The Rich, Young Ruler (Part 1) - Mark 10:17-22

Not all wealth is bad. There's something specific about this man's wealth that Jesus is dealing with.

V17... This man realizes Jesus is special, but he's not sure how. He's essentially asking Jesus, "How can I know I'm saved?" He struggles with assurance. 

Mt19:16... Someone asks Jesus, "what good deeds must I do to have eternal life?" Similar to this guy. He thinks he has to do good works to enter heaven.

This is how humans think, but not God! He knows we are too fallen to save ourselves. This is how Christianity is utterly unique: we are only saved by the deeds of another!

V18... "And Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.'" Nobody is good!

...To be saved, we have to know who we are. We have to abandon the illusion of our goodness!

God will never turn on us; he's always for our good. Humans fail, and are selfish. God and God alone is infallible, inherently good! 

Galatians 2:16... You're not justified by works of the Law.

Romans 5:18... By one man's obedience many will be made righteous!

We are by nature sinners. The wages of sin is death. 

So how can I know that I'm saved? If your plan is to stand on judgement day on your own merits, arguing how well you improved, your good deeds... You will be damned. There is only one good: God. Only in him will you be saved. Jesus lived the perfect life, and if we put our faith in him, we are brought into perfect unity with him! When he's our way, truth, life, shepherd, our leader... That's how we are saved! 

We want to be great people, do good things, be free from sin, be holy as the Lord God is holy. Only if we have the Spirit of God can we do this. And only through the blood of Jesus Christ! We must abide with and identify with Jesus Christ! 

Eternal life does not begin with our righteousness! We are saved not by the intensity of our faith, but by the object of our faith!

John 6:28: the only works required of us: believing in the Lord Jesus Christ! Who is worthy? Only Jesus! 

Having faith in Jesus means you're only allowed into heaven because he said I am! 

V20... So why does Jesus address this man's wealth specifically? It seems this man was trained in the ways of holiness and was serious about the things of God. He seems to be a godly young man. 

V21... He says the young man lacks one thing... Sell everything and follow Jesus. If you want to belong to Jesus, you have to be all in! 

Biblical conversion isn't an emotion, it's an action. You have to believe in him, and believing in him means following him!

This doesn't mean you can't have nice things. If God has given you these things, enjoy them! But as a Christian, you need to truly follow him, and be all in! But if you helping to the Lord, so does the house... So does everything you have! Your possessions, your soul, your life! 

For this man, it was not good for him to keep these possessions, and Jesus knew he needed to give it up! He loved God, but he was serving two masters, God and money. His wealth had his heart, his affections!

There are things in our flesh that we have unhealthy relationships with. Our hearts are idol factories! We can idolize anything... Our health, our wealth, our titles. All these things can be good, but we can turn anything into an idol! 

Riches can create a false sense of security. Love of money (not money itself) is the root of all evil.

We must not have dual allegiance; there are no dual citizens of heaven!

Mark 8:34... Deny yourself and follow me... Lose your life for my sake and you will live! 

But this man wants to keep his other god, money. 

V22... The man went away sorrowful, because he knew he didn't want to give up his riches.

Give everything away, and in return, you'll get Jesus, an eternal treasure!

You can choose to be lord over your own life, but where is true joy really found? In earthly treasures? The respect of your peers? No.

Money can get you a lot, but it all fades. 

God made you, he loves you. If the Holy Spirit is drawing you away from something, don't be like this rich young ruler! Don't hold onto your idols! It's a rock you're dragging behind you. 

He knows the path to joy! In eternal life and now as well! You'll always have misery in this life, regardless of what you follow.

What will you follow: earthly treasures, or heavenly treasures?