stephen R Harrison

Think with me a moment about the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30). He had it all (it seems). His description tells us everything. Money. Youth. Power. But he was lacking. He knew it. He needed help. He needed to fill a void those weren’t and never could. He even approaches Jesus with “Teacher”, it seems he knew he didn’t know or have it all. He knows where truth and fulfillment come from, so he approaches and inquires, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus responds by asking him to keep several of the 10 Commandments. Jesus is shepherding his heart towards “the big ask” – come and follow me (v. 21). The RYR believes he’s kept the Commandments, but also believes there is more. He says, “What else?” Jesus said sell everything and give it to the poor. This wasn’t Jesus asking him to buy his way into heaven – that’s inconsistent with the gospel message of the whole of Scripture. He knew money and everything attached to it was his idol – what he worshipped – his god. Jesus knew he had reached the top of all the world could offer and came up empty. His real ask was, “Come and follow me”. He didn’t – he went away sad.

Keeping rules (although good ones) never fulfills us. The fact is, we could never keep them. Jesus knew he had broken them in his heart as no one could keep them perfectly. What the RYR needed was not another rule but a relationship. He was following rules to the best of his ability, but he wasn’t following Jesus. He didn’t need a new rule, he needed a new life. You see, religion asks, “What can I do to get to God?” Relationship asks, “What’s God already done to get to me?

I wonder if the RYR ever decided to follow Jesus? Maybe he became the Rich OLD Ruler and regretted never choosing Christ? Maybe the Jewish stock market crashed and he was the POOR Young Ruler? Perpaps he lost his position and power and became the Rich Older COMMONER? Maybe he lost all those titles? Perhaps he found Jesus, worshipped him instead of those other things, and leveraged them for the sake of King and Kingdom?

At the end of the story, Peter reminds (as if he needed it) Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you. What will there be for us?” Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, 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. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” He ends with “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Those who bank on being first in the things of this world as a means to fulfillment and joy will always come up empty. They are deceived and really come up short. Those who put Christ first (last place perhaps in all the world’s measurements of success) will never lose – they have found the most essential thing in this life and the one to come – Jesus. Make him first in all ways. Find your success, fulfillment, identity, and joy in Christ. You’ll never be disappointed.

Everything – Jesus = Nothing
Jesus + Nothing = Everything