Matthew 19:16-29
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 19:16-29 Asking the wrong question? What is real value?
Have you ever asked the wrong question?
(Are you pregnant? Is this your first time here in church? No, I have been here 10 times. Did you get a haircut?)
(Teachers many times say there are no wrong er stupid questions – that may be but you may look stupid or exposed if you ask something that you should have read your homework).
Or have you set up a false dichotomy or have you been set op? Many do this to avoid the real questions. Okay now take on your socks, no I don’t what to, okay, you get to pick the read or the green socks. – Well, the color was not the problem it was the socks.
Her a man comes to Jesus, and he asks the wrong question, because he has failed to understand what God wants. The man’s assumption is that he can do a good dead, and in that way, earn eternal life. The man is asking the wrong question. Jesus tries to get him on the right track, saying you can’t do a good work to earn eternal life the is only one that is truly good and it is not you. You can’t do a good work. (Only God is Good). Jesus tries to point the man in the right direction, if you would enter life keep the commandments.
Jesus tries to get the man to consider why are the commandment there? But he does not grasp it, instead he asks what ones, I mean not all 613, some what are the big ones? That Jesus list some, I think that proves the point that the man is not understanding what Jesus tried to point him to. His relationship with God and people, that his effort is not going to change his heart towards God and people, even if he tries very hard. And he does believe that he tried very hard, he did not kill anyone, (Jesus’ sermon on the mount words?) He did not commit adultery (What about his eyes) He did not steal, he said he honored his father and mother. And that he loved his neighbor as himself. If this is a correct self-assessment, he does seem to have done very well in following the commandments. He knows that he does not have eternal life and asks the same question again what do I still lack? What can I do to get eternal life? What command does Jesus not say? PPT red.
Then the conversation takes a turn, Jesus said if you would be perfect, go sell what you own and give it to the poor, then you will have treasure in heaven; and then come follow me. What an offer, like the disciples Jesus offers him to come and follow, to follow not just the commandments, but to follow the one who made the commandments. All the laws and commandments were to point to the God who made them, and to have the people trust in him, not in there works and religious deeds, but in the Lord. In his work. What will the man do? Will he love God? And Follow?
Well, he goes away sorrowful, why? He was rich. Here on earth. Did Jesus just ask him to do the one thing he was not willing to do? Teacher what must I do? Trust in me, follow me, have treasure in heaven. But I have treasure here now, yes but you can’t take it with you. And that man had to ask himself like we also do: Does my things own me? Or do I own my things. Kind of like an example of a false question because (Everything is Gods we own nothing ultimately). The point was, that this man was not willing to have eternal life, if he did have to trust in God, and obey, it was not worth it to come follow Jesus. So he went away sorrowful, rejecting what he said he really wanted, but I may have been fear of death, more than love for God, why he was seeking eternal life. (What about us?)
It is interesting to think about what must the disciples have thought? We did that we came and followed, Matthew could have been wealthy, the fishers, but they followed. In a few verses Peter will help us out as he has done many times and ask a question we may have.
But first Jesus talked about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom og heaven. It intact impossible, and he uses a camel and needle illustration, -fun/absurd underling that it is impossible, but all salvation is impossible we can’t do the good deed that saves us. It is only God that can, because what is impossible for man it possible with God because all things are possible with God. As the disciples asked who then can be saved? (Riches was seen as a sign og blessing from God, - it can probably be both).
Peter would like to know what he and the disciples have gained as they left everything and followed Jesus. What do have?
Jesus then addresses the ones that have followed him, will sit with him and judge the Israel, and that what ever people have left to for Jesus’ name’s sake, they will get 100 times back and will inherit eternal life – the very thing the rich young man wanted. But he had to become poor to become rich… And trust Gods work not his own.
Then what about you?
Are you like the rich man? What must I do to get eternal life? Religious deeds? Give me the list.
Or have you tried and know you can’t make it?
What then is to be done? – Well, it was done, before by God, it was do we trust God, - Now after seeing Jesus we can put our faith and trust in his life death, restriction and coming back,
It is trust in Gods work not my own.
Then should I do no work, well not to save your self and get eternal life, but if you have eternal life, James would say, there needs to be works to show that. But it is not the other way around. That I can appease God with my actions, like we talked about last time the debt was unpayable. Not just big, unpayable, you and I can’t make God love us. Or give us eternal life. It is a gift, that is possible by Jesus’ work.