The Rich, Young Ruler

Introduction

Pastor, Chuck Lawless, was one day at his home when a little boy who lived in the neighboring house came over and asked Chuck to play outside. His parents had just bought him a whiffle ball and bat.

So Chuck went outside and began to plan with the little boy. He threw the first pitch - strike one. He threw the second pitch - strike two! He threw the third pitch - strike three!

At this point, the kid got pretty upset, and he got especially upset at Chuck who was throwing the ball. He said, “Mr. Chuck, you’re doing it wrong.”

Chuck replied, “How am I doing it wrong?”

The little boy replied, “You’re supposed to be throwing the ball where I swing the bat.”

We do that too, don’t we. Instead of adjusting ourselves to what

Read Luke 18:18-30

Luke 18:18–30 ESV

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And 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 bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Explanation

Luke 18:18-19 // What does “good” mean?

From the other gospel accounts (Matthew and Mark), we see some of the other characteristics of this man. He is a rich, young ruler. His life embodies everything that our culture wants - money, youth, and power/fame.

However, he is coming to Jesus. This means that although he has everything else that the world offers, he still knows that something is missing

He has the most sought after qualities in a successful life, yet he is hungry for something else and wants to secure eternal life.

So, he comes to Jesus, which is good. And he asked Jesus about eternal life, which is good. But there are two problematic things with what he says.

Firstly, “Good Teacher” or “Good Rabbi”

At first glance this seems innocent enough, but this term would not have been used to refer to a rabbi. In fact, this term is not seen once in all of Jewish literature including Scripture and all Rabbinical commentary on the Old Testament.

The reason - no one is good, righteous but God alone.

Secondly, “what must I do.”

This leader reveals his heart, “I make things happen.”

I am a ruler. I tell people what to do.

I am young. I am accomplished at a young age - that is even more of an accomplishment in Jewish culture because of how elder centric decision making processes were in Israel.

I am rich. Give me some directions on alms or donations.

And Jesus corrects him somewhat sternly. “Why do you call me ‘good’? No one is good except one - God?”

If you are calling me only a teacher, then you know that I am not good. Only God is good.

Now, Jesus is not saying, “I am not God.” He is saying, “If I am simply a teacher as you say, then I am not good.”

David Garland // Jesus makes clear that one may not use the word, “good,” casually.

Luke 18:20-21 // Jesus questions the rich, young rulers righteousness.

Jesus then asks him, “Have you kept the commandments?”

It is interesting that Jesus does not give him all of the 10 commandments. And the commandments that he does give do not pertain to his relationship with God but his relationship with man. This is intentional.

You might think that Jesus would ask him about loving the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength, but he doesn’t.

Jesus is asking him about somewhat measurable, observable traits regarding his neighbor.

Let’s not forget that Jesus never asks a question that he doesn’t already know the answer to, and Jesus is a surgeon of our heart.

The man responds with the answer, “I have kept these from my youth.”

Now, at this point, we all know that something is off, and one of two things is true.

This man is either a liar - not wanting to reveal to Jesus his sinfulness.

OR, this man is delusional - not knowing that he has sinned.

Both are plausible.

Luke 18:22-23 // Jesus reveals this man’s barrier to the Kingdom.

Jesus gives this man something very hard to do. In fact, you may initially have read it and thought, “How unfair!?” However, the Mark text that parallels this one gives us a little more context. I think its one of the most beautiful sentences in the Bible, “But Jesus looked at him, and He loved him, and said.

When we read something hard in the Scriptures, remember that the Lord looks at us no differently.

He looks at us, and he loves us, thus he gives us His word, even the hard words.

Jesus then tells this man that one thing is missing. At this, I am sure the man’s ears perked up! Wow, this is going to be easier than I thought.

“Go and sell all that you have and give to the poor.”

And this was the one thing that the young man could not do.

So often, pastors mispreach this passage in realizing only one application. Jesus reveals several things to this young man’s heart - three to be exact. (1) He exposes this man’s heart. (2) He reveals to this man his dangerous love of money - a barrier to following Him. (3) He invites the man to follow Him.

He exposes this young man’s heart.

He exposes this man’s lack of love for His neighbor.

He shows the man that he isn’t as righteous as he thinks he is.

Here is where the earlier question about the commandments comes back to play. Jesus has given this man a tangible opportunity to love his neighbor the way he says he has.

And the man refuses.

If you want to live by “good,” and our standard is the law, you have failed.

He reveals the dangerous love for money.

He shows how riches can keep us from the Kingdom as they are placed before it.

Wealth is seen by us as an advantage. The Bible would say that it is a great disadvantage.

Wealth is a handicap, because of what it can do to your soul.

1 Timothy 6:17 “17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

You may say, “Not my problem.” But the vast majority of Americans are living among the world’s wealthy. You are called to steward soberly what God has given you.

He invites the young man to follow Him.

He exposes that the young man does not really want to follow Him. But the invitation is there. This wasn’t a disingenuous invitation.

Jesus teaches unwaveringly in this text, “The cost of following me is everything.” He won’t apologize for that.

He went away sad. (Mark)

There will be many who will walk away sad from Jesus, because of what he asks of them.

Tolkien paints the picture well in The Lord of the Rings, “Golem stroking the ring and saying, “My Precious,” while being consumed with it in the fire.

Invitation

There is not a single disciple, outside of Judas, who gave up something for Jesus and regrets it today. Further in the passage tells us so.

But there are many who saw what Jesus asked them to give Him, and walked away from Him.