One Thing is Missing

Introduction

In this passage we find a young man of substantial means and influence who comes running to Jesus with an urgent question about eternity.

It seems this man has a sincere desire to inherit eternal life and one would assume that in his desperation he would be willing to do whatever it took to attain this goal.

However this assumption would be wrong because there was indeed one thing he wasn’t willing to do.

Let us examine this passage in greater detail.

The first thing we find is:

An Urgent Question (Vs. 17)

It seems that this young man is desperate to know what is required that he may inherit eternal life.

We can see the urgency as he runs to Jesus intent on receiving an answer.

This man apparently also had a great deal of respect for Jesus as he has sought him out specifically in hopes of receiving an answer to his question. He even kneels before him as he asks the question that is consuming his thoughts.

As he begins to ask the question he refers to Jesus as “Good Master” or good teacher/instructor again revealing the high esteem he has for Him.

How many people in our world have the same urgent question? Some may ask “What is going to happen to me when this life is over?” some may question “Where will I go when my time on earth has ended?” while still others may ask in a similar fashion “Have I done enough to make it to heaven when I die?”

Whether we are willing to admit it or not, we all want to know what the future holds and specifically what happens when our life here is ended.

There is only one problem with his question and that is his assumption that there was something that he could “do” to inherit eternal life.

This same fundamental issue is still widely prevalent today. There are so many who want to know what they must “do” in order to go to heaven .

Many today are constantly questioning if they have “done enough” to avoid hell and make it to heaven.

What this young man was actually seeking was affirmation that what he had done would be enough to earn for him eternal life.

Next we find Jesus providing:

The Savior’s Response (Vs. 18-20)

Jesus begins His response with an interesting statement regarding goodness. The Jewish rabbis (teachers) did not allow the word good to be applied to them for it was reserved for God alone.

By this statement Jesus was simultaneously addressing two issues: the first that He was indeed God but that the young man did not recognize Him as such and second that there was no man who could rightly be considered good.

Jesus then point the young man to the commandments of the law as the test of his goodness. Jesus was not somehow suggesting that by keeping the commandments this young man could be saved but exactly the opposite that the law only reveals our offense.

Galatians 3:24 KJV 1900

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Galatians 2:16 KJV 1900

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Jesus pointed this young man to the law in hopes that he would realize that he would recognize himself a sinner in need of a savior.

Unfortunately this young man persists in his assertion that he has kept the commandments from his childhood, failing to recognize that he has broken God’s law.

The reality is that there is not one man who has ever lived who has not offended the laws of God if not in action then by attitude. We are all guilty before God.

Romans 3:19 KJV 1900

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

How many of us persist today in the claim that we have “done enough” to be worthy of eternal life when in reality there is no amount of good deeds that will earn us a place in heaven.

Ultimately Jesus’s heart is touched and in love he makes:

One Final Plea (Vs. 21-22)

Jesus can see that this young man is having a difficult time admitting to his sinful state so in one final plea he strikes at the very heart of this young man’s sin.

Jesus as God knew that this young man was trusting in his wealth and possessions and it was these things that prevented him trusting in HIM!

Jesus did not make this final plea as a way to drive the young man away but in reality to draw him to HIMSELF. His desire was that the young man would recognize his covetousness and his idolatry and would confess his sin and place his faith in the savior.

Notice Jesus does not say that the young man has too much to be saved but instead that there is something that he is yet lacking. One thing is missing among all that this man has.

The one thing that was missing was faith in Jesus Christ as the messiah the savior who takes away the sins of the world. The instructions Jesus gives reveal the true condition of this rich young rulers heart. He wanted affirmation not conviction and thus he was unwilling to trust in Jesus and continued to trust in his riches.

Mark 10:23-25- how hard for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God.

This rich young ruler went away sorely disappointed and grieved because he had been asked to give up what was apparently most precious to him in order to follow Christ.

Even more tragic is the fact that this young man rejected the true means of inheriting eternal life. He received the answer to his question but he went away lost and condemned refusing to give up temporal riches for eternal gain.

Just as Jesus called upon this rich young ruler to lay aside that which he was mistakenly trusting in to follow Him so also today is Jesus calling to you to lay aside that which you are trusting in and place your trust in HIM!

If you are trusting in your wealth, if your are trusting in your good works, if your are trusting in your church membership, if your are trusting in your baptism, if your are trusting in anything other than Jesus Christ to save you, today there is still one thing missing of you are to inherit eternal life and that is Jesus Christ.

The one thing that this rich young ruler was missing was actually the only thing that mattered if his desire was to inherit eternal life and avoid eternal condemnation. That one thing that he was missing was faith in Jesus Christ!

Conclusion

It may be that you came to church today with the same urgent question as this rich young ruler. Maybe you like so many have wondered if you have “done enough” to make it to heaven some day.

The response today to the question remains the same. No man will ever enter into eternal life because of his own goodness.

Today I would like to make a final plea to you. Will you admit that you have sinned against God? Will you lay aside whatever it is that you have been trusting in to this point and place your trust in Jesus Christ to save you?

Are you missing the one thing that really matters most where eternity is concerned? Jesus Christ died for you and rose again, and He will gladly save you today if only you will turn away from all that you are trusting in and turn to Him!