I want to encourage you again to pick up one of these study guides on the way out.
We're going to be working through a 12-week series on the life of Daniel.
And I say the life of Daniel instead of the book of Daniel,
because we're going to go through the first six chapters or so
and kind of evaluate kind of the narrative of Daniel
and especially how Daniel's life and the life of his friends,
as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego point to God.
So pick that up.
It should be a great time together.
It certainly has been encouraging to myself as I have been thinking ahead
and looking at the text, encouraging my own heart,
reminding myself of the things that are there for us to learn.
Turn with me, if you would, to Luke 18.
Luke 18.
If you're using the Pew Bible, it's on page 877.
Page 877.
I want to begin with this question.
It's really been the governing question for us
ever since we've been in this chapter, Luke chapter 18.
And the overarching question of this chapter is,
do you or will you depend on God?
Now, I guess if I were to phrase that more personally,
do you like to be dependent?
Do you wake up in the morning and say,
oh good, another day I can be dependent.
Another day I can ask for help.
Now my guess is that like me,
we don't want to ask for help.
We don't want to feel like our life is dependent on others
or dependent on God.
We want to feel like we have things pretty well together.
But when we ask God to make us dependent,
isn't it interesting how God delights
in answering that prayer?
So that we wake up in the morning,
and this has been one of those weeks,
just feeling really overwhelmed with lots of things,
and being reminded day by day how desperate I am for God's strength.
And by the way, there's no better place to be.
And that's what God has called us to.
God has called us to a life of faith.
The just shall live by faith.
That's what God has called us into.
And by the way, that is not just a faith for a moment.
That is not just believing in God to save me for some future day in salvation
when he's going to take me to be with himself.
But it's entering in to this life of dependence
in trusting in Jesus day by day.
It's reflected in the Lord's Prayer.
Give us this day our what?
Daily bread.
Do you realize what a grace that is?
Of God.
To make us dependent on him every day.
To welcome us in to fresh experiences of trusting him.
Needing him.
Asking him for help.
And so, I feel in my own heart
that we trust God to do the biggest thing
in saving us from our deepest need, from sin,
but why does my heart struggle so much depending on God day by day
for the lesser things?
So, Romans chapter 8, where Paul says this, he says,
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall he not with him freely give us all things?
And so, if God has given us forgiveness from sin,
the greatest human need,
and he's called us into relationship with him,
and he's bridged the gap, as it were,
the separation that existed because of my deficiency,
my rebellion,
and God in demonstrating his own love for us,
in that while I was a sinner, Christ died for me.
He overcame the gap.
He covered the greatest need of my life.
So, why is it that I can trust God for that,
but I can't trust God for the little stuff?
So, here Jesus is.
He's encouraging his disciples.
We've called this road trip reflections
because these are the final parting words, really, of Jesus
to his disciples and to those who are listening to him
along the way of calling them to the greatest things,
dependence on him.
And one of the things that causes us to stand out from the world,
Paul will say,
and now abides faith, hope, love, these three.
The greatest of these is love.
Those are really the three things that set us apart from the world.
Our love for others and our love for God.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbors yourself.
Our faith in God, which is dependence on him day by day.
That's what we're going to talk about today.
And hope.
Trusting God for what he's going to accomplish in eternity for us.
So, we don't like to be dependent.
The truth is, none of us like to acknowledge that we have deep need.
But if we're going to grow in the Christian life,
and if we're going to be those who are growing in faith in Christ,
and growing in the way that we shine the gospel in the world,
it's going to happen as he's producing, nurturing, cultivating in our life
dependence on God day by day.
And so, Jeremiah will say in Lamentations 3,
he says,
Through the Lord's mercies, we are not consumed because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning.
Great is his faithfulness.
God delights in pouring out his mercy on us day by day.
Are we coming to the well and drawing it up for ourselves?
Enjoying those mercies day by day.
Depending on him, moment by moment.
That's what God is calling us to.
And that's what will shine the gospel.
That's what this passage is about today.
That's the sermon in a nutshell right there.
And so, the way for us, I think, at times,
to enjoy and benefit from learning how to grow in dependence
is by having good examples.
And one of my favorite examples is George Mueller.
Some of you may understand or know who George Mueller is.
He lived in the 1800s.
