Text: Matthew 19:1-30
Here we see Pharisees testing Him as usual.
And this time they ask about divorce.
I am not preaching about marriage and divorce tonight, but am showing
a principle that Jesus made that has to do with salvation.
They ask Jesus if one can marry and then divorce.
Hillel was the greatest Jewish rabbi and said that burning toast
was grounds for divorce.
Jesus replied and said that God originally planned that a man leaves
his parents and joins to his wife and they become inseparably bound.
Inseparable implies no divorce.
Two lives are joined together.
Union occurs.
So how can a human law separate what God joins together?
The only allowance under Jesus was if the faithful spouse had a spouse
who was unfaithful and committed sexual sin.
They asked why then did Moses allow it?
Was Moses breaking Gods will?
Is there contradiction in the Bible?
Jesus said that Moses allowed some things that were below what Christ
would bring, because the people were in a low state of life.
The peoples hearts were hard.
Sin came into mans heart and made his heart hard.
But if we could only go back before the fall of man into sin...
Back before sin got into mans heart when man ate of the fruit of
the knowledge of good and evil...
We could get back to where God had man originally.
And way back there, the original plan was in effect.
LEAVE FATHER AND MOTHER AND INSEPARABLY BE JOINED TO WIFE.
And stay that way.
Comments are then made to the disciples about how some who can receive it can remain unmarried.
Then He does something interesting and brings children to Himself. He says, once again, as He did in the chapter before Ch. 18 that the Kingdom of God is comprised of such children.
And then the rich young ruler asks Him about eternal life.
Notice the conversation of the rich young ruler and Jesus.
The man seeks eternal life, and Jesus asks if He kept Moses law.
Matt 19:20-22 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.The man was involved in seeking life by using Moses law.
Moses allowed divorce, but that was not Gods perfect will.
It was less than what God actually wanted.
Same with the way to get eternal life.
Keeping commandments was good, but not Gods perfect way.
RICH MAN, if you want to be perfect and complete, and really get eternal
life, you have to go further than Moses law.
Sell all that you have, give to the poor and come and follow me.
WHAT????
The man had great possessions.
They held his life.
He in actuality made idols of his wealth.
He could not do what Jesus asked.
He was only used to doing everything on his own, such as keeping
the Ten Commandments.
But Jesus asked Him to go all the way past is abilities.
Be complete.
Be perfect.
Matt 19:23-24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.And the disciples were shocked as well.
So they said:
Matt 19:25 When his disciples heard [it], they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?Then Jesus revealed to them the only obvious, but seemingly a totally alien answer to people who are urged to make themselves better people.
Matt 19:26 But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.Jesus said that it is easier to string a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.
A man trying to make Himself good will not be able to accomplish what it takes for him to enter the Kingdom.
What did Jesus say earlier about the Kingdom?
Matt 19:13-15 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put [his] hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid [his] hands on them, and departed thence.LITTLE CHILDREN.
If you are a rich man and try to enter the Kingdom you cannot do it.
In fact, no matter who you are, if you remain the way you are you
cannot enter the Kingdom.
There is only one way to enter the Kingdom.
YOU MUST BECOME AS A LITTLE CHILD.
WITH MAN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE.
But with God all things are possible.
John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.You must be BORN AGAIN.
Rich man, Moses ways were not enough.
They were all God could use to work with people whose hearts were
hard.
Man could not have God do the works required due to mans hard heart.
The heart believes, and a hard heart cannot experience such faith
for God to work.
But when Jesus came, He would go back to the way it was at the beginning.
Back to what God originally intended.
Like Adam eating fruit of life and putting Gods life inside Him,
being born again of the water and Spirit is getting another life inside
you.
Forsake father and mother and be joined to your wife, was Gods original plan.
Forsake all your riches, rich man, and be joined to Jesus Christ.
Jesus was not messing around in the shallow efforts of Law, urging men
to make themselves better people.
That was not Gods original plan.
Gods plan was to fill man with His own very SPIRIT, and live inside
of Him, making man a creature higher than originally made.
Something man cannot do on his own.
On the other hand, Moses Law urged men and women to make themselves
better.
With men, this work of entering the Kingdom and gaining eternal life
is impossible.
But with God all things are possible.
Christ came to make people perfect and complete.
We can go into the lower works of laws and regulations and rules.
But the world who is not regenerated does that.
Their armies and boot camps do a good job in making men better than
they were.
BUT THIS GREATER WORK IS IMPOSSIBLE for men to accomplish.
To go all the way, and be made into what God wants in His perfect
will, were going to have to go further back in the Bible than Moses and
a law given to people after mankind sinned.
Go back to EDEN.
Go back to CREATION.
Where God did all the work.
We are come to a Gospel that teaches that we completely die to the old
life we lived and are buried with Jesus Christ to receive the Spirit of
God.
Were back to the place where God works.
With men, this is impossible.
But with God, all things are possible, EVEN NEW CREATION.
To be complete one is simply going to have to leave everything about
our old lives.
Go past what we can do.
All rich men do not have to sell their goods and give to the poor.
But we have to die to the old life in faith that Jesus died our deaths.
Forsake mother and father and be joined to your spouse.
We must forsake all this life and be joined to Jesus Christ in union.
Go past making yourself better.
That is not good enough.
Repent and die to all your old life.
Abandon it all.
Forsake legalism and rules that urge you to make yourself holy.
You cannot COMPLETELY be holy that way.
You cannot COMPLETELY
Ask the average person if they think they will go to Heaven.
Most will say yes, and base it upon the fact that they do not commit
any serious evils and do many good things.
But the rich young ruler was most likely better than most average
people.
He kept the Ten Commandments.
But Jesus said in order to truly gain eternal life, he had ot go
further than what he could do in his own goodness.
Jesus required him to go past his own abilities.
If we want to go to Heaven, we are going to have to reach out and
seek God to do what we cannot do that we might go to Heaven one day.
I cannot give you the Holy Ghost and neither can you give it to yourself.
Only one can give you the Holy Ghost.
Jesus.
God.
And you need God to do a work in your life that you cannot do.
He will wash your sins away.
He will forgive you.
He will give you the Holy Ghost.
Being good in our own power will not get us to glory.
When the rich young ruler heard he had to go past his own abilities,
he left sorrowful.
Paul came to the same crisis.
Roma 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.Paul wanted to do what was good.Roma 7:18-19 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Roma 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?He sought for a greater power to help him.
He asked who would deliver him.
Roma 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.Paul thanked God, for God would deliver him through Jesus Christ.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.If you want to be saved, joining a church will not do it.
Acts 5:13-14 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)Nobody JOINED the Church, but many WERE ADDED.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.Some people teach that we receive Gods Spirit as soon as we are baptized in water.
Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.Do not listen to what people tell you when they say that you can save yourself.Acts 10:45-47 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 16:30-33 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
Acts 19:5-6 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.