To Whom the Kingdom Belongs - Matthew 19:16-20:16
During the first century, at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, most Jews believed that external things like wealth, health, and power were signs of the favor of God. God’ blessing was obviously on a person who was rich. That was the conventional thinking.
Here a rich young man approaches Jesus. Luke tells us in his gospel that the man was a “ruler.” So, all signs point to this man as having all three external signs of God’s favor. He was wealthy, healthy, and powerful. Yet, he has some sense that more is required to have God’s eternal favor, but he apparently thinks that whatever is required is within his reach. And if anyone can tell him what additional good deed is required, it would be Jesus.
But notice Jesus’ response to the man. Verse 17, “And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.” Why does Jesus respond this way? Well, he is challenging the assumption that the young man can perform a deed good enough to earn eternal life. And so Jesus says, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments,” to which the man replies, “Which ones.” Jesus lists numbers 6, 7, 8, 9, and 5 from the 10 commandments, and then he adds, from Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Yet if we go back to Matthew chapter 5, to Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus already explained that if you hate someone in your heart, you’re guilty of murder in the sight of God, and if you’ve lusted after someone who is not your spouse, you’re guilty of adultery in the sight of God. So, no one has kept the commandments perfectly. After all,
who could say they care about their fellow humans as much as they care about themselves?
However, this rich, young, powerful man replies in verse 20 that he has kept them all.
Maybe he thinks this because he’s so “blessed.” Isn’t his “blessed” life evidence that he’s been doing something right? He’s wealthy, he’s young and healthy, he’s powerful and influential! How far off can he be? God must be on his side!
Well, in reality, he’s way off. It turns out that his worldly attachments, in other words,his “blessings” are what will keep him from eternal life with God. Those so-called signs of God’s favor will keep him out of the kingdom. Look at verse 21, Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect.” Now, I want to stop there for a moment. Jesus used this same wording back in Matthew 5. He said to the crowd, “You must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This idea of “perfect” is what the OT described as “blameless.” It’s along the same lines as God’s words in Leviticus, quoted later by Peter, “Be holy for I am holy.” Be “set apart” from this world.
Jesus says, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Notice what Jesus asks the man to give up is not a sinful thing. There’s no indication that he got his wealth or power through wrongdoing. There’s no sign that he was a bad man. But what Jesus reveals with his command is that the outward trappings of this man’s life, his possessions but also, his youth and his power (whatever he rules over) are things he must lay down to follow Jesus. Jesus calls the man to radical obedience. Radical discipleship.
To you, it may sound absurd. But also, you may think you have some shred of self-righteousness in the eyes of God. You may think that on your own merit you’re better than someone else in this world. And so Jesus is asking too much. It was too much for this man, notice verse [22] When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And in doing so - in making the choice he made - he broke a commandment. Do you know which one? The first one. “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Jesus did not win followers by dangling a carrot in front of them. He didn’t focus on what they would get if they followed. He focused on what must be given up. Would the worship services throughout America be as full today, would the programs be as packed, and would the Christian books fly off the shelves as quickly if the main message was not about what you can get from God if you believe in Jesus, but about what you must give up for God if you would follow Jesus?
What would your friends, or spouse, or children say if someone asked them what you have given up to follow Christ? What has it cost you? And while we’re on the subject,
what exactly are you living for? Do you live to join God on His mission, or are you
working your own plans, chasing your own dreams? What is your life all about, really?
Your worldly attachments can keep you from the kingdom. And Jesus makes two illustrations here to communicate that only God's grace can bring you into the kingdom.
Verse 23, Jesus says to his disciples, “only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.” How difficult is it? Verse 24, “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 other words, it’s impossible.
In Psalm 30, in the OT, King David describes a time in his life when he was very blessed and he became puffed-up with pride. He wrote, [6] As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” [7] By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.” When David became puffed up, God withdrew his protection and troubles came. “Blessings” can do that do you.
Now, the disciples have an interesting response, verse 25, “Who then can be saved?”
If this powerful, rich, “blessed” man can’t get God’s favor, what about us regular folks?