He had this life of deep dependence on God.
So that the objective or the goal of his life was stated this way.
I have joyfully dedicated my whole life to show how much may be accomplished by prayer and faith.
And if you were to write a summary over his entire life,
that no better summary would exist.
He was a pastor.
He was one who founded a Bible college.
He started an orphanage that over the course of the ministry,
over 10,000 children were a part of his orphanage.
And he trusted God to provide the means to provide for all of those children.
Throughout the duration of his life, he learned, of course,
lessons on dependence and faith.
Let me just share briefly some of the things that he said.
He says,
We should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried.
The more I'm in a position to be tried in faith,
the more I will have the opportunity of seeing God's help and deliverance.
Every fresh instance in which he helps and delivers me will increase my faith.
The believer should not shrink from situations, positions, or circumstances in which his faith may be tried.
But he should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities to see the hand of God stretched out in help and deliverance.
Thus, his faith will be strengthened.
The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials.
It is through our daily dependence on God that we make much of him and we show that he is worthy of trusting.
He is worthy of our faith.
So that's what this whole passage has been about.
As Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem, he started in the region between Samaria and Galilee,
and he's made his way over to the eastern side of the Jordan.
He's coming down that side of the Jordan.
He's going to make his way into Jericho and ultimately up to Jerusalem.
We know what he waits him there.
And here in these final moments and teachings of Jesus, he's interested in helping his disciples and those who listen
understand the significance of faith and dependence.
That's what this chapter has been about.
So that in chapter 18, verse 1, he says,
He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Learn to be dependent and learn that God is trustworthy.
So that in verse 8, I tell you, speaking of God, he will give justice to them speedily.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
Do we trust that God is able to answer prayer and to meet us in our place of need?
Then he moves on in verse 9, and we see that now Jesus is now coming against those who are self-reliant.
We find he told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt.
So he tells this parable about two men.
One who was the epitome of righteousness, a Pharisee in that day.
The other which was supposed to kind of encapsulate all that was wicked and ungodly in that culture, a tax collector.
Both of whom were going up to the temple to pray.
This picture of coming to a place of worship.
A place that represented where the presence of God was.
The Pharisee, when he comes, rather than praying to God, we find that he's praying about himself.
Some translations will say he prayed to himself.
And that may be more accurate.
He's the center of his prayer.
He's really the only person he cares about.
And he wants to promote himself and let everyone else know in the room how great he is.
I don't do this, and I instead do this.
I'm not like that tax collector over there.
But then, in verse 13, this parable turns to the tax collector.
He's the word for mercy.
This deep dependence on God.
He recognizes something is true about God's character, that he is a God of mercy.
And this word for mercy is the word propitiation, which is really the word for atonement or appeasement or forgiveness.
And what's taking place either in the morning or in the evening.
It happened twice a day in the temple.
Atonement was made for the people through sacrifice.
And prayer would happen as a result of the sacrifices that were being made.
And this tax collector, recognizing all that was happening there in the temple at this time,
understands there must be atonement for sin.
That he must receive forgiveness.
And that forgiveness only comes from God.
He also recognizes something about himself.
He calls himself the sinner.
The direct article is used in Jesus' parable to refer to him as the ultimate sinner.
The example of someone who is the chief sinner, as it were.
And in this way, we find the gospel does obliterate self-reliance.
At least it should.
We step into this passage this morning, beginning in verse 18.
And we need to ask ourselves, is God dependable?
Is God reliable?
Is God trustworthy?
And if he is, it will not only show up in prayer, it will show up in my posture,
but it will also show up in the way that I depend on him every single day for the things that I have.
And this is where the rubber meets the road for us in Western culture.
This is where dependence in faith will collide, will be tangible,
so that we can say, along with George Mueller,
I have joyfully dedicated my life to show how much may be accomplished by prayer and faith.
Does faith shine from our life as we're trusting God day by day with the things that we need help for?
So we find in verse 18, we find in this passage this morning,
two reasons why we can depend on God.
First, we can depend on God because God is good.
You can depend on a God who is good.
He's good.
We find that in verses 18 and 19.
Look at this with me for a moment.
And a ruler asked him,
Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said to him,
Why do you call me good?
No one is good except God alone.
Again, Jesus is on this road with his disciples,
and we find from Matthew's account,
now all of these synoptic gospels are beginning to converge.
