

He says to him. This is what you must do to inherit eternal life and. Now so now we're gonna see now he's gonna get to the heart of it, okay, we're gonna see that in the second point. He lists these things and then now he's gonna ask him a follow-up question.

And he's gonna get to the heart of it, but here's the first point. Resistant temptation to think in worldly ways concerning salvation. And the first warning why is by understanding that work apart. Works apart from God are filthy rags.

It works. Apart from God are filthy rags. And by the way, the phrase filthy rags comes from the book of Isaiah. That their works not done for the glory of God are considered filthy rags. So here's the second warning why we are to resist the temptation to think in worldly ways concerning salvation and that is.

Wealth, Security, and the Rich Young Ruler’s Heart

Understanding that possessions provide no real security. Possessions provide no real security. Jesus knows as I've already mentioned what his response is going to be to him asking the question. You need to keep the commandments.

So what is his. What is the man's response verse 20? Here it is. The young man said to him all these I have kept What do I still lack? What you will notice in this verse is that we learn the identity of the man.

The author Matthew tells us that this man is young. We don't know his exact age, but he's young and we'll learn more about him in a little bit. As Jesus tells him you need to keep the commandments to receive eternal life the man responds by telling him all these I have kept What do I still lack?

What this man tells him is that he has done all the commandments that Jesus listed and so for the most part he thinks he's good. But he's still wondering what else he needs to do to inherit eternal life.

So he asked Jesus at the end of verse 20. What do I still lack? This man believes in a works.

Righteousness.

System for salvation. This was common in the first century. This is what the Pharisees taught. A Works righteousness system says you must do enough good to go to heaven. It assumes you have the ability to do good works apart from God which as we saw in the first point is impossible and Then if you could indeed do good as this false system taught.

The good needed to outweigh the bad.

In other words if 60 if your life is good and 40 is bad then you're good.

You're in.

You inherit eternal life. That's wrong. This man is hoping to have more good than bad. And this is how most of the world works. You see this at funerals. In all honesty most of the funerals you go to as long as the person was not seen as a horrible person in the world's eyes.

Everyone says this person is in heaven. Right. Most people go to heaven. Hitler goes to hell. Nobody has a problem saying Hitler's in hell. Everybody has a problem saying the grandma who made cookies and brought them to the front door who never believed in Christ is in hell.

People have a problem with that. And she's. But Jesus said The path is narrow. Matthew 7 14 the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few. Most of the world thinks this false way concerning heaven and hell and so does this man who's talking to Jesus.

But Jesus responds to him in the exact right way as he always does in verse 21. Jesus said to him.

If you would be perfect.

Go sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come.

Follow.

Me.

Jesus knows what's in a man. He knows what's in the heart and what he knows. About this man is what he lives for. He knows what his idol is. What gets him out of bed in the morning? What is it that this man lives for.

Jesus tells him what he lives for. He lives for his.

Possessions.

His stuff.

His earthly treasures. He can't live without it. I Remember hearing the story of a man who? was one of the richest men in the world and the stock market wasn't going his way and He dropped down the richest chart and he jumped off him jumped off a building.

Because he couldn't live Without it. That was his identity. That's what he found a security in. That's what he found his hope in. That was his satisfaction. Satisfaction. Verse 22 tells us the response of the man.

When the young man heard this he went away.

Sorrowful.

For he had great possessions. Did you hear that? This man had no problem keeping these commandments at some level at some surface level. Not through the power of the Spirit, but at some surface level.

But there was something he wasn't going to give up and that was his wealth. Jesus tells the man to sell his possessions to give to the poor and to follow Jesus and Jesus tells him that if you do This you will have treasure in heaven.

Jesus already told us this earlier in Matthew in Matthew 6 verses 19 and 20. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven Where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal?

For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. If God is your treasure Then he will reward you in heaven, but if something on this earth is your highest treasure You will not enter heaven. That's what Jesus is saying here.

Who is your God if God is your treasure? Then he will reward you in heaven, but as something on this earth is Your highest treasure, that's where the problem comes in now. I need to qualify this. Do genuine Christians wrestle with idols.

The answer is yes.

