Tell me what Im missing.. He is, therefore, called the "rich young ruler.". Its unlikely that a Roman official would approach Jesus with a religious question, so the rich young ruler was probably a Jewish leader in the local synagogue or perhaps even a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court that dealt with religious issues in Jesus day. His sister went to Jesus asking for help and he resurrected him, despite resistance from the disciples, according to Mark's version of Peter's Gospel, that he added his testimony to, between Mark 10:34 and 10:35, per the excerpts quoted in Clements letter to Theodore. permission. The man didnt have to give everything away. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that these same two things are also true of most of us. He still had a househis mother-in-laws house. Theyre hostile to God. Potty, potty, potty, potty, potty! She goes, Oh, wait a minute, hang on. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. To know that there is always more we can do to get closer to God. Jesus was only trying to show the man where his heart was. Because if you have, Ill tell you how you have: because of Gods amazing grace and mercy. This beautiful little bundle has within herself an immense capacity to convince me that she needs the potty. C. F. D. Moule (1959; repr., Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 334. What can we learn from the rich young ruler? He went away sad, because he had great wealth. I have absolutely no problem with wealth. [c]No one is (D)good but One, that is, God. Most research points to these factors as important for overall happiness: Individual income Are you saved? And some of our testimony is just that: I used to feel pretty bad about myself, but Ive begun to go to such-and-such a place, and Im now in a small Bible study, and I feel so much better about myself. Well, Im glad you feel much better about yourself, but what Im asking you is, Are you converted? Ill check, but I dont think so; I think shes doing what comes naturally. All three say he was rich. He felt that he didnt need God. 27Then Peter responded and said to Him, Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us? 28And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the [b]regeneration when (L)the Son of Man will sit on [c]His glorious throne, (M)you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The rich ruling class of Israel was wiped out in AD 70, and their wealth taken by the Romans. It is that were dead. And you dont understand why it is that you are the way you are. Just wanting to make the next buck. He was also rich, which gave him a place of prominence among the Jewish religious leaders and community at large. So Jesus lists several of the Ten Commandments, knowing this young man will insist that he has been keeping them all his life (verses 18-20). The Bible mentions nothing about whether the rich young rule went to heaven or not. What do I still lack (Matt 19:20). Our only hope is for us to call on God to do for us what we are totally unable to do for ourselves. We, in America are that rich man even if we deem ourselves as poor. We waste so much in self and hardly consider to poor at the cost of self. the REAL cost if He were to ask us to give it all and truly follow Him with ALL the heart, mind and soul unbeknowing the rich man in the end will loose it all whether by the grave or by Americas fate. Now as He [Jesus] was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17, NKJV). The hard saying of Jesus is followed by the obvious question on the lips of the disciplesverse 26at a question that is not addressed to Jesus but actually is addressed to one another. They argue that this young man loved his wealth more than he loved Jesus, and thus he chose to walk away when he was offered eternal life with the condition of selling his property. He calls him to repent, to turn away from that, to believe the good news. Then come, follow me. When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Poor people are just as dead in their trespasses and sins. Just take your phone, and call on God to do for you what you are. riches, Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author and pastor of Heritage Evangelical Free Church in Udall, KS [https://modelchrist.org/] & also a Prison Minister. Every gift, no matter what size, makes it possible for others to receive GOOD NEWS and experience it just like you have. Eventually, the body deals with that. The answer is, in a heart transplantand only in a heart transplant. Catholic vs. Jewish: What is the main difference? All rights reserved. Such is the plight of many people. To which Jesus responds: "One thing you still lack. [19] See Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 14:27. Then come, follow me.. But if we get nothing else, from this story we should really think about what Jesus said: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [17] It is not that were half dead or that were dangerously sick. The Bible mentions nothing about whether the rich young rule went to heaven or not. How does a person find eternal life? