WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.640 Verse number 18, if you found your place, you can follow along, it'll be on the prompter 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:05.599 there as well. The Bible says this, 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:12.220 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 00:00:12.840 --> 00:00:18.359 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one that is God. 00:00:19.059 --> 00:00:23.600 Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:30.960 do not bear false witness. Honor thy father and mother. And he said, All these have I kept 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:38.100 from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:44.960 thing, sell all thou hast and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:52.240 and come follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. 00:00:53.019 --> 00:00:57.939 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches 00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:04.700 enter into the kingdom of God? For it is easier for a camel to go through the needle's eye than a 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:10.579 rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:17.900 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo, 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:23.599 we have left all and followed thee. And Jesus speaking, said unto them, Verily I say unto you, 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:29.479 There is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of 00:01:29.479 --> 00:01:34.879 God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come, 00:01:35.419 --> 00:01:42.899 life everlasting. As we walk through chapter 18, we've seen a few people come. We saw a publican 00:01:42.899 --> 00:01:48.399 and a Pharisee praying. The Pharisee thought he was on the inside track, and he was on his way to heaven, 00:01:48.399 --> 00:01:52.719 and he was let everybody know. And we met this publican that was a sinner, and he said, 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:58.400 God, be merciful to me. And then Luke introduced us to some children, and the parents were trying to 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:03.900 bring their kids, and the disciples said, Get these kids. Stop bothering Jesus. And Jesus said, 00:02:03.939 --> 00:02:08.800 No, this is how you enter the kingdom. And now we're introduced to this man. Maybe your Bible says a 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:14.620 rich young ruler. Seems to have it all going in his life, and yet he feels something is missing. 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:19.020 And so he comes to Jesus with a great question, and you think, Well, I'm not rich, so this message 00:02:19.020 --> 00:02:25.420 doesn't apply to me. No, it does. Because this message is not about money. This message is what 00:02:25.420 --> 00:02:30.879 has your heart and what you're trusting in. And Jesus is going to expose that and show us 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:34.840 really how you enter into the kingdom of God. So let's go to him in prayer this morning, 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:37.400 and then we'll jump right into the text. Father, thank you for this time. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:42.140 Lord, thank you for the songs, and thank you for the reminder that you are nothing but good to us. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:47.280 Lord, sometimes life is hard, but it doesn't mean that you are not faithful. And I pray that you 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.719 would just remind us of that truth. And I pray that as we open up the word here, 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:55.939 Lord, that you would just speak to hearts. You would remind us there is one way to enter. We're 00:02:55.939 --> 00:03:00.120 thankful you are the way and the truth and the life. Lord, I pray that there's somebody here today 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:04.840 that doesn't know that. That's maybe trusting in the wrong things except your finished work on the 00:03:04.840 --> 00:03:10.099 cross of Calvary, Lord, that today would be the day of salvation. But Lord, even for those that know 00:03:10.099 --> 00:03:16.879 you as Savior, sometimes we still get into this rut of what do I need to do? And we're working 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:22.400 and working, Lord. And you've called us to serve, but not to gain favor. But Lord, help us just to 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.879 make sure we're trusting in the right things. I pray you be with me now, Lord. I pray you would 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:30.939 just clear my mind and give me the words to say, Lord, that it would be a help to the hearer this 00:03:30.939 --> 00:03:35.819 morning. And we ask this in Christ's name today. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:45.620 Don't you love filling out online like Google forms? Nobody? The school is always sending it out and 00:03:45.620 --> 00:03:50.319 saying, hey, fill this form out. And maybe you're like me. You fill it out. You put your name and 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.879 your address and your phone number and your email and your mother's maiden name and your social security. 00:03:54.920 --> 00:03:58.240 Then you have to create a password because you can't have the same password. It's like the internet 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:04.520 knows that you've already used this password. And it's like 14 letters, six special symbols, 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:09.439 two hieroglyphics. And then you're like, I'm going to write this down so I don't forget it. 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:14.240 And if you're like me, I have to reset my password basically anytime I log on to anything ever again. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:18.620 And that's just kind of how it is. And you fill it all out. And then you have to prove you're not a 00:04:18.620 --> 00:04:25.900 robot. Then it says, click the boxes that have a bicycle in it. And you're like, you got a magnifying 00:04:25.900 --> 00:04:30.379 glass out. You're trying to see is the wheel actually in that next one? Maybe I'm the only one 00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:35.460 that overthinks that. But you do that. You hit the next button. It says, sorry, you've missed a box. 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:40.360 You're like, what in the world? And you're scrolling up and down and you're trying to find it. And 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:44.939 and you, you, you think it's there. You think, what did I miss? And then at the very bottom in 00:04:44.939 --> 00:04:49.860 some like six point font, there's a little tiny box that you're supposed to check. You think, man, 00:04:49.900 --> 00:04:56.980 this is really difficult. So we come to chapter 18 here and we meet this rich young ruler. I want 00:04:56.980 --> 00:05:02.740 us to have that feeling about this man. Because when we come to him on the, at first glance, 00:05:02.740 --> 00:05:09.420 this man seems to have checked every box. He is super successful. He is respected in the community. 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:16.319 He is morally upright. He is extremely religious. And, and in those days, I mean, that was the, 00:05:16.460 --> 00:05:21.519 that was the way in. And they would have looked at him and said, I wish that I could be like him when 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:26.680 I grow up. I mean, he's got his life together. And according to the other gospel accounts, he's a, 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:31.780 he's a young man. We, we would say things like this. He's got his whole life in front of him. 00:05:31.779 --> 00:05:36.639 I mean, he's got it, he's got it put together and, and he's doing pretty well. 00:05:39.019 --> 00:05:44.739 But he understood something was missing. He felt like he's checked most of the boxes, 00:05:44.739 --> 00:05:48.619 that he's filled out all the forms, that he's done everything that he's supposed to. He's, 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:53.299 he's looked at the law that the Jewish people would have followed. He said, man, I'm, I'm nailing this. 