Sunday Sermon: Discipleship (3) One Thing You Still Lack
“18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?”Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.20You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”
21“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ”
Jesus' decision to go to Jerusalem marked the beginning of a journey toward suffering and death. Along this path, He demonstrated to His disciples the essence of following Him—the path of true discipleship.
In today’s passage, a man approaches Jesus with a significant question: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" This man is asking how he can earn eternal life through his actions. It’s a sincere question that reveals his deep desire for eternal life. However, Jesus' response is not what he expected.
Jesus replies, "Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone." This response isn't just a simple rebuttal; it challenges the man's understanding of what it means to be good. The man is confident in his own goodness, claiming that he has kept the commandments since his youth. But Jesus goes deeper, challenging his concept of goodness.
Jesus then tells him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." This statement goes beyond the man’s attempt to achieve eternal life through his own goodness and presents him with the true path of discipleship—following Jesus. Yet, the man leaves sorrowful because his wealth holds his heart captive.
Through this encounter, Jesus teaches us an important lesson. The path of discipleship is not fulfilled through mere moral goodness or adherence to rules. Following Jesus requires us to surrender everything and depend entirely on God, living according to His ways.
1. Kingdom of God, not with Your Goodness: When Jesus tells the young man that "no one is good—except God alone," He is revealing that human actions or goodness are not enough to stand righteous before God. All humans are imperfect, marked by sin and weakness, and it is only through God's grace and mercy, not through our own righteousness, that we can be saved.
2. Kingdom of God with Your Wholeness: Jesus' instruction to "sell everything you have and give to the poor" was not merely about his wealth but an invitation to relinquish whatever had become an idol in his life and fully trust in God. The call to follow Jesus is a call to give all of ourselves to Him. The Lord's invitation is open to everyone, but it is a serious invitation. While we cannot enter God's Kingdom through our goodness, we enter it by giving our whole selves to God.
3. One Thing Missing: Wealth and material possessions can easily capture our hearts and, in a capitalist society, they can often take the place of God. How we manage our finances becomes a significant aspect of discipleship. Tithing is a significant act that symbolizes that the center of our lives is God, going beyond the obligations of the Old Testament. It is not a condition for salvation, but for those who have received God’s grace, it is a sign of surrendering our lives and resources to Him, recognizing His lordship over all. This is especially crucial for young believers as they make life-shaping decisions.
Prayer: Lord, we hear Your call to follow You on the path of discipleship. We seek to cast aside anything that holds us back and respond in faith to Your invitation. We pray that we may grow in recognizing You as Lord over every area of our lives, particularly in the area of our finances. Help us to live in the freedom and restoration that comes from surrendering fully to You. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)