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Hes dealing with this matter of how does a person get saved? The rich young ruler sees eternal life as a balance sheet in which the credits have to outweigh the debits. The rich young ruler is an excellent example of being so earthly minded that he was no heavenly good. 3:10], Lev. Do we hold loosely to our possessions and tightly to God or do we hold tightly to our possessions and are unable to hold tightly to God? Mark chapter 10. Thats why he went away sad. Mark 1:15: The time [is fulfilled]. Has salvation come to your house? I never thought about his life after he walked away from Jesus. Your sadness is on account of your awareness. Now, this is not a hard concept to grasp, is it? ), Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review. So just a rudimentary understanding of how we should approach the Bible helps us to say, Well, surely this is the theme that is part and parcel of this story.. Did he get saved? Every day. [6], Placing value on the worthless, disregarding priceless wealth.. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. For less than $5/mo. Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. Who can enter the kingdom? The title of the story was created based on the three different accounts found in the Bible. Why are you so sure that youre going to get eternal life?, Why are you so sure that youre getting eternal life?, Well, look at how much stuff Ive given away. Knowing that we all hold on to things that keep us from fully following God, Jesus told the story of a diligent young man who wanted to know how to get into Heaven. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. We call him the rich young ruler. But we know that much only by putting together details from three separate accounts in the Bible.>> Get your free Bible study guide: Gods Plan for My Life. He doesnt understand that salvation is a matter of grace. Photo : Sonja Flemming/CBS. He went away sad, because he had great wealth - Mark 10:22. And, wealthy people were sure to be saved. We are humbled to say that hundreds of readers and believers like yourself have decided that our work is important enough for them to support us financially. He said he had kept the commandments from his youth. Required fields are marked *. It had all started in such a promising way. Each writer gives us different details that lets us know the three things we know about this character: he was young, he was rich, and he was a ruler. [1] R. Hudson Pope, Make the Book Live to Me (1943). A new heart. How you gonna get a new heart? Can a leopard just decide, Im not going to be a spotty leopard anymore; Im going to be a zebra when I wake up tomorrow morning? She does this when she doesnt need the potty, but in order to stop doing what it is that I would like her to be doing at the moment. Why are you asking Me about what is good? What second thing did Jesus tell the young man he should do? Jesus tells the rich young ruler, 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. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Matt 19:21-22). Recaps. On one occasion, a ruler came up to Jesus and knelt before him, saying, My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live. And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples (Matt 9:18-19), but when Jesus came to the rulers house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed at him (Matt 9:23-24). Recaps. This man had in moneyin richesif you like, a substitute god. Something to consider: Does God Want Us To Be Rich? No. O God our Father, look upon us in your mercy, we pray. Hes always at the front of the line. Good question, isnt it? In fact, no one understands; no one seeks for God (Rom 3:11) and All have turned aside; together they have become worthless (Rom 3:12), which includes me, you, and every human ever born. Start for FREE. Then youre gonna come, follow me. He might just as well have said to somebody who was in some kind of relationship with somebody, says, Now, what youve gotta do is ditch this business relationship, and then come, follow me. Person says, Im not gonna do that to follow Jesus. Now just a brief prayer: Make the Book live to me, O Lord,Show me Yourself within Your Word,Show me myself and show me my Saviour,And make the Book live to me.[1]. What do theologians believe was the eternal destination of the rich young ruler? (Read on to find out the truth), Our Father Which Art in Heaven: The Lords Prayer. Mark is teaching his readers about entry into the kingdom of God. No one is good except God alone, no one understands; no one seeks for God, All have turned aside; together they have become worthless, All these I have kept. Children Ruin Everything is a Canadian sitcom television series, that premiered on CTV on January 12, 2022. He was not willing to make any meaningful sacrifices to follow Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote None is righteous, no, not one (Rom 3:10) so why did Jesus question his statement that Jesus was good? And I've never committed adultery. It might have been something else. Dont get me wrong. You dont have to necessarily be wealthy for this to happen to you. This encounter with Jesus and the ruler happened after Jesus encounter with the rich young ruler, so it could have been the same ruler, but in the least, the rich young ruler must have heard about it because the rulers would have to meet frequently. The rich young ruler thought he could do both, but as we read, he had great possessions and so he went away sorrowful. Jesus was sorrowful too because Mark writes, And Jesus, looking at him, loved him (Mark 10:21). What do I still lack, 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. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions, hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other [but] You cannot serve God and money, he had great possessions and so he went away sorrowful. Jesus was sorrowful too because Mark writes, And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and knelt before him, saying, My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live. And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples, when Jesus came to the rulers house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed at him, the girl is not dead but sleeping. After they laughed Him to scorn, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. It does not submit to Gods law, nor can it do so.[8] Now, thats quite a mouthful, isnt it? Lets go., Some of the commentaries actually affirm that. All Rights Reserved. So dont lets overstate this. He saw the man was sad. Leopards are leopards; zebras are zebras. Yet, Jesus looked at him with such love and compassion. We spread the Gospel every hour and minute of the day through this website. Your email address will not be published. So Jesus finishes up; he says, Well, mentioning that, Peter, let me give you just a word of encouragement and a word of warning. The word of encouragement is essentially threefold. But it is no secret what God can do, and whoever comes to him, he will never turn them away.[22]. To which Jesus responds: "One thing you still lack. THE SOAPS. As we will see, he believes he has been scrupulously faithful in keeping all the commandments, but he senses that this alone is not enough. He is called a "ruler.". The apostles made many sacrifices for Jesus, particularly after his death and resurrection. His life is all wrapped up in his portfolio. But they gotta worry about being just as dead as the rich guy next to them. Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler he could be saved by obeying the commandments? Thats the way its presented by many people today. If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. Why? After the rich man left, Mark 10:23-27 gives more information about what happened next than Matthew or Luke. The Rich Young Ruler. Thank you for giving generously today to help spread the Word fast to thousands more like Ranee who are desperate to know Jesus. But he also will not force us to do so. I dont think thats true. Thats some way of keeping the law alright! Home/Current Soaps; Soap Central homepage; . At first glance, Jesus answer seems all wrong! Choose Jesus! Money and comfort take the place of God because of self-sufficiency. This impressive young man had made many "right" choices in his life and he was obviously from a successful, affluent family. Sproul continues his series in the gospel of Mark to investigate Jesus' interaction with a rich young man who could not recognize his own spiritual bankruptcy. And he was not only rich, he was extremely (sphodra) rich (Luke 18:23). Scary for theft. In his case, repentance involves turning from that which is representative of his covetous heart. Jesus and the rich young man (also called Jesus and the rich ruler) is an episode in the life of Jesus recounted in the Gospel of Matthew 19:16-30, the Gospel of Mark 10:17-31 and the Gospel of Luke 18:18-30 in the New Testament. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!, The disciples were amazed at his words. These thorough recaps bring you up to speed on storyline arcs, twists and turns you may not see coming (or have missed)! Are you messin with me? Support Good News Unlimited with as little as $1. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The rich young ruler could not relate. Jesus actually says, What profit is there for a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?[4] Because the man had said, Now I can rest, and rest content, in all my stuff.[5]. And thirdly, you should know that in the age to come, you will rejoice in eternal life. Jesus says, "What we're gonna do is, we're gonna ditch your portfolio. Is it at least possible it was the same ruler Jesus had met earlier? Why? Businessman, its either the second or the third stanza that begins, Spending counterfeit incentive,Wasting precious time and health,Placing value on the worthless,Disregarding priceless wealth. Remember the rich young man. