Rich Young Ruler

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Introduction

Good morning Rivertree! What an awesome morning of worship we’ve had today!
I just want to say whether you are here for the first time, Down at south or watching online we are so grateful you joined us today!
If you’ve got a copy of scriputre with you go ahead and go to Mark chapter 10 and we will pick up in verse 17 in a moment.
If you don’t have a bible we will have the scritpure on the screens today for you.
SOmething I think is true and we have in common this morning is we have views, ideas, and thoughts we hold onto pretty tightly
Football, best movies, ect
something that’s been sweeping the nation
it’s been dividing families communites, even some chruchs
I don’t know if you have NOTICED
Chick fila vs popyes
and people hold onto these views pretty strong
Qoutes
my story
Chick fila still won
other good news this morning.....Popyes is out so if you missed out it really doesn’t matter
This idea of holding on is something we share in common with the man in the text who winds up encourtering Jesus this morning.
For him it wasn’t his view on a chicken sandwhich he was holding onto it was something more(not even sure he was allowed to eat chicken)
It was his view of himself, his view of God and HIs view of how to get eternal life
The man who we is often called the rich young ruler by many was allowing his wealth to be the foundation of his idenity.
and
And it’s something we have in common with him this morning. I’d suggest we all have something we are holding onto, something we are trying to control, something that brings us a sense of peace in our lives
And what I hope we will discover together this morning is whatever it is we are holding onto Jesus loves us enough to help us let go of it and allow him to Hold onto us
Let’s read

17 uAnd as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and vknelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to winherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: x‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, yall these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, zlooking at him, aloved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, bsell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have ctreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 dDisheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus elooked around and said to his disciples, f“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter gthe kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples hwere amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, i“Children, jhow difficult it is2 to enter gthe kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter gthe kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,3 “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus klooked at them and said, l“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, mwe have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, nthere is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ofor the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold pnow in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, qwith persecutions, and in rthe age to come eternal life. 31 But smany who are first will be last, and the last first.”

