Matthew 19:16-30 Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
“Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
With God All Things Are Possible
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
They call him a rich young ruler, a man who has everything., a golden boy. Born into a wealthy family, careful to observe all the Jewish laws, this young man appears to have it all. But somehow, all these riches, all this popularity, and all this social position has left this fellow with a gaping hole in his heart. So this young man questions Jesus, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
The answer Jesus gives is anything but satisfactory. This guy is hoping for affirmation; perhaps Jesus will say, “Oh, you are already doing enough. You are on your way to eternal life.” Or perhaps Jesus might say, “Well, here are a few more things for you to do to earn eternal life” and then give a list of requirements. This man is certain that whatever Jesus advises, he is fully capable of doing. But Jesus pulls him up short.
“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” “Great!” says the young man. “I’m already observing all the commandments. What else?” And that’s where reality sets in, for the next thing Jesus tells him is, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Say what? This fellow has extensive possessions and is so wealthy that he pays a steward to keep track of everything for him. Pierced to the heart, the young man leaves, wondering how he can ever do what Jesus has just asked.
The disciples are shocked, horrified, and mystified. While the disciples have left everything, some of them didn’t have much to start with. But this young man has it all, so how can Jesus possibly demand that he abandon such riches and social position?
Jesus advises the disciples that following him is one of the most difficult things anyone can do. According to Wikipedia, the “Eye of the Needle” has been claimed to be a gate in Jerusalem, which opened after the main gate was closed at night. A camel could not pass through the smaller gate unless it was stooped and had its baggage removed. In the same way, Jesus is saying that anyone wishing to become a disciple must be willing to abandon all those things they think will make them fit for discipleship. Only faith in Jesus Christ can fit any of us to become a disciple.
At this point, the disciples are really worried, for they have left everything behind. Jesus reassures them that they will have a heavenly reward. But Jesus also says that there will be many others who will also reap rich rewards in heaven.
Many of us might be wondering if we fit into the same category as the rich young ruler. Be encouraged that many traditions suggest that this young man was Mark, who later interviewed Peter and wrote one of the Gospels and who accompanied Barnabas on missionary journeys.
Millard Fuller was a highly successful businessman who became a millionaire by age 29; however, these riches failed to satisfy him. Fuller and his family abandoned their wealth, moving first to a Christian commune and then to Zaire, where Fuller first became aware of the crying need for affordable housing for the poor. Eventually, Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity, a charity that has built houses all over the world using donated materials and volunteer labor. Millions of people have gotten safe and secure shelter because Fuller abandoned his quest for money to follow Jesus. Once committed to Jesus Christ, Fuller never looked back. (Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has worked on many of the Habitat houses in America.)
Must one give up everything to become a disciple? Not necessarily. The lesson for would-be disciples is simple: Hold your possessions lightly, so that if God asks you to give them up, you can do so readily. God may call you to use your possessions to reach others; for example, you might be a member of a yacht club. Your fellow members need to hear about Jesus just as much as anyone else. A retired pastor friend in Ghana is witnessing effectively to chiefs because he too is of royal blood and can therefore get a hearing where others would not.
God can use you and your resources in magnificent ways when you give everything to him. But remember that narrow gate. Camels could only pass once they had unloaded everything. We too can only come to the Kingdom of Heaven after abandoning our baggage and allowing the Blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin. If we give everything to God, He can bless it and return it for our use. If we hang onto anything, God cannot bless it or use it. The choice is ours. Choose wisely.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to realize that when we give everything to You, You will bless it and use us in ways we cannot imagine. Help us to trust You for heavenly rewards. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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