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The Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18-30). “The world is poor because her treasure is buried in the sky and all her treasure maps are of the earth.” Calvin Miller. What does “salvation” mean? (Matt. 19). “obtain eternal life” (v. 16) “enter into life” (v. 17b)
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“The world is poor because her treasure is buried in the sky and all her treasure maps are of the earth.” Calvin Miller
What does “salvation” mean? (Matt. 19) • “obtain eternal life” (v. 16) • “enter into life” (v. 17b) • “enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 23) • “enter the kingdom of God” (v. 24) • “be saved” (v. 25)
Who is this man? Rich (Matt. 19; Mark 10; Luke 18) Young (Matt. 19:20) Ruler (Luke 18:18)
I. How to Inherit Eternal Life (vv. 18-23) RYR’s Question (v. 18) • Address: “Good Rabbi” • Question Jesus’ General Answer (vv. 19-20) The unique goodness of God You must do the commandments of God / the insufficiency of your goodness
I. How to Inherit Eternal Life (vv. 18-23) RYR’s Response (v. 21) • “All these I have kept from my youth.” Jesus’ Specific Answer (v. 22) “sell all that you have & distribute to the poor.” RYR’s Response (v. 23) “When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
Why did Jesus cite the Law? Because inheriting eternal life begins with the awareness/conviction of sin. • Conviction of Sin / Repentance (John 16:8) • Understand the Gospel (the substitutionary death & resurrection of Jesus Christ) • Trust in Christ
II. The Handicap of Wealth (vv. 24-27) • “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (vv. 24-25) • “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (vv. 26-27)
Evidence for the “camel” gate 1. 2. 3. 4.
II. The Handicap of Wealth (vv. 24-27) • It breeds pride/arrogance. (1 Timothy 6:17) • It undermines trust/faith, as it fuels a deceitful sense of self-sufficiency. (1 Timothy 6:17) • Worldliness feeds on it. (prodigal son)
Proverbs 18:10-11 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. Paraphrase: The Lord is the strong tower of the righteous – in truth. Wealth is the fortified city of the rich – in their imagination.
III. The Reward of Full Surrender (vv. 28-30) Peter: “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” “receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
“many times more” house or wife or brothers or parents or children “Many times more, in this verse, means, the believer shall find in Christ, a full equivalent for anything that he is obliged to give up for Christ. He shall find such peace and hope and joy and comfort and rest in communion with the Father and the Son, that his losses shall be more than counterbalanced by his gains. The Lord Jesus Christ shall be more to him than property, or relatives, or friends.” (J. C. Ryle)
Jesus! I do now receive him, More than all in Him I find; He hath granted me forgiveness, I am His, and He is mine. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end.