Lessons from Matthew 19: Eternal Life
Honoring God by Receiving Eternal Life
After Jesus had blessed the children (verse 15), a rich young ruler, meaning a young man of good standing who was wealthy and apparently also a ruler of some sort, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
Jesus responded by challenging the young man’s thinking, revealing that there is only One who is good.
And though this young man had followed and kept the commandments as best as he knew, he had failed in a crucial area. He had fallen short of the glory of God by not loving God and others above himself and his things. This young man had measured his goodness by what he had gained, not by what he had laid down.
He tried earning his way through life and he was trying to earn his way to heaven. Jesus said the way to eternal life cannot be earned.
Instead, it is a laying down, a total and complete surrender, of all that you are and all that you have. It is coming to Jesus and laying yourself upon His altar and saying,
Jesus, here I am and here is all that I own. But without you, I and these things mean absolutely nothing. So I surrender first myself and next my possessions that I might gain eternal life and use what I have been given for your glory and your honor to the praise of your holy name.
And when the man heard what Jesus said, he turned and sadly left that place because he had great wealth. This young man proved by his actions that he loved his great wealth, his possessions and money more than he loved God and God’s people. He illustrated the truth of Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Are you trying to earn salvation? Trying to come before God with your “goodness list”?
There is no such thing. The scriptures tell us all we have to offer is filthy rags and no amount of self effort can earn or win the favor of God. The only means to eternity is through God’s Son. He is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way!
What are you storing up, treasures here on earth or treasures up in heaven? What we spend most of our time doing reflects what we treasure or honor most.
Christians are to honor God above all else by accepting eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ!
We as Christians are to bear His mark by loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. This, Jesus said, is the greatest commandment. And the second one is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Everything else is temporary and will one day fade away. Yet our relationship with Christ and His people will stand the test of time.
Please don’t leave here sad because you have not received the greatest gift ever given. Make this commitment to God through His Son Jesus Christ. And for those of you who know and love Christ and are secure in His hands, do what you can to see that others know the good news of His Word also!
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach