Children are brought to Jesus’ touch and the disciples aren’t happy about this. The disciples come from the “children are seen and not heard” camp. Perhaps they think, “Jesus is a busy man. Take your children to daycare. Keep them away from the busy teacher. He has no time for childish things. “ But Jesus says, “No, let the children come to me.” Verses 13 to 15:
13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. (NIV)
And it is still Jesus’ desire for the children to come to him. That’s why the work of our children’s ministries and school scripture are so important. That’s why your children grandchildren, and great grandchildren are important, and why the slow, slow work of teaching them the Bible, of reading to them, of praying for them is vital.
All of these things are part of God’s way for children to come to Christ. Please pray for children in your families. Please pray for the children in our churches. Please pray for the children in our schools. Most are not taught the things of God or the Lord Jesus Christ at home. And we still have great opportunities. So pray also for us, that we do all things to let the children come to Christ.
Jesus ignores his disciples. They disciples expect that the children must become like them before Jesus will have time for them. But Jesus says that the disciples must become like children so that they will have an eternity with him. They must become like children to enter the kingdom of God.
Many people of course suggest it is different things about children that Jesus is pointing out. Some say that it is childish innocence or purity that Jesus is pointing to. But Jesus says that there is only one who is good, and by that Jesus means ‘God alone’. Some suggest that it is their trusting nature. This is possible, but I prefer the related suggestion, that it is their helplessness. These little children, the babes in arms and toddlers, have to have everything done for them. They have to be brought to Jesus. And likewise, we must be brought to Jesus like helpless children. We do not come because of our own wisdom, but because of the drawing power of God the Father. We don’t come offering our own good works, for only one is good, and that one is not us. We come empty handed, with nothing except our desire to be accepted by him.
Right after the children come to Jesus comes a rich young man. And again Jesus takes the opportunity to teach about entering the kingdom of heaven, and about being saved. The young man starts off with a good question. Verse 16:
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (NIV)
It is a good question. He is asking about eternal life. He is concerned about being good. And he has come to Jesus. All these things are in his favour. So it is surprising that Jesus answers the way he does. Verse 17:
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good." (NIV)
Here is a rebuke. It is a gentle rebuke, but a rebuke none the less, because underlying the man’s innocent looking question was a wrong understanding. “Why do you ask me about what is good? Do you think eternal life is about being good, do you? Do you think you have the required goodness for eternal life? Do you think eternal life will be yours if you can just do that one good thing that you need to do?”
This man thought that he could get eternal life by doing good things. It is almost as if he thought that eternal life was a wage, a recompense for finding that magic ‘one thing’ he could do. “If I just do this good thing, I would have God, and he would give me eternal life. It would be the magic bullet I need, the key to me getting what I want, the ticket to heaven, and God would owe me and be my debtor.” In other words, he thinks eternal life is achievable from his own resources. Perhaps even God can be manipulated, held to account, if he can just do the good thing he requires.
Underlying the question, you see, this man thinks he is pretty good, at least, good enough to be owed eternal life by being good. He is very optimistic and positive about himself, about his morality, and he wants to work out how God can be in his debt, bound to pay him back with eternal life.
But if someone wants to talk about goodness, only one is good, and it is not this man. Verse 17 again, "There is only One who is good”. That is, only God is good. That’s putting it in the positive. Paul will later add the converse truth in the negative, that “there is no one good”. But here, Jesus is correcting the man’s assumption, or even hope, that he is good.
So Jesus then says, since we are talking about goodness, if you want to get to heaven through your goodness, here is the way, in verses 17 to 19:
17 […] If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 18"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' (NIV)
Here Jesus refers to what is often called the ‘second table’ of the law—the commandments that relate to other humans, that is, ‘neighbours’—though Jesus leaves out the tenth commandment, but adds the greater commandment that sums up the second table, “Love your neighbour as yourself”. ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ is a commandment that is high and broad and wide. It requires us to put ourselves in the shoes of other people, those who we live around, and treat them as we ourselves would like to be treated. So in answer to the rich man’s question, “What good thing must you do?”, Jesus has given the searching commandment, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” It is a task that is never complete; it is only finished when there are no more neighbours. It is not merely avoiding certain serious sins, but positively requires committed and life-long selfless and other-person-centered living.
So the man’s response is surprising. Verses 20:
“All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?” (NIV)
Is it really true to say that this man has kept all these commands? Has he really loved his neighbour as himself? Has he always done this, has he always been so selfless? This seems to be the confident response of a young man who doesn’t really know himself, who has no real insight into those around him, and has only a superficial understanding of the commands. Well, Jesus will test him out. Jesus will press him into a difficult place, a place where he does not want to go. Verses 21 and 22:
21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (NIV)
Jesus by issuing this challenge and giving this command shows up the man’s ground for his confidence. He cannot love his neighbour as himself in this area. He cannot give up the stuff that he wants to hang on to, and because of this, he cannot follow Jesus. So he was, in fact, unable to love his neighbour as himself, because he couldn’t give his stuff, which he had, to his neighbours, to whom he should have been able to give openhandedly, if he had really loved his neighbours as he loved himself. As he goes away from Jesus sad, and back to his many things, we see that he couldn’t love his neighbour as he loved himself, because he wanted his possessions—he couldn’t give them to his neighbour.
And now Jesus gives the lesson for his disciples, which the rich man illustrated, in verses 23 and 24:
23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (NIV)
Riches, according to Jesus, make following Jesus impossible. The man couldn’t part with his many things to follow Jesus.
We are in danger, aren’t we? For we are rich, relatively speaking. Are you able to part with things you love to follow Christ? Is there something preventing you following Christ, something you have filled your life with to ease the pain or relieve the boredom, but that you cannot take with you along the way, because you know that Jesus won’t let you? Then why don’t you leave it now? We need to drop all the things that weigh us down, that trip us up, and simply follow Jesus.
In the end, this man chose poorly, because he is now dead, and has lost all his beloved possessions. Remember, we will have to leave everything behind in the end. Why not get in early and leave them now? It will save us from having to carry them along the way.
Indeed, Jesus says it is impossible for anyone to be saved, humanly speaking. Verses 25 and 26:
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)
No-one is good except God. Therefore, no-one, rich or poor, can save themselves. Our salvation is impossible if it depended on ourselves. We need to be saved by God, for whom all things are possible. Salvation belongs to God. We bring nothing to it, except our sin, from which we need to be saved.
And at this Peter begins to think, “If Salvation is so difficult, is impossible, why have we followed him? What is there for us? Why are we doing this? And panic rises up in Peter’s heart, and he says verse 27:
Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" (NIV)
This is F.O.M.O, the dreaded fear of every human heart: Fear Of Missing Out. And Jesus moves to calm his disciples hearts. Verse 28:
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, 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.” (NIV)
Here is the promise for the disciples. They are to be the judges of a reconstituted Israel. And more than that, there is a promise for everyone who trusts Jesus. That includes us. Verses 29 and 30:
29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (NIV)
In other words, we won’t miss out. Everything we leave as something that we cannot carry along the way, will be restored to us a hundredfold, and we who follow Jesus will receive eternal life, because God has made the impossible possible, by sending Jesus to die on the cross and rise again.
Amen.