Matthew 19:16-22 - The Rich Young Ruler
Good evening, Midweek! How is it going? I always forget about Midweek, and man, you guys are awesome. I was out there high-fiving and talking to people, and I am just so glad to be with you all again. I haven’t been to a Clovis Midweek yet, and you all are filling this place up and doing your thing. Like Josh said, I’m Jordan, the NextGen pastor here at The Well. I’ve been here for almost nine years, which is incredible. I love this place. It helped shape me in my college years, and now I get to help shape people who are heading into college and through college. I’m so thankful for what this community has meant to me and for the many times I’ve been able to share from this platform.
As Josh mentioned, we are in our series on encounters with Jesus. We are meeting different people who had face-to-face moments with Him, and we’re learning from them. Usually, in these moments, Jesus gets into our business in ways we aren’t always ready for. The same is going to happen tonight. We are going to be in Matthew chapter 19, starting in verse 16. I heard the late Tim Keller say once that if you encounter the real Jesus and He does not at least disorient you, you may be making a Jesus of your own making. He’s going to say some hard truths today, so I want to pray quickly to prepare our hearts and my own.
Father, thank You for this opportunity. Thank You for Your Word and how it is a sharp blade. It divides our hearts; it divides who we are. Lord, I pray that I would rightly divide Your Word for Your people and for Your glory. God, may we be willing to listen to Your words for us and be shaped by You. We pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
The Granola Bar Trap
A few years ago, my wife Jamie and I were visiting her aunt and uncle in the Bay Area. Her little cousin, Alex—who is the squirreliest little kid ever—had a granola bar obsession at the time. It was becoming a real problem. I noticed they had put a child lock on the pantry, and when I asked why, they said, “Well, Alex has a granola bar problem.” It was one of those locks where the door could only open a tiny bit; they had improvised it with a chain.
One day, I woke up to a shrill shriek coming from the kitchen—a blood-curdling scream. Alex was screaming for his life. I wondered why nobody was running to help him. I didn’t know if he had spilled something hot on himself or what was happening. I walked in and saw him laying flat on the ground with his hand still inside the pantry, his wrist caught in the narrow opening of the doorway. Our Uncle Mike just looked at him and said, “Alex, let go of the granola bar.”
Alex had a choice in that moment: Do I let go of this granola bar, or do I waste away on this floor? He eventually chose to let go. He didn’t get his precious snack, but his life was saved. If you’ve ever heard of a monkey trap, it’s the same idea. The monkey grabs something inside a jar, but because his fist is clenched, he can’t get his hand out. He won’t let go, and that’s how they trap him. Alex could have been the monkey that day; the granola bar was just too enticing.
In our story today, Jesus has some hard words for a man we call the Rich Young Ruler. It’s a story about letting go of wealth and the position that wealth holds in a person’s heart. Jesus isn’t trying to get into this guy’s wallet; He’s not trying to deprive him of the “good life.” He’s after his soul. The same goes for all of us.
The Earnest Seeker
Here we read about a man who, by all accounts, has everything, but he has a palpable feeling of incompleteness. This man is young, rich, a real estate tycoon, and no doubt powerful—but he still doesn’t have the fulfillment he’s seeking. That’s why he approaches Jesus. Jesus is about to throw him the nastiest curveball this guy has ever seen, showing us that the most loving thing God can do is to separate us from the things that separate us from Him. Let’s look at verse 16.
“And someone came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?’”
Matthew 19:16 (NASB)
And someone came to Him and said, ‘Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?’
In Mark’s account of this story, it says the man actually kneels before Jesus in respect and honor. He stops Jesus in His tracks. You can already see who this guy is: he’s an earnest seeker. He’s looking for answers. As people sitting in a church, we understand what that means. We are people seeking the divine, asking big questions. No matter where you are at with God tonight, that’s where this guy is.
But he’s been handed a broken system by the religious elite. He believes there is something he needs to do to gain access to the “age to come.” When he asks about eternal life, he’s not asking how to go to a spiritual place in the clouds. In that time, they didn’t have a robust theology of floating in heaven; they looked forward to the time when God would make everything new here on earth. He’s asking, “What do I need to do to be worthy of this new kingdom? How can I be a ruler in this life and the one to come?”
