Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 18:18-23 - Luke 19:1-10 \\ \\ *Introduction: \\ *Our world has changed dramatically in the past 100 years, and futurists predict that even greater changes are coming.

Consider these facts: We now watch as routine as space shuttles propel people into space and land routinely, yet it was under 100 years ago that the first airplane flew at Kitty Hawk.

The first mass produced Model T Ford came off the assembly only 80 plus years ago, yet we now have the first hybrid cars combining gas and electricity, according to experts it won’t be long until we can purchase automobiles capable of getting 75-100 miles per gallon, that respond to voice commands, and that automatically avoid collisions.

Penicillin was discovered only 60 some years ago yet we’ve successfully implanted an artificial heart, and have made tremendous strides in cancer research.

Our world is constantly changing and what applies to our culture also applies to us as individuals.

We move, we think differently, we age.

Many of us are like the man who accepted the invitation to attend his 25th high school reunion by writing.. “I hope you’ll recognize me.. I’ve got the “5 B’s”.. baldness, bifocals, bridgework, bulges and bunions.”

But there is one change that is more important than all others.

And that is the change that Jesus Christ can bring into your life.

He desires and has the ability to transform all of our lives.

*The only question is, how will you respond to the changes that He requests?*

\\ So whether you are deeply committed to Christ or whether you are thinking about completely submitting your life to Him, let’s reason together from God’s Word and see how He can make "something beautiful " of our lives.

In order to do that I want us to look at two men who met Jesus.

Both of them had the opportunity to change, but only one of them had the courage to choose to let it happen.

Let’s see which one would change, as we talk about the *Rich Young Ruler* and *Zacchaeus*.

\\ \\ *I.

THE RICH YOUNG RULER: 18:18-25* \\ Jesus meets these two men on His last trip to Jerusalem.

The first is a man who is an anxious seeker and is described in Matthew, Mark and Luke as a rich, young, ruler.

Vs:18 of our text describes him as "a religious leader," Matt.

19:20 refers to him as a "young man" And Luke refers to him as a ruler, probably in a local synagogue.

But all three, Matt., Mk. & Lk.

make it very clear, that he is rich.

So this rich, young, ruler comes to Jesus with a question.

Mark tells us he comes and falls on his knees before Jesus.

And he asks the most important of all questions.

*"What should I do to get eternal life?"*

To the casual observer that question coming from this man must of been a surprise.

Because this guy apparently had it all together.

You see to the Jewish mind, possession of riches was a sign of God’s favor.

And not only was he rich but he was young & influential.

Much like today the people then thought "having it made" was measured by your appearance, your possessions and how successful you were.

So why would this young man come to an itinerant, poverty stricken preacher with this important question?

It’s because there was something missing in his life.

His question denotes an emptiness that had not yet been fulfilled.

\\ You know, that’s true of every individual no matter how impressive they may be on the outside.

There’s something not quite right without the Lord.

Outside they may look impressive but on the inside they’re insecure and afraid.

And maybe you look good on the outside and you look very impressive but there are areas in your life that you know deep down need to be changed!

Well, no matter how secret, Jesus has a way of penetrating and seeing through those false fronts.

Which is exactly what He did with this rich young man.

Jesus saw right past all this ruler’s talk.

Lewis Foster wrote: "Evidently, (Jesus) found that this man was using terms and treating subjects too lightly, not weighing all that was involved."

So, Jesus stopped him right in his tracks when he asks, "Good teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?" Jesus counters with a question of his own: "Why do you call me good?..

Only God is truly good."

(Perfect) Jesus was asking this man to dig deep into his heart.

Jesus was saying: "If you are calling me good in an absolute sense then you’re calling me God.

Are you ready to take that to it’s logical conclusion and follow Me as God?"

And as part of the follow-up for this man Jesus addresses a second issue by turning him to the 10 commandments and saying, "..you know the commandments.." and lists four of them saying in effect.. “How are you doing keeping God’s Top Ten?” \\ \\

This elicited what I think was a superficial response from this man in vs:21.

"I’ve obeyed all of these commands since I was a child."