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:58.559 But in his heart, he knew something wasn't there because despite everything that he had, 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:03.339 and he had it all, and despite all the things that he's done, and he gave that testimony to Jesus, 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:10.259 said, hey, I've done all those things. He still didn't know if he had eternal life. And he was 00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:17.100 curious about it. He was desirous of that. And so he comes to Jesus here with a question. 00:06:17.100 --> 00:06:24.700 And it's a great question. He says, hey, good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:30.600 But tucked inside that question is the very problem that this man had. 00:06:31.660 --> 00:06:37.020 We see the question again. He says, what shall I do? 00:06:37.019 --> 00:06:44.099 See, this is a man that believes that there must be something else he can accomplish. I mean, 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:49.199 he's got his resume. Everybody can see it. I mean, he looks successful. He thinks there must be 00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:55.060 something that I, I need to add to this. There's just, maybe I'm missing one box to check. And if 00:06:55.060 --> 00:07:00.240 Jesus just tells me what it is, I mean, he's got his checkbook out. A checkbook is a piece of paper 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:05.180 paper and you write on it. It's weird. It's very old. Ask your grandparents about it. 00:07:05.740 --> 00:07:11.100 And he's ready. I mean, Jesus, just, you name the price. You tell me what it is and I'm going to, 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:14.500 I'll get it to you today. And don't worry, it's going to clear the bank. 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:23.100 But as Jesus shows us here in this text, and what he's teaching this man and in turn teaching us as 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:29.060 well, that eternal life is not something that you can just add to your accomplishments. It's not 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:33.319 something that if you're just a good person and you come to church and you treat people with kindness 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:37.040 and you obey the golden rule, then you're just going to kind of slide right into the kingdom. 00:07:38.180 --> 00:07:43.100 We've kind of seen that as we've walked through this chapter. And really the context of where Luke 00:07:43.100 --> 00:07:49.220 places this is, is once again, very important. The last time we were together a couple of weeks ago, 00:07:49.340 --> 00:07:54.639 he, Jesus looked at these children that they're bringing these infants to him. And, and the disciples 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:59.519 were like, Hey, leave Jesus alone. But in verse number 17, Jesus says this, 00:08:00.219 --> 00:08:07.019 Verily or truly I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child 00:08:07.019 --> 00:08:13.860 shall in no wise enter in. And really what Jesus was driving home and he's going to drive home again 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:21.379 today is, is this picture of helpless dependence. And he was looking at that little baby and the crowd 00:08:21.379 --> 00:08:25.920 would have been gathered around and maybe this man was in that crowd. It seems this conversation is 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:32.419 born out of that. But Jesus just reminds us that a child comes with empty hands. A little baby has 00:08:32.419 --> 00:08:37.340 nothing to provide. They have nothing to give. They are just there and they have to receive everything. 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:44.580 They are helpless. They are completely dependent on their parents. A child doesn't achieve those things. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:47.919 He doesn't get a meal because he went to work. He gets a meal because his parents love him. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:54.459 He simply receives what is given. And yet the first question out of this man's mouth is, 00:08:54.740 --> 00:09:01.620 Hey, what do I need to do? Hey, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And really the big idea of 00:09:01.620 --> 00:09:08.199 this text has kind of been the big idea of chapter 18. That eternal life isn't achieved by what we do. 00:09:09.479 --> 00:09:15.500 Salvation isn't what you do for the Lord. No, it's received by depending completely on Christ. 00:09:15.500 --> 00:09:22.320 Christ. That it is received on his finished work. So the question I want us to consider as we walk 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:29.440 through this text this morning, this conversation Jesus has with this young ruler, is this. What keeps 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:36.379 us from completely depending on Christ? Because he's coming. He wants to depend. He wants to do 00:09:36.379 --> 00:09:41.679 something. He wants what Jesus is offering. But there seems to be some things holding him back. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:48.500 The first thing we see is this. That we can miss heaven. We can miss the kingdom because we're 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:53.779 trusting in our own goodness. That's really what we see in the first three verses. In verse number 18, 00:09:53.899 --> 00:09:59.739 he comes and he asks the question and Jesus said to him in verse 19, Why callest thou me good? None is good, 00:10:00.219 --> 00:10:10.159 save one that is God. It's kind of a breath of fresh air with this man. Because most of the people that 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:15.539 come to Jesus in the gospels are generally the Pharisees or the lawyers, the scribes. And they 00:10:15.539 --> 00:10:21.179 have questions, but their motives are not pure. Their questions aren't because they're seeking 00:10:21.179 --> 00:10:26.459 answers. Their questions are they're trying to trap Jesus. So there's a lot to like about this man on 00:10:26.459 --> 00:10:31.740 the surface. He's a ruler. Many scholars believe he would have been helping in the synagogue. And so 00:10:31.740 --> 00:10:36.819 the Jews would have respected him. It was kind of their center of life. And it wasn't just a place 00:10:36.820 --> 00:10:42.280 of worship, but it was a place of community. And he would have been helpful in that. And Mark tells 00:10:42.280 --> 00:10:47.980 us in his gospel account of this that when he came to Jesus, he ran to him, which is very unusual 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:53.020 for a first century Jewish man. You think, man, I was born in the wrong century. I don't like to run. 00:10:53.100 --> 00:10:57.120 Maybe you should have been in the first century. It was really weird to see a man run in the first 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:05.780 century, but he runs to Jesus and he knelt down. A man of such clout, such power, obviously has extreme 00:11:05.779 --> 00:11:13.559 wealth. The Bible says he is very rich. He shows great humility here. He shows reverence to this 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:17.799 rabbi, to this teacher where others would have thought, hey, nothing good comes out of Nazareth. