A New and Different Teaching

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have you wondered if you could have a conversation with Jesus - what would ask Him? Maybe would spend time thinking of all these different theological questions - Jesus why are things like this? Why does this certain thing happen? Or maybe you could ask Him what does the future hold for me in this world? What is my life going to look like in 10 or 15 years? Now matter what is on your “question list” for Jesus I think many of would relish the opportunity to have a direct conversation with Him. Many of us would treasure the opportunity to hear His teachings directly from His mouth and interact with Him just like His disciples did. There are many people in the Bible, in the Gospels who were drawn to Jesus as He performed miracles, as He showed compassion to the outcast and the poor, as He taught the love of God in radical and different way than the other teachers of the law. Many times in the Bible were intrigued, drawn close to Jesus to hear more about what He had to say. They could sense this authority with which He taught and many times they wanted to hear more.

Today in our text, we have a person called, “The Young Rich Man” come up to Jesus and ask Him a very direct question regarding salvation. He comes up to Jesus in Matthew 19, and addresses Jesus as Teacher. There was a genuine nature to this man’s question, he truly wanted to hear from Jesus and really wanted to get clarity and understanding from Jesus. He asks Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”He comes to Jesus expecting to this answer or checklist of things that he has to accomplish in order to have the security of eternal life. But Jesus gives an answer you might expect - “you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”And the young rich man chimes up and says to Jesus - all these I have kept. What do I still lack? This man is not being conceited but he is looking at the works in his life and is saying to Jesus - I haven’t physically stolen from my neighbor, I haven’t physically murdered or committed adultery, or I haven’t bore false witness against my neighbor. He is looking at the works of his life and he is acknowledging that he has kept these commandments. But Jesus answers this man’s question: What do I still lack? in man that is hard for this man to hear, and in fact is a new way of looking at the commandments, “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.” And When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Jesus is getting this young man to see that perhaps externally he kept all the commandments of God - that the love for his wealth, the love for his status, the love for his possessions is pulling him away from God. Jesus is teaching this man and the people around Him - that following Jesus isn’t just about mere external actions of a person - but it also deals with the heart and soul of a person. This man was led by Jesus to see the great love for his possessions and he discovered that his wealth and possessions were too great to give up for the life and love that Jesus was calling him to.

While this man failed to overcome his desire for his possessions, while he couldn’t drop them to the side, we Jesus performing the work that He came to do for the whole world in this conversation. Jesus came to this world, to bridge the gap of man and God - a gap caused by the love for our possessions, the love for ourselves over everything else, the love for our own desires rather than the desires of God and His kingdom. Jesus comes to bridge the gap of lost people to a loving God - inviting them into the life and love that He freely gives through His work on the cross. Even someone who lost, misguided, this young rich ruler, receives an invitation through the work of Jesus on the cross.

Now it can be tempting to hear this text, and some people through different churches have this text and said - well Jesus is commanding you to get rid of all your stuff. Jesus is commanding you to sell everything you have in life for Him that you may follow Him as closely as possible. Jesus is not prescribing you to give away everything to follow Him - in fact Jesus has given you families, He has given you careers, He has given you different roles to be followers of Him in all corners of careers, all corners Johnson County, all corners of the world. Jesus is saying to the young man and you today - in order to live He gives you - in order to follow Him truly - it isn’t just about external works, but it is a matter of being close in spirit with Lord as well. Living in fellowship with Him in all aspects of your life. A few days ago, I was driving in the car, and with Kansas bumper to bumper traffic with all the construction happening - you have a lot of time to read bumper stickers of cars ahead of you and of the different cars around you. You can see how creative some companies are with their different slogans. But the other day, as I was driving - I saw the “Co-exist” bumper sticker which is a combination of all the different religions stating that we can be happy together, we can all get along together. Many of us read and see that sticker and say following Jesus and Budha can’t co-exist. Following Jesus and Isalm in your life are not things that be constant in your life. How many of us would say that, but at the same time we spend as much time spend more time achieving success in our careers rather than time with God? Or how many of us, spend more time in investing in ourselves, than time with God? Or how many of us spend more time invested in our favorite sports teams, our different relationships than time with God? Jesus as He calls you to follow Him, He demands all of you! I think just like that young rich person, we think we are close to God because of the actions that we do - although at times we may be distant from Him. He doesn’t just want an hour on Sunday morning, or you do occasionally volunteer at church, God wants all of you. He wants your whole person!

This is how much Jesus loves you - He doesn’t just give you part of Himself. He doesn’t say I’ve taught this people enough, I’ve given enough promises to this people, I’m going to take a break today. Jesus as He was carrying the cross, He doesn’t say I’ve carried enough of it for them, I’m going to pursue my own desires now. Jesus as He was dying on the cross for you and me, He didn’t say, I’ve suffered enough for these people today. I’m going to let myself down now. No, Jesus has freely given everything for you! He gives you all of Himself, that you may have life, that you may be set free, that you may be His, that you may life eternal life that has no end!

Jesus invites you, just like He did with the young rich man, to come and follow Him. He invites you and calls you to drop and leave to the side the things that get in the way of your life with Him. He invites you to lay down the things that get in the way, pulling you away from God. Jesus wants all of you! And He is calling you today through His Holy Spirit to Follow Him, what will your answer be?

Now may the grace of God the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, may it guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.