First Presbyterian Church

You might be tempted, when reading the gospel story of the "Rich Young Ruler" heading, to subconsciously give yourself a break from applying much of a lesson there.  Most of us aren't rich, at least in our eyes.  You stay young for only a brief time.  And few of us dabble in meaningful ways of power.  So we might just get off the hook with this one.

But that temptation is to be resisted, for the simple reason that at the end of the story, after Jesus had delivered his punch line to the Rich Young Ruler, astonished disciples who were certainly not rich or powerful, asked in astonishment, "who, then, can be saved?"  Something they heard about what must be given up for the kingdom so struck them that they wondered who could possibly pull it off.

This parable is only partly about Rich Young Rulers.  It is, however, completely about any who struggle with the sin of self-sufficiency.  (which would be all of us)

SERMON OUTLINE:

The Gospel Puts the Rich Young Ruler (and all who are self reliant) on Trial       Matthew 19:16-30.

The:

            Rich                 I'm not                                      Larry Page, Sergey Brin

            Young              Leaving that behind                   Google

            Ruler                Not much power here               Paths to White House

1. Man:  "What Good Thing must I Do..."

            So typical of Rich Young Rulers            And individuals...And groups

2. Jesus:  Only One (God) is Good...but keep all the commandments

            Not an answer to the question, but a question to the answer

3. Man:  Which Ones

            So typical of Rich Young Rulers            And individuals...And groups

                        A-Sins              B-Sins              C-Sins

                        Huge, bad        Big, troubling    Not so bad (and I've got them)

4. Jesus:  Typical A- and B-List.  (and many of us are okay with these)

5. Man:  What I still lack?

            So typical of Rich Young Rulers            And individuals...And groups

                        The problem with self-sufficiency:  Something is Missing

6. Jesus:  Here's what's missing--The Heart Investment in Heaven

            God:  enemy or friend?

                        God:  enemy of Self-Sufficiency            God:  friend of followers

Questions for Reflection:

1. If you were to take a moment of personal privilege and not worry about what others think, what is something about you that  

    you could brag about?  (why is bragging typically frowned upon; that is, what about the heart of a person is revealed  

    through bragging?)

2. Our greatest personal assets (personality, skill, brains, work ethic...) can create distance between us and God.  how, and 

    why?

3. Read Matthew 19:16-30.

4. This story operates on two levels:  First, for those who might be rich, young, and powerful.  Verses 23-24 provide the 

    "punch line" for such folks.  But most of us are not rich and/or young and/or rulers.  So a more over-arching lesson must be

    sought in the text (and it's there--look at verse 25, when the disciples, who were not rich or powerful, responded "who, 

    then, can be saved?"  They heard that lesson!)

5. What insight into the man's heart and motives can we gain from his question in verse 16?  who is the focus of his question?

6. Jesus in v. 17 does not so much answer his question, but question his answer (v. 16 makes assumptions about getting to

    heaven that Jesus wants to challenge).  How, if you were interested in being good, would v. 17 be discouraging?

7. From vv. 18-20, Jesus and the man exchange dialogue about commandments.  In v. 20 the young man was able to say that

    he kept the commandments.  How does the second half of v. 20 provide insight not just into his soul, but ours? 

            a. make a list of his possible assets.

            b. what could possibly still be missing?

8. Jesus looked into his heart and realized something that the man's wealth gave him, that blocked the blessing that would come

    into his life from Jesus.  How do vv. 21-24 show:

            a. what the man's sin problem was?

            b. how Jesus would remedy that problem?

            c. WHY Jesus would remedy that problem in the way he chose?

9. The man had a problem with reliance on his wealth.  If Jesus looked into your soul, where are your greatest areas of self-

    reliance?  How do these keep you from more fully experiencing God's grace and blessing?

10. Read the exchange between Jesus and the disciples in vv. 25-30:

            a. Why do the disciples realize how hard it is to be saved?

            b. How does Jesus' answers both challenge and reassure the disciples?

            c. How would you summarize what Jesus says about being saved?