Screen 1 “A Remarkable Refusal” Screen 2 Matthew 19:16-30 October 6, 2019 Last time we discussed divorce and children from Matthew 19:1-15. Little children have just been brought to Jesus so he can “lay his hands on them and pray” (Matthew 18:13). Jesus accepts them and blesses them, as unimportant as his society/culture believed small children to be. The next section, beginning in verse 16 and running through the end of the chapter records for us a most unique encounter - - in fact, this is the single most unique encounter Jesus ever had with an individual (it’s the only one of its kind) - - where Jesus invites a “young man” – the rich young ruler himself (vs. 20), which meant he was between 20 and 40 years old, to become the 13th apostle/disciple and the young man flat refuses the offer. Pray here that not one soul within the sound of my voice will ever hear the voice of the Master and refuse His invitation to follow. Matthew 19:16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what Screen 3 good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “behold” – “watch this” “teacher” – as in Matthew 8:19 and Matthew 12:38 this title reflects the Screen 4 inadequate understanding of one who is not a true disciple. Later, Judas Iscariot uses the title in Matthew 26:25, 49. (Jesus cannot merely be a great teacher and be Savior, too.) 1 “eternal life” – This very question shows the young man’s confusion on salvation. In this verse and in verse 29 are the only times Matthew’s gospel uses the term “eternal life.” What the young man calls “eternal life,” Jesus calls the “kingdom of Screen 5 heaven” (verse 23) and the disciples call being “saved” (verse 25). All three terms mean the same thing. The already and the not yet. This refers to life as God has it – in complete fulfillment -- life to the fullest. The man is not trying to trap Jesus – he’s completely sincere in his question. Regardless of how things turn out for him he’s come to the right person to ask this question. Matthew 19:17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? Screen 6 There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” This reply is unique to Matthew’s gospel – it’s different from Mark and Luke. Here, Jesus apparently is probing the young man to see why he is not satisfied with the obvious Jewish answer to his question, that a man/person must do the good things that the only good God, YAHWEH, has already commanded. “if you would enter life , keep the commandments” – the Good God/Lord has already spoken about how to live life to its fullest. Matthew 19:18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not Screen 7 murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,” "Which ones?" – The man is not satisfied. Perhaps he knows the rabbinic debates about the weightier matters of the law or about how to sum up the law in a commandment or two. (The young an knows the Scriptures - - this is an educated person’s question.) 2 “You shall not murder” – commandment #6 (Exodus 20:13). “You shall not commit adultery” – commandment #7 (Exodus 20:14). “You shall not steal” – commandment #8 (Exodus 20:15). “You shall not bear false witness” – commandment #9 (Exodus 20:16). Matthew 19:19 “Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your Screen 8 neighbor as yourself.” “Honor your father and your mother – commandment #5 (Exocdus 20:12). “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” – Leviticus 19:18. The first five commandments are all from the second table of the Decalogue (The Ten Screen 9 Comandments) which focuses on a person’s relationships (the same theme since Matthew 18:1) with other people. The fact that Jesus tops his answer off with Leviticus 19:18 obviously teaches that the rich young ruler had problems in the way he treated people. We’re about to see this man loved things more than he loved people. Jesus’ answer should have shown the man the error of his ways because everyone should know after the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 – 7 that no one can truly keep the commandments (save Jesus). Matthew 19:20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still Screen 10 lack?” This statement has always shocked me – “All these I have kept.” He does have enough spiritual aptitude to admit he still lacks something – 3 “What do I still lack?” (great question). The young man knows something is wrong in his life – he lacks – but he doesn’t know what exactly it is. The area remains undisclosed. “Legalism always falls short of God’s intention.” (Mounce). Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you Screen 11 possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” "if you would be perfect " - teleious (Greek) – literally: complete; brought to its end, finished. In today’s language – “completely fulfilled.” “One who is teleious has attained the moral end for which he was intended, namely to be a man in Christ.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance” p. 248). Here, Jesus is saying – this is what you lack . Jesus tells him to go and sell what he owns and give it to the poor and “you will have treasure in heaven.” Matthew 6:20-21 20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where Screen 12 neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Here is the most startling thing I have read in some time. “come, follow me” -“ follow” is the same word Jesus uses to invite all of the Screen 13 apostles/disciples to follow him in Matthew and also in Mark, Luke and John and they do. There is only one time where the invitation is extended and it does not say what the person did (Matthew 8:19-22). But here is the one and only place that states. 4 Matthew 19:22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for Screen 14 he had great possessions. “He had it (money) and it had him.” He flat refused the invitation of a lifetime - - to be the 13th apostle. (The 13th Warrior movie years ago with Antonio Banderas.) “This man was so shackled to his possessions that nothing less than surgical Screen 15 excision of them would suffice.” (Barclay) Almsgiving was a cardinal virtue in Judaism, but this extreme sacrifice was never commanded. The Babylonian Talmud forbade giving up more than 20% of one’s income, though exceptions sometimes did occur in practice. Jesus’ commands of sell all and follow him must be kept together and he meant it, literally for that man. He goes away “sorrowful” – literally grieving – just as the disciples did in Matthew 17:23 at Jesus’ second passion prediction. Notice: Jesus does not go running after the man saying, “I was just using hyperbole - - I didn’t mean it literally!” – Yes Jesus did! Jesus makes different demands of different individuals. Zaccheus gave away only half of his income (Luke 19:1-10). Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were both very wealthy and used their wealth for the good of things important to God. BUT “if money Screen 16 stands in the way of a person’s fully committing his or her life to Christ, Jesus will make the identical demands on that individual as he did on this young man.” (Blomberg, p. 299). Many claim to trust in Christ yet refuse to trust him with all of their material possessions - - you will never walk closely with Jesus if you refuse to trust him with your money. True Christian stewardship will examine mortgages, car loans, credit, giving, incurance, investments to make sure every area is under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Ridderbos says, “The man of course did not think that Screen 17 5 his riches were worth more than eternal life, but he must have told himself that he did not really have to give up his wealth to gain it.” Gundry says, “Jesus did Screen 18 not command all his followers to sell all of their possessions gives comfort only to the kind of people to whom he would issue that command.” The man said, “No!” to Jesus’ invitation. Matthew 19:23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with Screen 19 difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.” “Truly, I say to you” - or “I tell you the truth” – The poor have always and will always prove most responsive to the gospel. The wealthier (which really inclues virtually all Americans) tend to believe they don’t need Christ or at least not in every area of life. But if He is not “Lord of all” then He is not Lord at all!” (“The Screen 20 more you have, the more you make, the more difficult it is to be generous.” William S. Moss – 30 years old before I made more than $19,000 per year.) Matthew 19:24 “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye Screen 21 of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” The “camel” was the largest animal in Israel.