Badenoch Free Church

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Morning Service Sunday 25th Nov.
 
Mat 19.
Dallas Willard has noted that “the NT is a book about disciples by disciples for disciples”.
And for there to be disciples there has to be a Teacher who leads, guides and teaches. Of course that teacher is Jesus and today we are his disciples.
In chapter 19 of Matthew we see clearly this Teacher disciples relationship.
We have three situations
V1-12. The Pharisees and Jesus interact, followed by a teaching from Jesus.
V13-15. Jesus and the children interact, followed by teaching from Jesus.
V16-30. Jesus and the Rich Young Man interact, followed by teaching from Jesus.
This morning I want to focus on the firsts half of the third section.
Mat 19v16-22.
Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
This verse tells us a lot that we could easily miss if we just read it quickly.
It tells us a bit about the man and a bit about Jesus.
The man: he believed in eternal life. He knew he did not have eternal life. And he knew that Jesus was a teacher who could answer his deep questions and therefore he came to him. Also the man was being real. He was not testing Jesus like v3!
Jesus: he was approachable! This may be the most important thing about Jesus! Anyone can go to him!
The mans question is interesting to.
He asks what good thing can he do. The word for ‘good’ means fitting or appropriate.
He knows that eternal life is something that is really worth the cost,
therefore there must be something that he can do to earn eternal life!
Note: this is the way of the world. To get something of real value you have to pay for it. “no pain, no gain”.
The interesting thing to watch now is how Jesus deals with the mans question.
Matthew 19:17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
Jesus immediately picks up on the mans word “good”. There is only one who is good! Meaning that there is only one who is “inherently good”.
Jesus is saying there is nothing “good” you can do, only God is good!
So he is sorting out the mans question first of all!
Great teachers are always able to get to the heart of the matter.
Then he points him to the OT revealed way of salvation, the man would have known all about this! Keep the commandments and you will get life.
Note: Jesus drops the word eternal! Why? Because salvation is all about life now! Not about when you die, but “entering life” now.
The man was wanting something more that this basic way! His question was all wrong! His question should have been - “what must I do to be saved?” Acts16v30 the Phillipian jailer.
Application:
How do you approach this whole question of salvation?
The man wanted something special to do, something that he could do on his own.
His own way of salvation! Behind that is pride! Thinking I’m someone special.
I must have my own way!
Many people looking for salvation today, think along the same terms. We are proud, we want to do things our own way. Earn our salvation!
It takes humility to come to Jesus in his terms!
Matthew 19:18-19 "Which ones?" the man enquired. Jesus replied, "`Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother,' and `love your neighbour as yourself.'"
“which ones?” The man is still not convinced! There must be some special commandment that Jesus is talking about! Perhaps the man thought that Jesus being a great teacher would come up with some new commandment!
It was a strange point to raise! Surely he must have known that all the commandments were to be kept!
Application:
This attitude is so prevalent today. That we can pick and chose. Take what you like and leave the rest! People have been doing that with Jesus for centuries.
Jesus gives the man the second table of the 10 commandments to obey.
All to do with how we treat our neighbours.
What has he left out? The first half of the ten commandments - how we treat God, the only One who is really Good.
Matthew 19:20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
V20 is an amazing statement for two reasons. First of all the man claims to have kept all the commandments Jesus has just mentioned!
This shows something about the man.
It shows that outwardly he was a righteous man. He was moral. He was good!
Note: the quality of these commandments. If these laws were kept we would have no crime, no jails, no problems! - this just shows the genius of God. Only six rules to obey and we would have an outwardly perfect society.
Secondly the man knows that he has still not hit the mark! He wanted eternal life, he had done all he could, and yet he knows that he still has not got it!
Application:
For your soul today you need to ask, do you have it?
Do you have salvation? Have you entered life? You may have been trying for years to get life, have you got it yet? Has your way satisfied you?
If your way has satisfied you, and you feel that you’ve “got it” - then Jesus can do nothing for you!
But if there is still that doubt, that thought that you lack something…. Then maybe you need to try the way of Christ!
What is that way?
Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The way of Jesus is to put God in first place. Let me explain:
The man had a problem that was stopping him “enter life”.
That problem was this:
he was more concerned about his business than he was about following God!
He had to deal with that first before he could become a disciple.
For him, his riches / his business prohibited discipleship!
Jesus knows this. He knows that for this man, he could not have his wealth and be a disciple at the same time!
Application:
If you do not have it yet, if you know there is still something missing then ask yourself this: what is the most important thing to you? If discipleship to Jesus Christ / following Jesus, is not thee most important thing then you have not entered life!
According to Jesus there is only one way to life and that is by becoming one of his disciples. Therefore, discipleship must be the most important thing to you.
But in order to become a disciple you must get rid of everything that is stopping that commitment! You cannot be fully committed to Jesus and have things that are more important to you than him! That is what it means to count the cost.
What is the upshot for the man?
Matthew 19:22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
He was unwilling to count the cost! But the strange thing is, having made the decision it did not make him happy! He wanted life, but the price was to high! He would rather stay in business than follow Jesus!
Application:
This for us points to the cost of non-discipleship. It is more costly not to follow than it is to follow. The choice not to follow Jesus will ultimately lead only to sadness and regret.
Nothing can be more important than following Jesus for life now and eternally.
 