RIght away in verse 17 we see a pretty familair scene. Jesus is setting out on another journey and like before someone runs up to him and knells before Jesus.
We are told this was a man who ran up and knelt beofre Jesus and asked a question
He doesn’t just run up to Jesus, He actually drops to his knees like the leper had done before him, or Jarius in
and it’s a good moment to realize there was something so amazing about Jesus, so attracitve that both the rich and the poor, the well and the lepers would run up to him and fall at his feet
and I would offer you this morning the same reality is true for us in this room. Whether we are in the greatest season of our lives, or the hardest season of our lives
Whether we are in a moment of great health or sorrowful sickness Jesus is worth coming before
because when we find ourselves in front of Jesus it’s the only place we are truly safe, truly known, truly loved
and the Rich young ruler as he finds himself in front of Jesus ask a question
Good Teacher, What must I do to inherit eternal life?
On the surface level it’s a great question! If God has really put eternity in the heart of ever person as eccelistics says then it shouldn’t suprise us that this is the question he is asking Jesus
If there really is something beyond this life it’s the question we can’t afford to get wrong and chances are if you are in this room it’s a question you’ve had before
and the word inherit is an interesting one. It actaully tells us a lot about what’s going on inside the man who finds himself in front of Jesus
it means
to receive something of considerable value which has not been earned—‘to receive, to be given, to gain possession of
He is a man who as we will learn later in the text has earned a lot of wealth, he has been trying to earn his rightouness before God but he knew something was off, something was missing
So he wants Jesus to tell him how can I earn this reality which seems unattainable and just outside of my grasp?
and Jesus begins to do something suprise in the next verse. It’s a text that has cuased people to struggle over the years.
In verse 18 Jesus says why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Jesus is going deeper with the man. He is begging to lead him down a path and this path will lead the man to the end of himself
It’s not the response we expect from Jesus. However, it’s in this moment Jesus is going deeper with the man
He realizes there is something more going on with this guy.
His own sense of “goodness” is off.
Jesus was attacking the man’s shallow use of the word to get him to think about what he was saying, with the purpose of elevating him to understand that Jesus really is God!
and then Jesus begins to name 5 of the 10 commandments.
and the man looks back at Jesus and says I have kept all these from my youth. In some ways his response seems arragont. I’m thinking there is no way
but here is what the man is saying. I have done it....I’ve kept the standard(PAUL all is RUBISH compared to knowing CHRIST)
and yet we find him in front of Jesus
Even if he really has kept the entire law since his youth it still wasn’t enough. He was still empty. He knew something was still missing
Reminding us if our lives are making sure the good outeights the bad in our lives it won’t be enough.
because “Jesus didn’t come to make Moral people better moral people he came to make dead people fully alive”
And it’s why verse 21 is so sweet to me.
Jesus looking at him loved him
The truth of this statement is fertile ground for praise to grow in my heart for Jesus.
I am so thankful for this truth! This guy even if he’s being a little arrogant, even if he is a little full of himself
Jesus doesn’t do what I would do in this moment
I love you guys but I mean if one of you came up to me and said I’ve keep all the commandements since my youth I’d probably be pretty dismissive of you
Maybe not to yoru face but at least in my head and my heart.
I might even try to question you more, or maybe depend on the day I’d just rebuke you
but do you see what Peter remebers about this moment.
IN a moment wehre Jesus could have done any of those things HE LOVED THE GUY
He had a sincere appercaiton for him or in other words Jesus has a deep love for him. And it’s not based on what this guy had done(goodness) or hadn’t done.
It’s based on who Jesus is.
Eugene peterson said it this way
“Jesus looked him hard in the eye-and loved him!”
Jesus looks at this guy but not just at him and right through him. Right through his false security in good works
right through his false security of wealth
and loves him
Jesus knows how exhausted this guy has to be. I mean if you have ever tried to keep 5 of the 10 commandements for even a day it can be tough right? Apparently this guy had been keeping all of them since he was a kid.
It was a never ending cycle of guilt and shame. He was trying to earn his right standing with God. He couldn’t do it and he was at the end of him self
So it’s in this moment that Jesus love should overwhelm him. Jesus is saying in the midst of all your doing. In the midst of all your trying. IN themidst of all your effort
I see you
I love you
and I’ve got something better for you.
and I would offer you this. If you are hear today and you are tired, you are worn out form all your doing.....YOu are trying to make sure your good outwieghs the bad and you find yourself exhausted
Jesus looks at you actually he looks right through you into the deepest reseases of your heart and he loves you
He put it this way
Matthrew 11
Matthew 11:28–30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
that’s what Jesus offers us and that’s what Jesus offers this guy!
but this guys self reliance and self determantion makes him want to earn his right standingwith God
and tells him ok. I’m about to show you how hard this is going to be to do on your own
I’m about to give you the answer to your question and here it is
I love you enough to tell you the truth

“You lack one thing: go, bsell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have ctreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 dDisheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

That’s it. Let go of the last thing you are really holding onto. Jesus isn’t teaching a universal truth here. He isn’t teaching that the only way to gain eteranl life is by entering into extreme poverty
no what he’s doing here is he showing the rich young ruler what he was still holding onto.
See for the rich young ruler his wealth was who he was
I mean think about this 2,000 years later this guy is still refered to as Rich.
He was saying if you really want to know how hard it will be for you to earn eteranl life then Let go of the last thing you are holding onto.
Like go of the thing that brings you the most comfort, the most security, the most sense of idenity
and then Jesus makes a really great promise. When you do that you will have tresure in heaven
IN other words Jesus is saying that what I ahve in store for those who are mine in heaven is greater then any earhtly and temporary treasure. Jesus is saying all of this is going away
All this stuff, all these earlthy treasure will be lost at one point. They will be rubble so go ahead and let go of them know because there is a greater treasure
and that treasure is never ending. It’s JESUS. He is the treasure nonoe of us desrve, none of us could afford,
He is the treasure that can’t be earned and he is the greatest treasure ever
and it’s this moment I am routing for the guy. I am like YES do it. Sell it all becasue the value and worth of Jesus is infently greater than anyting on earth.
Yet verse 22 tells us He was dishearteend and sorroful because he had great possesions
He was expeirence this emitional state of great suprise. It was alarming and seemed almost to much to ask
In fact that word dishearted means he was shocked or appalled by what Jesus had asked him to do
The message translaiton puts it this way
22 The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
He thought he was controlling those things. He thought those things brought him worth and value but at the end of the day those were the things controlling him
Jesus doesn’t waste this moment.