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.799 He's seen enough of Jesus to understand there's something different about this man. The way that 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:28.439 he teaches, the way that he loves, the way that he heals, the things that is taking place, something 00:11:28.439 --> 00:11:34.600 is different about this man. And unlike the Pharisees, he's not trying to trap them. 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:41.659 He genuinely wants an answer. It's a great question. And when you have a question, it's important you go 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:48.220 to the right person. And he's there. He's at the feet of Jesus. He's knelt down and he calls him good 00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:58.180 master. And Jesus responds. He says, why do you call me good? There's none good save one that is God. 00:11:58.179 --> 00:12:05.919 Now, don't misunderstand. Jesus isn't denying that he's good. Jesus is not denying his deity. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:12.639 But the Jewish people had a clear understanding that God had an exclusive claim on goodness. 00:12:13.539 --> 00:12:17.839 That you wouldn't just throw this word out there. This is not something you would just call every 00:12:17.839 --> 00:12:23.599 teacher, oh, they're a good teacher. No, there's one good teacher and it's God. And so Jesus is kind of 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:29.279 saying, hey, listen, you know who you're coming to. You've seen it with your eyes. You have the 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:35.159 evidence here. And really what Jesus is doing in that verse, and by asking this question to him, 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:41.800 he's making this man think about the word that he just used. It's kind of like when the Pharisees 00:12:41.800 --> 00:12:46.700 were in chapter 17 and they said, when's the kingdom coming? And Jesus was basically saying, 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:54.960 I'm here. You're looking at him. The king has come and it's the same thought here. But it also has a 00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:04.600 underlying meaning as well. Because this man's entire approach to God is built around his idea of 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:10.440 his own goodness. We see it in his response, as we're going to see in just a moment. I mean, this man 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:17.260 says things like this, well, I'm a good person. Well, I've lived a good life. I've treated people 00:13:17.260 --> 00:13:21.000 with kindness. I've done a lot of good things. I mean, look at this synagogue. Look at all these 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:28.120 things. Look at all these people. They'll vouch for me, Jesus. And now in his mind, he has come to a 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:37.900 good teacher to find out other good things that he has to do. His whole life revolves around 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:44.620 just being good. Just being exactly who, what the letter of the law says. Hey, you put it on the 00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:50.600 piece of paper. I'll sign my name next to it. It's kind of this man here. So what Jesus does there in 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:58.559 verse number 19 is he immediately raises the standard. Jesus says this, none is good save one 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:05.620 that is God. Now he wasn't like the publican. The publicans over there praying in the beginning of 00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:10.259 this chapter. Oh Lord, I think I'm so awesome and I'm not like so-and-so and I'm definitely not like 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:16.340 that sinner over there. I mean, what a horrible prayer. But he was comparing himself to other 00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:22.639 people. This man would have done that, but he was much kinder about it. He was much more disguised 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:28.899 about it. But here's what Jesus is saying. You can't measure your goodness by the person standing next 00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:36.419 to you. The only measuring stick of goodness that we have is God. And so he's kind of bringing, he's 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:42.399 elevating it. You read the Sermon on the Mount, that's what Jesus does. The whole chapter five in 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:47.179 the Sermon on the Mount, here's what Jesus keeps saying. You've heard it said this. Well, they said, 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:52.179 well, I haven't killed anybody. But Jesus says, but I tell you, if you hate your brother in your heart, 00:14:52.299 --> 00:14:56.480 you've killed him already. See, Jesus didn't come to destroy the law. Here's what Jesus actually did. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.740 He raised the bar and he did it over and over again. So this man, according to the law, 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:05.779 according to the piece of paper, according to the Torah that they would have had, he said, man, 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:12.879 I'm doing everything I'm supposed to. But Jesus says, that's not the measuring stick. That's not 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:18.000 what you must compare yourself on. Because when God becomes our standard, our goodness starts to look 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:25.120 a lot different. We're not as good as we thought we were. We're not exactly as high and mighty as we 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:30.580 might have imagined ourselves to be. And that's what Jesus does in verse number 20. He takes him 00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:37.679 to the law. He said, well, I mean, you know, thou knowest. I mean, he said, I know you went to 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:42.019 synagogue school and you went to VBS and you went to church camp and you did all the things growing up. 00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:46.799 I mean, because you just seem to have it all together. You know the commandments. Jesus is saying, 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:52.500 what I'm about to tell you is nothing new to you. But I just want to remind you, the commandments say, 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:59.240 do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honor thy father and 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:07.419 mother. I want to make sure that we're clear that Jesus isn't telling this man and in turn telling us 00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:12.279 that keeping the commandments can save you. No, here's what the commandments are. They're a school 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:20.159 master. That's what Paul tells us. They show us the fact that we can't keep them. Even if we might 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:27.259 keep it on the outside, in our heart, we've already messed up. What Jesus is doing here is he's really 00:16:27.259 --> 00:16:35.259 using the law that this man loved so dearly and he's using it to expose him. See, the problem isn't 00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:40.740 that this man tried to keep the law. Those are good things to try to keep. It's a good thing that he's 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:47.000 not out there just trying to kill people. I mean, I think we understand just the simplicity of that. 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:52.860 See, the problem this man had is he didn't realize how deeply the law reaches. 