Matthew 19:16……Ready

Matthew 19:16……Ready

19:16  Now (Behold-K.J.V. Get a load of this. After Jesus just taught on the need for childlike humility and dependance, this man approaches depending on his own strength and abilities)  man (Rich young ruler.(Luke 18:18) powerful, influential, respected-(New) came up to Jesus and asked, ‘Teacher what good thing must I do to get  eternal life? (The man may have been a Pharisee since Sadducees did not believe in the afterlife.) (For a complete Expository see Book) 

 Extended Sermons

“Warns against thinking we can earn our way to Heaven by how good we are.” ⇒ If you were to ask someone today if they think there going to heaven when they die. The answer you’ll usually get is “Ya, I think so, I lived a pretty decent life. For them it’s like a scale, hoping the good they’ve done outweighs the bad. Or they think though they’re not perfect, they’re not all that bad either.

“Teaches how Jesus isn’t here to provide tips or advice to have a better shot at heaven, He came to rescue us and Save us from our sins” ⇒  To ask Jesus for advice in how to get to heaven would be as ridiculous as someone who is drowning, calling for a lifeguard and asking “How do I get myself out of this”? “Can you give me some instructions to make it to the shore”. That’s not what a Lifeguard does. He comes, he sees you in your destitute situation and then he rescues you. It’s like the joke about a storm that descends on a small town, and the downpour soon turns into a flood. As the waters rise, the local preacher kneels in prayer on the church roof surrounded by water. By and by, one of the townsfolk comes up the street in a canoe. “Better get in, Preacher. The waters are rising fast.” “No,” says the preacher. “I have faith in the Lord. He will save me.” Still the waters rise. Now the preacher is up on the balcony, when another guy zips up in a motorboat. “Come on, Preacher. We need to get you out of here. The levee’s gonna break any minute.” Once again, the preacher is unmoved. “I shall remain. The Lord will see me through.” After a while the levee breaks, and the flood rushes over the church until only the steeple remains above water. The preacher is up there, clinging to the cross, when a helicopter descends, calling down to him. “Grab the ladder, Preacher. This is your last chance.” Once again, the preacher insists the Lord will deliver him. And, predictably, he drowns. The preacher goes to heaven. After a while he gets an interview with God, and he asks the Almighty, “Lord, I had unwavering faith in you. Why didn’t you deliver me from that flood?” God shakes his head. “What did you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter.” about a man who climbs on his rook to avoid a flood.

Additional Note & Applications

Warns how we can be sincere and still be wrong and headed in the wrong direction.

Teaches rather than think we can fix or compensate for our sins we need to go to God for mercy & grace.

Warns how it’s not about earning points with God or keeping a checklist of  “do’s” & “don’ts”, but a surrendered heart!

Note: You would think half our work in evangelism, is to get somebody to the point of asking that question. Now that He’s asking this question it should be a slam dunk from here on. All we have to do is to close the deal. But it’s not as easy as you think.

Note: Because the man is rich, young, and successful. He thinks the same way he acquired everything else in his life. Work hard, apply yourself, you’ll have it. So now he thinks if I work hard and apply myself I’m going to be able to go to heaven. And because of this hard work formula that he’s always followed and been successful at. He naturally assumes that’s how heaven works as well.  As a result we come with this performance-oriented mindset that we have to contribute and work hard if we’re going to get to heaven.   

Note: We really don’t know much at all about this man. We don’t know his name, who he was, or his hometown. We call him the “rich young ruler” based on the Gospels. All three say he was rich. But only Matthew tells us he was young (Matthew 19:20); and Luke alone says he was a ruler (Luke 18:18). The Greek word for ruler refers to a “leader,” an “official” of some sort—someone with administrative authority. It’s 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. All three gospel accounts refer to the fact that the man “had great wealth.” It could be, of course, that he had received his wealth from his parents or some benefactor–but it could also be that he was simply a very successful business man. Wherever he got his wealth, at least he hadn’t thrown it away, but apparently had managed it wisely. Some say that Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, may have been the Rich Young Ruler. Church tradition as well as other clues in the Bible itself may support the conclusion. Based on the fact that Mark’s Gospel is the only one that mentions Jesus “loved” the rich young ruler.-(Mark 10:21) John Mark’s mother Mary was wealthy, using her home in Jerusalem as a meeting place for early Christians.-(Acts 12:12) If this is Mark, then we may conclude that the rich, young ruler was converted later.

The Man’s Positive Traits

• He came with right spirit & humility in not allowing his success or wealth keep him from coming to Jesus.

• He came to the right person, that Jesus was the only one who could provide what he wanted and needed.

• He came publicly, that he was not concerned with his reputation, or what other people thought.

• He came with the right concern in being earnest about spiritual & eternal things.