The Deeper Jesus – Part 2
January 18, 2004
Dear Friends,
Imagine being one of the followers of Jesus when the young man came up and asked Jesus “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18) After mildly rebuking the man for calling him good, Jesus tells the young man to follow the commandments and lists a few. The man’s apparently true reply is “All these have I kept from my youth up.”
So here we have a man asking what seems to be a very good question. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Second, we have a man that has apparently lived a moral life to the point he can say he has kept the commandments from his youth until now. So far, so good. Next the young man gets specific. He asks Jesus “what lack I yet?” (Matt. 19:20) How does Jesus respond to this inquiry? Jesus tells that man “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.”
This reply is beyond the comprehension of the disciples. This man had to sell EVERYTHING and give it to the poor? Jesus adds to their amazement when he says “In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt. 19:23,24 New Jerusalem Bible) The shocked disciples, not the rich man, ask the follow up question. “Who then can be saved?” In other words, what the disciples want to know is, if this is what is required — selling everything you have, giving it to the poor and following Jesus — who can be saved? How many are going to be willing to do that? This is an incredible thing to ask of someone.
What do we make of this? Is this what is required to attain eternal life – selling everything and giving it to the poor? How many people do you know that have done this? I am guessing not many.
Now before we get all upset, let me suggest a comforting answer and then a not so comforting answer to the personal dilemma that we are presented with in this account. The comforting answer is that I think the original question posed by the rich young ruler was faulty and hence he received an answer in keeping with his question. The young ruler wanted to know what he must DO in order to attain eternal life. In short, it seems the young man had a legalistic perception of attaining the Kingdom. If he does such and such, he is worthy of a place in the Kingdom. To this incorrect question, Jesus gives the correct answer. If you are going to be saved by your works, then you must have perfect works. If it is salvation by works you desire, then God demands that you have to sell everything you have and give it to the poor and follow Jesus. Since we are not saved by works, such drastic measures aren’t required……or are they?
Now, as we all sigh our collective sighs of relief that Jesus is not asking us to sell everything and give it to the poor, let’s move on to what Jesus says next. “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.” (Matt. 19:29 NASB) Yikes! Houses? Parents? Siblings? Children?!?! Talk about difficult sayings.
We’ll talk more about this next week, but think about this. Is it possible that maybe — just maybe — there is more practical application for us in the account of the rich young ruler than we think? Is it possible that Jesus is telling you and I that lukewarm Christianity isn’t the ticket? The prospect of the words of Christ were amazing and probably a little scary for the first century disciples. Do they elicit the same response in us?
Have a great week!