00:16:54.600 --> 00:17:01.259 See, the law doesn't just expose what you've done. You know, that's kind of how we would maybe view it 00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:06.339 even today. Here's what the law, here's what the word of God does. It exposes what's in our heart. 00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:14.099 The Bible reminds us that this book is a sword. It's sharper than any two-edged sword. It gets down 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:19.019 into the depths of our soul. That's why you can read this book and you can listen to a message 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:25.240 and it feels like, man, the preacher's reading my mail. I'm not. I got my own mail to deal with. 00:17:26.159 --> 00:17:30.799 You know what that is? That's the Holy Spirit of God speaking to you because it understands us. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:35.099 It dives in there. It exposes what needs to change. 00:17:35.099 --> 00:17:43.819 But this man's response in verse number 21, this is a crazy response. He said, yeah, I've done all those. 00:17:44.579 --> 00:17:50.339 Since my youth, I haven't done one of those things. I haven't killed anybody. But then he hasn't lied? 00:17:51.459 --> 00:17:56.519 I don't know about that. I mean, that's what he said. Now, Jesus doesn't correct him. He just moves 00:17:56.519 --> 00:18:02.079 right on. But he's basically just saying this, hey, listen, good master, I've lived morally. 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:10.099 I take my religion very seriously. I'm definitely kind to the people around me. And compared to those 00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:16.019 around him, he did look probably a lot better than the majority of people. But that's the problem. 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:23.980 See, he's looking at the law that Jesus is reminding him again as a resume. And here's what he did. I 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:28.879 checked that box. I checked that box. I checked that box. But you know what the law is? James tells us 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:34.340 it's a mirror. When we look into it, you know what it does? It shows some flaws. Anybody look in the 00:18:34.340 --> 00:18:40.540 mirror this morning? Some of you did. Some of you didn't. Some of you think, well, this is the best 00:18:40.540 --> 00:18:45.660 it gets. No, you look in a mirror. It shows some things that need to change. And you fix them. 00:18:46.860 --> 00:18:50.660 James tells us in James chapter 1, you don't go to the mirror, see all these things around and say, 00:18:50.800 --> 00:18:55.140 man, I look great. Let's just pretend like that mirror doesn't exist. But that's what Jesus is showing 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:58.720 us here. We're not to look at the Word of God and say, well, I haven't done all. I've done all these 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:05.340 things. Check, check, check. Listen, Christianity is not about checking boxes. That's not what Jesus 00:19:05.340 --> 00:19:11.440 has called us to. He's called us to a relationship, not all these things that we must do. And there's 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:17.680 something very easy for us to miss. If he really believed he did all of these things, if he really 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:22.460 believed that obedience was enough, why did he come to Jesus asking this question? 00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:29.059 I think because he knew. It's written in our hearts. We have a conscience. We have the Holy 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:34.059 Spirit of God. Why is he still asking, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Because he knows he 00:19:34.059 --> 00:19:40.360 doesn't have it. And he wants it. And he needs it. He understands the priority of it. He knows 00:19:40.360 --> 00:19:45.880 something's still missing. He's done all these things, but he knows this. I'm not sure I've done 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:52.120 enough. And I ask people, I have conversations with them. I say, hey, do you know Christ is your 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:58.219 Savior? You know heaven is your home one day? Well, I'm just hoping one day that when I get there, 00:19:58.299 --> 00:20:03.279 that all my good works will just outweigh my bad works. That is a horrible way to live. 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:09.659 How do we know? The question comes this, how do we know if we've ever done enough? 00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:16.539 Because who's holding the standard? Where are you getting that from? And that's the problem when you 00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:22.639 try to earn your standing before God. And maybe that's where somebody is here today. I mean, 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:29.359 you would readily admit you're not perfect, but you're a good person. You try to treat people right, 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:34.220 unless they cut you off in traffic, and then you ask for forgiveness. I mean, you go to church, 00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:39.259 you're here on a Sunday morning. You maybe have been baptized. Maybe you try to live a good life. 00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:43.920 Listen, there's nothing wrong with those things, but none of those things make you right with God. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:49.980 That's where we have to be careful that we can't trust. We must stop evaluating ourselves against 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:54.500 how the rest of the world lives. That's not the standard. That's what Jesus keeps saying. Hey, 00:20:54.680 --> 00:21:01.019 stop looking at this and look at me. Stop looking at what you can read and look at what I've done for 00:21:01.019 --> 00:21:06.560 you. And we need to honestly ask ourselves, am I righteous before God? Because that's what really 00:21:06.560 --> 00:21:12.800 matters. Listen, when it all comes down to it, we're not going to stand before our peers. The Bible's very 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:19.940 clear that we're going to stand before God. That we will answer to Him. And we must give an account 00:21:19.940 --> 00:21:25.019 for our life. And it's either we're going to trust in what we've done or trust in Him. Those are the 00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:31.599 only two options that we really have. And none of us can answer that question by pointing at our resume. 00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:37.919 Well, I did this and this and this and this. That's not going to fly. Because we know the reality is 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:43.720 we've also done that and that and that. And that is a mesh. And that God is not going to allow that. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:50.180 And here is a man that spent his entire life trying to be good. And he's done a really good job at it. 00:21:50.840 --> 00:21:57.320 Jesus doesn't balk at the idea and say, you're not telling the truth. No, He says, you've done that, 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:03.759 but you're still missing it. And He's asking Jesus, what else do I need to do? Jesus doesn't say, 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:10.460 man, I need you to do one more religious activity. No, what we see here is He's going to put His finger 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:16.799 on the thing that directly is holding this man back. What he values the most. 00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:22.779 Because when it comes to our life and it came to this man's life, the greatest problem isn't something 00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:30.160 we haven't done. No, generally it's something we won't let go of. So we ask the question again, 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:34.960 what keeps us from completely depending on Christ. Number two, we see this, holding on to our idols. 