“And He said to him, ‘Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only one who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’”
Matthew 19:17 (NASB)
And He said to him, ‘Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’
This response can be a bit confusing. I’ve had Mormon friends use this as a proof text for works-based salvation, but they are missing the meaning. Jesus starts by affirming that only God is good and only God has the authority to define morality. He’s playing a bit of an oratory game, leading the man down a path. By saying only God is good and then immediately assuming the authority to tell the man what to do, Jesus is laying breadcrumbs toward His own divinity.
We might squirm reading this, thinking Jesus is saying we just need to follow the rules to be saved. But remember, Jesus is talking to one specific, pious, moral man whose heart He can see. This is the beginning of a dialogue. Think of it like volleyball: bump, set, spike. This man thinks he has it all together, so Jesus starts with the “bump.”
The Bump, the Set, and the Spike
The man replies, “Which commandments?” In Judaism at this time, there were over 600 commandments, plus all the extra rules the teachers had added. He’s basically saying, “Jesus, you’re going to have to be more specific.” So here comes the “set.” Jesus lists five commandments, plus the one He calls the greatest: do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus specifically leaves out the commandments regarding idolatry because, as we’re about to find out, this man has a serious idolatry issue. Jesus knew this man would be confident in his own record with these specific rules.
“The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?’”
Matthew 19:20 (NASB)
The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?’
He thinks it’s a slam dunk. But then comes that reverberating question: “What am I still lacking?” It’s a longing question from a man who seems to have it all. “I’m doing the right things, I’m rich, but what am I missing?” I can almost feel his inner turmoil. He’s begging, “Please, Good Teacher, tell me what I need to do to feel whole.”
How easy is that to relate to? I have a very addictive personality. I’ve spent most of my life trying to fill that inner void. I’ve been through recovery. I’ve had seasons where I felt like I was going to eat myself into disease because of food addiction. I’ve struggled with sexual addiction. I understand that raw feeling of having some things in place but knowing there is still a void. We are constantly trying to fill our lives, believing the next thing will make us content—the next purchase, the next diet, the next person, the perfect job, or the right amount of influence.
This guy has it all. He has land, power, and the respect of the religious community. He is squeaky clean on the outside. But he doesn’t have what matters most. So, here comes the spike.
Mark’s account says that Jesus looked at him and loved him. What He says next comes from a place of pure love.
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.”
Matthew 19:21-22 (NASB)
Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go [and] sell your possessions and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
The Specificity of the Call
The first time I read this, I thought, “Oh no, do I have to sell everything to be a disciple?” But we have to read this as a specific command given to a specific person for a specific reason. There are plenty of examples in the Bible of wealthy people who used their riches for the Kingdom. Most of the New Testament wouldn’t exist without the support of the wealthy. They hosted churches in their homes because they had the space.
So, this isn’t a blanket rule that every Christian must be penniless. But it is a warning. Jesus is inviting this man to follow Him, but He knows the man’s wealth is his security. He knows this man will never make Jesus Lord if he continues to serve the idol of riches. His wealth was the very thing preventing him from being with Jesus.
Jesus is saying, “I am offering you eternal life—not just later, but now.” To be free of the thing that separates you from God produces immediate eternal life. Heaven is Heaven because Jesus is there. The presence of God is our reward. Jesus is loving this man by asking him to separate from his things, but the man leaves grieving because he loves his wealth more than he loves Jesus.
The Ricochet
At this point in the story, if I were in the crowd, I’d probably start backing up, hoping Jesus wouldn’t point His finger at me. He just pulled this guy apart, revealing that he wasn’t even truly loving his neighbor. We might look at this guy and think he has a problem we don’t have, but this story is a cautionary tale for us. There is a ricochet here, and Jesus is coming for us now.
“And Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to 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.’”
Matthew 19:23-24 (NASB)
And Jesus said to His disciples, ’Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ‘Again I say to 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.’