But the key word there is wrestle.

You wrestle you hate the idols in your life.

You want them gone?

You look forward to the day when you're freed from these idols. I love the the song come thou fount and there's a line in that in that song. Oh that day when freed from sinning I shall see thy lovely face.

Clothed then and blood-washed linen. I shall sing my sovereign grace. Come now Lord no longer Terry take my ransom soul away. Send nine angels now to carry me to realms of endless days. He's saying Lord deliver me from my sin.

I Hate that I do this. I want to be free. That's a believer, but unbelievers don't care. God means nothing to the unbeliever and their idols mean everything. The thought of taking the idol way is too much to bear.

You wonder some people just seem so happy apart from God take their idol away. They won't be happy. That's what's keeping them going in a room this size. There might be people here who have never truly followed Jesus.

You've never truly turned from your idols to pursue that which is truly life. And what everyone needs to understand about Jesus is that he will not take second place in your life. We can live for lots of things.

But what Jesus says is follow me. Every gift that he gives us should be a gift and not an idol. These gifts should be enjoyed and God should be thanked. But most of the world treats God's gifts as idols.

People live for alcohol money sex fame power good food and What this man worshipped? Possessions in the Eureka area in the St. Croix Falls Valley. People can live for a nice peaceful and quiet life. Which by the way, that's a good that's a noble desire.

But it can be a dangerous desire, too. Let's have a nice house. Let's have a nice piece of land. Let's have toys on our property that we can play with. Let's have a beautiful garden and grow crops. It's not bad to have a home a nice piece of land lake property a place to grow vegetation.

These are good things. They are only bad things if you live for them your if your sense of well-being if your Satisfaction if your sense of security is tied up in them, that's where it becomes a serious problem.

One day every earthly possession you have including your family will be taken from you. And what? You will have at that point. Depends on what you do with God. If you don't have to Christ you haven't you'll have nothing at that point if you have Christ you'll still have everything.

If I preach this message in 2022 50 years from now. Most of the people in this room will not be on this earth. If you are older, you won't be here if you are middle-aged. You probably won't be and even if you're my age, I'm just a little bit under middle-aged.

There's a decent likelihood that you won't be here 50 years from now. I'll be 85. It may be that none of us will be here with the world in his present form. There's a high likelihood that Christ will return in that time and We'll be living in the millennial reign of Christ as he reigns from his throne in Jerusalem.

With the brevity of this life in mind to make sure That your stuff is not your idol. You won't have it real long. You can't take it with you, you know, I think about to that they think about these computers that we used to think.

We're so amazing. I.

Remember in school, we got these new Apple computers. And today I'm thinking you can't beg someone enough to give this away. Nobody wants it right? It's junk. I mean, I mean think of all your possessions someday.

I mean these things are gonna have no value. You can't take it with you. We have a unique perspective in this church that has been around for so long. We have pictures of old church people Members of Eureka Baptist and they are in heaven and they own nothing in this world.

Nothing In heaven right now. They would be able to tell us how fleeting this life is. But when you are healed here, it feels so permanent. But it's not James 414 says what is your life? You're a mess that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

That's your life. Do not be like the rich young ruler who at the thought of losing his great possessions felt sorrowful. When Jesus tells the believer to give to give something. The believer is able to say.

Lord.

With your help I can give it up. It's hard. It's hard to give up something but I can do it with your help. What the Christian should be thinking is everything I have is a gift to be stewarded. Well, everything you have belongs to him and one day it will be taken from you.

But if you have Christ you have everything. And what Jesus says in verse 21 is that you will have treasure in heaven that will last forever. Now as we see this young man's response this young wealthy man.

As we see is an inability to give up his wealth in order to follow Jesus. Jesus gives us a sobering warning in verses 23 and 24 Jesus says to his disciples truly I say to you. Only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven again.

I tell you. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Now when we read a passage like this We're thinking Bill Gates Mark Zuckerberg Elon Musk 100 years ago.

They would have been thinking John D Rockefeller. As we read this we should not think of the wealthiest of the wealthiest. We should be thinking of ourselves. Think of what we have. We have homes. We have indoor plumbing.