When Being Good is not Good Enough (Luke 18:18-34)

Reformed & Expository Preaching

A ruler, who is a very rich man, approaches Jesus to ask about the kingdom entrance. Jesus questions the man’s flattery because the man calls Jesus good. Is this claiming that Jesus is God? Jesus never denies that He is God, which tells us that Jesus sees this as a good profession. If Jesus is not God, then clearly he is not credible because he is making himself God. Jesus should rebuke the man and demand that he repent. So, clearly Christ is God, as Christ never rebukes this ruler for claiming Christ is God.

However, does the ruler really believe that? Jesus leaves the question as a rhetorical question for the ruler to think about the Gospel implications. Jesus does not ask about a profession of Christ, but he asks about the man’s performance. Jesus asks the man about obeying the laws regarding one’s neighbor.

The man affirms that he has kept the lord’s commands. When Luke reports about Christ, the rabbi, we learn that Christ wants us to personally think about the deeper implications of following Christ. How is this done?

The rich man claims that he has followed and obeyed the Lord’s commands since birth. However, Christ cuts to the real issue that stands in the way of this man being a disciple: This man’s cherished status. When Christ tells the man to sell all that he has then the rich ruler leaves discouraged. You see, the rich man is identified by what he does and what he has. He loves his status. This status can be his righteousness or his wealth. Christ shows that we want to parade our righteousness rather than give glory to God. We are prone to using our righteousness and our status to influence the community rather than discern what it means to serve Christ.

The rich ruler’s obedience, driven by self-sufficiency, highlights the distinction between the rich and the poor in the gospel. The poor, recognizing their need for a redeemer, are those who see their true condition apart from Christ. One can possess nothing in Luke’s gospel and have everything. One can possess everything and have nothing. Wealth or poverty is not the ultimate determining factor, but how one is oriented in Christ’s mission.

What is the orientation to Christ’s mission? Christ embodies the Son of Man. He is the Last Adam to take away the consequence of creation’s curse. Man tries to climb and harness God on man’s terms at Babel. This is what man continues to do, whether it is through perceived righteousness or the status we think we bring to the table. However, Christ’s mission is to suffer, empty himself of all significance. This happens in the incarnation, and especially when he goes to the cross. It is only have emptying himself that he is raised to glory. The call is to humble oneself, emphasizing the need for humility and reliance on God.

Christ’s message is to find identity in Him, not self-sufficiency or personal righteousness. Seek to live for His glory and find significance in Christ. We are assured that everything else will be added to us.