And the stories are now kind of picked up from Matthew and Mark,
and now we're going to carry them through together along with Luke to the end of the book.
We find from Matthew's account in chapter 19, verses 1 and 2,
that this wasn't a small gathering.
Jesus had finished these sayings.
He went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan,
and large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
Of course, he's healing and teaching.
Pilgrims that are coming along with this crowd into Jerusalem,
and certainly Jesus is picking up followers along the way.
We find some things about this ruler from Matthew and Mark.
We find from Matthew that he's young.
It's mentioned twice in the text.
We find from Mark that he's reverent.
He comes, he kneels before Jesus.
There's this measure of humility,
this dependence that's showing up,
even in his posture towards Jesus.
We come to understand that he's knowledgeable.
He knows the law.
He believes himself to be devout.
He's tried to follow the things that the Mosaic law has set forward.
From an outward appearance, he was the ideal Jew.
And the fact that he is wealthy,
which we also see in verse 23 of Luke chapter 18,
he was extremely wealthy, this would be a marker,
a clue to the people in that day that he was favored by God.
He was blessed by God.
And so from an outward appearance, he had it all together.
Luke is the only one to mention that he's a ruler.
It's possible that he was a ruler in a synagogue.
It's also possible that he was a ruler from the Sanhedrin,
but it's unlikely because of his youth.
It's probably more likely that he was influential and a wealthy man,
a civic leader, as it were,
a leading man of society, a respected layperson,
somebody with repute and distinction in the town or the region.
But in spite of his position,
we find that there is humility in his heart.
What must I do to inherit eternal life?
He's mindful of Christ's position.
He recognizes him as a teacher, as a rabbi.
He's thinking carefully.
As we look through the gospel accounts,
the issue or the subject of eternal life
is really prevalent in the gospel of John.
So he's heard Christ's teaching.
He's aware of eternal life.
He's asking the right question.
Jesus will help to point his attention,
direct his attention on the fact that God is good.
And in speaking of God's goodness,
he begins by helping this man understand
that God's goodness stands apart from us.
His goodness stands apart from us.
Only God is good.
Why do you call me good, he says.
No one is good except God alone.
It may seem like Jesus is avoiding the question.
It may seem like Jesus isn't really answering it directly.
But Jesus wants to underscore the faulty nature of the question altogether.
What is the standard of goodness in your mind?
What do you fit in relation to that standard?
What are you depending on?
Is essentially underneath this statement that Jesus is making.
And of course, this man, aware of the Mosaic law,
would have also been aware of the other passages of Scripture,
the Psalms in particular,
which Paul kind of summarizes and compiles in Romans chapter 3
to talk about the nature of man
when he says this in Romans 3, 10 to 18.
As it is written, none is righteous.
No, not one.
No one understands.
No one seeks for God.
All have turned aside.
Together they have become worthless.
No one does good, not even one.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood.
In their path are ruin and misery
and the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
We are not inherently good.
We are corrupt to the core.
And to understand what the Bible says in relationship to our nature
is the beginning of learning that our need and dependence on God in the first place.
Only God is good.
And compared to his perfection,
we are corrupt,
we are worthless,
and we are wicked,
according to this passage.
What are you trusting in?
And essentially,
Jesus is saying,
only God is good.
Of course,
that comes to us from 1 Chronicles 16, 34.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord,
for he is good.
His steadfast love endures forever.
Or Psalm 34, verse 8.
Oh, taste and see
that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man
who takes refuge in him.
His goodness
stands apart
from
humanity.
And now,
in verse 20,
we're going to see
that his goodness
is revealed to us
in the law.
Now,
Jesus begins to,
in establishing
that only God is good,
now he lifts up
this standard
that God has set
so that
by his grace,
he can allow
this
young
ruler
who has evaluated
himself
probably against
the backdrop
of everyone else
around him
can now evaluate
his life
against the backdrop
of the perfect standard
that God has set
in his law.
God's goodness
revealed in the law.
Verse 20 says,
you know
the commands,
do not commit adultery,
do not murder,
do not steal,
do not bear false witness,
honor your father
and mother.
Jesus
strengthens
his argument here.
By the way,
the law is not arbitrary.