Jesus tells them there is a way. Not within man’s power, but within God’s power. But even the disciples naturally think like the rich young man.Verse 27, Peter says, ““See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
What do you mean by “with man this is impossible” Jesus? Look what we’ve done! We left everything. We counted the cost. Does this not earn our way into the kingdom? This is essential to understand: just because your worldly attachments can keep you from the kingdom that does not mean that laying down worldly attachments is what gets you in.
Jesus describes the end of time, when he returns, a time still future, when he will renew the earth, make it over, and sin is destroyed. In the end, the radical obedience of the apostles will put to shame the Jews who rejected their true King. They will be proved right for following Jesus. But also they will get something in this life, verse [29] everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold. The LORD God will care for His own in this life and provide abundantly for them in the next life. They “will inherit eternal life.” They may look like last-place finishers in this life, however, verse [30] many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Wealth, health, and power (and the security that comes with them) are not necessarily
the signs of God’s favor in the world. Some of God’s people will have those things, but many will not. The sign of God’s favor is an undivided heart. Full-fledged obedience. The world will reject you, but God sees.
Jesus launches into another illustration to explain how the last could be first. It is God’s world; He can do whatever He chooses. His approach to receiving people into his kingdom is like an employer who hired workers at various periods within a day. Evidently he hired some about 6am, some more about 9am, some at 12 noon, and some more at 5pm, shortly before quitting-time. They all worked his vineyard, and he paid them all the same thing.
Do you ever see men and women out in front of the labor offices, waiting to get hired for the day? Each one is glad to work. They know they aren’t entitled to the work. They are thankful. What is Jesus’ point here? He’s not teaching us about labor practices. The focus is the right of the employer to distribute his generosity however he sees fit. The point is to show how God’s grace works.
In the story, those who went to work in the early hours are mad they don’t get paid more.
But notice verse 15, the employer tells them, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with
what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” In this Greek this is literally something like, “Or is your eye evil because of my generosity?” The idea is “Are you envious, and are you distrusting of me?” Don’t be jealous or judgmental. Just be thankful for grace.
Some folks follow Jesus early; some folks come along much later. God’s grace is the same. Simon Kistemaker describes it this way: “The principle in the world is that he who works the longest receives the most pay. That is just. But in the kingdom of God the principles of merit and ability may be set aside so that grace can prevail.” Only God's grace can bring you into the kingdom.
And that may mean that in this life, you might look like a last-place finisher. There will be things that God calls you to give up in order to follow Jesus. Some people will look down on you. But many who are prominent in this life will be on the outside looking in on the last day when Jesus returns. Are you willing to trust God?
Steve Shadrach, in his book The Fuel and the Flame, casts a vision for college students
to join God on mission during their time in college and to live unabashedly for Him.
Shadrach encourages college students to ask themselves this question: “If God were to have His total way in my life, what would it look like?” Each of us should ask ourselves this question. Again, “If God were to have His total way in my life, what would it look like?”
I want to call everyone here to something today. Even if you’re a visitor, here for the first or second time, I’m calling you to it as well, because Jesus calls all of us to it, like he called this rich young ruler. The call is to radical spirituality, a radical, extraordinary, seemingly over-the-top pursuit of God and His glory. I believe that many of the questions about God and His Word would be cleared up if we surrendered our whole lives to him and saw everything in light of His glory and purpose in the world.
But you see, sin clouds our vision. And notice again, with this wealthy young man, Jesus was not dealing with one of the obviously immoral people to whom he often ministered. Jesus reached out to thieves and corrupt government officials, he reached out to people mired in sexual immorality, but the rich young ruler seems to be an upstanding member of Jewish society. His problem is that he thinks he’s good enough. His line of questioning to Jesus is predicated on that belief. He thinks that favor with God is within close reach.
And so, radical obedience and life-altering spirituality -- life-altering pursuit of God’s glory -- seems unnecessary. Why go to all the trouble? Why re-think my whole life? This man had to wonder, “Why is Jesus commanding me to put everything I have, everything I am, on the table. My wealth and my power - my comfort and security - are not on the table Jesus!” But that’s not discipleship. That’s not following Jesus.
And that’s not the attitude of someone who has truly received the grace of God. Jesus not only says that you should turn from your sins and trust in His perfect righteousness to save you. He does say that, but he also says you should surrender everything in your life to His lordship. The kingdom belongs only those who trust in Him as Savior and surrender to Him as Lord.
Let’s pray.