BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 51

Gaining Heaven

Luke 18:18-30

 

Probably one the greatest struggles I have is the idea of being good.  Although I may not say it there are times when I put too much focus on me and not on God.  I have learned and understand that salvation has nothing to do with how well I excel in my own mind but what God did for me on the cross that I cannot do for myself.  Thankfully, I have God’s word as a continual reminder of the fact that I am the created one not the creator and the only good that I do is through the Holy Spirit working in me. Christ softens in me what would otherwise be hardness of heart.  I know that I am capable on my human side to do things that might be hurtful to others.  He tempers those tendencies in me because He is more important to me than what I desire. Those things that I desire are often at odds with what He wants to do in my life.  I am so thankful for the grace of His Son.

In today’s world all we have to do is look around to see those churches and parachurch organizations that have twisted the Scripture into a doctrine of man, placing him at the center of all they hope to accomplish and not God.  For example what is known as the prosperity gospel churches teach that man gets because of what he does with his time and money.  Surely, if one contributes his time and personal possessions to God, He will bless them with ever greater wealth.  Salvation seems to be tied to the purse strings.  The one thing that is lacking in their ideology is the truth that God cannot be manipulated. There are many righteous individuals who suffer persecution, poverty and physical illnesses.  They receive blessings much greater than this world can offer because they have given themselves to the Father first and foremost.

Luke 18:18

All three of the synoptic gospels begin this narrative in a different way. In Luke he began his conversation immediately with a question.  In none of the gospels is he called a rich young ruler.  He is just called a ruler in Matthew and Luke and in Mark a man.  Because he was called a ruler, he obviously held some position of authority. His question shows that he had probably seen Jesus speaking and ministering to the people.  He began by addressing Him as a Good Teacher which also may be rendered Master. As he continues he wants to find out from Jesus what he would have to do to gain or inherit eternal life.  From what is said it would appear that the man thought that salvation was something to be achieved by his efforts.

1. Why did the ruler approach Jesus?
2. What do you think drew him to Jesus?
3. In his mind what did he mean by calling Jesus Good Teacher? (He had heard His teaching and saw His compassion for the people.)
4. What did he say that indicated he did not understand how a person came to have salvation? (He thought it was by his own efforts)

Luke 18:19

Jesus did not answer his question immediately by dealt with the man’s understanding of who Jesus was.  He wanted to see if the man could accept the fact that He was God before he could deal with the issue of eternal life.  The man may have seen Jesus as some kind of philosopher or prophet but not the Son of God.  It should have been obvious to the ruler that Jesus was more than a mere man, but did he have faith enough to trust Jesus after the response he was about to receive. Jesus in no way denied His on deity by the way He spoke to the man.  He knew who He was and why He had come to provide for mankind the eternal life that the ruler was seeking. 

1. Why was it important for the man to accept the true identity of Jesus? (Without doing so what was to happen was just the opinion of a seemingly good man and would have been of little value to the ruler.)
2. Why would it appear that Jesus was denying the fact that He was God?
3. In what way did His answer affirm His deity? (His compassion and goodness was greater than that of sinful man.)
4. If Jesus was not God what would His words have meant to the man? (It would have just been one man’s opinion.)
5. How would you response to the question Jesus asked?
6. What difference does it make to you whether Jesus is God?

Luke 18:20

The man wanted to be able to work for his salvation.  Jesus laid out for him what was at the very center of the Jewish religion.  He began with five of the Ten Commandments. Each of them dealt with man’s relationship to man.  It would have been obvious to the man that if he could not keep those then there was no chance for eternal life.  John would later write, “The one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20)

1. Why did Jesus list some of the Ten Commandments as His answer?  (For a works based salvation he would have to be able to keep them.)
2. Why did Jesus select the ones that He did? (They were about horizontal relationships.)
3. How does the verse in 1 John fit in with what Jesus was saying?
4. How do you approach your own walk with the Lord?
5. Is it by grace or by works of the law?
6. What examples might you give for your answer?

Luke 18:21

About this time the ruler was probably feeling pretty good about himself.  Like the Pharisee at the beginning of this chapter he believed that he had kept the commandments mentioned since he was just a youth.

1. If Jesus had been speaking to you what progress have you made in your Christian life?
2. What did the answer from the man show about him? (He was not honest with himself.)
3. How did he fool himself in thinking that he had kept all of those commandments?
4. How do we fool ourselves in thinking more highly of ourselves than we should?
5. What does this kind of attitude lead to in our daily lives? (It would be hypocritical to think that we are perfect and others would see it in our words and actions.)

Luke 18:22

Jesus had kept the most important thing to say to the ruler for last.  If you really want to earn your way then sell everything you own and give the proceeds to the poor.  That command would indicate very quickly what the man considered as having the most value in his life. To refuse would indicate that he could not keep the first four commandments dealing with his relationship with God.  The first two had to do with putting God first in one’s life and the second condemned idols taking the place of God.  Jesus told him that by even keeping the other commandments he still was missing out on the rewards of eternal life because things were getting in the way. He could start a new life by following Jesus.  His willingness to become a disciple could only begin when all the other barriers to that kind of life were removed. The writer of Hebrews wrote,” Lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:2)

1. What was the most important thing that Jesus said to him? (Follow Me to gain what your are seeking.)
2. What was it he lacked?
3. What are some of the things that get in the way of your relationship with God?
4. What is lacking in your life?
5. How have you responded to the command of Jesus to follow Him?
6. How can we make sure that stuff does not bog us down?
7. How does the writer of Hebrews speak to the place where you are in your spiritual life?