The law is not
just a set of rules
that God
put together
because he thought
we needed something
to obey.
No,
the law is a reflection
of his very nature,
his very character.
By giving us the law,
we come to know
who God is.
The law shows
his purity,
his perfection.
The law was meant
to expose our sin
and lead us to God.
It was meant
to show us
that we need him,
that we are distant,
that our sin
has separated ourselves
from him
and that only God
is good.
here in our passage,
Jesus,
he doesn't confront
the ruler head on,
but he wants
to expose
his heart,
his deficiency,
his understanding.
What you're
trusting in
is not good.
Only God is good.
He gives this law,
do not commit adultery,
do not murder,
do not steal,
do not bear false witness.
Honor your father
and your mother,
which is the second half
half of the Decalogue,
the second half
of the Ten Commandments.
It focuses on
the part of the commands
that relate to others.
And so in essence,
Jesus is saying,
kind of encapsulating
the commandments,
love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
soul, and mind,
and love your neighbor
as yourself.
This is the section
of the Decalogue
that focuses on
the loving your neighbor
as yourself.
because as it relates
to true love,
love for God,
how do we know
that we love God
the way he expects
us to love God?
Well, it shows up
in the way
that we love the people
that God loves.
In Matthew,
chapter 5,
verses 27 and 28,
we understand
that the posture
of loving God
and obeying these commands
is deeper than what happens
on the surface.
It's what's really,
truly in the heart.
And Jesus will say
on the Sermon on the Mount,
you have heard
what was said,
you shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you
that everyone who looks
at a woman with lustful intent
has already committed adultery
with her in his heart.
It's not about the externals,
it's about what's inside.
And then in Matthew,
chapter 5,
verses 21 and 22,
Jesus will expose
what true murder looks like
when he says,
you have heard
that it was said
to those of old,
you shall not murder.
And whoever murders
will be liable of judgment.
But I say to you
that everyone
who is angry
with his brother
will be liable
to judgment.
Whoever insults
his brother
will be liable
to the council.
And whoever says,
you fool,
will be liable
of the hell of fire.
I love how Ray Comfort,
if you're familiar
with his ministry,
how Ray Comfort
will go to college campuses
or go to the beach cities
of California.
and his approach
is to use
these kinds
of questions
to draw out
his listeners.
To help them see
how far away
they are
from God's
perfect standard.
Where in the beginning
of the conversation,
they'll say,
well,
I'm a pretty good person,
of course,
I'm going to heaven.
Well,
then it'll lead them
through this progression
of questions
and one by one
they'll say,
well,
I guess
if I've lusted
after someone
in my heart,
I'm an adulterer.
I guess
if I have hated
someone in my heart,
I'm a murderer.
And of course,
as it relates
to stealing,
as it relates
to bearing false witness,
as it relates
to honoring
our father and mother,
those things
are so apparent
and it should have led
this man
to the right conclusion.
The honest answer
should have been,
no,
I'm far from good.
I've come to a place
of understanding
nothing good
exists within me.
Any of you
who are aware
of Ray Comfort
will appreciate
and understand
that approach
to ministry
and so that
by the time
he's done,
everyone who has
listened to his
gospel presentation
has come to
that conclusion
but somehow
and for some reason
this rich young ruler
was not able
to make that connection.
He was not able
to be honest
with himself.
But the statement
instead would have
a reverse effect.
Instead of this man
being led
to the place
of recognizing
his sin,
he comes to a place
as we see
in the next verse
in verse 21.
He said,
all these things
I've kept
from my youth.
And now Jesus
needs to press in
and help him
understand that
God's goodness
cannot be achieved.
God's goodness
cannot be replicated.
God's goodness
cannot be duplicated
by human effort.
It is God's goodness
and God's goodness
alone.
You can almost see
this man's smile
on his face.
He's ecstatic.
All of his hopes
have been confirmed.
He's relieved.
It's exactly
what he expected
Jesus to say.
If I live
according to the law
then I get heaven.
If I obey
the commands
I'll get rewards
not only on earth
but also in heaven.
What a relief.
He's stoked.
I've kept
all these commands
from my youth.
Of course
none of that was true.
He drew the wrong
conclusions.
He was not being
honest with himself.
It's kind of like
those videos
if you've ever watched
them of the kids
that are in the room
and you see them
they've marked
themselves with lipstick
right?