Now, he may have been an exemplary boy as he grew up, but to say glibly that he had fulfilled all, and he did say all, is a huge claim.

After all, Jesus had just said, no one is good except God.

Yet if this boy had never broken the law he was calling himself good, either had a bad memory or he wasn’t telling the truth because the Bible tells us everyone has sinned.

\\ How many of you here today would be ready to say to Jesus, with this rich, young man, "I’ve kept every one of the commandments since I was a little boy or a little girl?” Let’s do a little a little experiment together.

I want to list the Ten Commandments for you and I want you think of the number you have never broken.

Then I want you to raise your hand at the end and tell me how good you’ve been.

They are found in Exodus 20.. now, this young man was taking the commandments literally, he was not thinking so much about attitude, but of action.

So just for our experiment think of these as he did as we talk about them.. Are you ready?

\\ (1) "You shall have no other Gods before Me."

If you’ve always put God 1st in your life.

Nothing has ever taken precedence over Him..Count that as one you’ve never broken.

\\ (2) "You shall not make for yourself a graven image and bow down to it."

If you’ve never fashioned an idol and bowed down & worshiped it you can count that as one you’ve never broken.

Aren’t you glad that one is in there?

We’ve all got one.

\\ (3) "You shall not misuse the Name of God."

If you have never used the name of God or the name of Jesus in a profane way, never used the popular phrase, "Oh, God."

All your life, you have only used God’s name with the highest respect.

Count that one.

\\ (4) "You shall keep the Sabbath Holy."

Now, if you are a Christian, we need to make that the Lord’s Day.

If you have always used Saturday night or Sunday in way that always honors God, you’ve never skipped church for your own pleasure or your own convenience, when you’re here you’ve never wished your were somewhere else.. then count that one.

\\ (5) "Honor your Father and Mother."

If from when you were a little child you never sassed your parents, you always obeyed them and now that they are older you hold them with respect you count that as one you’ve not broken.

\\ (6) "You shall not murder."

If you’ve never murdered anybody.. Now, the N.T. says if you’ve ever hated anybody in your heart you’re guilty of murder.

But we won’t count it that way, so I’ve you’ve never murdered anyone physically, not counting war or self-defense then you count that as one you’ve never broken.

\\ (7) "You shall not commit adultery."

Now, here we’ve got to count Jesus’ admonition about the attitude of lust because this young man knew Prov.

6:25, which warns against adultery, "Do not lust in your heart after her beauty.."(NIV) If you’ve never been unfaithful to your mate, or to another persons mate, if you’ve never lusted after somebody that wasn’t your mate.. count that one as one you’ve never broken.

\\ (8) "You shall not steal."

If you’ve never stolen anything.

Not 10¢ out of your mother’s purse, not a towel from a motel room, not a paper clip from work, not an answer off of someone’s paper.

\\ (9) "You shall not lie."

If you’ve never told a lie to get out of a sticky situation, if you’ve never exaggerated a story, if you have never flattered anybody intentionally you count that one as one you’ve never broken.

\\ (10) "You shall not covet."

If you’ve never wished that you had something or somebody that belonged to someone else you count that one as one never broken.

\\ All right.. Ready?

How many could say with the rich young ruler, “I’ve kept all the commandments since I was a little child?”

Raise your hand.

9? 8? 7? Anybody kept 6 perfectly?

We’ve got a bunch of sorry people here!

Me either.. I’ve kept 3. I’ve never bowed down to a graven image, I’ve never murdered anyone and the other one is none of your business.

Rom.3:20- "No man can justify himself before God by a perfect performance of the Law’s demands - indeed it is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we are."

(Phillips) God didn’t give these commands to make us better but so we would see our sin clearly.

So we would understand our need for a Savior.

But this young man was saying, "I don’t need to be changed..

\\ So Jesus made a severe requirement of him.

Vs:22- "There is still one more thing you lack.. Sell all you have and give it to the poor.. then come, follow Me." Now, this wasn’t what the young ruler expected!

He thought Jesus would maybe give him some extra prayers to say or more fasting each week but sell everything?