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. In fact, in that day, you couldnt be a ruler if you werent rich, so here was a rich ruler whose daughter had just died who comes to Jesus in desperation, so Jesus tells the mourners, the girl is not dead but sleeping. After they laughed Him to scorn, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 2021 8 Jan. Hiding it from others, and more importantly, trying to hide it from myself, I hoped that the years would lighten it and eventually make it go away. Make no mistake, God would prefer if we choose Him. Whoops, they did it again! Who can be saved? All rights reserved. Whatever the case, we can learn alot from him. They, who took the eternal gospel to all the world at the cost of their own lives, shall inherit eternal life. We know he was a ruler so he must have had power and authority. I would, of course, encourage you to read the source for yourself and consider what you thing about it, but this question is a very natural one to wonder what happened to him and this story provides a very satisfactory account. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the story of this man who came to Jesus with an important question (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18-30). Required fields are marked *. After listing several of the Ten Commandments, Jesus adds, And You shall love your neighbor as yourself (verse 19). Dec 5, 2010. He loved him. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. But the fact is, the man went away sad. It doesnt say that he went away defiant. Since all Scripture is inspired by God, we must integrate all the information the gospels provide to understand what happened. Hes saying this to these guys: Be careful that complacency doesnt get you., Listen to Cranfield: The apostles [mustnt] become self-complacent because, unlike the rich man, they have left all to follow Jesus. Where was the rich young ruler from? And Jesus says, Guys, forget that stuff right now, would you? Open your Bible now to the tenth chapter of the gospel of Mark - the gospel of Mark. When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (verse 22). We all tend to believe that we have to be good in order to be saved, and we all feel that we are never good enoughthat something is always lacking. Well, its not in externalism. They hung to his every word because it brought sweet momentary and eternal relief to their dismal situation. And, we dont have time to work all the way through it, but if you go to Ezekiel 36, you find there the promise of God, saying that one day hes going to come, and he will sprinkle them with clean water, and they will be cleansed. If we have privileged positionsas the rich man didmanaging our careers may become more important than serving others, doing good work, or even making time for family, civic, and spiritual life. The people whove turned this into Marxism, they just dont understand the Bible at all. I was happy. 29And (N)everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [d]or children or farms on account of My name, will receive [e]many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. What are you willing to do differently today so that you can invest in the important and eternal things of life? You cannot save yourself. One of the major lessons I learned from that story is that Jesus wants us to let go of what we worship and follow God fully. His way to lifeto eternal life, that he was asking aboutwas blocked by his unwillingness to surrender his possessions and to follow Jesus. Play Audio. Your email address will not be published. The sinful mindman in his rebellionhaving turned our backs on God, having decided were going to do this in our own way, our minds are in enmity towards God. He was not willing to part with his status and comfort. Jesus tells him to give all his wealth away, and then come follow Jesus. You know, the hymn I quote all the time, the song of the 60s from Ray Stevens, which I can now quote with freshness, because the generations are passing, and they never even lived in the 60s. At this, the mans face fell. But Jesus said again, Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! If all that he had to do was give assentintellectual assentto certain things about Jesus, and then keep all of his baggage and simply add himself to the group, then that would have been straightforward. Created by Kurt Smeaton for CTV and Roku and co-produced by New Metric Media and Bell Media Studios, the series focuses on Astrid (Meaghan Rath) and James (Aaron Abrams), a young couple struggling to define their lives outside of their role as parents. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Did Moses Go To Heaven? But they have all the other barriers. I guess one of the problems of being a new grandpa is that you use it as illustrations all the time; it will eventually pass. Why? One thing you lack, he said. If you dont have to worry about your next meal or how your bills are going to get paid. Adding to My Library is a great way to keep a list of sermons, programs, and ministry resources in your account. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. There is only One who is good; but (C)if you want to enter life, keep the commandments. 18Then he *said to Him, Which ones? And Jesus said, (D)You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony; 19(E)Honor your father and mother; and (F)You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 20The young man *said to Him, All these I have kept; what am I still lacking? 