And mom comes
into the room
and says
what you been doing?
Oh nothing.
Or my favorite
this is two little girls
who thought
they would get
to play
in some desitin
and so they've
coated each other
with desitin
their faces
and their hair.
Mom comes in
and says
hey what you guys
been doing?
Oh nothing.
And it's as
clear as day.
It's as plain
as the desitin
on their face.
But he would not
acknowledge
where he really was
in relationship
to perfection.
He was unwilling
to acknowledge
that he was dependent.
this man is doing
the exact same thing
these two little girls
are doing.
And with this
inflated view
of himself
essentially
what he's doing
is blaspheming God.
He's inflating himself
he's bringing God down
and by doing that
he is cursing God
to his face
because God is standing
right in front of him.
Jesus says
here in verse 22
Jesus heard this
he said to him
one thing you still lack
see all that you have
excuse me
sell all that you have
distribute to the poor
and you will have
treasure in heaven
and come
follow me.
You see
God's goodness
can't
be
achieved
on our own.
Can't be achieved.
I love how Mark
recounts Christ's response
in Mark chapter 10
verse 20 and 21
it says
and he said to him
speaking of the rich ruler
teacher all these things
I've kept for my youth
and Jesus
looking at him
loved him.
Jesus
looking at him
loved him.
What an amazing description.
This man
has ignorantly
blasphemed God.
He's made much
of himself
he's
he's brazenly
declared
himself
to be righteous
and effect
has brought
God down
and what does
God do?
Well
God
in Christ
looks at him
and loves him.
Can you imagine
the scene?
I envision
Jesus
there
with a tender
smile
on his face
maybe
tilting his head
to one side
and in his eyes
and in his face
essentially he's saying
you really don't understand
but I love you anyway.
He gently provides
this next statement
one
thing
you lack
sell all that you have
distribute to the poor
and you will have treasure
in heaven
and come and follow me.
Jesus puts his finger
on the one thing
that this
rich
ruler
cannot escape
his own
covetous heart
his own
self-reliant
heart
his own
desire
for
personal comfort
in
his life.
This statement
is entirely
consistent
of course
with what Jesus
says throughout
his ministry.
In Luke chapter 14
verse 33
he says
therefore
any one of you
who does not
renounce
all that he has
cannot
be
my disciple.
Or what he says
in Luke chapter 12
when he says
fear not little flock
for it is your
father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.
Sell your possessions
and give to the needy.
Provide yourselves
with money bags
that do not grow old
with a treasure
in the heavens
that does not fail
where no thief
approaches
and no moth
destroys
for where your
treasure is
there will your
heart be also.
Now this is a
hard word
for us
but essentially
what Jesus
is saying
is he's saying
allow yourself
to be open
to the possibility
of giving
what you have
to God.
Live with an open hand.
Pray the prayer
God
all that I have
belongs to you.
Take it
however you will
and grow
in my heart
a compassion
for others
so that I'm
willing to step in
and I'm willing
to address
the needs
that I see
when they arise.
Jesus is interested
in the kind
of heart
that is
attached
to heaven
to eternity.
It's attached
to seeking
first the kingdom
of God
and his righteousness.
Jesus is saying
you need to be
dependent
not self-reliant.
You cannot
be good
like God.
You need to
understand
essentially
the essence
of the Old Testament
summarized
in two statements.
Love the Lord
your God
and love your neighbor
as yourself.
And as you come
to understand
a heart
that is tuned
to obedience
to God
and love
for God
it's going
to reflect
itself
in a posture
of
generosity
for others.
And by the way
it's not
that Jesus
is commending
a works-based
righteousness.
Give all that you have
and then you'll be saved.
No.
what he's trying
to help
this rich young ruler
understand
is that a heart
of faith
in salvation
is a heart
that depends
on God
for everything
not just salvation.
That's what
is at the heart
of Jesus' command.
Love God
like God
loves others.
1 John 3
16-18
brings us home
where John says
by this we know
love.
He laid down
his life for us.
We ought also
to lay down
our lives
for the brothers.
If we're going
to love
like Jesus
we're going
to be those
who lay
our lives
down for
the saints.
As Paul
will say
in 2 Corinthians
he says
he who is rich
made himself
poor
so that we
through his
poverty
might enjoy
his riches.
