One does not usually go seeking after something ...that they’re convinced they already have in their possession.

(Yeah...that would be worth reading again; we’re in no hurry here )

So this makes the story of the rich young ruler all the more interesting as 3 of the four gospels share it with us (Matt. 19; Mark 10; Luke 18). We don’t know a whole lot about this young man, but what we do learn from his dialogue with Jesus is quite important.

It’s easy to assume that he had financial security, along with a certain degree of influence and prestige, perhaps respect and admiration from those in his circle of people, and I sense he probably had a decent upbringing. I say that because it is told that when he first approached Jesus that he knelt before Him (Mark 10:17), showing that despite his own position of power, he was able to humble himself and show respect to Jesus. And he had also been taught the commandments of God since he was a young lad. So there’s that as well.

And yet, in spite of all that he seemed to have going for him, on the surface at least, he clearly comes seeking Jesus for something he’s not quite sure that he has in his possession.

In fact, that passage in Mark says he came ‘running’ to Jesus (10:17), so clearly he was anxious to obtain some more information on what he had been hearing about, this thing called ‘eternal life’. In fact, one might assume, based on the question the man asked Jesus...that this was simply a matter of ‘checking off a few boxes’, since he framed the question like this: “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16)

We humans like that, do we not...when all we have to do is check off a few boxes to get what we want? And it’s sad to say that so many churches have accommodated that tendency of ours so that people can have the same thing this young man was seeking after. You know the drill...’come forward, say this prayer, make this confession...and then you too...can have this free gift of eternal life that is waiting for you.” Some will go as far to promise you that it’s ‘guaranteed’ and you can never lose out...now that you checked off those boxes.

Now I will agree that this young man was mistaken to believe that this gift of ‘eternal life’, which Jesus came to offer us, was something one can obtain by ‘doing...some good thing’. ‘Eternal life’ (‘gift’ of salvation) is not something to be ‘earned’ or ‘worked for’ by any stretch of the imagination. But Jesus decides to play along with that line of thinking in order to engage the young man; and the first thing Jesus wants to establish is the fact that his premise that any of us are ‘good’...is false. (Luke 18:19; Rom. 3:10-12; 1 Pet. 2:25)

But it’s the follow up statement by Jesus that I want to camp out on for a few moments, where He said “But if you want to enter in to life, keep the commandments.” (Matt. 19:17)

“If...you want to ‘enter in to life...”.

When you extend an offer for someone to ‘come in’ to something, the message is clear: They are currently on the outside, and not ...in, yet. And this statement by Jesus is one that we don’t give much attention to and probably one that none of us would ever consider repeating if anyone asked us what they might ‘do’ in order to be ‘saved’ or receive this gift of life/salvation – “Keep the commandments.” Think about this for a moment. I don’t see any indication that Jesus winks at him and tells him something along the lines that He’s kidding...and to just ‘wait a little bit’ and then it will be so easy by just saying a prayer to ‘accept Him as personal Savior’ and then he’ll be good to go.

“If you want to ‘enter life’...sounds a lot different than saying something like: “if you want to ‘receive’ this gift or eternal life...do such and such.”

Many of us have heard the statement made by Jesus where He claimed to be the ‘way, the truth, and...the ‘life’...and that no one comes to the Father except through Him’ (John 14:6). And in John 10, we read where Jesus draws this picture of being the ‘good shepherd’ and ‘the door’ (7,10) and likens us as being ‘sheep’, all from ‘different folds’ (16) but the goal is to bring them into ‘one fold/flock’ where He will be their shepherd. Then, we see once again this idea of ‘entering by/through Him...in order to be ‘saved’ (9).

Now please don’t miss this very important truth woven through this text in John 10 where He keeps talking about how sheep ‘hear his voice’ and ‘know his voice’ (3-4) when it comes to sheep and their shepherd. And not only do they hear and know...the voice of their shepherd, but they follow as he ‘leads them out’ (3) and how they won’t follow a ‘stranger’ (5). Then we come to vs. 10, the one that I have misquoted for years, and still tend to want to do that. It’s that statement where Jesus first explains what this notorious ‘thief’ is known to do – to ‘steal, kill, and destroy...’. And the way I have always been prone to quote the last part of this statement is suggesting Jesus said: “...but I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly...’. But that is NOT...what Jesus said.

He says there: “I have come that THEY...might have life and that THEY...may have it more abundantly...”. Big difference. And who exactly is ‘they’? The sheep...who know His voice, who hear His voice and who ‘follow Him’. In fact, those are the ones who Jesus says that ‘HE KNOWS’ (John 10:27), and then promises that no one will be able to ‘snatch them out of His hand...nor will they perish’ (28). You might jot down Matt. 7:23 for some perspective.

So back to where Jesus told the young ruler...’if you want to enter life...keep My commandments’ (Matt. 19:17). This really is not some new revelation. Jesus makes it quite clear...those who love Him...will do what He says (John 14:15). Those who abide in Him...keep His commandments (1 John 2:3-6; 5:2-3). Peter would later make it known that whoever does not hear Him in all things...whatever He says to you...will be ‘utterly destroyed’ (Acts 3:22-23)

So...I would imagine this all sounds a tad different than what most of us have been taught to believe; which is why I keep circling back and driving home the same message – We’ve been either asleep...or deceived...and God is wanting to get our attention. But if you think all this being ‘saved’ and receiving ‘eternal life’ is just a matter of shaking yourself awake and recommitting to go out and start ‘obeying all God’s commands’...well, good luck with that. There’s ‘more to it’...and I’ll get to that...tomorrow (Lord willing).