f“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter gthe kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples hwere amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, i“Children, jhow difficult it is2 to enter gthe kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter gthe kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished,

Jesus was letting everyone know that there are moments wealth holds people back form teh kingdom of God
The reason why is becasue their are moments wealth is deciiptive. Wealth tells us we don’t need people. And we defently don’t need an all powerful God
because wealth and money can bring this sense of self worth and self releience.
It allows people to be self depdent and not depdent on a good and loving God.
Verse 25 Jesus uses gives this absurd illustration about a camel going through an eye of a needle. MOst likely a camel was the largest animal his listerners had seen. So they knew what Jesus was saying is it was going to be extremly difficult for someone with wealth to enter the kingdom
Illustrate it for you this way
A friend of mine shared this story the other night
He said he had a person from Kenya in his office downton. He had got to know him and decided to ask him a queistion
He asked the Kenyan with all you have seen, death, poverty, family members getting sick how hard is it for you to have
Micahel the person from Keyna looked around the office in downton huntsville paused for a moment and looked back to at my friend and said
“Harder for you”
This is what Jesus is teaching here
and the disciples are in shock

26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,3 “Then who can be saved?”

They have the same reaction the Rich young ruler had. THey are in Shock ti’s almost like they are need someone to pick thier jaw off the gorund.
and then they ask the qeusiton if This guy can’t be saved who can be?
In other words they are thinking Jesus we are trying to start a movement, we are trying to start a reveltion, we are buidling a kingdom in case your forgot
and THIS GUY would be great for it!
He has kept all the law
He is young
He has the resources to really help us out.
Honestly he’s probably the guy I’d pick if I was starting a movement.
His resume seems right
so they are scratching their heads a little.
but Jesus is showing them the upside down nature of the kingdom

?” 27 Jesus klooked at them and said, l“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God

He says the only way anyone gets eternal life is becasue God has made it possible. It’s not aobut what you haven’t done or what you have done it’s all about the grace of God being poured out
It’s what Paul would later write about in Ephesians 2

4 But3 God, being rrich in mercy, sbecause of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even twhen we were dead in our trespasses, umade us alive together with Christ—vby grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and wseated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable xriches of his grace in ykindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For zby grace you have been saved athrough faith. And this is bnot your own doing; cit is the gift of God

Jesus is saying you can’t pull yourself out, you can’t fix your sin problem, you can’t be “good enough”
The only hope you have is that God saves you, that he rescues you, and makes you alive
that’s it.
and I love Peters response here:

28 Peter began to say to him, “See, mwe have left everything and followed you.

If you have multiply kids in your family this is a pretty familar scene
at least at my house it is.
ONe of my kids might be having a hard time with something, or getting in trouble
and it’s in that moment my youngest kid is like I LOVE YOU DADDY
I’m like I see what your doing there
haha
It’s what peter is doing. He’s like Jesus we’ve done it!
He still doesn’t get it. He still thinks it’s about what they’ve done
but Jesus is leading them and helping them know that it’s not about what you do it’s about what Jesus is doing.
Look at how Jesus responds

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, nthere is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ofor the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold pnow in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, qwith persecutions, and in rthe age to come eternal life. 31 But smany who are first will be last, and the last first.”