By his grace
we've been saved.
The same
posture exists
in the heart
of believers.
A willingness
to live
with an open
hand.
A willingness
to distribute
to those
who are in need.
As we find
in verse 17
if anyone
has this world's
goods
sees his brother
in need
and closes
his heart
against him
how does
God's love
abide in him?
Little children
let us not
love in word
or talk
but in deed
in truth.
let the
rubber
meet the
road
as it
relates
to
dependence
on God
and a
willingness
to follow
in God's
steps
by meeting
the needs
of those
around you.
Fortunately
our passage
doesn't end
there.
God
is dependable
because God
is good
and in the
final verses
here
we can
depend
on God
because
we have
a God
who saves.
You can
depend
on a God
who saves
and I
draw
these points
out of
verse 26
and 27
just look
at those
with me
briefly
we're going
to just
quickly
move our
way through
these verses
it says
those who
heard
it said
then who
could be
saved?
But he
said
what is
impossible
with man
is possible
with God.
God
overcomes
the impossibility
he overcomes
our rebellion
he overcomes
our self-reliance
he overcomes
our blasphemy
to give us
himself
through Jesus
Christ
and to draw
us into
faith in him
and to forgive
us of sins
and bridge
the gap
and usher
us into
salvation
to lead us
home
to heaven
you can
depend
on a God
who saves
he overcomes
the impossible
in verses
23 to 25
Jesus wants
to establish
that no one
can save
themselves
salvation
only comes
from the
Lord
notice
it says
in verse
23
when he
heard these
things
speaking
of the
rich
young
ruler
he
became
very
sad
for he
was
extremely
rich
Jesus
seeing
that he
had become
sad
said
how difficult
it is
for those
who have
wealth
to enter
the kingdom
of God
for 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
in Mark's
account
in Mark
chapter 10
verse 22
it describes
this man
as being
disheartened
by the
saying
he went
away
sorrowful
for he
had great
possessions
it broke
his heart
it crushed
him
in his
spirit
in Matthew
chapter 19
verse 22
it says
when the
young man
heard this
he went
away
sorrowful
for he
had great
possessions
in our
passage
he became
very sad
it's important
to note
as one
commentator
notes
sadness
does not
always lead
to repentance
your sadness
doesn't
compare
or correlate
to repentance
you can be
sad
you can be
grieved
you can be
sorrowful
it doesn't
mean you're
saved
because only
godly sorrow
produces
repentance
and that
kind of
sorrow
is the
kind of
sorrow
that leads
to turning
it leads
to dependence
it leads
to trust
it leads
to forgiveness
it leads
to looking
to Jesus
as the only
way
for salvation
recognizing
one's own
deficiency
and looking
to god
for help
sadness
does not
always lead
to repentance
as we find
here
to receive
the treasure
he wants
speaking
of this
rich young
ruler
to receive
the treasure
he wants
the ruler
must give up
the treasure
he has
and that's
true for
every one
of us
in the room
if we want
to enjoy
and experience
the treasure
of god
we need
to be willing
to lay down
whatever earthly
treasures
we have here
give them
over to god
with an open
hand
entrust them
to him
so we can
enjoy
a life
of confidence
and faith
and trust
in him
that he
can show
through even
great trials
that he's
dependable
that's what
the christian
life is
intended to
produce in
us
a life of
dependence
not a life
of self
reliance
jesus
confronts
this man
because no
one can
save
themselves
and then
he turns
in verse
26 and
27
to demonstrate
once again
god alone
can save
he is the
god who
saves
verse 26
those who
heard it
said
who then
can be
saved
but he
said
the things
which are
impossible
with men
are possible
with god
christ's
response to
this situation
of course
shattered their
conventional wisdom
in their minds
they felt as
though this
rich man
had it all
together
he was the
picture of
god's favor
and blessing
on his life
and he was
a person
who was
devout
at least
externally
in every
way
certainly
this man
is going
to heaven
but what
this man
could not
understand
is that
it didn't
depend on
him
his riches
his goodness
his supposed
goodness
his position
in the
community
the apparent
favor of
god on
his life
was only
a barrier
was just
an obstacle
to true
conversion
because he
was depending
on that
rather than
depending
on god
luke chapter
12 verse
21 says
the one
who lays
up treasure
