A morally pure and promising young ruler came to Jesus and asked (Matthew 19:16-30), “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”After a short dialogue Jesus presented this prominent leader with a challenge, testing his devotion and sincerity, “Sell all you have, distribute to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”Jesus taught that eternal life was simply a by-product of properly aligning ones priorities.
Some people say, “Salvation is free!That statement is both true and false.It is true in the sense that salvation cannot be earned; it is a gift of God that cannot be obtained through works (Ephesians 2:8-9).That statement is not true in the sense that there is a price attached to salvation—the cost is our lives.Christ purchased our redemption by giving His life for us and we receive salvation by giving our lives to Him.
The necessary has never been humanities top priority.The passionate pursuit of the nonessential and the extravagant is one of the chief traits of human uniqueness.Unlike other forms of life, man kind’s greatest exertions are made in the pursuit, not of necessities, but of superfluities (Eric Hoffer).Anything we put before God, even one thing, is enough to keep us from Him.“One thing” separated the rich ruler from Christ.He honored Jesus publicly and lived a moral life.He recognized Christ as a distinguished teacher.He was willing to keep the law, but he was not willing to seek the Lord as his first priority.The Rich Young Ruler failed.
We cannot have life both ways.We cannot love God and deliberately, intentionally and habitually cling to things that isolate us from Him.Walk in the Spirit and do not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6)Give the Lord your full and undivided attention.Follow your heart.Listen to your conscience.Become a spiritual person by giving precedence to the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5).The Rich Ruler focused on what he had to give in order to please God.His temporal concerns blinded him to eternal treasures.
Submitted 3/11/2009 4:00:26 PM | Author: Pastor Dan Turpin
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