00:22:36.620 --> 00:22:38.440 So we see in verse number 22 and verse 23. 00:22:39.540 --> 00:22:42.600 Now when Jesus heard these things, He said unto him, 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:47.740 yet lackest thou one thing. Sell all thou hast and distribute unto the poor, 00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:52.400 and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. 00:22:54.100 --> 00:22:58.000 Now we hear this verse and it seems weird. It seems like this is not 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:03.279 what Jesus is teaching. This doesn't sound like the gospel that I learned in Sunday school growing up, 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:07.740 but I want to remind us, Jesus is not teaching that eternal life can be purchased. 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:13.480 That is not what He is saying here. He's not saying you can get it by just giving away everything you own. 00:23:14.599 --> 00:23:19.900 What He's doing in this specific conversation, because He's having a one-on-one conversation with this man, 00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:22.500 here's what He's doing. He's exposing this man's heart. 00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:27.539 Because this man has said, hey, I have kept all the commandments. 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:31.660 But Jesus says, you actually have another God that you're serving. 00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:35.359 Because the very first commandment is, thou shalt have no other gods before me. 00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.960 And this man had a God, and here's what it was. 00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:39.019 Stuff. 00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:42.559 It's a real deep theological word. 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:44.259 But that's what it was. 00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:51.200 This man's possessions occupied a place in his heart and his life that belonged to God. 00:23:52.379 --> 00:23:54.660 He could do all this outward religious activity. 00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:55.960 He was moral. 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:59.440 All of those things he said was true, but God's not after all those things. 00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.940 God's after our heart. 00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:02.779 That's what He's seeking. 00:24:03.059 --> 00:24:04.000 That's what He's searching. 00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:07.299 Because this whole text, it's not about money. 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:10.579 It's not about selling, and you have too much, and you've got to take care of the poor. 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:11.640 No, here's what it's about. 00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:12.559 It's about worship. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:16.679 He was worshiping all of the material possessions. 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:19.000 He would have flaunted it around. 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:26.200 It may not have been as obvious as the publican, as the Pharisee, but He was proud of His things. 00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:30.679 And see, the heart of Jesus' invitation isn't sell everything. 00:24:31.639 --> 00:24:35.079 Listen, you don't have to go ahead and say, well, if I'm going to serve Jesus, I've got to sell everything I own. 00:24:35.339 --> 00:24:36.579 It's not what Jesus is saying. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.519 Here's Jesus' invitation. 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:40.539 Follow me. 00:24:41.639 --> 00:24:42.079 Over. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.419 Over and over and over in the Gospels. 00:24:44.659 --> 00:24:48.720 He constantly says that saying, follow me. 00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:54.539 See, what Jesus is offering to this man is far greater than anything He's asking him to release. 00:24:56.099 --> 00:24:57.879 I think we struggle with that sometimes in our world. 00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:01.179 It's not that we don't love Jesus. 00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:05.180 Listen, I've had people, it's like they get right up to the door, but they think, but I've got to let go of this. 00:25:05.900 --> 00:25:07.400 This is so valuable to me. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:09.840 This is my identities wrapped up in this. 00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:12.360 All of these things, and this is who I am. 00:25:13.100 --> 00:25:18.779 But listen, what Jesus asks you to release is not as valuable as what He wants to give you. 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:25.039 But this man did not understand that because he looked around, and it's a lot easier to check the bank account and say, well, I've got a lot of that. 00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:26.259 I've got a lot of this. 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:30.639 And, you know, I'm not sure I can part with these things because how am I going to sustain my lifestyle? 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:32.259 How am I going to do these things? 00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:36.500 And he looks at them and says, listen, if you just follow me, I mean, you're going to have treasure in heaven. 00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:40.720 But this man looks around and he says, well, I'm not in heaven right now. 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:41.859 What am I going to do until I get there? 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.839 I've got all these things. 00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.759 Verse 23. 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:55.879 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. 00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:58.160 What a tragedy. 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:02.940 What a contrast from the very beginning of the conversation. 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:09.759 This man Mark described as running to Jesus, excited that Jesus is in his town. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.400 He's been wanting to ask this question for a long time. 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:15.940 Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:20.240 And now we see him walking away, sorrowful. 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:27.900 See, the very things that he thought made him rich were the very things that were keeping him from actually being rich. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:33.300 Because this life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things that we possess. 00:26:34.340 --> 00:26:38.019 It exists to serve Christ. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:45.720 Mark asked this question, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? 00:26:46.800 --> 00:26:48.080 I mean, that's a picture of this man. 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:54.920 There was nothing this man lacked except one thing, giving his life to Christ. 00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:58.380 See, the issue isn't that he possessed wealth. 00:26:58.660 --> 00:26:59.759 Wealth is not evil. 00:27:00.600 --> 00:27:01.860 Money is not evil. 00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:04.500 Some people take this and go really weird. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:08.440 No, the love of money is the root of all evil. 00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:12.759 It's when our heart and our life is attached to those things. 00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:14.140 And that's where this man was. 00:27:14.340 --> 00:27:17.180 The issue was that wealth possessed his heart. 00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:18.980 And Jesus says, that's what I'm after. 00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:20.779 I want your heart. 00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:25.319 Because when God has our heart, whatever has your heart has your life. 00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:31.519 Jesus said, wherever your heart is, there will your treasure be also. 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:34.900 So it's not just a story about a man a long time ago. 00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:36.740 No, it's a question for us to ask today. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.900 Who has your heart? 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:40.400 What are you trusting in? 00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:43.220 What are you relying on? 00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:45.819 And we've got to bring that where we live. 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:48.679 Is there anything that I want more than I want Christ? 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:52.619 Because, you know, sometimes we can fall in that trap as well. 00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.939 Because we can see all the things around us. 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:56.500 And I want that. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:57.039 And I want that. 00:27:57.259 --> 00:28:00.419 And we can even know Christ our Savior, but we don't live for him. 00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:03.799 Because we're living for that next job, that next paycheck, that next car, that next house. 00:28:03.919 --> 00:28:06.240 And we're just living for all of the things the world has. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:08.019 This man wanted eternal life. 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:10.619 He was very desirous of it. 00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:17.139 But when Jesus confronted the thing that had his heart, he said, can't touch that. 00:28:17.639 --> 00:28:18.599 Can't let that go. 00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:20.339 Lord, you can have anything else. 00:28:20.439 --> 00:28:23.919 I mean, you name the price, but let me have my things. 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:28.019 He wanted what he already had more. 00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:31.539 He came so excited. 00:28:31.659 --> 00:28:32.719 He felt so close. 00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:34.319 But now he's walking away. 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:36.439 And this shocked the crowd. 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:39.019 They couldn't believe it. 00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:46.379 If this man, this religious, successful, moral man, cannot get himself into the kingdom of heaven, 00:28:46.579 --> 00:28:47.859 they're thinking, who can? 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:52.200 Because if he doesn't have a chance, I definitely don't have a chance. 00:28:52.859 --> 00:28:54.579 Because that's what Jesus says in verse 24. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.099 He saw that he was very sorrowful and said, 00:28:57.379 --> 00:29:01.599 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven? 00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:05.500 So what keeps us from completely depending on Christ? 00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:08.639 Number three, we'll see this as we close, depending on ourselves. 00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:20.379 Once again, Jesus is not saying in verse 24 that having money automatically keeps someone out of the kingdom of heaven. 00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:22.400 That's not true. 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.839 I mean, you read the scriptures. 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:25.980 The Bible is full of very rich people. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:27.480 Abraham was very rich. 00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:29.759 Job was very rich. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:31.319 We're going to see other people. 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:32.359 We're going to meet Zacchaeus. 00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:33.160 He was very rich. 00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:34.839 And he ends up in the kingdom of heaven. 00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:37.240 Money is not a determination. 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.440 Here's the danger. 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:40.440 It's what wealth produces in the heart. 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.480 Wealth can make us feel secure. 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:47.960 It can make us feel self-sufficient. 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:50.420 It can make us feel independent. 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:54.000 Sometimes we think, well, I'm not super wealthy. 00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.380 Listen, you live in this country. 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:57.660 You're probably wealthier than the majority of people in this world. 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:01.640 We just have a very skewed view because we look at other people that have more than us. 00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:03.480 And we think, well, I'm not doing that well. 00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:04.940 No, no. 00:30:04.980 --> 00:30:08.960 We're probably more self-sufficient than we realize we are sometimes. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:15.000 See, when you have enough, it's easy to start believing that you are enough. 00:30:15.960 --> 00:30:17.240 And that's where this man was. 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:19.220 He's like, I mean, what else do I need? 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:19.960 I have everything. 00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:25.579 And that is the opposite of dependence that Jesus has been driving home in this chapter. 00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:29.519 And really in verse 25, he gives a picture they're not going to forget. 00:30:29.840 --> 00:30:36.880 He says, for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:41.960 Now, sometimes when I'm reading verses like this, I go to a commentary and see what they're saying. 00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:44.400 Some people make this verse very complicated. 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:46.360 And they start talking in Jerusalem. 00:30:46.359 --> 00:30:50.259 There's a little tiny door in the wall, and it was called the camel's gate and all this. 00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:52.419 That's not what Jesus is saying, I don't think. 00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:54.799 I think the picture is very, very clear. 00:30:55.179 --> 00:31:01.699 Jesus is talking about a camel, a giant camel with two humps on there, trying to go through an eye of a needle. 00:31:02.479 --> 00:31:03.759 And here's what the crowd would have thought. 