Good Isn't Good Enough Luke 18:18-30

Text - Luke 18:18-30

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Last time we were in Luke 18 we saw the disciples, failing to grasp Jesus message of humility.

Jesus, in answering the Pharisees questions from Lk 17.

Luke 17:20 ESV

20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,

Shared the parable of a pharisee and a tax collector.

Showing the tax collector to be the man who left saved because of his humble approach to God.

The disciples then rebuked people bring children to God, having missed the main point.

As all of this was happening, there appears to have been an man on the outskirts, watching a waiting for the right moment to approach Jesus.

He sees his moment and seizes it, asking Jesus a question.

This morning, we meet this man who asks Jesus a very good question: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

But even with all his success, even with all his goodness, he walks away from Jesus — sad and empty.

It’s a sobering story. Because if a man like him — wealthy, respected, moral — could miss eternal life, what about us?

What are we holding on to that could keep us from fully following Christ?

Today, Jesus is not just challenging a rich young man long ago.

He is confronting us with the same call: "Lay it down. Follow Me."

Are you ready to hear it? Are you ready to respond?

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.”

II. The Cost of Kingdom Discipleship: Total Surrender (Luke 18:18-25)

A. The Rich Young Ruler’s Question (v. 18)

In verse 18 we are introduced to a man our bibles label as the rich young ruler. We don’t know what he was a ruler of exactly.

We only know that he was a leader of some sort.

Mark adds two important details not recorded by Luke, recording that this man ran up to Him and knelt before Him. 

What does this show about this ruler?

Running up to Jesus speaks of his eagerness, earnestness and sense of urgency.

He enthusiastically approached Jesus.

The fact that he knelt before Jesus shows a posture of submission.

It would have been an awkward sight for those around seeing this man of social significance kneeling before a man who had nothing really except the clothes on his back.

Based upon the context I think we can know a little more about his man.

While the the word used for ruler can refer to a religious leader, I believe we can rule that out.

It was the Pharisees who first asked the question about when the kingdom of was coming.

And the way this man addresses Jesus also conflicts significantly with an understanding of God.

His first words were Good Teacher.

A Jewish leader would not have referred to Jesus in this way because they tended to reserve this attribute for God.

They would speak of someone as a good person, but they would not identify them as such.

It would have been regarded as flattery - brown nosing the teacher.

After attempting to flatter Jesus, He asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

His question initially shows that he has a religious mindset.

He cares about God.

He believes something about there being more to life than what he currently has.

This man is asking in what appears to be a sincere fashion.

Unlike the Pharisee who asked the same question back in chapter 10 to trap Jesus.

Luke 10:25 ESV

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

This man’s question betrays him though.

Inherit may not be the best word to use in the case of his question.

While it the word does carry the meaning to inherit,

what do you have to do to receive an inheritance?

Generally nothing.

Inheritances are given.

acquire, obtain, come into possession of That is where the connection is found - in the come into possession of.

If you notice, what really is the key to his question?

What must I DO.

When we look at this passage in Greek, it is another contrast to what Jesus has just taught and shown through welcoming the little children.

The phrase what must I do is in the form of a verb that has past completed action with ongoing results.

This man’s question assumed that he had the inner power to do whatever was required.

It also shows the assumption that he believed he was at the core, good himself.

This man is coming to Jesus saying, “Hey Jesus, I have already done a bunch of things, what else is there?”

We see this clearly as the story continues.

But his initial question sets the tone.

Rather than approaching God with a childlike attitude, he is coming revealing a works-based mindset.

This rulers attitude is unfortunately an attitude of many in our culture and also in the church (corporate) today.

Our cultures basic definition of a good person is someone who does more good things than bad

a person who is nice to their neighbor

a person that volunteers at the animal shelter

a person who gives to help people a person who obeys the law, for the most part.

The church today is not immune to this way of thinking.

There are many in the church (I am talking corporate church but that doesn’t mean we are immune to there here).

There are many who have joined a local church, but they've never truly "joined Jesus," the Head of the Church!

They have religion but lack relationship!

They have head knowledge without heart change! 

As Rogers puts it "There is a problem—a real problem—and that is that people attend church; they listen to sermons; they join churches; but they are never radically, dramatically, eternally changed.

They have religion, but they’ve never met God. Many churches today are filled with baptized pagans—baptized pagans! 

They have been vaccinated—vaccinated with a mild form of Christianity, and they’ve never caught the real disease.

And so the church may be full, but the people are often empty.

They come; they go through the motions; they try to live, outwardly, a good life; but they have never really, truly found a new life.

They’ve never been converted."

Jesus response to this man is one that pierces to the heart.

B. Jesus’ Response: The Call to Surrender (vv. 19-22)

Jesus response is basically - you are asking the wrong question.

He first questions how and why the man addresses him.

Jesus challenges his understanding of “goodness”

English Standard Version Chapter 18

Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

God has an exclusive claim on goodness.

