He Went Away Grieved

People came to Jesus while he was on earth for different reasons.  Some came because they felt he could provide them with the necessities of life.  After having fed the 5,000 the crowd intended to take him by force to make him king (John 6:15).  Jesus said to them (John 6:26, NKJV), “you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” 

Others sought after him that they might be healed of sickness and disease, or to have demons cast out.  There was a time in our country when being a church member was seen as an honorable thing in the eyes of the public.  In those days a man might seek Jesus to further his career not that he was really seeking after the bread of eternal life but seeking for the bread of this life.  Even today the politicians will be sure and hit the churches before a major election and most certainly not for spiritual enlightenment or uplifting.

There was a man in the Bible we read about who came to Jesus for what appeared to be the right motive, a spiritual motive, that he might be saved.  This meant that he saw Jesus as the one who could point him in the right way.  He had faith enough in Jesus to go seek him out and that for the purpose of finding the way of life.  Matthew tells us he was a young man and Luke informs us that he was a ruler thus a young ruler but not only that we also learn he “was extremely rich” (Luke 18:23).  He was a rich young ruler with probably a long life ahead of him.

This young man had a lot of good qualities.  He was deeply interested in spiritual matters, he sought Jesus out, he seemed to believe in him, and Mark tells us that “Jesus, looking at him, loved him”. (Mark 10:21, NKJV)  There is every indication that he was a moral youth and one who had respect for authority.  He ran to Jesus, he didn’t walk he ran, and then knelt before him (Mark 10:17).

We find the account of the rich young ruler beginning in Matt. 19:16, Mark 10:17, and Luke 18:18.  His good qualities seemed to be endless.  He wants to know what to do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17, NAS).  Jesus runs off a list of commandments, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother” and the young man tells Jesus, “I have kept all these things from my youth up.” (Mark 10:20, NAS)  Most parents would be pleased to have a son such as this.

He had never stolen from anyone nor defrauded anyone.  Being a ruler surely such opportunities had presented themselves time and again.  He obtained his wealth, and Luke says he was “extremely rich” (Luke 18:23, NAS), honestly.  Not only that but he did indeed honor his parents.  He did not run off and forget them or cast them aside when he became a man.  He was still honoring them at the very time he came to Jesus and he had been this way all of his life. 

From all appearances this young man was the ideal example of what young manhood ought to be.  By all appearances he was the ideal role model.  I believe he was humble, honest, moral, and deeply religious.  There is little bad to say about him.  He was oh so good but oh so lost.

The Bible teaches us that “the Lord sees not as man sees:  man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7, ESV)  From what you and I might have seen from this young man we would have assumed he was in a saved condition for we would have judged by outward appearance.  The Lord looks into the heart and knows that the young man has an idol in his heart.  Perhaps even the young man himself did not realize that such was the case.  But, he loved his wealth too much to give it up for Christ, for God, despite believing in him.

Then we come to those words we all almost know by heart from the lips of Jesus when he says, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:24-25, NKJV)

Having told Jesus that he had kept all the commandments from his youth up Jesus told him there was one thing lacking.  He was to sell all that he had and give it to the poor and come follow him.  He would then have treasure in heaven.  The one thing lacking that Jesus saw that man could not see was the idol in the heart – the love of money over the love for God.  Luke says that upon hearing this from Jesus the young man “became very sorrowful” (Luke 18:23, NKJV) and Matthew adds that he “went away grieved” (Matt. 10:22, NKJV).  He had come to Jesus in hope, now he goes away in sorrow.

What are the lessons for us today?  For one thing it becomes obvious that we cannot judge a man based on what we observe.  A man or woman may appear to be the best example of a godly person that we could ask for and yet there may be that within the heart that we do not know about and cannot see that keeps them out of the kingdom of heaven.

We learn we must come to know ourselves and this is sometimes easier said than done.  The Lord tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; who can know it?”  Adam Clarke, in commentating on this verse says of the heart, “It even hides itself from itself; so that its owner does not know it.”  Perhaps one of the hardest things in the world is to honestly see ourselves as we really are.

The writer of Proverbs says, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool”.  (Prov. 28:26, NKJV)  We lie to ourselves and become self deceived and it is easier said than done to see the truth of who we are.  We put ourselves in the best light until that point in time when our sin is so obvious that even we cannot deny it. 

One of the things that makes a heart set on riches so hard to detect is that it is so easy to lie to ourselves.  Have you ever known a man who confessed to being covetous or confessed to greed or saw himself as being that way?  Instead of admitting the truth we proclaim we are only trying to provide for our family and be a wise steward of what God has given.  However, in the greedy or covetous man, this generally means tear down the barns and build bigger.  It means do not save up for a rainy day but save up for a hurricane even if you live in North Dakota.  Our heart always allows us to put the best light on things pertaining to ourself and our motives.  We are not greedy nor do we covet.  We are only thrifty stewards and hard workers, one who has to do what he has to do to get ahead.  Yes, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.”

I do not believe the rich young man knew his heart but he found out.  Jesus showed it to  him.  There are so many sins we commit that are hidden in the heart - evil thoughts, motives, attitudes, and so on.  Jesus can see our heart and so can we if we are willing.  We are often not willing for the love of the sin is greater than the love of God.  If a man could not possibly know his own heart then how could he be held responsible for sins of the heart?