There used to be a rumor that the “eye of a needle” was a small gate in Jerusalem, but that wasn’t built until the 1400s. Jesus is using hyperbole—a literal needle and the biggest farm animal they had. He’s saying it’s humanly impossible.
Let me ask you a hard question: Do you feel rich? I don’t. But I am. By global standards, every person in this room is wealthy. We don’t see it because we always look sideways; we play the comparison game. But if you make $38,000 a year, you are in the top 1% of the world. If you have enough to eat, a choice of clothes, a car, or any land, you are the 1%. In America, we produce 40% of the world’s waste with less than 5% of the population.
This isn’t a personal finance seminar. I’m not the guy for that—I’m the guy who calls my financial planner asking if I should cash out my 401k to buy “banana coin” because of an Instagram reel. This isn’t about bashing the rich, either. Wealth can be a beautiful tool for the Kingdom. I want you to get the promotion! I want you to run the company for God’s glory! And I’m not just asking for money for our new student building—though I’m thankful for your generosity.
God doesn’t need your money. He owns it all. Jesus is hammering on this because money is one of the prevailing idols of the human heart. An idol is anything that takes the place of Jesus on the throne of your heart. Money, sex, and power are the big three. Jesus will not play second fiddle. He doesn’t even want to be “first” on your priority list; He wants to be the center around which everything else is oriented.
The $7,000 Test
Having a pile of money will not give you joy. Studies show that the more people get, the more insecure they often become because they are terrified of losing it. On the flip side, you can be controlled by the idol of wanting wealth even if you don’t have it.
Last year, we bought a house. We were so excited! But then, almost immediately, I thought, “Wait, I don’t have a playroom for the kids? I should have a playroom.” I was instantly discontent. That is the nature of our hearts.
Last Thursday, I pressed the ignition on my wife’s car and every single warning light came on. While I was preparing this message on trust, I immediately thought, “We’re doomed. We’re destitute. God doesn’t care for us anymore.” I heard a voice in my heart saying, “You have to trust Me.”
We took it to the shop and got a bill for $7,000. My reaction was, “My children will not eat! How can God provide?” The reality is, we have a financial planner, we have savings, and we have the money. I just didn’t want to give it up. My security was in that number, just like the Rich Young Ruler.
If you are in Christ, you are a new creation. But the Christian life is like an onion—it’s a systematic peeling back of layers. As we get closer to Jesus, He reveals more things for us to hand over.
“When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’”
Matthew 19:25 (NASB)
When the disciples heard [this], they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’
The disciples were dumbfounded. At that time, they associated wealth with God’s favor. They thought, “If this good, moral, rich guy can’t make it, what hope do we have?” This would be very bad news if we stopped there. But listen to Jesus’s beautiful Gospel reply.
“And looking at them, Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
Matthew 19:26 (NASB)
And looking at [them] Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’
The Only Fulfillment
Jesus reassures us that we could never do this for ourselves, but He will do it for us. When Jesus is at the center, He carries the burden and puts those idols to death. He is the sinless God who died on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God. You cannot save yourself. Jesus is it.
We don’t know for sure what happened to the Rich Young Ruler, but I have a lot of hope for him because every one of us is that guy. We all have to decide if we want our version of the “good life” or if we will submit to Jesus as Lord. We all have dreams that the real Jesus might need to separate from us so that we aren’t separated from Him.
If you’ve never made that decision, let me encourage you: Jesus loves you. He wants to give you a peace and contentment you can’t understand. Nothing else can hold the weight of your soul. Everything else will crumble; it will be your savior until it eats you alive.
To the Christians here: keep peeling the onion. Whatever is on your heart—whether it’s overt sin or a subtle reliance on a system or a person—hand it over. He wants it, He’ll take it, and He’ll walk with you lovingly.
Let’s pray.
Lord, I pray that we would experience eternal life right now, knowing that we can let go because You care for us. Help us to lay these things at Your feet and to trust You to name the things that are getting in the way of abundant life. May we see where our fellowship is damaged because we are holding on to the wrong things. And if there is anyone here who doesn’t know You, give them the courage to evaluate their heart today. We pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.