No man can make such a claim in himself.

Psalm 34:8 ESV

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Jesus first statement is meant to cause this rich ruler to begin to examine himself.

Jesus frequently probes peoples motives before answering the questions at hand.

That is because He is more concerned with the heart than anything else.

Jesus is essentially saying to this man - think about what you just said!

If I am good, and if only God is good, then who am I, and what am I doing? Think!

Jesus expands this idea pointing this rich ruler to the 10 commandments.

What Jesus quotes is the second half of the 10

Luke 18:20 ESV

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.’ ”

This ruler, in his arrogance hears Jesus and thinks, check done that, check, check

He is likely sincere in his belief, but is truly ignorant.

He believed that he had kept the commandments and was himself worthy of inheriting the kingdom because of his actions.

But the truth is, as Jesus is trying to point out, is that this rich ruler had not fully set his heart towards God.

Luke 18:21 ESV

21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”

Jesus, piercing the heart states clearly

Luke 18:22 ESV

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.”

As Jesus knew, something was whispering to this rich young ruler that his works weren’t enough.

If he was so assured that he was seen as blameless and righteous before God, why did he fall at Jesus’s feet in the first place?

Why would he ask Jesus about eternal life?

The man’s response was as common then as it is today,

Many people think of the Ten Commandments as a short list of bad sins they almost never commit.

Many think that they are able to keep God’s law, or at least keep it well enough to impress God enough to get into heaven.

Is that what you think?

Anyone who thinks this way has the wrong understanding of what God requires.

God’s demand is for perfect holiness.

His law requires exact obedience.

Jesus didn’t dispute this rich rulers claim but rather gave him a heart check.

Jesus took him back to the first commandment - thou shalt have no other God’s before me.

Obviously by this man’s response to Jesus statement, God was not first in this mans life.

C. The Man’s Sad Response (vv. 23-25)

Luke 18:23 ESV

23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

He walks away sorrowful because his wealth is his true master.

Something we need to take not of here is that this is a specific conversation and a specific situation.

These specific instructions were only for the ruler, and not necessarily for everyone who wants to follow Christ.

We cannot with our way to heaven by giving away our wealth.

That would be salvation by works.

The true requirement for salvation is fain in Jesus Christ.

Jesus was shining a light on this man’s heart, showing him that his heart was set on wealth, not on Christ.

This is a struggle that none of us are immune to.

For some of us it is wealth that Jesus calls us to give.

In the grand scheme of things, each of us is wealthy compared to many in the world.

We are, each one of us called to give sacrificially for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Philip Ryken writes -

Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 Sell Everything

Many people are mastered by the love of money—not so much for the money itself, but for all the friendship, pleasure, and security they think it can buy. People who have many possessions (like most Americans) tend to be self-reliant. Therefore, people who love money usually have exactly the opposite attitude of the little children who Jesus said would enter the kingdom of God. Rather than receiving God in all his grace, they take what they can for themselves. They have too much treasure on earth to lay up treasure in heaven, and thus they are in danger of ending up in hell.

Do you have an accurate view of yourself?

JC Ryle writes

Luke, Volumes 1 & 2 Sell Everything

Many are ready to give up everything for Christ’s sake,” wrote J. C. Ryle, “excepting one darling sin, and for the sake of that sin are lost for evermore.” For some people it is a self-destructive romance. For others it is a body-wasting addiction. Still others refuse to give up the right to rule their own lives.

Do you see the sinfulness that lies deep within you?

Do you see your need for a Savior or do you see yourself as good?

Is there something that you are unwilling to surrender for Jesus?

True discipleship means Jesus must be our highest treasure.

For a long time in C.S. Lewis’ life, he refused to follow Christ because he did not want to give up his control over his own life.

Most of us don’t if we are honest.

We want to be the God of our own destinies.

Lewis wanted to be His own ultimate authority, but true Christianity does not allow for this.

Lewis wrote

“There was no region even in the innermost depth of one’s soul … which one could surround with a barbed wire fence and guard with a notice ‘No Admittance.’ And that was what I wanted; some area, however small, of which I could say to all other beings, ‘This is my business and mine only.’

As long as we say this to God, we will never follow Jesus, and we will never enter the kingdom of God.

Is there anything you love that is keeping you away from God?

Is there any sin you will not renounce, any relationship you will not release, any treasure you will not relinquish to follow after Jesus?

God wants willing participants.

As Jesus shows us - this is impossible without God’s help.

He uses quite the word picture -

Luke 18:24–25 ESV

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.”

Jesus was thoroughly grieved by the rich man’s response.

III. The Reward of Kingdom Discipleship: Eternal Gain (Luke 18:26-30)

A. The Disciples’ Question (v. 26)

Some who were there, hearing Jesus words got stuck on the impossibility of inheriting eternal life.

“Who then can be saved?”

We must remember that culturally the presence of wealth in a persons life was a sign of God’s blessing.

If a rich man, who by their belief had God’s blessing could not inherit eternal life, then who could!

B. Jesus’ Assurance (v. 27)

Jesus does not deny the difficulty but rather points to the one who has the power to overcome any difficulty.

Salvation is impossible for man but possible with God.

It is a wonder that many in America come to saving faith at all.

It is practically a miracle when people who have means come to Christ because it requires them to admit that they can’t do it on their own.

Especially in our western I can do it myself culture it is a wonder that any come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

God is the God of the possible, especially when it comes to salvation, which is what Jesus was mainly talking about here.

What is impossible with man is still possible with God.

There is nothing too hard for God.

There is no one too far from God for him to save.

Salvation is not by our own works.

Jesus taught clearly that salvation required the drawing of God and the repentant and humble response of man (John 6:44, James 4:10).

Salvation is found in Christ alone through faith alone through grace alone (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9).

We can be saved because of Christ’s finished work on the cross.

He lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose three days later.

And by repenting and humbling ourselves before Him, submitting completely to His Lordship, and placing our faith in Him alone, we can be saved.

How amazing is our Savior who offers us salvation

C. The Promise of Reward (vv. 28-30)

After this awkward situation who pokes his head up again but good ole Peter.

Luke 18:28 ESV

28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.”

Peter chimes in saying, he Jesus, we have done that!

Does that mean we have inherited eternal life?

Peter is wondering, perhaps out loud for the rest of the disciples, is it worth it?

Is it worth it to follow Jesus?

Jesus response is a beautiful promise to those who repent and give up everything to follow the Lord.

Luke 18:29–30 ESV

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.”

There is a general sense in which every believer must do this.

A Christian is someone who has decided to have Jesus instead of anything and everything else the world has to offer.

The way the Bible tells us to come to Jesus is by repentance and faith.

But to repent is to turn away from sin, so in repentance we are leaving our sinful ways behind.

And to have faith is to trust in Christ alone for salvation, leaving behind any other way of saving ourselves.

So the only way to come to Jesus at all is to leave everything else behind.

If we want to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to say to him, “I am yours and you are mine forever.”

This is the prayer of every believer.

Those who choose Christ over the things of this world and even over the people of this world will be blessed in this life and even more in the age to come.

In our culture, we can't understand having to give up family on behalf of Christ.

Very few people who convert to Christianity are outcasts from their families.

But it does happen.

One area where this happens is with people who become Christians and are saved out of Mormonism.

When a Mormon becomes a Christian, they may be disowned by their spouse, their children, their parents, and their community.

They may be fired from their job.

They may be destitute.

Yet no matter what, Jesus promises a blessing for those people.

That does not mean that they will be wealthy on this side of eternity.

It doesn’t mean that life will be easy.

But He does state that they will have treasure in heaven that will far surpass anything on this earth, and they will be given peace and fellowship with their loving Father on earth and into eternity.

Conclusion:

The question the rich ruler asked is the best anyone can ask.

How can I be saved!

When we look at the story as a whole -

The rich young ruler came so close — running to Jesus, kneeling before Him, asking the right question — and yet he walked away sorrowful because he loved something more than he loved God.

My prayer for each of us is that none of us make the same mistake.

Today Jesus still calls out: "Come, follow me." He is not asking for a part of your life — He demands all of it.

True discipleship is not about adding a little Jesus to your plans. It’s about surrendering your whole life to His lordship.

It is about trusting Him more than your treasures, your status, your comfort, your dreams, your hobbies — even more than yourself.

Maybe for you today, the thing standing between you and Jesus isn’t wealth.

Maybe it’s your pride.

Maybe it’s a hidden sin.

Maybe it’s your desire to be in control.

Whatever it is — Jesus calls you to lay it down and follow Him.

He calls you to stop trusting in what you can do and start trusting entirely in what He has done.

He calls you to come with empty hands, like a little child, and receive the kingdom of God by grace.

Will you walk away sorrowful like the rich young ruler, or will you surrender all and walk forward in the joy and freedom of following Christ?

Today is the day of decision.

If you have never truly surrendered to Jesus — not just believing facts about Him, but trusting Him with your whole heart — come to Him today.

And if you are a Christian but have been holding something back from Him, hear His call again: Lay it down. Follow Me.

Let us not leave here clinging to lesser treasures when Christ offers us Himself — the greatest treasure of all.

Lord Jesus, You alone are good. You alone are worthy of our full trust and our total surrender. Forgive us for the ways we cling to the things of this world, thinking they can satisfy what only You can fill. Teach us to loosen our grip on every idol, every comfort, every hidden sin, and open our hands and hearts to You. For those who have never truly trusted You, would today be the day they lay it all down and follow You? For those who know You, but are still holding something back, would You gently break the chains that bind them and draw them closer to Your heart? Help us all to treasure You above all things, to surrender all that we are, and to find in You the life that is truly life. We ask this in Your precious and powerful name, Amen.