RICHES, AND GOOD MORALS DOES NOT GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE, JESUS DOES

SCRIPTURE:

“A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”  21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.  22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”  27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!  29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:18—30)

OBSERVATION:

         The certain ruler came to Jesus wanting to know what he must do to inherit eternal life.  He called Jesus, “Good Teacher.”  Jesus answered, “No one is good except God alone.  Jesus answer laid a foundation for his conversation with this certain ruler.  The ruler is a rich man, and may have thought that he had everything he needed in this life, but something is missing.  Everything that we possesses in life will not give us ETERNAL LIFE. We are NOT good enough for eternal life.  There is no amount of good works we have or possessions we have will guarantee us eternal life.

         Jesus gave part of the ten commandments pertaining relationship with humans.  “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”  The certain rich ruler was quick to say, “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.  He was quick in pointing out his morality.  I have kept this code of life since I was a kid.  I have been faithful in keeping all my relationship with others quite well, he said.

         He has no problem in life when it comes to riches.  He has no problem in life when it comes to him keeping great relationship with others.  He seems to do well in life.  He may even conclude, I am a good person, and I have worked hard, and I have loved others and nice to them.  But it doesn’t how rich we are, or how well we practice good moral, none of these will give us eternal life. 

         Jesus looked at him and pointing out something that is important and what qualifies us for eternal life, he said, YOU STILL LACK ONE THING.  Sell everything, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come follow me.  When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

         The rich ruler, became sad, because he was rich toward himself, but he has NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.  The rich ruler, only had a relationship that have him at the center of his world.  His riches was his god.  He follow his god.  Where his treasure was, so was his heart.  I am glad that Jesus pointed out what is really eternal, and that is the one thing that the rich young ruler lacks.  I am reminded of the importance of being rich toward God, rather than enriching myself with my possessions and morality. 

APPLICATION:

         I learn the important of my relationship with God today and how powerful it is to be rich toward him daily.  I am grateful to the Holy Spirit pointing this out today reminding me that I can have all the riches and good morality but miss eternal life because I don’t have God.  I will continue to remind myself to always put God in the center of all that I do. 

PRAYER:

         Jesus, you are my life.  I am grateful that you are a good shepherd that guides and leads my life.  For you are my shepherd, therefore I lack nothing in this world.  I look to you daily and will always rely on your goodness.  Please lead and guide me daily to your purpose and will.  Help me to grow more in you and to live out your life in me daily.  Amen!