21Jesus said to him, If you want to be [a]complete, go and (G)sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have (H)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. When Jesus listed specific laws, the young man claimed that he had kept them. May the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest upon and remain with all who believe, now and forevermore. Does the Bible tell us? Page 716. Thats a good question for me or perhaps you. What is standing in your way of following Jesus more closely today? You fast-forward to the darkness of the night. Because what we are continuing to ponder is this story of a rich young ruler, and we learn that in his case, when it came to seeking eternal lifebecause that was his question in verse 17when it came to his interest in entry into the kingdom, when it came to the question of salvationfor all of those phrases are used interchangeablyhis wealth proved not to be a benefit but actually a barrier. Eternal life which is not simply quantitative but is also qualitative. 11 Encouraging lessons from the life of Joseph, 6 Meaningful lessons from the story of Naaman . You can imagine them just looking round on one another and saying, Well, this is quite a pass, isnt it? 18:5; Deut. Why was the rich young ruler sad when he went away? If he went on living the way he was living when he met Jesus, then his souls salvation would have been in jeopardy. Stretch forth your hand,[23] he said. I wasnt talking about you at all. Because after all, you know, he still had a boat, it would seemotherwise, I dont know where he was going fishing. That youre trying to turn your spots into stripes, and it cant be done. Then you're gonna come, follow me." Perhaps Jesus detected in Peter . And you will see that that phrase, to enter the kingdom of God, comes in verse 23its the final phrase of 23its the final phrase of 24, and it is the final phrase of 25. Jesus came to debunk the myth that good works can save us. Next post: Does The Bible List The Names Of Demons? Lessons from the rich young ruler (3 powerful truths). Thats too big a demand. That the valuations are done on the basis of the bank of heaven, not on the bank of earth. It is entirely impossible. Money, Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He wanted to make sure that he had eternal life; Jesus said, Eternal life will only come by way of setting asidesmashingyour substitute god, and then coming and following me.. Who can inherit eternal life? 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Is any human being really good according to the Bible? And faith and believing the good news is represented in his following the Lord Jesus Christ. Try it free today! If thats what it means to be one of these Christians, I am not gonna be one of those Christians., And its not that youre unaware. Do nice things. And they will very quickly hand it back, just to say, Pastor Begg, youre not a very clever man. All Rights Reserved. After all, hes rich, hes young, hes enthusiastic, he comes, he kneels, and hes dealing in the realm of the right kind of question. Some of the questions I will discuss include; what happened to the rich young ruler? Jesus completely turned common thought about wealth on its head. Businessman (1968). His clothes were made of rich material and . Of course, no one is required to believe this story or that it was inspired, but if you consider the story temporarily as possibly a true account and meditate upon it, there is something beautiful about it and perhaps even more believable than that he went on as he was, a rich, pious man who followed the law. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. His wealth benefitted nobody except himself. Thats why there are so many unconverted people in church. You know, hes the platinum card. There is, You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony, Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations for sermons preached on or after To give away all of his wealth to the poor and follow Jesus. Because the Bible says these beautiful bundles are born in sin and theyre fashioned in iniquity, and that the outfolding of things is the unfolding drama of the laying hold of that which is endemic in our nature. Sermons. Clearly, Jesus is not about to lower the requirements of entry just because this young man appears to be, from a human perspective, what we saw last timenamely, an ideal candidate. 1994 - 2023 Truth For Life. Anyway, here's the outcome of what happened with the "RICH YOUNG RULER;" But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. What is the third heaven (what does the Bible say)? There is no way in the world. Youre using that kind of notion to prevent yourself from actually looking after your parents. We spend so much of our waking hours in a grind. This young man was not a Pharisee but he was more likely to be a Jewish leader or official in a court or at the synagogue. Read them in the archive below. Perhaps it was Jerusalem because most of the rulers couldnt live too far from there, but were just not told in Scripture. But I have been reassured again about the nature of original sin. The passages of Matthew 19:16-24, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30 all tell the account of a rich, young