 
 
sunday evening 25th nov 07
 
Mat 19v23-30
Tonight we come onto the teaching of Jesus that follows this encounter with the Rich Young Man.
First of all he addresses the immediate example of the Man v23-26.
Then he addresses Peters question about discipleship v27-30.
1) A Statement:
Matthew 19:23-24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
 
With the living example walking off before them Jesus makes this statement.
We need to know here that Jesus is teaching. He is speaking to the disciples.
The context is that the young man was unwilling to count the cost of what it would mean for him to become a disciple. For him it meant that he had to sell all that he had. Give up his business and make following Jesus his new business. But he could not do it!
Now Jesus takes the mans situation and applies it for the disciples.
He tells them a simple fact - it is very hard, even impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
And he drives home the point by drawing one of his most dramatic picture stories. The disciples would never have for gotten this picture!
Jesus the Master Teacher!
 
2) A Reaction:
This teaching of Jesus was very provocative as the next verse highlights.
Matthew 19:25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
This statement of Jesus may just wash over us who have heard it so many times but the disciples in hearing it for the first time are astonished!
The phrase “greatly astonished” carries with it a sense of panic! They were panic stricken by this statement of Jesus and thought that there was no hope!!
Why this panic / shock / amazement? Because of the general teaching of the day.
It was rightly taught that all the wealth in the world belonged to God.
But wrongly concluded that therefore the rich were rich because God had given them wealth as a sign of his blessing on them.
So the theology was that the rich have more chance of being saved than anyone else.
Hence the question “who then can be saved?” If the rich don’t have power enough to save themselves then who does!!
That is why the disciples were in a state of panic because they thought they had no chance of being saved.
Application:
The question is a vital one for us to ask today! Who do we think can and can’t be saved?
 
3) The point made:
Then the Master Teacher brings out the great principle:
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Note the eye contact that is made first of all. The Greek makes is quite clear that Jesus looked straight at them! He wants them to really hear this.
Man does not have the power to save himself but God can not only save but do all things! God can do everything! Nothing is impossible for God.
Who then can be saved? God can save everyone! The rich and the poor alike!
Application:
How are your chances of salvation? As high as anyone else’s!
As disciples we can offer salvation to all!!!!! We must!
 
4) a relieved Peter then responds:
Matthew 19:27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
Relieved that all can be saved Peter then speaks up. He notes that he has done what the rich man could not do. He has counted the cost and followed Jesus. And picking up on what Jesus had said to the man in v21 he wants to know what he will get.
This seems like a rather daft point to raise in light of what Jesus has just said!
Jesus has just said that only God can save. Peter wants to know what he will get!
Yet Jesus does often speak of reward, and not only points to the cost of discipleship but to the immense privilege of discipleship!
 
Thus Jesus gives an answer:
5) the benefits of counting the cost of discipleship!
Matthew 19:28-29 28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
What are we to make of this, v28:
Jesus points the disciples to the new world to come.
He points to the glorious throne that he will once again occupy.
Then he adds to that: the disciples will sit on thrones too, as judges / rulers
- making a parallel with the rich young man who was a ruler on earth!
The disciples were now beginning to see that discipleship was a no lose situation. Discipleship is the bargain of the Universe!
What the young man could not give up - his position, power, money, authority etc he would be given anyway under Jesus in His Kingdom!
What about us? V29:
The same is true for us! We cannot lose.
God is no miser! He originally created mankind to have dominion. To rule and have power and create etc. And we will have all that as we bow the knee to Him in discipleship! We will receive so much more than we will ever be called upon to give up! And on top of that “eternal life”!
Note: this echoes the mans original question. He wanted to know what to do to eternal life. Jesus here throws it in almost as an aside! As we noted this morning we are not to worry about eternal life. We are to worry about life, and discipleship and everything else will take care of itself.
 
6) one last thought!
However; before we get carried away, the great Teacher adds one more thing.
Matthew 19:30 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
This points to the following parable. In the end there will be equality in terms of eternal life. All who follow will be given eternal life. So don’t go thinking that your sacrificing is in some way meritorious! Some may have a tougher path to follow than others but in the end what will be most obvious is the Greatness and Generosity of God. He is the generous one who gives far beyond what we could ask for or imagine!
Matthew 20:15-16 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."