Luke 18:23

The man decided that what Jesus had commanded him to do was too costly. Luke wrote, the reason that he turned Jesus down was he was extremely rich.  Jesus saw through the man that he had been used to buying whatever he wanted and had now been faced with the fact what he thought he wanted could not be purchased with his entire wealth.  One has to wonder if he had really been able to keep the other commandments if his wealth was more important to him than eternal life. From this narrative it is to be understood that as much as God loves man, He will allow him to walk away and reject His offer of eternal life.

1. Why did the ruler turn down the command of Jesus?
2. What did it show about the true character of the man?
3. What are some possible reasons that man turns his back on Jesus in today’s world?
4. What does this show about the person who rejects Jesus?
5. What are your thoughts about the Scripture that says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
6. What are you doing to keep that from happening to you?
7. How would you respond to someone who says that God sends people to hell? (God sends no one. It is the choice of each person where they spend eternity?
8. What lesson can be learned from the words of Jesus as we witness to people? (It is not we they are rejecting but Him.)

Luke 18:24-25

Jesus had one more word for the ruler. He said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!  Then He followed that statement with a picture of the difficulty of a rich man getting into heaven.  There was a small gate in the wall of Jerusalem that was only big enough for a man to walk through.  It would be extremely hard for a camel to make it through because of its size and the fact it would have to crawl on its knees to make it through at all.

1. Why would Jesus say what he did to the ruler? (He had just turned down the greatest opportunity he had ever had.)
2. Why was it difficult for the rich man to enter God’s kingdom?
3. What attitude is Jesus condemning? (Not wealth but the greed and selfishness that may go with it.  He was in no way speaking of those who use their possessions to glorify and serve God.)
4. Why did he use the example of the camel? (The people would understand how difficult it really was.)

Luke 18:26-27

Those who had witnessed what had just occurred were shocked at the words of Jesus.  It was the belief of the Jews that those who had wealth had received it because of their righteousness.  Jesus was saying to them what you possess has nothing to do with your relationship to the Father.

His final words included the ruler and all those who heard what He had to say.  The truth is that what is impossible for man to achieve on his own is not impossible for God to give as a free gift to all who believe.  No amount of works, positions in society or accumulation can provide only what God can do through His Son.

1. Why was the crowd surprised and shocked when Jesus told them how hard it was for a rich man to be saved?
2. In what ways do we get caught up in the same trap? (We look on those who have power or possession as someone special.)
3. In regard to salvation why it impossible for man to achieve it?
4. What did Jesus mean by saying that only in God is salvation possible? (It must be received as a gift from the true giver of life. See John 14:6.)
5. What have you done in your own life to receive what is impossible for man?

Luke 18:28

The disciples were just as surprised to hear the words of Jesus as were all of the others.  Even at that late day they still had thoughts of an earthly kingdom where Jesus was to be king and they would rule with Him. They were basically saying what is going to be the outcome of following you.  Where is the return on our investment of time and energy and lost revenue by leaving behind our jobs and family?

1. Why were the disciples as surprised by His words? (They had the Jewish mindset of wealth.)
2. What were their expectations? (To rule with the Messiah/King.)
3. What the given up to follow Jesus?
4. How did the question show what was important to them?
5. What had they failed to see in the work of Jesus? (It was not about this world.)

Luke 18:29-30

Jesus said very clearly those things that you held dear have no meaning in the kingdom of God.  They will be a burden that keeps you from focusing on what is of real value.  To give up all for Jesus has its own reward of peace and joy now that the world cannot provide.  He concludes that in the time to come the greatest gift that anyone can receive is eternal life.

1. What was to be the focus of the lives of the disciples?
2. What did that commitment hold for them? (Peace and joy and the knowledge that they were obeying their Master.)
3. What could they expect in the future? (Eternal life.)
4. On what or who are you focused in your daily walk?
5. What is the guarantee that you have that you will receive the reward of eternal life that is only available to those who follow Christ?

    

• Whenever you have doubts do not hesitate to bring them before the Lord.
• Understand that God is the giver of grace and it nothing we can obtain on our own.
• Take a personal inventory to see if there is anything in your life that stands between you and God.
• Do not let the circumstances of life cause you to reject what God wants to do for you.
• Remember That God has a reward for all of you who remain faithful.  It is eternal life to be spend with Him.
• Do not be overly impressed with the wealthy for they may be like the ruler in the lesson today who refused to use his money for the good of others.
• Use your possessions no matter how meager to glorify God.

The church was established for those who wanted to have a personal relationship with the Father. That means we come to make the great discovery that God loves us.  Hopefully, it is the one place that we can expect to hear the truth about our sin nature and the solution to that problem.  The ruler came to Jesus seeking to have salvation on his own terms.  We are to approach Him ready to do all that He asks of us. 

Our effectiveness in His service will depend on how much we are willing to submit to His will for us.  Many go through their entire lives living on the fringes of the church because they have never been able to shed the baggage of this world and give their all to Him.

The second opportunity the church presents is to help us deal with the doubts that we have.  Many wrestle with those doubts and insecurities their entire lives.  It is not necessary to live that way.  As God reveals Himself through His word and others we can come to the realization that He is the life that we were missing and truth that we have sought.  He wants also to show us the way to eternal life that the ruler missed out on in the lesson.  Our final reward was promised in the last verse.  We will obtain eternal life by His gift of His Son.  Be willing to come to the author of truth.