Luke 18:18-23
Conclusion
Sometimes when we go to the doctor, our physician tells us something we might not want to hear. In this account, Jesus gave this young man the answer that he did not want to hear. The rich young ruler was called to follow Jesus.
What does it mean to “follow Jesus?”
It means to place our faith and trust in Him and give Jesus Christ the first priority in our lives. As we saw, the rich young ruler had the opportunity to do this. In this whole dialogue, Jesus was teaching this young man that doing the outside things and actions was not enough. Jesus addressed this man in the area of his greatest need, the need to get rid of the idol of his wealth.
Jesus also said in the Sermon on the Mount,
o “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, HCSB).
The treasures of this earth, no matter what they are, are temporary and have the danger of becoming idols.
o Job
o Possessions
o Position
o Power
Each of those things will disappear, grow old, rust, or fall apart.
None of them are worth being followed.
None of them will give us eternal life.
Jesus Christ is the only One who is worthy of being followed.
He is the only One who is worthy of our faith and trust for eternal life.
Next Week: The call
Mark Riser - Apologist 