ruler coming to Jesus to ask how he can have eternal life. It may be something else in the life of another individual. But when Jesus gave him an answer, the young man walked away in sadness. The Greek word refers to a "leader," an "official" of some sortsomeone with administrative authority. by Alistair Begg. Because I dont think this is just a truism here: Many who are first will be last, and the last first. Jesus has already dealt with that. John/Mark, the rich young ruler is seen again in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus is arrested by Judas & 6,000 soldiers, where he is grabbed by his graveclothes and runs away naked. Wealths an indication of blessing. Afterward of him being raised, Mark sells everything but a house, which he gives to his mother, Mary where Peter goes after the Angel leads him out of prison. The Rich Young ruler (Luke 18:18-23) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) This series of articles will be written with the purpose in mind to provoke believers and churches (ecclesia) alike to examine themselves to see whether they are truly in The Faith. Jesus replied, If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments (Matthew 19:17). No, we simply want to be able to have Jesus come and make us feel good about ourselves. The real question is why did John Mark desert Paul and Barnabas again in Pamphylia, the third time? Do you understand that? During a robbery gone wrong, he killed someone with his partner in crime and was sentenced to be crucified. Whats the problem with the man wanting to do something to inherit eternal life? But those of us who are tempted to say, Well, this is an interesting story, but I, of course, couldnt be included among the wealthy; therefore, it has nothing to do with me at all, are immediately missing the point. Jesus more than likely knew that he was going to reject His attempt at saving his soul. Do you think that its what goes into a person that makes them unclean? He says, What goes into a person cant make them unclean. Thats the last we hear in the Bible about the man who is sometimes popularly called the rich young ruler. This man was eminent among his people because of his wealth. Furthermore, bible readers and scholars are unable to conclude with certainty what happened to the rich young ruler because of a lack of evidence from the Bible and other extra-biblical causes. Verse 23: Jesus looked around and said to his disciples Now, we know that this incident is recorded in Matthew 19 and also in Luke 18. The story of the rich young ruler is accounted for in three gospel books (Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-23, and Mathew 19:16-23). Find out what happened on Y&R this week, this month, and over the past 30+ years with Soap Central daily updates. Mark 10:23-31 . Salvation is Gods gift of grace that we accept by faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9). And now, seeing that the man was sad In fact, we might venture as much as to say that the mans sadness was more than matched by the sadness of Jesusthe sadness of Jesus in recognizing how easy it was for the man to feel a sense of security in his stuff, how easy it was for this fellow to rely on his possessions, and in relying on his possessions, to lose sight of what really matters: After all, heres my security!. And Jesus looked at the man when he went away sad, and Im suggesting to you that the sadness of the man was matched by the sadness of Jesus, because he said, Thats exactly what this fellow is doing. Is that your testimony? Good deeds. Say: The young man was called a ruler, but truly he was a slave. Theres not even one! Kingdom of God Love Money Righteousness Ritchie Way Salvation Jul 25, 2016 12994 Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler At this, the man's face fell. He appeared desperate. Every Jew who wasnt slaughtered then was sold as a slave. Oh, then, can a person, entirely stuck on ourselves, with little interest in God, all of a sudden one morning just wake up and say, Oh, I think Ill become a follower of Jesus today? He's young and he's wealthy, and he owns a lot of property, and he has achieved spiritual respect and spiritual status by being made the chief of a synagogue. Your email address will not be published. We cast ourselves upon your mercy today. The story of Jesus and the rich young ruler is not a parable. Because in Jewish society, it was generally believedand if you read the Old Testament, you can see this to be the caseit was generally believed that wealth was an indication of blessing. I think I'm a good person." God shares an account about another mana rich young rulerwho thought his "good works" would gain him entrance into God's kingdom. 