The warning from God is do not get to the point where you believe that your heart is just naturally pure and does not need to be investigated.  Too many believe that whatever they think, whatever their attitude, whatever their motive it is justified.  That is trusting in your heart.  The Bible says such a person is a fool.

We learn from the rich young ruler that sins of the heart are as damming as sins of commission and will keep us out of heaven.  In  Gal. 5:19-20 Paul lists what he calls the works of the flesh and says that “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Some of the things he lists are sins of the heart, things such as hatred, jealousies, selfish ambitions, and envy (NKJV).

In 1 Cor. 6:9-10 he gives a list of those who he says “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  In this list we find the sin of covetousness.  Col. 3:5 adds “passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” 

In the book of Romans chapter one there is a long list of sins of which it is said “that those who practice such things are worthy of death” (Rom. 1:32, NKJV).  In this list such sins of the heart as evil-mindedness, proud, unloving, unforgiving, and unmerciful are named along with others already mentioned.

It is the pure in heart who will see God (Matt. 5:8).  We will not be judged just on the basis of what we do but also on our attitudes, motives, and our very thoughts.  We are to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5,  NKJV)  David said, “the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts.” (1 Chron. 28:9, NAS)  We cannot hide from him.  He knows our hearts and will either approve of them or disapprove.  We must not only do good but we must also be good inwardly in the inner man.   

The rich young ruler teaches us that worldly success is not to be equated with spiritual success.  We learn that it is very hard for a rich man, a worldly successful man as we measure it, to go to heaven.  Jesus said as much.  I take hard to be hard, not impossible but hard, and especially so if it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.  Why then do we set our hearts on becoming wealthy as a primary goal when we are young and middle aged?

Paul said, in writing to Timothy, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Tim. 6:9, NKJV)  Yet, there are young people who are setting out in life with the goal being to acquire wealth.  Is it a worthy goal of life?

Due to the love of money Paul says “some have strayed from the faith in their greediness” with one of the results being that they have “pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim. 6:10, NKJV)  If we would be careful observers of life we could readily see that wealth often brings sorrow as a by product.  Have you ever heard the term “trophy wife”?  Sadly, there is such a thing.  Middle class and poor men do not have trophy wives.  Money often brings sorrow even within the family setting.

Money also has a tendency to make a man think more of himself than he ought.  It is hard being human beings to have acquired much while others have not to keep from seeing ourselves as a little more deserving.  I was able to do this when you were not.  I had more talent.  I had more ability.  I worked harder.  I was smarter.  I am better than you.  We may or may not actually say that but that is the idea that gets into the heart.

Paul says in Rom. 12:3 (NKJV), “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of him self more highly than he ought to think.”  Then again, in Rom. 12:16 (NKJV) he says, “Be of the same mind toward one another.  Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.  Do not be wise in your own opinion.”

When we think about the kinds of people Jesus spent his earthly life associating with it was the poor and downtrodden.  He did not live the life of the first century equivalent of the modern day country clubber, or jet setter, or with the cocktail crowd.  He was not concerned with money and what it would buy in the court of public opinion.

He tells Timothy, (1 Tim. 6:17, NKJV), to “command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty.”  There was a reason that command needed to be given for riches can easily have that tendency in the human heart.

Paul goes on.  He says the rich are not to trust in wealth, “but in the living God”.  (1 Tim. 6:17,  NKJV) 

Finally, we learn from Paul that wealth properly used is wealth given away.  He says in verses 18 and 19, chapter 6, First Timothy, with regards to the rich, “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

The Christian life is about doing good.  John says, (1 John 3:17, NKJV), “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”  Those who are rich have this world’s goods.  If they cannot find those in need it is because they have closed their eyes.  Used properly wealth is good and blesses both the giver and the recipients of this generosity.

James says, (James 1:27, NKJV), “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this:  to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”  The rich have the means at their disposal to make a difference in the lives of widows and orphans if they will.

James also gives us insight as to how God intends wealth to be used.  James, in James 4, is speaking about wars and fights among one another and says (verse 1), “Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”  The real motive for the acquisition of wealth is generally just that, “the desires for pleasure”.  He says then in the next verse they do not have because they do not ask and then in verse 3 he makes a comment that ties in directly with out subject.

He says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (NKJV)  Wealth is not given a man for the purpose of having multiple homes in different locations, expensive new cars, luxurious vacations, dining out at the most exclusive restaurants, a private box at sporting events, swimming pools, grounds keepers, servants, etc.. 

The rich young ruler wanted to be good, do right, and inherit eternal life.  Unfortunately, he did not want it bad enough, which is in itself another lesson.  How much must one want to get to heaven in order to get there?  The answer is obvious.  It has to be the number one thing in our life.

Faith failed the rich young ruler at the point where his desire for other things was greater than his desire for Jesus.  What could have prevented that?  Could serious thought and reflection on the brevity of life and the vanity of worldly wealth have done it?

Despite all his good qualities the rich young ruler was a selfish young man.  He would not sell and give to the poor.  He would keep what he had.  He would not follow Jesus.  He would not receive eternal life.   

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!  Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire.  You have heaped up treasure in the last days.  Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.  You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”  (James 5:1-5)

Are we going to tear our barns down and build larger or will we come follow Jesus?