for himself
is not
rich
towards god
do we see
our wealth
as an opportunity
for generosity
do we see
our
our resources
as a means
of growing
in faith
in god
as a
stewardship
and a
means of
strengthening
relationship
with other
believers
that god
has put us
in community
with
are we
recognizing
that all
of the
blessings
that god
has given
to us
through
financial
wealth
is a
means by
which we
can grow
in faith
in him
and by
the way
from the
standpoint
of where
we stand
as a
people
in America
in relation
to the rest
of the world
I just did
this quick
survey
if your
combined
household
income
is
$50,000
and my
guess is
that most
everyone
in this
room
is about
almost
there
and you
have a
house
$50,000
and you
have a
house
then you
are in
the top
10%
of the
world's
richest
people
we are
a rich
nation
and so
it's
incumbent
upon us
as
those
who are
putting our
faith in
God
to demonstrate
our
dependence
upon
God
the
responsibility
and the
accountability
we have
is that
much more
finally
in verses
28 and
30
we recognize
that the
dependence on
God leads
to great
reward
that it's
not empty
that we're
not laying
down
the things
that we
have
and turning
them over
to God
in a way
that doesn't
have great
benefits to
us
all throughout
the gospels
Jesus is
commending
laying up
treasures for
ourselves in
heaven
but not just
what happens
there
what we find
in our
passages
there are
benefits
in the
here and
now
notice
verse 28
and Peter
said see
we have
left our
homes and
followed you
and he said
to them
truly I say
to you
there is no
one who
has left
house or
wife or
brother or
parent or
child for
the sake of
the kingdom
of God
who will
not receive
many times
more in
this time
and in
the age to
come
eternal
life
there are
benefits
in the
here and
now
for
dependence
on God
and not
just what
we gain
in terms
of relationship
with him
and intimacy
and seeing
his faithfulness
and growing
in our
walk
with him
but just
look around
at how
your family
has grown
because of
what Christ
has accomplished
in making
us one
together
and this is
what Jesus
draws attention
to
his mother
and brothers
came
to visit
him
and he says
in Luke
chapter 8
verse 21
he says
this
he answered
them
my mother
and my
brothers
are those
who hear
the word
of God
and do
it
whatever
sacrifices
you make
for the
sake
of the
kingdom
today
are petty
compared
to the
all surpassing
glory
of God
and the
wonder
of what
God
has offered
to us
through
the company
of his
saints
through the
fellowship
that we
enjoy
through the
giving
and receiving
that happens
among
believers
as they
are investing
in one
another
and sharing
with one
another
and encouraging
and shepherding
and helping
the benefits
that we enjoy
in the economy
that God
has created
through salvation
that draws
us in
together
and makes
us one
through Christ
what a
blessing
nothing is
lost
everything
is gained
are we
going to be
those
who are
willing
to walk
in dependence
day by
day
trusting
in God
for the
daily bread
willing
to give
God
with an
open hand
saying
whatever
I have
Lord
it belongs
to you
help me
to use
it
and help
me to
grow
in my
dependence
on you
through
my
stewardship
and through
blessing
those around
me
may I
demonstrate
through my
life
that you
are faithful
and dependable
you are
trustworthy
may the
gospel shine
through us
as we depend
on him
this way
let's pray
Lord
thank you
for the
times that you
put your
finger in our
chest
and you
help us
to understand
that the
truths that are
there are
inescapable
and really
as we come
to this
passage
we all
walk away
coming to
realize that
we're not a
whole lot
different
from this
rich young
ruler
in that
we
struggle
with the
idea
of living
with an
open hand
of entrusting
our resources
to you
how radical
how even
reckless
it may seem
to sell
our possessions
and give
to the poor
that's not
good stewardship
Lord help us
to understand
what you're
calling us
to
help us
to understand
the delicate
balance between
stewardship
and faith
and how using
those resources
that you've
entrusted to us
is a means
by which we
can bless
others
but also
a means
by which
we can
grow
ourselves
in dependence
upon
the one
who will
never let
us down
the God
who is
good
and the
God
who saves
make that
picture
ever more
present
press
yourself
your image
into our
life
we pray
in Jesus
name
amen
God bless
you
have a great
week