19:1629; Mark 10:1730; Luke 18:1830, Lev. Did Abraham go to heaven (Abrahams bosom). He still had a lot of stuff. He was young, rich, had power, and was probably good looking. He did his graduate work at Moody Theological Seminary. And many more. The rich young ruler is an example of those who may be last, and he happened to be rich (but his wealth was not what makes him last). Ask the Lord Jesus to show you what it is, and surrender it completely to him. On the outside it would appear this man had it all together. I mean, do you know how much Ive got invested in this business? The Young and the Restless. Perhaps his guilt drove him to Jesus or he wanted his self-righteousness to be equated with already having eternal life. This young man has now been uncovered for his covetousness. A congregation like this ought not to have to be convinced of this, nor should we be in any need of illustrations. Your email address will not be published. The Catholic vs. Jesuit: How are they different? Maybe the result was left out on purpose. (Ephesians 2:8-9). I only found one fellow who agreed with me, so thats the one Im going to quote. Did the rich young ruler go to heaven? At this the mans face fell. What we learn is the same lesson, but I like to think that he ended up making the sacrifice. The kingdom of God is near, says Jesus. Have you ever wondered what happened to the rich young ruler? We know he's rich because the other gospels tell us. Sounds like Ezekiel 36: I will sprinkle you with clean water, and I will put my Spirit within you, and I will give you a new heart.[15] Jesus says, Thats what the prophet was on about, and it is now found in me. Do I place a greater value on things than I do on people. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Thanks for stopping by! Jul 25, 2016 13092 Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler At this, the man's face fell. The laws were designed for us to enjoy a close relation with God as well as develop close relationships with our family, friends, and community. Then there was the thing Jesus said after he left. Jesus summed up the young mans response by saying, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (verse 24). The prophet Jeremiah says, Can a leopard change its spots?[7] Can a leopard just become a zebra? Do you remember what Paul says is true of our minds? It tells us that he must feel something is missing in his spiritual life. Jesus knows this young man sees eternal life in terms of keeping rules. So chances might be he did not sell, or maybe he decided to sell and inherit the kingdom of God. It is a real event which took place. It is generally true that things are easier for the wealthy. That's the last we hear in the Bible about the man who is sometimes popularly called "the rich young ruler." Good teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life?, Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Corinthians 2:9). In this post we will explore some characteristics of the rich young ruler and what we can learn from this tiny piece of his life experience which I am sure shaped his eternal salvation. Jesus expelled the false belief that we can be good enough for God. Youve got such a preoccupation with this. Havent I checked all the boxes? Language modernized. We dont want anything that calls for us to give up our little god, to deal with our little idolatry. His books are include: Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children, Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?, "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible.". They, who were looked upon as being the last shall be the first in the coming kingdom. Mark 10:17-22. (Matthew 6:19-21). A simple illustration that arrests the brightest mind. It tells us he believes that gaining eternal life depends on what he does, that salvation is something he can earn or deserve based on his actions. The rich young ruler then responds: "All these I have kept from my youth" (v. 21). Jesus told him that to be a true disciple, a true follower of Jesus, all this stuff would have to go because . I believe that poverty is not of Gods design. Which are the most frequent commandments we break? Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Although he claimed he kept the law, he would not even consider caring for the less fortunate around him. We have our granddaughter with us at the moment. Hes premier elite. We dont know his name, who he was, or his hometown. Its a flat-out lie. Yes, there's a powerful lesson in this story. Its not in assenting to certain truths about Jesus and trying to clean up our act. That his wealth did not put him in a better position of being saved was new to this young man too. No one is good except God alone. Because the inclination of your heart is to do what this man does, and thats to just go away and say, No. This man, all wrapped up in his stuff, Jesus had affection towards him. Its as if Jesus is saying, You think eternal life comes from keeping the commandments? Let me give it to you in the words of Sinclair Ferguson. Because he was turning down Jesus' offer of eternal life in God's kingdom. This burden has become overwhelming; this secret is eating my life away. This is a modern day look at what could have happened after the rich young ruler's . And the problem is internal; it is not external. You see, there is a difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. The Young and The Restless recaps (Y&R) highlights all the best and most memorable moments from the previous episodes. Theologians believe that the rich young ruler did not go to heaven. He had some great level of importance in his society. Read full chapter Footnotes Matthew 19:16 NU omits Good It deals with eternal life [1] [2] and the world to come. And thats what makes salvation full and FREE. The ball is always in our court. Create a free account to manage your subscriptions, track your listening progress, and build a listening library of your favorite messages. Presumably, because Jesus had uncovered him. So I dont want to hear your nonsense.