00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:05.479 That's impossible. 00:31:06.659 --> 00:31:08.439 Because that is the picture that he is painting. 00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:10.779 He wants them to understand that. 00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:12.639 He's not describing something difficult. 00:31:12.819 --> 00:31:15.000 He's describing something completely impossible. 00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:18.319 And the people hear that, and they said, who then can be saved? 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:25.579 If this guy can't make it, if it's like a camel going through an eye of a needle, nobody's going to make it. 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:29.599 See, now the conversation has completely changed. 00:31:30.420 --> 00:31:32.200 This man said, what shall I do? 00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:35.259 And now the question is like, can anybody even make it? 00:31:35.859 --> 00:31:37.319 Can anybody even enter in? 00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:41.279 But that's exactly where Jesus is bringing us to. 00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:47.960 Jesus is moving this conversation from what can I accomplish to how can I be saved? 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:49.720 That's the question. 00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:52.039 That's what he wanted them to understand. 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:53.779 And here's what he says in verse number 27. 00:31:54.179 --> 00:31:58.299 The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:00.299 That's the answer. 00:32:01.319 --> 00:32:02.619 How do you make it to heaven? 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:04.039 By God's grace. 00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:07.139 It is the gift of God. 00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:09.839 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 00:32:10.159 --> 00:32:12.000 That Jesus paid the debt. 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:13.299 That's where he's headed. 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:15.000 He's headed to the cross of Calvary. 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:18.819 Listen, salvation isn't something that's supposed to be real difficult for us to accomplish. 00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:22.839 And if we just keep working, and we keep doing all the right things, and we check all the right boxes, 00:32:23.079 --> 00:32:25.279 then one day God's going to say, you did it, you made it. 00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:28.339 No, salvation is not difficult for us to accomplish. 00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.399 It's impossible. 00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:30.859 You cannot save yourself. 00:32:31.099 --> 00:32:32.440 You cannot make yourself righteous. 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:34.580 You cannot earn eternal life. 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:42.360 See, salvation is something God does for us. 00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:46.200 And that's the hope of this passage. 00:32:47.200 --> 00:32:53.440 Because if salvation depended on me, if salvation depended on you, you would have no hope. 00:32:54.779 --> 00:32:58.400 Because you might have a good day, but you might have a bad day too. 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:02.259 How are you going to know if you're having a good day or bad day? 00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:03.700 How are you going to know if you're going to make it? 00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:08.259 We cannot, what we cannot do for ourselves, God has done through Christ. 00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:10.040 And that's what he's teaching here. 00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:15.860 In just a few verses, in verses 31 to 34, we won't read it, but Jesus tells his disciples what's about to happen. 00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.480 He said the Son of Man is about to go to Jerusalem. 00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:22.320 And he's going to suffer, and he's going to die, and he's going to rise again. 00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:25.019 And he's doing all of that for our sins. 00:33:27.740 --> 00:33:31.799 See, this rule, the reason he didn't make it into the kingdom of heaven wasn't because he wasn't a good person. 00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:32.720 He was a good person. 00:33:33.579 --> 00:33:34.599 Here's why he didn't make it. 00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:36.259 He was depending on himself. 00:33:37.740 --> 00:33:41.939 The gospel is not, you do what you can, and Jesus will get you across the finish line. 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:43.220 No, here's the gospel. 00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:44.200 Trust in him. 00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:47.319 It's all about what he's done. 00:33:47.319 --> 00:33:50.419 That's why Jesus said on the cross of Calvary, to tell us to die. 00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:52.859 It is finished. 00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:57.419 He didn't cry from the cross, keep working harder, you're going to make it one day. 00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:58.960 No, he said, I've done it all. 00:33:59.439 --> 00:34:01.179 I've paid the price for you. 00:34:01.419 --> 00:34:05.759 And that's why eternal life is not something we achieve, it's something we receive. 00:34:06.599 --> 00:34:08.019 That we have to realize that we're a sinner. 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:10.840 The Bible says that all have sin and come short of the glory of God. 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:15.980 And the wages, the payment of that sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. 00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:17.099 Well, how do you get it? 00:34:17.319 --> 00:34:21.519 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 00:34:21.779 --> 00:34:26.940 That every single person, whether you're the rich young ruler, you're the publican, you're the worst sinner in the world. 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.739 Here's how you come. 00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:28.860 Jesus, I'm a sinner. 00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:30.500 Would you forgive me? 00:34:31.299 --> 00:34:32.139 God, I'm sorry. 00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:34.380 I need you in my life. 00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:37.759 Here's Peter. 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:40.079 Peter always just pipes up at the right time. 00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:44.319 He's like, hey, Jesus, I know this. 00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.000 I'm not him. 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:45.839 What about us? 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:47.340 Look at verse number 28. 00:34:48.680 --> 00:34:52.600 Then Peter said, lo, we have left all and follow thee. 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:56.180 Peter's like, I just want to make sure I'm on the right track. 00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:59.120 I just want to make sure that, Lord, like we're good. 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:05.119 See, Jesus has been saying this whole chapter, hey, come follow me. 00:35:05.779 --> 00:35:07.059 Peter said, we have. 00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:09.500 What's there for us? 00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:12.139 We see Jesus' response in verse 29. 