HOW TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?
A 2012 Boston Globe article
asked the following question: Does money change you? "Here in the home of
the American dream," the article stated, "most people are convinced
that gaining a lot of money … wouldn't change who they are as people." But
is that true?
The article reported: As a mounting body of
research shows, wealth can change how we think and behave and not for
the better. Rich people have a more challenging time connecting with others, showing less
empathy to the extent of dehumanizing those different from them.
They are less charitable, generous, and less
likely to help someone in trouble. And they are more likely to defend an unfair
status quo. If you think you'd behave differently in their place, you're
probably wrong: These aren't just inherited traits but developed ones.
Money, in other words, changes who you are. Another
series of studies from the University of California at Berkley shows that
wealthier people tend to be less compassionate towards others in a bad
situation than people from lower-class backgrounds. The article noted that
"if you win the lottery and want to avoid becoming an insensitive
lout," there is a simple solution. "Give at least half the money
away."[1]
This may be an antidote to human greed.
This article may be putting rich people in a
bad light, but what it highlights may be true. That wealth adversely affects
people's morality and behavior more than we care to admit. It buys prime
entertainment; luxurious vacations but cannot accept your way to heaven. While
wealth may open up the whole world for you, it may shut the door to heaven,
making it hard to enter.
In the story today, we will learn how Jesus
challenged a rich young ruler who thought somehow, with his philanthropic and
religious activities could make it to heaven. He came with the right question, but
how did he leave responding to Jesus's correct answer? Luke 18:18-29
I.
A Sixty-Four Thousand Dollars Question.
When someone asks a crucial or essential question, we
say the $64,000 question, which is usually a significant issue whose outcome
can't be foreseen and on which much hinges. If Jesus were here today and a
young Venture Capitalist came to him and asked, "Good teacher, what must I
do to inherit eternal life,"? He would have said the 64,000-dollar
question.
Reading from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we learn that
Jesus was on his final trip toward Jerusalem. One young religious ruler came to
Jesus and asked him this essential question. "Good teacher, what
good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?" I wish many more people
today would ask the most critical question of their lives. Let's see how Jesus
answered it.
When the rich young ruler asked this question, he must
have operated by certain mixed assumptions. On the one hand, he must have seen
Jesus as one of their good religious leaders. On the other hand, he saw Jesus,
who has eternal life, and could tell him how he might have it too.
Building on his curiosity, Jesus wanted to teach him a
lesson about who He was. Why do you call me good? Jesus asked him, "Only
God is truly good." Jesus was not disclaiming his deity but teaching the
young man that everyone else is a sinner except God. This young man did not
realize his own utter spiritual bankruptcy. To answer his 64,000 dollars question,
Jesus reminded him of the five of the six commandments that dealt with human
relationships:
"You must not commit
adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You
must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother." (Ex
20:12-16, Duet 5:16-20). Is Jesus advocating that we all follow the law to get
to heaven? Of course not!
Before showing him the way of life, Jesus wanted to
let the young ruler know the high standard God required, the absolute futility of obtaining salvation through our effort, and what it takes to be His
disciple. The young man confidently declared, "I have obeyed all these
commandments since I was young.
Matthew notes, "what else must I do?" But he
would not admit his own sin. Some of us are like this self-righteous young
ruler. We may be grown up in Christian homes, attended church since childhood,
know the ten commandments, and even tried to obey them, but we would not admit
we are sinners. Jesus sees what is happening in our hearts.
II.
Jesus said, "There is still one thing you haven't done."
The young ruler thought he had done everything needed
to obtain eternal life. He has obeyed the commandments since childhood, and
nothing else is left undone. Jesus said, "There is still one thing you
haven't done." Vs. 22, "Sell all your possessions and give the money
to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Is Jesus advocating that we should never own any
possessions, must sell everything, and distribute them to the poor to have
treasure in heaven? Is this a universal requirement for salvation, or was it
applicable only to this rich young ruler? Jesus addressed this young ruler's
heart attitude. He wanted to find out whether he would let go of all of them,
take Him as his only treasure, and follow Him. Jesus put others also through
the same test earlier in Luke 14.
To a large crowd following Jesus, He turned around and
said, "You can not be my disciple without giving up everything you
own." Is Jesus against people owning things? No! But He is against things
owning us. For instance, nothing is wrong if you own a home to live in, but if
you can't leave it behind and serve the Lord when God calls, then the house
owns you instead.
When the young man heard Jesus' requirement went away
sad for he was wealthy. The young ruler desired eternal life. He came to the
right person and asked the right question but could not follow Him. He went
away somewhat disappointed and sad. Like the young ruler today, you might
desire eternal life. You have come to the right person and asked Him the right
question what must I do to have eternal life? This is how you can have eternal life.
III.
How To Have Eternal Life?
The essence of this parable is not that God hates the wealthy.
Jesus did not hate the rich young ruler. It is said in Mk 10:21, "Looking
at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him." God's heart is full of
love for all people, rich or poor. John 3:16, "For this is how God loved
the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him
will not perish but have eternal life." This is how you and I and everyone
else can have eternal life.
The young ruler and several other religious leaders
during Jesus' time thought that one could inherit eternal life by obeying the law and giving alms to the poor. The young rich ruler thought he could have
eternal life through his wealth. Jesus busted that wrong kind of thinking.
Vs-24-27, "How hard it is for the rich to enter
the Kingdom of God! In fact, 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!" The
disciples said, "Then who in the world can be saved." Jesus replied,
What is impossible for people is possible with God."
This scripture is not saying that rich people cannot
enter heaven. It expresses that their wealth makes it even harder. Jesus used
the analogy of a camel passing through the eye of a needle to explain that rich
people can't enter into the Kingdom of God by their self-effort. For that
matter, no one can have eternal life through their self-righteous efforts.
When the Bible speaks of eternal life, it refers to a
gift of God that comes only "through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans
6:23). This gift is in contrast to the "eternal death" that is the
result of sin. The fact that this life is "Eternal" indicates that it
is perpetual life. It goes on and on and on, with no end in heaven. Jesus is
here to give your eternal life. What would you do with this offer? Would you
walk away sad as the rich young ruler did or leave from here with Joy in your
heart by receiving Jesus' gift of salvation? Come to Jesus, and you will have
eternal life.
