Sermon Tone Analysis

Don't Let Anything Keep You Away from Jesus Christ!

The Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 19:16-26

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared November 7, 2022)

BACKGROUND:

*Please open your Bibles to Matthew 19:16.

Remember that by this time, Jesus was only about 3 months away from dying on the cross for our sins.

Today's Scripture tells us about a rich, young ruler who made the worst decision anybody can ever make in life.

He rejected our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

He chose not to follow Jesus.

And as we look into his story, God's Word will show us why everyone should put their trust in Jesus.

Please think about your choice as we read Matthew 19:16-26.

MESSAGE:

*What matters most in life?

A lot of people think it's money, but Callie Rogers proved that's not true.

In 2003, Callie was only 16 years old when she won $3 million from a lottery in England.

Callie felt like she was on top of the world, but 6 years later, Callie only had $32,000 left.

And she said, "Winning the lottery has ruined my life."

*Callie had spent her money on things like designer clothes, cocaine, and plastic surgery.

And she said, "In the past 6 years I've sunk into a black hole, a black hole that at one point I thought I could never crawl out of." (1)

*What matters most in life?

It's not money or pleasure or work or fame.

Life's greatest priority is choosing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!

There isn't even a close second, so don't let anything keep you away from Jesus Christ.

1. CHOOSE JESUS, FIRST, BECAUSE HE HAS GOD'S PERFECT GOODNESS.

*The Lord points us to His perfection in vs. 16-17: "Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?''

So (Jesus) said to him, "Why do you call Me good?

No one is good but One, that is, God. .

."

*A lot of Christ-rejecting people are willing to call Jesus good.

But here the Lord closed that door, because "no one is good but One, that is, God."

So, the only proper way to call Jesus good is to also call Him God.

Yes, Jesus is a man, but He is also fully God, one with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

And because Jesus is God, He is perfection personified.

Jesus never sinned even once in thought, word, or deed.

Amazing truth!

*Our world overflows with corruption.

We can see it all around us, and much of it is too horrible to mention.

We see it all around us, and if we are honest with ourselves, we can also see evil in our own hearts.

That's why in Romans 7:18 the Apostle Paul said, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells. .

."

*Everybody but Jesus Christ was born with a sinful nature, and it's in us, even of we don't realize it.

That's why in Psalm 19:12-14 David prayed, "Who can understand his errors?

Cleanse me from secret faults.

Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

*There is corruption all around us, and in us too, but Jesus Christ is perfection personified.

That's why Hebrews 4:15 says this to all Christians: "We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: "For He (i.e.

God the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

*Yes, Jesus had a mortal, human body like us, but He is, and always has been the Lord God Almighty.

That's why Paul made this mind-boggling statement in Colossians 2:8-9.

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."

*And God cannot sin.

Listen to some evidence from His Word:

-2 Timothy 2:13 says: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."

-Titus 1:1-2 says: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which is according to godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began."

-And James 1:13 says "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone."

*That's why in John 8:29, Jesus could say this about Himself and His Heavenly Father: "He who sent Me is with Me.

The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."

The Lord Jesus is perfectly good, and because He is perfect, Jesus has the answers to life's greatest questions.

At least the rich young ruler got that part right: He took his questions to Jesus.

-- And so should we.

*When you are troubled by life's greatest questions, take them to the Lord.

And choose Jesus, because He has God's perfect goodness.

2. ALSO CHOOSE JESUS, BECAUSE HE LOOKS AT US WITH LOVE.

*Because He is God, Jesus Christ can clearly see into the deepest parts of our hearts.

He has the perfect picture of our flaws, but the Lord loves us anyway!

*Jesus can diagnose the sin sickness in every heart.

And this is one of the things that the Lord did in vs. 17-21:

17.

So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?

No one is good but One, that is, God.

But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.''

18.

He said to Him, "Which ones?''

Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'

19.

'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'''

20.

The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.

What do I still lack?''

21.

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.''

*It's important to know that this was the only time Jesus told someone to give away all their possessions.

Nicodemus was very rich, and Jesus did not tell him to give all of his money away.

Joseph of Arimathea was also very rich, but again, Jesus did not tell him to give his money away.

*The problem with the rich young ruler was that he was making his money the ultimate priority in his life.

He was trusting in his money more than he was willing to trust in God. Bill Bouknight explained, "Jesus was really saying to the rich young ruler: 'You are carrying a security blanket which you rely on more than God.

You cannot serve both God and riches.

God will not agree to be co-champion in your tournament of favorites. .

."

Jesus was telling this rich young man to hand over his security blanket, and walk with the Lord by faith.

(2)

*Now it would be easy for us to be hard on this young man.

But in vs. 20, the young man asked, "What do I still lack?"

And Mark 10:21 shows Jesus answering, "One thing you lack. .

."

*"One thing you lack."

I read that, and I thought, "Wow.

-- This young man was a better man than most."

Could the Lord say that about us? -- "One thing you lack?"

We need to be careful about judging the rich young ruler, or anybody else for that matter, because the fact is that all of us have some "lack".

*All of us have sinned many times and have fallen far short of the glory of God.

But the wonderful good news of the Bible is that God loves us in spite of our lack.

God loves us in spite of our faults and failures.

Mark 10:21 makes this great truth clear, because it says, "Then Jesus, LOOKING AT HIM, LOVED HIM, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.'''