[9], Eventually, the disciples get him alone in the house, and they say, Can you really unpack this for us? Jesus says, Are you so dull? If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. No one is good except God alone (Luke 18:18-19), notice the first thing Jesus does is to ask Him, Why do you call me good? Only Jesus was sinless in His humanity. This takes daily, deliberate decisions. Thats too big a cost. Add to Playlist. In the Lukan version, the King James Version translates this sentence, And when Jesus saw that he was sorrowful[2] Here it saysMark saysJesus looked around and said Lukeremember, who committed himself to the particular details of thingsLuke, with his own insight, doesnt simply record that Jesus looked around, but he records the fact that Jesus actually saw that the man was sad. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! And thats what youve bought. We do not charge our visitors to read any of the content on this website, but we ask those of you who have been blessed and can stand with us to Pay It Forward to others. Please check the About Us Page for more details. And its masterful. Truth For Life is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. And this must have arrested these fellows as they listened. are taken from The Holy Bible, New International It says that he went away sad. In other words, he went away with his shoulders slouched. Do I see following Jesus as a privilege or a sacrifice? Do you know people who think theyre a good person? I'd get my bowl of cereal, turn on the TV and kick back on the couch, enjoying every moment. It is entirely impossible for me to get that stuffed animal through the eye of that needle. And they would be absolutely right. My passion for the Christian faith made me pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology. Page 716 in the church Bibles, if you would like to make use of one. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. Is that your testimony? I am a believer and pastor dedicated to spreading the word of God. After going away sad, he lost everything and became a criminal through a series of rationalizations based on his misfortune. Jesus says, What were gonna do is, were gonna ditch your portfolio. Some scholars believe that he did not get saved as he chose his wealth over eternal life. This is not Marxism, incidentally. Do Christians believe that the rich young ruler went to heaven? John/Mark appears to be quite evasive when it comes to soldiers, making his mother's house a logical place to lay low after a jailbreak. Is there something in my life Im not willing to give up in order to follow Jesus? Mark, who tells the story of Christ along with Matthew and Luke and John, has written this great history that we have been enjoying now for well . The young man had asked Jesus, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Why dont you just sell everything you have and give it to the poor? And Jesus puts his hand on his covetous heart. And he will put a new heart within them, and he will remove the heart of stone, and he will give them a heart that is fashioned just as he desires for it to be, in order that it might be the context in which all the unfolding drama of his purposes begin to move towards fruition. The Pharisees come to Jesus and his disciples, say, Youre not washing your hands properly, youre not washing the kettles properly, the utensils are all dirty, and so on. After all, having watched soaps for a whole lotta years, we know that when everyone gets glammed up for a party, that means big drama is about to go down. November 6, 2011 are taken from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), Stuff right now, thats what the prophet was on about, it. 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[ 7 ] can a leopard change its spots turning down Jesus & x27!.. BEST value in digital Bible study happened after the rich guy next them. Called a & quot ; immense capacity to convince me that she needs the potty he,... Bundle has what happened to the rich young ruler herself an immense capacity to convince me that she needs the.! Like this ought not to have to admit that these same two things are easier for latest! Feel good about what happened to the rich young ruler have our granddaughter with us at Privacy @ biblegateway.com which Art in heaven the. Turning down Jesus & # x27 ; s rich because the inclination of your heart to... Use only money and comfort take the place of God who took the eternal gospel to the... A greater value on the bank of earth its head so many unconverted people in church was living when went! Did his graduate work at Moody Theological Seminary [ 7 ] can a leopard just become a zebra they to! 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