He says your reward is coming. and it’s better than you can imagine
Peter and the rich young ruler both miss it. They both think it’s becasue of what they’ve done that they are going to get in the kingdom
Here is a truth I’m learning about the Kingdom of God
 if you think you have it figured out, you likely don’t.  And if you don’t think you have it figured out, you’re likely closer to being right than being wrong.
n fact it’s what Jesus said right before this

13 mAnd they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples nrebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, o“Let the children come to me; pdo not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 qTruly, I say to you, whoever does not rreceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And she took them in his arms and blessed them, tlaying his hands on them.

ONce again it’s this idea of the upside down kingdom. The disciples seem to continuly push away the very people Jesus is going to include in the kingdom and I get it
the reason Jesus says be like a child is becasue a Child hasn’t done anything. They aren’t trying to earn Gods love or approval
Thier is something about children that Jesus wants us to consider. And he says that’s how we come to the kingdom
and there is great freedom in that
I mean think about a child with money....They don’t grasp the value right?
when my kids where young there grandparents would give them so money for their birthday or christmas. Sometimes as much as 100 dollars.
and they would just leave it on the floor....or give it to me.
I’m thinking what are you doing? Like do you know how much money that is? but they don’t. It’s not important to them.
They’d rather have slim then money at an early age. But as they get older and they get money they like hide it. It’s in thier closet in a jar hidning from everyone.
They start to assing a certain value to it.
So when Jesus talks about reciving the kingdom like a child this is what he is saying. Have that kind of faith. Live that care free. Don’t hold to tightlty to anything so you can expierence all I have for you.
someitmes you come to a pssage like the rich young ruler and you might find yourself asking. What gives Jesus the right to ask this guy to give up everything? What gives Jesus the right to ask this rich man who is moral to give up everything?
and it’s this reality
Jesus is the true rich young ruler
Jesus
looks at him and identifies with him. Jesus, too, is a rich young man, far richer than this man can imagine. Jesus has lived in the incomprehensible glory, wealth, love, and joy of the Trinity from all eternity. He has already left that wealth behind him. Paul says that though
Jesus Christ was rich, for our sakes he became poor ().

And I’m going into a poverty deeper than anyone has ever known, Jesus says. I am giving it all away. Why? For you

Timothy Keller, Jesus the King: Understanding the Life and Death of the Son of God (New York: Riverhead Books, 2013), 149.

13 mAnd they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples nrebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, o“Let the children come to me; pdo not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 qTruly, I say to you, whoever does not rreceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And she took them in his arms and blessed them, tlaying his hands on them.

Paul puts it this way

4 Let each of you nlook not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 oHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6 pwho, though he was in qthe form of God, did not count equality with God ra thing to be grasped,2 7 but semptied himself, by taking the form of a tservant,3 ubeing born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by vbecoming obedient to the point of death, weven death on a cross. 9 xTherefore yGod has zhighly exalted him and bestowed on him athe name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus bevery knee should bow, cin heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and devery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is eLord, to the glory of God the Father.

and it’s the beauty of that reality that begins to loosen our grip on whatever we are holding tight to.
whether its’ wealth
status
Being morally good
the only way we will begin to truly let go of those things is by seeing how Jesus lost everything for our sake
and then we will allowing him to hold fast to us. And as he hold fast to us we will beging to hold fast to him
my conceren this morning is some of you could leave with another thing to do.
YOu might think okay what’s the one thing I’m holding onto the one thing I have to let go of and then you do it and it checks box for a season but that inner poverty you feel doesn’t go away.
because once again you can’t do it. It’s only a work of God that can do it.
Here’s what I know. It’s hard to hold onto anything else when your hands are full
(GROCERY)
Something I realized on december 30th
Read journal entry
and whatever it is for you it’s his love, his grace, his acceptence of you and your willingingess to allow that in that will transorm you
that’s my prayer for you
Ending maybe someone in your life you are praying for to come to faith in Christ.....Maybe someone you are concered about and it feels impossible
for you it is.....but for God it’s not. I hope and pray you can rest in that reality this morning.
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