00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:26.559 He said, and then, verily I say, and you truly, there is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life everlasting. 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:34.820 Nowhere in this gospel, nowhere in the Bible does Jesus pretend following him doesn't cost anything. 00:35:35.279 --> 00:35:36.119 It does. 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:39.639 And Peter's saying, listen, we've paid the cost. 00:35:39.639 --> 00:35:41.839 We're willing to follow. 00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:52.039 But what Jesus reminds him here, he said, Peter, you may not have it all now, but I just want you to understand this, that nobody loses by following me. 00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:58.820 See, the ruler could only see what he would lose instead of what he would actually gain. 00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:02.420 He was so focused on the here and now. 00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:13.880 And sometimes that is our problem, that we spend so much time calculating obedience and what it might cost us that we forget who we're following and what's to come. 00:36:14.340 --> 00:36:20.360 The Bible says, I have not seen nor ear hath heard nor has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them that love him. 00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:25.180 Jesus told his disciples in John 14, I'm going to prepare a place for you. 00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:27.900 And if I go prepare a place for you, I will come again. 00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:30.500 I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to that day. 00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:33.559 You know, I've been to some places around this world. 00:36:33.660 --> 00:36:37.380 I've seen some beautiful things and nothing can even touch the hem of the garment. 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:40.240 I mean, the streets are made of gold. 00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:41.500 Reminds me of Gainesville. 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:44.079 Maybe not, but. 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:49.400 But so many people, they come to the door, they come right to the question. 00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:52.000 And maybe you're here this morning, I just want to go to heaven. 00:36:52.220 --> 00:36:53.500 But what will I have to give up? 00:36:53.940 --> 00:36:54.740 It doesn't matter. 00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:57.960 Whatever you have to give up, it's going to be worth it. 00:36:58.099 --> 00:36:59.180 What do I have to change? 00:36:59.380 --> 00:37:01.519 Listen, God's going to change everything about you. 00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.800 That's a good thing. 00:37:02.980 --> 00:37:04.800 If any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. 00:37:05.180 --> 00:37:06.240 Old things are passed away. 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:08.039 And behold, all things have become new. 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:09.340 What will people think? 00:37:09.420 --> 00:37:10.579 It doesn't really matter. 00:37:11.800 --> 00:37:14.840 You're not going to stand before the Lord and the king of the universe one day and say, 00:37:14.840 --> 00:37:17.640 Well, I didn't make the decision because I was worried about what so-and-so thought. 00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:19.460 You know what we need to be worried about? 00:37:19.579 --> 00:37:20.480 What does God think? 00:37:22.380 --> 00:37:23.720 How does God view me? 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:28.300 Whatever following Jesus costs, it's worth it. 00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:30.059 That's what he's telling Peter. 00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:31.800 He's like, Peter, settle down. 00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:33.539 It's going to be worth it. 00:37:34.680 --> 00:37:35.600 You're going to be okay. 00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:39.839 See, this conversation began with a question. 00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:44.579 Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:49.519 But like any good teacher, Jesus shows us the problem first. 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.699 This man wanted a quick fix. 00:37:52.659 --> 00:37:53.460 He said, you just tell me. 00:37:53.559 --> 00:37:54.460 You name the price. 00:37:54.519 --> 00:37:54.940 It's done. 00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:57.940 But Jesus says, listen, you can't do enough. 00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.819 You can't earn it. 00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.679 You can't save yourself. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:07.059 But if you just trust me, you'll have this and so much more. 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:11.299 You'll have treasure in heaven that fadeth not away. 00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:12.719 Hey, down here, you know what? 00:38:12.759 --> 00:38:13.739 I'm sure you found this out. 00:38:13.960 --> 00:38:16.480 You buy new things, they eventually wear out. 00:38:17.779 --> 00:38:20.679 You just have to buy new and nothing ever sustains. 00:38:21.899 --> 00:38:23.960 There's coming a day where everything is going to be perfect. 00:38:24.699 --> 00:38:26.019 He's going to make all things new. 00:38:27.319 --> 00:38:28.339 And you can have it. 00:38:28.859 --> 00:38:31.440 But the only way that you can enter into the kingdom, what shall you do? 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.220 Here's what you've got to do. 00:38:32.559 --> 00:38:37.800 You've got to stop trying to achieve it and just depend completely on Christ. 00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:39.860 That's where it's at. 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:42.740 This man came with a great question. 00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:45.559 But my prayer is you don't walk out the same way. 00:38:45.659 --> 00:38:47.639 Well, today's not the day. 00:38:47.800 --> 00:38:48.700 No, today is the day. 00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:52.500 If you don't know Christ as your Savior, today is the day of salvation. 00:38:53.300 --> 00:38:54.240 What are you trusting in? 00:38:55.240 --> 00:38:58.920 When you stand before the Lord one day, what are you going to say? 00:38:59.860 --> 00:39:00.780 Here's what you should say. 00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:02.260 I've come by the way of the cross. 00:39:03.300 --> 00:39:05.280 Lord, thank you for dying for me. 00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:07.280 Thank you for paying for my sins. 00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:12.260 Because if you're trusting in anything else besides what he did, it's not going to get you there. 00:39:13.300 --> 00:39:15.820 You're going to get right up to the door and realize, I don't have the key. 00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:18.900 Jesus says, I am the door. 00:39:19.620 --> 00:39:21.280 And if you want to enter in, you've got to enter in by him. 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.840 But the Lord help us. 00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:24.440 It's not what we do. 00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:26.599 It's what he has done. 00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:27.740 Father, thank you for this time. 00:39:27.740 --> 00:39:28.599 Thank you. 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:29.119 Thank you. 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:29.119