2023.07.16 You Lack One Thing

You Lack One Thing

Psalm 119:33-37 • Luke 18:18-23

Luke 18:18–23 NASB 2020

18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments, ‘do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept since my youth.” 22 Now when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.

This morning we have another event that is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels.

And since I’ve used that term a lot lately, I thought it may be helpful if I explain it. The word “synoptic” means ‘forming a general summary’. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are very similar in structure, content, and wording, so sometime in the late 1700s, we started using the term “Synoptic Gospels” for them. John’s gospel differs in several structural and even content ways. John's wording is also dramatically different than the other authors, so his gospel sort of stands apart from the others.

So the story of the “rich young ruler” is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels. Before we dive in, a bit about that title.

The term “rich” is used because verse 23 explicitly says he was very wealthy. Luke is the only one who uses the term for wealth or riches here. Matthew and Mark both say the man has a lot of property. The result is the same, but it’s interesting to see the different word choices. Might I suggest that on the world stage, every one of us ‘has a lot of possessions’, so this could easily be any one of us.

We get “ruler” from verse 18. The term Luke uses is a very generic word for an official leader of some sort. It’s highly unlikely that a Roman official would approach Jesus in this manner, so this is likely a low-level leader in a local synagogue. But Mark and Matthew don’t record his position at all. He’s just “a man” in their gospels. Might I suggest, given that 2 of the 3 authors make this person ‘any man’, this could easily be any one of us.

The term “young” is equally questionable. In verse 21, Luke says, “And he said...” Mark uses the same generic pronoun. Matthew, here, identifies him as a young man. While most other people would not consider most of us “young”, might I suggest, given that 2 of the 3 authors use the general pronoun here, this could easily be any one of us.

Today, I’ll provide some information as we move along, but I really want this to have the feel of a conversation more than a monologue … more of a discussion than a presentation.

What do you learn about GOD?

What do you learn about GOD from this story?

Does Jesus yell at the guy for bothering him? No. What does that say about God? [non-rhetorical]

Look at verse 19 - What does Jesus tell the man first? [non-rhetorical] (no one good but God...)

We don’t inherently understand what Jesus is saying here but he is not denying his own goodness. In fact, in a sense he is CLAIMING to be God. Notice that Jesus never says he is not good! He makes what sounds to us like a veiled statement. Well, this is a very Jewish response. According to Wesleyan Bible Commentary, “...in no recorded instance was a Jewish Rabbi addressed as ‘Good Master” [or ‘Good Teacher’].’” [Edersheim]

Alfred Plummer wrote an interpretation of this response that Jesus is effectively saying, “You suppose me to be a mere man, and you ought not to call any human being good. That title I cannot accept, unless I am recognized as God. [Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Luke (London • New York: T & T Clark International, 1896, updated 1989), 422.]

Also, The Talmud records that aside from God, “There is nothing else that is good but the Law.” So Jesus indirectly claims to be God and redirects the man straight to the Law.

verse 20 - These are all from the Old Testament (or Mosaic) Law. What does that say about God? [non-rhetorical]

What does that say to us about God TODAY? [non-rhetorical]

Then the man says, “Yeah … I’ve done all that”, and we’ll come back to him in a minute ...

verse 22 - What is the one thing the man lacks? [non-rhetorical]

This statement from Jesus is nearly identical in all three Synoptic Gospels, and I don’t see any hidden meaning. I would say Jesus is not telling the man (or us) to sell everything because we shouldn’t have any possessions. I think he’s telling THIS man that HIS possessions are keeping him from the “one thing” he lacks - what is that? It’s treasure in heaven.

Look at Matthew 6

Matthew 6:19–21 NIV

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The one thing this man lacks is a heart that’s after God’s Kingdom.

As we shift to what we learn about humans, we can confirm what the man is really after. Turn back to Luke 18, and look at verse 18:

What do you learn about HUMANS?

What question does the man ask Jesus? [non-rhetorical]

What does his question tell us about his heart? What’s his heart seeking?

THE PRIZE!

He’s not seeking to serve God or God’s people. He’s asking, “What’s the minimum I have to do to make it to Heaven?”

Atlanta Pastor Andy Stanley (son of the late Charles Stanley) wrote a very small book titled, “How Good Is Good Enough?”

In high school, I was an “academic skater”. I skated by on the minimum necessary. If I wanted an A, I did the minimum for an A. If I was okay with a C, I did the minimum necessary for a C. I never wanted to do more than what was necessary to get what I wanted.

Andy Stanley challenges this approach to faith in Jesus in this small book.

He reminds us that NO ONE IS GOOD (remember Jesus saying that just a few minutes ago?).

Stanley says NO ONE is good enough to make it to Heaven … only FORGIVEN people will make it.

This young man is asking the same question - “Um … what do I need to do to skate into Heaven?”

Anybody else admit they’ve had similar motives in their faith? I will.

Then Jesus directs him to the Law, and how does he respond in verse 21?

As I ask the next couple of questions, let me remind you that I’d like this to be a conversation more than a monologue...

Is this man telling the truth? [non-rhetorical] Is he LIKELY telling the truth?

Have you "kept those things”? [non-rhetorical]

Keep in mind that Jesus teaches that the Law is more about motive than behavior:

Murder - harsh words and anger make you guilty

Adultery - looking at another with lust makes you guilty

Stealing - the desire to have makes you guilty

Honoring parents - resenting their expectations is dishonoring

So, let me ask again - Have you “kept those things”?

But Jesus doesn’t even call that out. He moves on to the “one thing” the man lacks. What did we say that was? [a heart that’s after God’s Kingdom]

a heart that’s surrendered to what God wants

a heart that desires God’s justice over self-promotion

a heart that desires Heaven itself here on earth instead of heaven as just a place to live in eternity Notice he asked about “inheriting [being given] eternal life”. He did not ask about heavenly desires or God’s will here on earth.

What do most humans desire first? [discuss]

How different would the world be if humans desired God’s heart first? …

politicians and world leaders?

people in general?

What would Methodist Temple look like … if we desired God’s heart FIRST? …if we stored us treasure in heaven instead of toiling to store up earthly treasure?

I’ll let you take this question as rhetorical, but I’m gonna pause so you can think about it a bit ...

What do YOU desire first? [long pause]

You Lack One Thing

Today, as you consider the things in your life that you consider equal to or above God’s will for your life ... TODAY … Will you re-prioritize and put God in his rightful place? … Or will you, like this young man, walk away “very sad”?